Hardy signed her first contract with the record label Vogue in November 1961. In April 1962, shortly after finishing school, her first album, "Oh oh Chéri", appeared, with the title song written by Johnny Hallyday's writing duo. The flip side of the record, "Tous les garçons et les filles" became a huge success, which sold 2 million copies. She had long hair and usually wore jeans with a leather jacket, while accompanying her songs on the guitar.
She sang in English, Spanish, and German occasionally. In 1963, she represented Monaco in the Grand Prix d'Eurovision de la Chanson with "L'amour s'en va" and emerged in fifth place. In 1968, she received the Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros.
In 1981, she married her long-time companion Jacques Dutronc, with whom she had already had a son (Thomas Dutronc) in 1973. In May 2000, she had a comeback with the album "Clair Obscur". Her son played the guitar, and her husband sang the duet "Puisque vous partez en voyage". Iggy Pop and Etienne Daho participated, as well. She currently lives near Paris.
In 2006 she released a new duets album entitled "Parenthèses" which included a song with her son Thomas.
In 2021, Hardy announced that her health had worsened and that she would not be able to sing again owing to the effects of cancer therapy.
A quoi ça sert
Françoise Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qui ne peut rien promettre
À qui l'amour fait peur
Mais qui t'aime peut-être
À quoi ça sert de le cacher?
À quoi ça sert d'y échapper?
Que ce que mes yeux voient
Tu ne veux pas souffrir
Mais qui ne souffre pas?
À quoi ça sert de l'éviter?
À quoi ça sert de t'en aller?
À rester dans ta tour d'ivoire
En broyant du rose ou du noir
Tout seul, tout seul
Comme on n'est pas très malheureux
On oublie qu'on n'est pas heureux
Tout seul - tout seul
Je n'ai que les étoiles
Et rien d'autre pour toi
Si l'on doit se faire mal
C'est la vie qui veut ça
À quoi ça sert de rester seul?
À quoi ça sert de vivre seul?
Je n'ai que les étoiles
Et rien d'autre pour toi
Si l'on doit se faire mal
C'est la vie qui veut ça
À quoi ça sert de rester seul?
À quoi ça sert de vivre seul, tout seul?
In Françoise Hardy's song A quoi ça sert, the singer compares themselves to the person they love, acknowledging that they both have a heart that cannot make promises, and that is afraid of love but may still love the other person. The singer questions the purpose of hiding their feelings or running away from them, and wonders whether avoiding love or leaving is really the best course of action. Instead, the singer suggests that even though they may only have stars to offer, and even though love may hurt, it is better to take the risk and not to live or spend their time alone.
The overall message of the song seems to be that love is uncertain and can be painful, but nonetheless it is a fundamental human experience that should not be avoided or ignored. The lyrics reveal the singer's vulnerability as well as their desire for connection and affection, highlighting the universal nature of human emotions and the relatable themes of love, loneliness, and vulnerability.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by Françoise Hardy's then boyfriend, singer-songwriter Michel Berger, who would go on to become one of the most successful French composers of his generation. Another fact is that the song was released in 1971, during a period of social and political unrest in France and elsewhere in Europe, which may have contributed to its popularity and resonance. Additionally, A quoi ça sert has been covered by a wide range of artists over the years, including Céline Dion, Carla Bruni, and Vanessa Paradis.
Chords (from ultimate-guitar.com):
Verse:
G - G/B - C - Am7 - G/B - C - Am7 - D
G - G/B - C - Am7 - G/B - C - Am7 - D
Chorus:
G - G/B - C - Am7 - G/B - C - Am7 - D
G - G/B - C - Am7 - G/B - C - Am7 - D
Bridge:
Em7 - D/F# - G - D
Em7 - D/F# - G - D
Outro:
G - G/B - C - Am7 - G/B - C - Am7 - D
G - G/B - C - Am7 - G/B - C - Am7 - D
Line by Line Meaning
Comme toi j'ai un cœur qui ne peut rien promettre
Just like you, I have a heart that cannot make any promises
À qui l'amour fait peur mais qui t'aime peut-être
It may be scared of love, but it may still love you
À quoi ça sert de le cacher? À quoi ça sert d'y échapper?
What's the point of hiding it? What's the point of trying to escape from love?
Je n'ai rien à t'offrir que ce que mes yeux voient
I have nothing to offer you but what my eyes can see
Tu ne veux pas souffrir mais qui ne souffre pas?
You don't want to suffer, but who doesn't suffer?
À quoi ça sert de l'éviter? À quoi ça sert de t'en aller?
What's the point of avoiding it? What's the point of leaving?
À rester dans ta tour d'ivoire
Staying in your ivory tower
En broyant du rose ou du noir, tout seul - tout seul
Crushing some pink or black, all alone - all alone
Comme on n'est pas très malheureux
As we are not very unhappy
On oublie qu'on n'est pas heureux, tout seul - tout seul
We forget that we are not happy, all alone - all alone
Je n'ai que les étoiles et rien d'autre pour toi
I only have the stars and nothing else for you
Si l'on doit se faire mal c'est la vie qui veut ça
If hurting is inevitable, that's just how life is
À quoi ça sert de rester seul? À quoi ça sert de vivre seul?
What's the point of staying alone? What's the point of living alone?
Je n'ai que les étoiles et rien d'autre pour toi
I only have the stars and nothing else for you
Si l'on doit se faire mal c'est la vie qui veut ça
If hurting is inevitable, that's just how life is
À quoi ça sert de rester seul? À quoi ça sert de vivre seul tout seul?
What's the point of staying alone? What's the point of living alone, all alone?
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Francoise Hardy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind