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.
Le Blues Du Blanc
Eddy Mitchell Lyrics
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Plus une fausse blonde qui fume une vraie, faut l'faire.
Manque plus qu'au piano Nat King Cole
Dents blanches
Smoking rose, chantant
Un blues pour blanc.
Moi j'ai le blues du noir et blanc au ciné
Quand le "big band" est vraiment grand
J'ai l'blues du blanc
Du blanc.
Pourtant j'ai pas bu.
Des films j'en ai vu
Où l'entraîneuse chante l'espoir
En enlevant ses gants noirs.
Blues du blanc
Blues du blanc.
Mais, l'type au bar en fait trop dans la frime :
L'genre à mourir dès la première bobine.
Un homme de couleur beau et grand
J'ai l'blues du blanc
Du blanc.
Pourtant j'ai pas bu.
Des films j'en ai vu
Où le héros gagne tout l'temps
Sans verser une goutte de sang.
Blues du blanc, blues du blanc.
Un Martini Dry, une olive dans l'verre
Plus une fausse blonde qui fume une vraie, faut l'faire.
Pour peu qu'le "big band" soit très grand
J'ai l'blues du blanc, du blanc
Blues du blanc, du blanc
Du blanc
Blues du blanc
Du blanc
The lyrics to Eddy Mitchell's song "Le Blues Du Blanc" express the feeling of disconnection and emptiness while being surrounded by all the flashy and glitzy elements of a night out in a club. The singer describes the scene around him - a martini, a fake blonde smoking a real cigarette, a pianist like Nat King Cole, all dressed in white or smoking rose, and the music playing the blues for white people. Amidst all this, the singer confesses that he feels the blues of black and white in the cinema, where natural redheads are bleached and the big band is really grand. However, while he hasn't drunk much, he feels out of place because of his whiteness in a setting that seems exotic and foreign to him.
The chorus "Blues du blanc, blues du blanc" repeats the sentiment of estrangement in the context of music meant for white people. The second verse introduces a new character, a man of color, who is beautiful and grand and is contrasted with the man at the bar who is trying too hard to fit in. The singer has seen movies where the heroine sings of hope while taking off her black gloves and heroes who win without shedding any blood. However, he still has the "blues du blanc" because he feels like an outsider in a world that is not his.
The song addresses the theme of cultural appropriation and the discomfort of being part of a group while not understanding their culture. Mitchell expresses his feelings of isolation in a setting that he wants to belong to but cannot. The song also reflects on the power of music to unite people and create a sense of community while acknowledging the underlying racial tensions that exist.
Line by Line Meaning
Un Martini Dry, une olive dans l'verre
A drink consisting of a Martini Dry with an olive in the glass
Plus une fausse blonde qui fume une vraie, faut l'faire.
There is also a fake blonde smoking in the room with a real cigarette, which is quite remarkable
Manque plus qu'au piano Nat King Cole
The only thing that's missing now is Nat King Cole on the piano
Dents blanches
Teeth that are white
Smoking rose, chantant
Wearing a pink smoking jacket while singing
Un blues pour blanc.
A blues song for white people.
Moi j'ai le blues du noir et blanc au ciné
I have the blues for black and white films at the cinema
Ou les vraies rousses ne sont pas décolorées
When real redheads are not bleached
Quand le "big band" est vraiment grand
When the big band is truly great
J'ai l'blues du blanc
I have the blues for white people
Du blanc.
For white people
Pourtant j'ai pas bu.
Nevertheless, I have not had a drink
Des films j'en ai vu
Even when I've seen movies
Où l'entraîneuse chante l'espoir
Where the hostess sings about hope
En enlevant ses gants noirs.
While taking off her black gloves
Blues du blanc
Blues for white people
Mais, l'type au bar en fait trop dans la frime :
But the guy at the bar is trying too hard to be cool
L'genre à mourir dès la première bobine.
He's the type to die in the first reel
Un homme de couleur beau et grand
A handsome and tall man of color
J'ai l'blues du blanc
I have the blues for white people
Du blanc.
For white people
Des films j'en ai vu
Even when I've seen movies
Où le héros gagne tout l'temps
Where the hero always wins
Sans verser une goutte de sang.
Without spilling a single drop of blood
Blues du blanc, blues du blanc.
Blues for white people, blues for white people
Un Martini Dry, une olive dans l'verre
A drink consisting of a Martini Dry with an olive in the glass
Plus une fausse blonde qui fume une vraie, faut l'faire.
There is also a fake blonde smoking in the room with a real cigarette, which is quite remarkable
Pour peu qu'le "big band" soit très grand
When the big band is truly great
J'ai l'blues du blanc, du blanc
I have the blues for white people, for white people
Blues du blanc, du blanc
Blues for white people, for white people
Du blanc
For white people
Blues du blanc
Blues for white people
Du blanc
For white people
Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.