Eddy Mitchell (born Claude Moine July 3, 1942, Paris) is a French singer an… Read Full Bio ↴Eddy Mitchell (born Claude Moine July 3, 1942, Paris) is a French singer and actor. He began his career in the late 1950s, with the group Les Chaussettes Noires (The Black Socks), taking his name from the American expatriate tough-guy actor Eddie Constantine (later the star of Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville). The band performed at the Parisian nightclub Le Golf Drouot before signing to Barclay Records and finding almost instant success; in 1961 it sold two million records.

Heavily influenced by American rock & roll, Mitchell (who went solo in 1963) has often recorded outside France, at first in London, but later in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. Guitarist Jimmy Page and drummer Bob Graham were among the British session musicians who regularly supported him in London.

Bye Bye Love
Eddy Mitchell Lyrics

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Bye-bye, James Dean des années '50
Bye-bye, les ice-creams, jeunesse délinquante
Bye-bye, Elvis et ta gomminade
Bye-bye, Rock 'n' Roll, hello Coca-Cola
Bye-bye, 50, et ton cinéma
Le Cinémascope te reste sur les bras

Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas

Mes dix-sept ans meurent avec toi
Je ne saurai jamais t'oublier
Je ne saurai jamais t'oublier
Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas
Mes dix-sept ans meurent avec toi
Rien ne sera jamais comme avant
Rien ne sera jamais comme avant

Bye-bye, juke-box et "Blue Suede Shoes"
Bye-bye, Johnny B. Goode, bye-bye, Hollywood
Bye-bye, flipper et tes filles autour
Qui donnaient au vainqueur un semblant d'amour

Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas
Mes dix-sept ans meurent avec toi
Je ne saurai jamais t'oublier
Je ne saurai jamais t'oublier
Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas
Mes dix-sept ans meurent avec toi
Rien ne sera jamais comme avant
Rien ne sera jamais comme avant

Bye-bye, tendre Marilyn Monroe
Que Dieu tout-puissant t'aime mieux là-haut
Bye-bye, Corée, Cuba, Algérie
Bye-bye, Rock 'n' Roll, bonjour nostalgie

Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas
Mes dix-sept ans meurent avec toi
Je ne saurai jamais t'oublier
Je ne saurai jamais t'oublier
Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas
Mes dix-sept ans meurent avec toi
Rien ne sera jamais comme avant
Rien ne sera jamais comme avant

Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas
Mes dix-sept ans meurent avec toi
Rien ne sera jamais comme avant

Rien ne sera jamais comme avant
Bye-bye, 50, mais n'oublie pas

Overall Meaning

In the song "Bye Bye 50," Eddy Mitchell reminisces about the end of the 1950s and all the cultural icons and experiences that defined that era. The lyrics convey a sense of nostalgia for a time that was filled with youthful rebellion, music, movies, and social changes.

The first verse mentions figures like James Dean and Elvis Presley, who were symbols of the rebellious youth culture of the '50s. "Ice-creams" and "gomminade" (hair gel) were popular among the youth, reflecting their carefree and restless spirit. The line "Rock 'n' Roll, hello Coca-Cola" signifies the transition from the raw energy and excitement of the early rock and roll era to the commercialization and mainstream appeal represented by Coca-Cola.

The chorus expresses the singer's personal connection to the '50s, stating that his seventeen years old self died along with that era. It emphasizes the impossibility of forgetting something that has made such a significant impact on one's life. The repetition of "Je ne saurai jamais t'oublier" (I will never be able to forget you) emphasizes the strong emotional attachment to the memories of the '50s.

The second verse mentions the jukebox, "Blue Suede Shoes" (a hit song by Carl Perkins), Johnny B. Goode (a song by Chuck Berry), and Hollywood – all symbols of popular culture in the '50s. The line about the flipper (pinball machine) and girls around it represents a scene of youthful amusement and flirtation.

In the third verse, Mitchell bids farewell to Marilyn Monroe and expresses a desire for "God almighty" to favor her in the afterlife. References to the conflicts in Korea, Cuba, and Algeria acknowledge the turbulent political climate of the era. The line "Bye-bye, Rock 'n' Roll, bonjour nostalgie" indicates the transition from the groundbreaking music of the '50s to a sentimentality and longing for those times that would persist.

The chorus is repeated at the end of the song, emphasizing the singer's deep emotional attachment to the '50s and the belief that nothing will ever be the same again. With the recurring line "Rien ne sera jamais comme avant" (Nothing will ever be as it was before), Mitchell expresses a longing for a time that has passed and the understanding that the changes brought about by the '50s are irreversible.

Overall, "Bye Bye 50" is a nostalgic tribute to the cultural icons and experiences of the 1950s, highlighting the impact they had on the singer's identity and the longing to recapture that spirit of youth and rebellion.

Line by Line Meaning

Bye-bye, James Dean des années '50
Farewell, symbol of rebellion and youth of the 1950s

Bye-bye, les ice-creams, jeunesse délinquante
Goodbye, rebellious youth and their mischievous behavior

Bye-bye, Elvis et ta gomminade
Farewell, Elvis and your slicked-back hairstyle

Bye-bye, Rock 'n' Roll, hello Coca-Cola
Goodbye, Rock 'n' Roll music, hello commercialization and consumerism represented by Coca-Cola

Bye-bye, 50, et ton cinéma
Farewell, 1950s and its cinema

Le Cinémascope te reste sur les bras
Cinemascope technology remains unused, unwanted

Bye-bye, juke-box et "Blue Suede Shoes"
Goodbye, jukeboxes and songs like "Blue Suede Shoes"

Bye-bye, Johnny B. Goode, bye-bye, Hollywood
Farewell, Johnny B. Goode and the Hollywood scene

Bye-bye, flipper et tes filles autour
Goodbye, pinball machines and the girls who surrounded them

Qui donnaient au vainqueur un semblant d'amour
Who gave the winner a semblance of love

Bye-bye, tendre Marilyn Monroe
Farewell, beloved Marilyn Monroe