Deguelt gave up his studies to become a cabaret singer in Paris in the early 1950s. In 1956, he was the winner of the Grand Prix du Disque of the Académie Charles Cros. Following a period of military service in Algeria, Deguelt returned to France, and was offered the chance in 1960 to sing for Monaco in the fifth Eurovision Song Contest, held in London on 29 March. Deguelt's song "Ce soir-là" ("That Night") proved popular with the juries, finishing in third place of the 13 entrants.
Deguelt returned to Eurovision, again representing Monaco, in 1962 with the song "Dis rien" ("Say Nothing"). This contest took place on 18 March in Luxembourg City, where he went one better by finishing second of 16 participants. Deguelt is one of five acts in Eurovision history (alongside Cliff Richard, Katja Ebstein, Chiara Siracusa and Zeljko Joksimovic) to have finished second and third without having won.
Deguelt's later successful singles included "Le Ciel, le soleil et la mer" (1965), "Le printemps" (1966), "Minuit, le vent, la nuit" (1968) and "La libération" (1968). Heccontinues to tour and perform on the nostalgia circuit throughout the Francophone world until his death. He died at the age of 81 on 22 January 2014.
Avec Le Temps
François Deguelt Lyrics
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Je n’avais qu’un amour
Et c’était le dernier
Jusqu’au dernier des jours
Je le regretterais
De quel amour blessé
Faut-il donc revenir
Sans aucun souvenir
J’ai le temps d’y penser
J’ai le temps d’y penser
Je voudrais que mon cœur
S’endorme à tout jamais
Comme dorment les fleurs
Quand l’hiver les a tuées
Dans quel amour blessé
Traîne-t-on notre vie
Et qu’avons-nous laissé
Qui toujours nous poursuit
J’ai le temps de chercher
J’ai le temps de chercher
Je voudrais que la rose
Soit encore au rosier
Je voudrais mille choses
Qui se sont envolées
Tu étais mon amour
Ma raison d’espérer
Tu étais mon secours
Et moi je t’ai laissée
J’ai le temps de pleurer
J’ai le temps de pleurer
Qu’avons-nous dans le cœur
Qu’avons-nous donc dans l’âme
Pour marcher sur les fleurs
Et mépriser les femmes
Je la voyais si belle
Quand j’étais amoureux
Je croyais tant en elle
Que je croyais en Dieu
J’ai le temps de douter
J’ai le temps de trouver
The song "J'ai le temps d'y penser" by François Deguelt explores themes of love, regret, and the passage of time. The lyrics reflect on a past love and the pain of its loss. The singer admits to having only one love in their life, considering it the last love they will ever know. They express regret for this love and wonder if they should return to the source of their pain in order to wake up one day without any memory of it. The repetition of the phrase "J’ai le temps d’y penser" (I have time to think about it) suggests a sense of melancholy and introspection, as the singer acknowledges that they have the luxury of time to reflect on their past.
The lyrics also touch upon the theme of longing for what has been lost. The singer wishes that their heart could remain forever asleep, like the flowers that are killed by winter. They reflect on the pain caused by a wounded love and question what they have left behind that continues to haunt them. There is a sense of regret and a desire to find closure or understanding, as they express their intention to search and seek answers.
The final verse brings up questions of what lies within the heart and soul of individuals. The singer wonders what they carry within them that allows them to trample on flowers and disregard women. They reminisce on the beauty they saw in their past love and how it filled them with belief, to the point where they even believed in God. The lyrics end with the singer expressing uncertainty and the need for time to doubt and find their way.
Overall, "J'ai le temps d'y penser" delves into the complexities of love, loss, regret, and the human experience of time's passing.
Line by Line Meaning
Je n’avais qu’un amour
I had only one love
Et c’était le dernier
And it was the last one
Jusqu’au dernier des jours
Until the last days
Je le regretterais
I would regret it
De quel amour blessé
From what wounded love
Faut-il donc revenir
Do we have to come back
Pour un jour s’éveiller
To wake up one day
Sans aucun souvenir
Without any memories
J’ai le temps d’y penser
I have time to think about it
Je voudrais que mon cœur
I would like my heart
S’endorme à tout jamais
To fall asleep forever
Comme dorment les fleurs
Like flowers sleep
Quand l’hiver les a tuées
When winter has killed them
Dans quel amour blessé
In what wounded love
Traîne-t-on notre vie
Do we drag our lives
Et qu’avons-nous laissé
And what have we left
Qui toujours nous poursuit
That always haunts us
J’ai le temps de chercher
I have time to search
Je voudrais que la rose
I would like the rose
Soit encore au rosier
To still be on the rosebush
Je voudrais mille choses
I would like a thousand things
Qui se sont envolées
That have flown away
Tu étais mon amour
You were my love
Ma raison d’espérer
My reason to hope
Tu étais mon secours
You were my help
Et moi je t’ai laissée
And I left you
J’ai le temps de pleurer
I have time to cry
Qu’avons-nous dans le cœur
What do we have in our hearts
Qu’avons-nous donc dans l’âme
What do we have in our souls
Pour marcher sur les fleurs
To walk on flowers
Et mépriser les femmes
And despise women
Je la voyais si belle
I saw her so beautiful
Quand j’étais amoureux
When I was in love
Je croyais tant en elle
I believed so much in her
Que je croyais en Dieu
That I believed in God
J’ai le temps de douter
I have time to doubt
J’ai le temps de trouver
I have time to find
Lyrics © BEUSCHER ARPEGE
Written by: FRANCOIS DEGUELT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind