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.
Duck's Blues
Françoise Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
quel monde de loups
bien malin
qui me dira où
trouver la douceur
échapper aux nouveaux délateurs...
j’aimerais bien
tenir le coup
qui soit à ton goût
les goûts, les couleurs
t’appelles ça des cas de force majeure...
j’appelle ça des différences
et honni soit qui mal y pense...
du haut de son intellect
mon brillant Barbe Bleue
s’amuse à trancher les têtes
comme il veut, quand il veut...
au fond de son placard
déplumé, comateux
le vilain petit canard
marche sur des oeufs
frotte ses yeux...
les assassins
sont parmi nous
allez viens
faire d’une pierre deux coups
décide des erreurs
lance tes flêches en tout bien tout honneur
avec des idées toutes faites
on coupe le monde en deux
pour mieux pouvoir mettre en miettes
qui on veut, comme on veut...
au fond de son brouillard
hésitant, laborieux
le vilain petit canard
rêve du juste milieu
flotte un peu...
c’est pas par hasard
même s’ils font de leur mieux
que les vilains canards
sont souvent boîteux...
pauvres vieux!
j’aimerais comprendre
à quoi on joue
ne plus dépendre
des garde à vous...
plus me pendre
à ton cou
plus jamais tendre
l’autre joue...
The lyrics of Françoise Hardy's song Duck's Blues speaks of a world full of wolves and a life that is difficult, and sometimes cruel, just like the life of a dog. It highlights the challenges of finding sweetness and tenderness in a world that is filled with spies and informants who are always on the lookout for any wrongdoing. The singer expresses her desire to remain strong and persevere, but her efforts are hampered by the fact that she has nothing that can satisfy the demands of those around her. She laments that people often judge others based on their preferences and biases, rather than embracing differences and accepting others for who they are. The singer then goes on to contrast the behavior of the intellectual and the ruthless Bluebeard who enjoys having power and control, with the sad and lonely ugly duckling who dreams of a world where kindness and justice prevail. The song also comments on the tendency of people to divide the world into "us" and "them" and the willingness to attack anyone who is perceived to be different or threatening. The singer encourages the listener to think for themselves and not to be swayed by stereotypes or preconceived notions.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are a poignant reflection on the challenges of living in a world that is often violent and filled with hatred and prejudices. The song tells a story of how the ugly duckling tries to cope with this world and survive to find a better place to live. The singer encourages the listener to find their own place in the world and to stand up for what they believe in, no matter how difficult it may be.
Line by Line Meaning
quelle vie de chien
What a dog's life
quel monde de loups
What a world of wolves
bien malin
Very clever
qui me dira où
Who will tell me where
trouver la douceur
To find sweetness
échapper aux nouveaux délateurs...
To escape the new informers...
j’aimerais bien
I would like
tenir le coup
To hold on
mais j’ai rien
But I have nothing
qui soit à ton goût
That is to your liking
les goûts, les couleurs
Tastes, colors
t’appelles ça des cas de force majeure...
You call that force majeure cases...
j’appelle ça des différences
I call that differences
et honni soit qui mal y pense...
And cursed be he who thinks evil of it...
du haut de son intellect
From his high intellect
mon brillant Barbe Bleue
My brilliant Bluebeard
s’amuse à trancher les têtes
Amuses himself by cutting off heads
comme il veut, quand il veut...
As he wants, when he wants...
au fond de son placard
In the depths of his closet
déplumé, comateux
Plucked, comatose
le vilain petit canard
The ugly little duck
marche sur des oeufs
Walks on eggshells
frotte ses yeux...
Rubs his eyes...
les assassins
The assassins
sont parmi nous
Are among us
allez viens
Come on
faire d’une pierre deux coups
To kill two birds with one stone
décide des erreurs
Decide the errors
lance tes flêches en tout bien tout honneur
Launch your arrows with all good faith
avec des idées toutes faites
With preconceived ideas
on coupe le monde en deux
We cut the world in half
pour mieux pouvoir mettre en miettes
To be able to break up better
qui on veut, comme on veut...
Who we want, how we want...
au fond de son brouillard
In the depths of his fog
hésitant, laborieux
Hesitant, laborious
le vilain petit canard
The ugly little duck
rêve du juste milieu
Dreams of the middle ground
flotte un peu...
Drifts a little...
c’est pas par hasard
It's not by chance
même s’ils font de leur mieux
Even if they do their best
que les vilains canards
That ugly ducks
sont souvent boîteux...
Are often lame...
pauvres vieux!
Poor old people!
j’aimerais comprendre
I would like to understand
à quoi on joue
What are we playing
ne plus dépendre
No longer depend
des garde à vous...
Of standing to attention...
plus me pendre
No more hanging myself
à ton cou
On your neck
plus jamais tendre
Never again tender
l’autre joue...
The other cheek...
Contributed by Alice D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.