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.
Le Jour Qui S'Appelle Aujourd'Hui
Félix Leclerc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Entendre l'inconnu ricaner derrière soi
Et porter un cœur lourd, je sais cela...
Se nourrir de tendresse et en priver les autres
Et accuser tout bas le bon Dieu et sa mère
Vouloir mourir perdu comme un papier au vent
Depuis que j'aime, je sais cela,
Des rondeurs de montagnes, des torrents, des vallées
Milliers, milliers d'outardes qui font des trous dans l'air
Je sais cela...
De gros troncs d'arbres forts qui rentrent dans la terre
Jusqu'au fond de son ventre et dans les corridors secrets
Vont se mêler aux racines des sources,
Je sais cela...
Le pain, l'eau et le feu, les appeler ses frères
Dompter les hommes fauves, cultiver le silence
Parler d'éternité comme on parle d'amour,
Depuis que j'aime, je sais cela,
Car avec elle, c'est tout cela...
Mais un jour qui n'est pas venu
Et qui se fait dans les nues
Peut-être est-ce demain ?
Peut-être l'an prochain ?
Il viendra, il viendra ici
Et si nous sommes endormis
Il nous réveillera et sera sans fin.
Non, il ne viendra pas, il appartient à la nuit
Faisons de celui-ci le jour que tu as dit,
Si tu veux faisons de notre vie
Le jour qui jamais ne finit
Qui s'appelle aujourd'hui...
The song "Le Jour Qui S'Appelle Aujourd'Hui" by Félix Leclerc talks about different themes such as love, nature, spirituality, and the struggles of life. Leclerc uses poetic language to express his thoughts and feelings about these topics. The first verse talks about the desert, despite not having been there, the unknown laughing behind someone, and carrying a heavy heart. This can be interpreted as feeling lost or lonely in life, surrounded by uncertainty and darkness.
The second verse deals with the contradiction of wanting and needing tenderness but denying it to others, blaming God and one's mother under one's breath, and wanting to die lost like a paper in the wind. These are deep and universal emotions that many people have felt at some point in their lives. The third verse is a description of the beauty and power of nature, the mountains, the valleys, the rivers, and the birds. Leclerc talks about the importance of respecting and finding harmony with nature, using words like "cultiver le silence" (cultivate silence) and "parler d'éternité" (talk about eternity) to show how he sees nature as a means to connect with the divine.
The chorus refers to a day that hasn't come yet, a day that may never come, but that can be created in the present moment. "Le jour qui s'appelle aujourd'hui" (the day that is called today) is the day that can last forever if we choose to make it so. It doesn't matter if the day of tomorrow never comes because today we can make the most of it, live it to the fullest, and create a life that is full of meaning and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Sans jamais y être allé, ce qu'est le désert,
I have never been there, but I know what the desert feels like
Entendre l'inconnu ricaner derrière soi
Hearing the unknown laughing behind you
Et porter un cœur lourd, je sais cela...
And carrying a heavy heart, I know that feeling
Se nourrir de tendresse et en priver les autres
Feeding on tenderness and depriving others of it
Et accuser tout bas le bon Dieu et sa mère
Blaming God and his mother under my breath
Vouloir mourir perdu comme un papier au vent
Wanting to die lost like a paper in the wind
Depuis que j'aime, je sais cela,
Ever since I love, I know that
Séparé d'elle, c'est tout cela...
Separated from her, it's all that
Des rondeurs de montagnes, des torrents, des vallées
Round mountains, torrents, valleys
Milliers, milliers d'outardes qui font des trous dans l'air
Thousands and thousands of bustards punching holes in the air
Je sais cela...
I know that
De gros troncs d'arbres forts qui rentrent dans la terre
Large strong tree trunks that go deep into the ground
Jusqu'au fond de son ventre et dans les corridors secrets
To the bottom of the earth and in secret corridors
Vont se mêler aux racines des sources,
They will mix with the roots of the sources
Je sais cela...
I know that
Le pain, l'eau et le feu, les appeler ses frères
Calling bread, water, and fire your brothers
Dompter les hommes fauves, cultiver le silence
Taming wild men, cultivating silence
Parler d'éternité comme on parle d'amour,
Talking about eternity as one speaks of love
Depuis que j'aime, je sais cela,
Ever since I love, I know that
Car avec elle, c'est tout cela...
Because with her, it's all that
Mais un jour qui n'est pas venu
But a day that has not yet arrived
Et qui se fait dans les nues
And that is happening in the clouds
Peut-être est-ce demain ?
Maybe it's tomorrow?
Peut-être l'an prochain ?
Maybe next year?
Il viendra, il viendra ici
He will come, he will come here
Et si nous sommes endormis
And if we are asleep
Il nous réveillera et sera sans fin.
He will wake us up and it will be endless
Non, il ne viendra pas, il appartient à la nuit
No, he will not come, he belongs to the night
Faisons de celui-ci le jour que tu as dit,
Let's make this one the day you mentioned
Si tu veux faisons de notre vie
If you want, let's make our life
Le jour qui jamais ne finit
The day that never ends
Qui s'appelle aujourd'hui...
Which is called today...
Contributed by Lila Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.