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 Roi Chasseur
Félix Leclerc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Les attelages cassés
Essayait de monter le fossé
Les chevaux ne voulaient plus tirer
Se lamentaient les pauvres cochers
Le roi qui était dedans
Se dit intérieurement :
Qui pourra m’empêcher de marcher ?
Y a si longtemps que j’veux voir les champs !"
En sautant la clôture
Il tomba dans les mûres
Et salit son pourpoint de satin
Un vilain chien sans nom
Lui mordit le talon
La nature, gênée, refusa de chanter...
"Continuez de chanter
Mes amis les oiseaux
Hélas ! si vous connaissiez ma peine
Vous vous installeriez
Sur ce grand merisier
Vous chanteriez jusqu’à perdre haleine"
"Je m’en vais au palais
Pour briser un complot
Qu’ont tramé dans mon dos mes sujets
Vous, au moins, demeurez avec moi
Ayez pitié de ceux qui sont rois !"
Aujourd’hui dans c’pays
Il n’y a plus de roi
Ni de rue, nie de toit, ni de rien
Un grand souffle est venu
Qui a tout emporté
Reste un homme au manteau troué
Son manteau est troué
Mais son cœur est léger
Il s’en va dans les prés, seul à pied
Son royaume à présent
C’est un p’tit toit de chaume
Et la terre lui est plus légère
The song Le Roi Chasseur by Félix Leclerc tells the story of a king who is stuck in a carriage, surrounded by broken harnesses and horses that refuse to pull. While his coachmen lament their misfortune, the king sees this as an opportunity to escape from his duties and explore the fields that he has always wanted to see. He jumps over a fence, falls into a patch of brambles, and dirties his satin coat. Then he is bitten by a stray dog and the sounds of nature seem suddenly hushed. Sensing that he cannot escape his responsibilities altogether, he calls for the birds to keep singing, and says he must go back to his palace to put down a plot against him. He asks the birds to keep him company, and as for the rest of the people, he pleads that they have pity on kings.
The final verse of the song takes a melancholy turn as the singer describes a land where there are no more kings, no more streets, and no more roofs. A great wind has swept everything away, leaving only a man with a tattered cloak who walks alone in the fields. The man's coat may be full of holes, but his heart is light, and he has found a small thatched roof to make his home. The song speaks to the transience of power, the longing for freedom and the need for connection to nature in a world where we are increasingly detached from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Un carrosse embourbé
The carriage is stuck in mud
Les attelages cassés
The horses can no longer pull the carriage due to broken attachments
Essayait de monter le fossé
They try to climb out of the ditch
Les chevaux ne voulaient plus tirer
The horses refuse to pull the carriage anymore
Se lamentaient les pauvres cochers
The poor coachmen were lamenting
Le roi qui était dedans
The king was inside the carriage
Se dit intérieurement :
Thought to himself
“C’est tant mieux, j’suis content car maintenant
“It's just as well, I am happy because now
Qui pourra m’empêcher de marcher ?
Who can stop me from walking now?
Y a si longtemps que j’veux voir les champs !”
It has been so long since I wanted to see the fields!”
En sautant la clôture
By jumping the fence
Il tomba dans les mûres
He fell into the blackberries
Et salit son pourpoint de satin
And dirtied his satin jacket
Un vilain chien sans nom
An ugly stray dog
Lui mordit le talon
Bit him on the heel
La nature, gênée, refusa de chanter...
The embarrassed nature stops singing...
“Continuez de chanter
“Keep singing
Mes amis les oiseaux
My friends, the birds
Hélas ! si vous connaissiez ma peine
If only you knew my sorrow
Vous vous installeriez
You would settle
Sur ce grand merisier
On this great cherry tree
Vous chanteriez jusqu’à perdre haleine”
You'll sing until you're out of breath”
“Je m’en vais au palais
I am going to the palace
Pour briser un complot
To thwart a plot
Qu’ont tramé dans mon dos mes sujets
That my subjects have conspired behind my back
Vous, au moins, demeurez avec moi
You, at least, stay with me
Ayez pitié de ceux qui sont rois !”
Have pity on those who are kings!”
Aujourd’hui dans c’pays
Today in this country
Il n’y a plus de roi
There are no more kings
Ni de rue, nie de toit, ni de rien
Neither streets nor roofs, nor anything remains
Un grand souffle est venu
A great wind came
Qui a tout emporté
And took everything away
Reste un homme au manteau troué
Remains a man with a tattered coat
Son manteau est troué
His coat is tattered
Mais son cœur est léger
But his heart is light
Il s’en va dans les prés, seul à pied
He walks alone in the meadows
Son royaume à présent
His kingdom now
C’est un p’tit toit de chaume
Is a small thatched roof
Et la terre lui est plus légère
And the earth is lighter for him
Lyrics © RAOUL BRETON EDITIONS
Written by: Felix LECLERC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind