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.
Des Lendemains Qui Chantent
Françoise Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
malgré la pluie battante
sans procès d'intention
très heureux pour de bon
en exaucant nos reves
de baisers sur les lèvres
de retour la norme
dans le fond et la forme
sans accrocs ni offenses
Des lendemains qui chantent
sans heures de file d'attente
le long des golfes longs
ne plus toucher le fond
puis faire la paix des braves
jurer que c'est pas grave
en ignorant le pire
en osant meme un sourire
des lendemains qui dansent
sans pitié ni clémence
Des lendemains qui chantent
une chemine crépitante
Mme si la vie ne vaut le coup
lorsqu'on y pense
qu’après coup
meme si la vie ne vaut la peine
que lorsqu'on roule
perdre haleine
Des lendemains qui chantent
malgré la pluie battante
sans un accordéon
sans spécialités maison
en marchant sur la gréve
on observe une treve
la tombe du jour
sans couvre feu ni tambours
des lendemains qui dansent
sans accrocs ni offenses
Des lendemains qui chantent
des histoires palpitantes
un unique horizon
et des fruits de saison
sans céder le passage
et sans accès de rage
ni repères, ni remords
assis la place du mort
des lendemains qui dansent
et qui souffrent en silence
Des lendemains qui chantent
une chemine crépitante...
The lyrics of the song Des Lendemains Qui Chantent (English translation: Tomorrows That Sing) by Francoise Hardy paint a picture of hope and optimism in the face of adversity. The song starts by describing tomorrows that sing, even in the midst of a downpour, without any ill intentions or trials. The singer is very happy, fulfilling her dreams with kisses on the lips, and life returns to normal in both form and content. She imagines tomorrows that dance without any obstacles or offenses, without waiting in line for hours along the long gulfs, and without ever hitting rock bottom. Instead, she seeks the peace of the brave, even when it seems that things are not going well.
The song continues with the chorus repeating the idea of tomorrows that sing like a crackling fire, even if life doesn't seem worth it when you think about it or catch your breath. The singer imagines tomorrows that dance despite the pouring rain or a lack of accordions or local delicacies, and even while walking along the shore, she observes a truce as the day's light fades without any curfew or drums. The song sees tomorrows that tell exciting stories, with a unique horizon and seasonal fruit without losing your way and without any outbursts of anger or regrets, sitting calmly in the place of the dead. The song ends with the idea of tomorrows that sing like a crackling fire, but this time with its path lit.
Line by Line Meaning
Des lendemains qui chantent
A future that holds promise
malgré la pluie battante
Despite the rain pouring down
sans procès d'intention
Without any presumptions
très heureux pour de bon
Genuinely happy
en exaucant nos reves
Granting our dreams
de baisers sur les lèvres
With kisses on our lips
de retour la norme
Returning to normal
dans le fond et la forme
In both substance and form
des lendemains qui dansent
A future that dances
sans accrocs ni offenses
Without any problems or offenses
sans heures de file d'attente
Without hours of waiting in line
le long des golfes longs
Along the long shores
ne plus toucher le fond
No longer hitting rock bottom
puis faire la paix des braves
Then making peace like brave people
jurer que c'est pas grave
Swearing that it's not serious
en ignorant le pire
Ignoring the worst
en osant meme un sourire
Even daring to smile
sans pitié ni clémence
Without pity or mercy
une chemine crépitante
A crackling path
Mme si la vie ne vaut le coup
Even if life isn't worth it
lorsqu'on y pense
When we think about it
qu’après coup
Only after the fact
meme si la vie ne vaut la peine
Even if life isn't worth the effort
que lorsqu'on roule
Only when we're on the move
perdre haleine
Breathless
sans un accordéon
Without an accordion
sans spécialités maison
Without home-cooked specialties
en marchant sur la gréve
Walking along the shore
on observe une treve
We observe a ceasefire
la tombe du jour
The day ends
sans couvre feu ni tambours
Without curfew or drums
des histoires palpitantes
Exciting stories
un unique horizon
A single horizon
et des fruits de saison
And seasonal fruits
sans céder le passage
Without giving up the way
et sans accès de rage
And without fits of rage
ni repères, ni remords
Without reference points or regrets
assis la place du mort
Sitting in the place of the dead
et qui souffrent en silence
And suffer in silence
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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