From a series of minor parts, Pagny moved from cinema to TV. In 1985, he got co-writing credits for Michel Gerard's film "Blessure". Two years later, he recorded its first single "N'importe quoi". The success was immediate for this non-conformist.
He won a Victoire, a prestigious French music award, in 1989, yet the following year his second album bombed following a media boycott. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you"!
After a long period of reflection, he came back on top with his album "Rester Vrai" in 1994. In 1997, his album "Savoir aimer" brought him enormous popularity.
He now spends his time between France and Patagonia where he lives with his wife on a 4000 hectare farm pursuing his two passions: motor biking and fishing.
In 2004, Pagny took on an ambitious project: "Baryton", an album made up of titles of the traditional repertory with an amazing 70 member string orchestra and a 60 member choir under the direction of Yvon Cassar. This album was a true success.
In 2006 with the album "Abracadabra" Pagny returned to more of a pop style and delivered a superb album with poignant lyrics "Le Mur" or "Là où je t'emmènerai".
In 2007, "Pagny Chante Brel", launched a tribute album containing eleven songs by the great singer Jacques Brel.
In 2009, "C'est comme ça" came out as a spanish language album. Recorded in Miami with latin composers and musicians, this worthwhile effort showed the extend of his talent across language barriers.
On Nov 12th 2010, "Tout et son contraire" is Pagny's lucky 13th album. With a french album with songs penned by Grégoire, Calogéro, Pascal Obispo and Marc Lavoine, this album is more conventional fare for this now Miami Resident.
In 2010, Pagny also released Baryton. Gracias a la vida his first of two Spanish albums.
In 2013, Viellir avec toi, 2016 Habana his second spanish album, 2017 Le présent d'abord, 2018 Tout Simplement and 2019 Aime La vie.
Remarquably, since 1990 Pagny's albums have always reached the top 5 in the French market, a remarkable 30 year run.
Pagny is a recurring figure as a judge of the French version of the Voice.
Le soldat
Florent Pagny Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ma très chère Augustine
Je t'écris sans tarder
Le froid pique et me glace et j'ai peur de tomber
Je ne pense qu'à toi
Mais je suis un soldat, la la la, la la la la
La la la, la la la la
Mais surtout ne t'en fais pas
La la la, la la la la
Et tu seras fière de moi
À l'heure où la guerre chasse des garçons par milliers
Si loin de la maison
Et la fleur au canon
Ces autres que l'on tue sont les mêmes que moi
Mais je ne pleure pas
Car je suis un soldat, la la la, la la la la
La la la, la la la la
Mais surtout ne t'en fais pas
Je serai bientôt là (la la la, la la la la)
La la la, la la la la
Et tu seras fière de moi
À l'heure où la mort passe dans le fleuve à mes pieds
De la boue qui s'en va
Des godasses et des rats
Je revois tes yeux clairs, j'essaie d'imaginer
L'hiver auprès de toi
Mais je suis un soldat, la la la, la la la la
La la la, la la la la
Je ne sens plus mes bras
Tout tourne autour de moi (la la la, la la la la)
La la la, la la la la
Mon Dieu, sors-moi de là
Ma très chère Augustine, j'aimerai te confier
Nos plus beaux souvenirs
Et nos enfants rêvés
Je crois pouvoir le dire, nous nous sommes aimés
Je t'aime une dernière fois
Je ne suis qu'un soldat, la la la, la la la la
La la la, la la la la, la la la, la la
Non je ne reviendrai pas, la la la, la la la la
La la la, la la, la
Je n'étais qu'un soldat, la la la, la la la la
La la la, la la la la
La la la, la la, la
Prends soin de toi (la la la, la la la la)
The lyrics in Florent Pagny's song "Le Soldat" ("The Soldier") poetically describe the thoughts and emotions of a soldier writing a letter to his lover from the trenches of war. Throughout the song, the soldier expresses both his fear and his pride in being a soldier, and he reassures his lover that he will return to her soon. Although he is surrounded by death and destruction, he imagines a future with his lover, talking about their shared memories and their imagined children. Finally, in a heart-wrenching twist, the soldier confesses that he will not be coming home, declaring "I was only a soldier" and asking his lover to take care of herself.
The song is a powerful commentary on the harsh realities of war and the sacrifices that soldiers and their loved ones make. The soldier's words paint a vivid picture of the difficult conditions that he and his comrades face, from the cold and fear to the mud and vermin. However, the soldier also expresses his love for his partner and his determination to return to her, which makes the song particularly poignant.
Overall, "Le Soldat" is a moving tribute to the bravery and humanity of soldiers, as well as a reminder of the toll that war takes on those who fight and those who are left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
À l'heure où la nuit passe au milieu des tranchées
At the time when the night passes amidst the trenches
Ma très chère Augustine
My dearest Augustine
Je t'écris sans tarder
I am writing to you without delay
Le froid pique et me glace et j'ai peur de tomber
The cold stings and freezes me and I am afraid of falling
Je ne pense qu'à toi
I think only of you
Mais je suis un soldat, la la la, la la la la
But I am a soldier, la la la, la la la la
Mais surtout ne t'en fais pas
But above all, do not worry
Je serai bientôt là (la la la, la la la la)
I will be back soon (la la la, la la la la)
Et tu seras fière de moi
And you will be proud of me
À l'heure où la guerre chasse des garçons par milliers
At the time when the war chases away thousands of boys
Si loin de la maison
So far from home
Et la fleur au canon
And the flower in the barrel
Ces autres que l'on tue sont les mêmes que moi
Those others who are killed are the same as me
Mais je ne pleure pas
But I do not cry
Car je suis un soldat, la la la, la la la la
Because I am a soldier, la la la, la la la la
Mais surtout ne t'en fais pas
But above all, do not worry
Je serai bientôt là (la la la, la la la la)
I will be back soon (la la la, la la la la)
Et tu seras fière de moi
And you will be proud of me
À l'heure où la mort passe dans le fleuve à mes pieds
At the time when death passes in the river at my feet
De la boue qui s'en va
From the mud that is leaving
Des godasses et des rats
From the shoes and the rats
Je revois tes yeux clairs, j'essaie d'imaginer
I see your clear eyes again, I try to imagine
L'hiver auprès de toi
Winter next to you
Mais je suis un soldat, la la la, la la la la
But I am a soldier, la la la, la la la la
Je ne sens plus mes bras
I no longer feel my arms
Tout tourne autour de moi (la la la, la la la la)
Everything revolves around me (la la la, la la la la)
Mon Dieu, sors-moi de là
My God, get me out of here
Ma très chère Augustine, j'aimerai te confier
My dearest Augustine, I would like to confide in you
Nos plus beaux souvenirs
Our most beautiful memories
Et nos enfants rêvés
And our dreamed-of children
Je crois pouvoir le dire, nous nous sommes aimés
I think I can say that we loved each other
Je t'aime une dernière fois
I love you one last time
Je ne suis qu'un soldat, la la la, la la la la
I am just a soldier, la la la, la la la la
Non je ne reviendrai pas, la la la, la la la la
No, I will not come back, la la la, la la la la,
La la la, la la, la
La la la, la la, la
Je n'étais qu'un soldat, la la la, la la la la
I was just a soldier, la la la, la la la la
La la la, la la la la
La la la, la la la la
La la la, la la, la
La la la, la la, la
Prends soin de toi (la la la, la la la la)
Take care of yourself (la la la, la la la la)
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marie Bastide, Maurici Joseph Calogero
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MFINDA N.
Merci Flo. PAGNY