Françoise Hardy (born Françoise Madeleine Hardy on 17 January 1944) is a Fr… Read Full Bio ↴Françoise Hardy (born Françoise Madeleine Hardy on 17 January 1944) is a French former singer and songwriter mainly known for singing melancholic sentimental ballads.

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.

Amours Toujours Tendresse Caresses
Françoise Hardy Lyrics

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L'amour, ce n'est pas comme l'argent
Une monnaie qui sert de placement
L'amour est simple et éternel
Jamais on ne lui coupera les ailes
L'amour, ce n'est pas comme le charbon
Vous n'en épuisez jamais le filon
L'amour, c'est plutôt comme le béton
Un matériau de construction

Amour toujours, tendresse, caresse, amour
Amour toujours

L'amour ne ferme jamais ses portes
Aux ouvriers du sentiment
On a toujours deux blancs rouges
Par delà tous les amants
Le grand amour, ça marche toujours
Ça marche la nuit, ça marche le jour
Cela fait maintenant des millénaires
C'est toujours le même dictionnaire

Amour toujours, tendresse, caresse, amour
Amour toujours
Amour toujours

Amour toujours, tendresse, caresse, amour
Amour toujours

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Françoise Hardy's song Amours Toujours Tendresse Caresses convey the idea that love is not a form of currency, like money, that can be invested or saved, but something much simpler and eternal, something that can never be contained or limited. The singer compares love to concrete - a material used to build long-lasting structures - saying that love is a building block, something that forms the foundation of our lives. She also emphasizes that love is not exclusive or restrictive, but always open and accepting to everyone, regardless of their social background.

The chorus of the song - "Amour toujours, tendresse, caresse, amour, Amour toujours" - repeats the phrase "love always," followed by the words tenderness, caress, and love again, emphasizing the importance of affection and gentle touch in expressing love. The lyrics also suggest that love has been a constant force in human history, enduring through centuries and always remaining the same. The song ends with a final repetition of the chorus, reaffirming the idea that love is eternal and ever-present.

Overall, the lyrics of Amours Toujours Tendresse Caresses embody a romantic and idealistic view of love, portraying it as a pure and simple force that brings happiness and joy to everyone.

Line by Line Meaning

L'amour, ce n'est pas comme l'argent
Love is not like money

Une monnaie qui sert de placement
A currency used for investment purposes

L'amour est simple et éternel
Love is simple and eternal

Jamais on ne lui coupera les ailes
Its wings will never be clipped

L'amour, ce n'est pas comme le charbon
Love is not like coal

Vous n'en épuisez jamais le filon
You never exhaust the vein of love

L'amour, c'est plutôt comme le béton
Love is more like concrete

Un matériau de construction
A building material

L'amour ne ferme jamais ses portes
Love never closes its doors

Aux ouvriers du sentiment
To the workers of emotion

On a toujours deux blancs rouges
There are always two whites and two reds (in love)