He was born in Constantine, Algeria and played the guitar since childhood. His father was a violinist in an orchestra that played primarily maalouf, Andalo-Arabic music. Gaston started playing with the orchestra at 15, and soon replaced the bandleader, Cheick Raymond.
He pursued a career as a school teacher, but continued practicing the guitar. In 1961, Cheick Raymond was killed, and the situation became untenable for the Jewish residents of Constantine. Gaston (Macias) went into "exile" in France with his wife, Suzy, the daughter of Cheick Raymond.
Arriving in Paris, he decided to pursue a career in music. At first, he tried translating the maalouf numbers that he already knew into French. This was not very successful, and he developed a new French repertoire that he performed in cafés and cabarets.
He made his first recording in 1962 titled "Adieu mon pays," which he had composed on the boat to France. He appeared on French television and became an overnight sensation. This led to a first tour the following year. His daughter Jocya was also born that year.
In 1964, he was transformed into Enrico Macias and undertook a tour to Lebanon, Greece, and Turkey. He was performing his big hits such as Paris, tu m'as pris dans tes bras. From that time on, he toured throughout the world, recorded hit songs in Spanish and Italian, and met great success on every continent. His American debut at a sold-out Carnegie Hall took place on February 17, 1968.
He received a gold disc in 1976 for Melissa, and was named Singer of Peace by UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim in 1980. In 1997, Kofi Annan named him Roving Ambassador for Peace and the Defence of Children.
After the cancellation of a proposed tour in Algeria in 2000, he wrote a book Mon Algérie, a love story of his feelings for his native land. In 2003, he put out a new album Oranges amères produced by his son, Jean-Claude Ghrenassia.
Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras
Enrico Macias Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comme un enfant perdu
J'étais seul j'avais froid
Toi Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras
Je ne la reverrai pas
La fille qui m'a souri
Elle s'est seulement retournée et voilàMais dans ses yeux j'ai compris
Que dans la ville de pierre
Où l'on se sent étranger
Il y a toujours du bonheur dans l'air
Pour ceux qui veulent s'aimer
Et le coeur de la ville
A battu sous mes pas
De Passy à Belleville
Toi Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras
Le long des Champs Elysées
Les lumières clignaient de l'oeil
Quand j'ai croisé les terrasses des cafés
Elles m'ont tendu leurs fauteuils
Saint Germain m'a dit bonjour
Rue Saint Benoît, rue du Four
J'ai fait danser pendant toute la nuit
Les filles les plus jolies
Au petit matin blême
Devant le dernier crème
J'ai fermé mes yeux las
Toi Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras
Sur les quais de l'île Saint LouisDes pêcheurs des amoureux
Je les enviais mais la Seine m'a dit:
"Viens donc t'asseoir avec moi"
Je le sais aujourd'hui
Nous sommes deux amis
Merci du fond de moi
Toi Paris je suis bien dans tes bras
Je le sais aujourd'hui
Nous sommes deux amis
Merci du fond de moi
Toi Paris je suis bien dans tes bras
Toi Paris je suis bien dans tes bras
Toi Paris je suis bien dans tes bras.
The lyrics of Enrico Macias's song Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras convey the emotions of a person who feels lost and alone in a foreign city. The singer is walking down the streets of Paris, feeling cold and lonely when the city takes him in its embrace. He talks about a chance encounter with a girl who smiled at him but disappeared, leaving him with only her memory. However, he finds solace in the fact that the city has something to offer to all its dwellers. He talks about wandering the streets of Paris, including iconic areas such as Passy, Belleville, and Champs Elysées, where he experienced different facets of the city. From charming sidewalk cafes to the beauty of the Seine River, and the vibrant nightlife of the city, the singer experiences the city in all its facets.
As the day breaks, he realizes that Paris is now his friend, and he is finally comfortable in his embrace. The song beautifully encapsulates the emotions of a traveler who is grappling with feeling lost and finding solace in the charm of a foreign land. The lyrics of the song convey different aspects of Paris- its beauty, charm, and vibrancy, while also acknowledging that it can be a lonely place for someone who is a stranger. However, the city has an inherent warmth and friendliness, which makes it easy for the people to embrace it and feel at home.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the city of Paris and its charm, and how it can transform people's lives by offering them a sense of belongingness.
Line by Line Meaning
J'allais le long des rues
I was walking along the streets
Comme un enfant perdu
like a lost child
J'étais seul j'avais froid
I was alone, I was cold
Toi Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras
You, Paris, held me in your arms
Je ne la reverrai pas
I won't see her again
La fille qui m'a souri
The girl who smiled at me
Elle s'est seulement retournée et voilà
She only turned around and that was it
Mais dans ses yeux j'ai compris
But in her eyes I understood
Que dans la ville de pierre
That in the city of stone
Où l'on se sent étranger
Where one feels like a stranger
Il y a toujours du bonheur dans l'air
There is always happiness in the air
Pour ceux qui veulent s'aimer
For those who want to love each other
Et le coeur de la ville
And the heart of the city
A battu sous mes pas
Beat under my steps
De Passy à Belleville
From Passy to Belleville
Toi Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras
You, Paris, held me in your arms
Le long des Champs Elysées
Along the Champs Elysées
Les lumières clignaient de l'oeil
The lights were blinking
Quand j'ai croisé les terrasses des cafés
When I passed by the café terraces
Elles m'ont tendu leurs fauteuils
They offered me their chairs
Saint Germain m'a dit bonjour
Saint Germain said hello to me
Rue Saint Benoît, rue du Four
Rue Saint Benoît, rue du Four
J'ai fait danser pendant toute la nuit
I danced all night
Les filles les plus jolies
The prettiest girls
Au petit matin blême
At dawn
Devant le dernier crème
In front of the last coffee
J'ai fermé mes yeux las
I closed my tired eyes
Toi Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras
You, Paris, held me in your arms
Sur les quais de l'île Saint Louis
On the docks of Île Saint Louis
Des pêcheurs des amoureux
Fishermen, lovers
Je les enviais mais la Seine m'a dit:
I envied them but the Seine told me:
"Viens donc t'asseoir avec moi"
"Come and sit with me"
Je le sais aujourd'hui
I know it today
Nous sommes deux amis
We are two friends
Merci du fond de moi
Thank you from the bottom of me
Toi Paris je suis bien dans tes bras
You, Paris, I feel good in your arms
Toi Paris je suis bien dans tes bras
You, Paris, I feel good in your arms
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: ENRICO MACIAS, JEAN YVES HENRI PEIGNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind