He was born in La Tuque, Quebec from a family of pioneers in 1914, sixth in a family of eleven children. He began his studies at the University of Ottawa but was forced to stop due to the Depression.
Leclerc worked at various jobs before taking jobs as a radio announcer in Quebec City and Trois-Rivières from 1934 to 1937. In 1939, he began working as a writer at Radio-Canada in Montreal, developing scripts for radio dramas, including Je me souviens. He performed some of his earliest songs there. He also acted in various dramas, including Un Homme et son péché. He published a number of his scripts and founded a performing company which presented his plays through Quebec.
In 1950, he was discovered by Paris impresario, Jacques Canetti, and performed his songs in France to great success. He signed a recording contract with Polydor Records. He returned to Quebec in 1953. In 1958, he received the top award of the Académie Charles-Cros in France for his second album. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1971, the National Order of Quebec in 1985 and became a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur in 1986.
He died in his sleep on the Île d'Orléans in 1988. A monument in his memory was constructed there in 1989.
Leclerc played a major role in revitalising the Quebec folk song ("chanson") tradition. He also was a strong voice for Quebec nationalism.
Various parks, roads and schools in Quebec that have been named in his honour. The Felix Awards, given to Quebec recording artists, are named after him. In 2000, the Government of Canada honoured him with his image on a postage stamp.
La valse à Joseph
Félix Leclerc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Attelait ses chevaux un matin de printemps
Parce que la lumière faisait l'amour au vent
Les chevaux ont pris le mors aux dents
De sa fenêtre la voisine
D'rire et d'nouer sa capine
De ramener les percherons
Sains et saufs a la maison
Z'avez une voix qui sait parler aux betes
Oui m'sieur Joseph, j'ai bonne envie d'vous l'dire
Avec comme vous ça m'plairait d'obéir
Elle a mis son jupon de soie
Joseph ses gants de chamois
Grosse noce chez m'sieur Letourneau
Ensuite le tour du traîneau
Tout l'tour de l'île et lon lire lonlo
Qui dure depuis 25 ans ce matin
Y'en ont use des roues et des patins
Pour que l'bonheur reste au clos pipo
Des Janette et des p'tits Jos ici
Les oies le savent, les enfants aussi
Les cerfs-volants et les filles aussi
C'est le fou d'l'ile qui m'l'a dit ici
The lyrics of Félix Leclerc's song "La valse à Joseph" are rich with imagery portraying a scene of a man named Jos living on Île d'Orléans, an island in the Saint Lawrence River east of Quebec City. The song tells the story of Jos, who is getting his horses ready one morning in the spring. The light is beautiful as it flirts with the wind, and the horses become eager to gallop. Jos's neighbor Janette watches from her window and decides to go help him. Jos is grateful for her help and tells her that she has a voice that speaks to the animals. Janette is pleased to hear this and jokingly says that she would like to obey him. The two of them then get dressed up in their fanciest clothes and go to a wedding at M. Letourneau's house. After the wedding, they take a ride on a sleigh around the island, which they have been doing for 25 years.
The song's lyrics are full of references to the simple joys of life that Jos and Janette experience. They are in touch with nature and appreciate the beauty of the world around them, as seen in the way the light dances with the wind in the opening lines. They also feel a sense of community with their neighbors, as seen in the way Janette helps Jos and the way they go to M. Letourneau's wedding. The tradition of riding around the island on a sleigh is a way of celebrating their long-standing relationship, and they are surrounded by the wildlife and other people who know them and are part of their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Jos l'habitant du fond d'l'île d'Orléans
Joseph, the local inhabitant of the Orleans Island,
Attelait ses chevaux un matin de printemps
Was hitching his horses on a spring morning,
Parce que la lumière faisait l'amour au vent
As the light was making love to the wind,
Les chevaux ont pris le mors aux dents
The horses took the bit in their teeth,
De sa fenêtre la voisine
From her window, the neighbor
D'rire et d'nouer sa capine
was laughing and knotting her scarf,
De ramener les percherons
To bring back the Percherons,
Sains et saufs a la maison
Safe and sound to their home.
Merci mam'zelle votre nom c'est Janette
Thank you, Miss, what's your name? Janette?
Z'avez une voix qui sait parler aux betes
You've got a voice that knows how to talk to animals,
Oui m'sieur Joseph, j'ai bonne envie d'vous l'dire
Yes, Mr. Joseph, I want to tell you,
Avec comme vous ça m'plairait d'obéir
I'd like to obey you, just like that.
Elle a mis son jupon de soie
She put on her silk petticoat,
Joseph ses gants de chamois
Joseph got his chamois gloves,
Grosse noce chez m'sieur Letourneau
A big wedding at Mr. Letourneau's,
Ensuite le tour du traîneau
Followed by a sleigh ride,
Tout l'tour de l'île et lon lire lonlo
All around the island, singing Lire Lonlo,
Qui dure depuis 25 ans ce matin
Which has been going on for 25 years now,
Y'en ont use des roues et des patins
They've gone through many wheels and skates,
Pour que l'bonheur reste au clos pipo
To make sure happiness stays at the Clos Pipo,
Des Janette et des p'tits Jos ici
With Janettes and little Jos's here,
Les oies le savent, les enfants aussi
The geese know it, and so do the children,
Les cerfs-volants et les filles aussi
The kites and the girls too,
C'est le fou d'l'ile qui m'l'a dit ici
It's the island's madman who told me here.
Writer(s): FELIX LECLERC
Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.