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.
La fin de l'Été
Françoise Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'en ai vu d'autres plages
Je les ai oubliées
Tu sais, j'en ai vu des orages
On en voit à tout âge
A la fin de l'été
Qui me fait rester là, près de toi
Sous la pluie, ce soir
Pourtant, cette plage est la même
Je ne suis plus la même
Qu'y a-t-il de changé?
Je sais, tu veux faire des voyages
Oublier notre plage
Et tout abandonner
Et seule, je suis seule à chercher le pourquoi
Qui t'emporte aujourd'hui loin de moi
Peut-être à jamais
La pluie vient mouiller mon visage
Et confondre les larmes
Que je ne peux cacher
Pourtant, je veux te dire quand même
Encore plus fort "je t'aime"
Jusqu'au prochain été.
The lyrics of Françoise Hardy's La fin de l'Été (The End of Summer) are a reflection on the end of a relationship. In the first verse, she speaks of traveling and seeing other beaches but forgetting them. This could be a metaphor for her seeking different experiences, possibly even other romantic relationships, but ultimately not finding anything that compares to the one with her current partner. The second verse mentions storms, which could represent the ups and downs of the relationship that they have weathered together. However, as summer comes to a close, she begins to question why she stays with her partner despite the struggles they have faced. She admits that while the beach they are on is the same, she and her partner are no longer the same people, and wonders what has changed.
In the next verse, Hardy acknowledges that her partner wants to travel and forget their beach, indicating that they may not have the same priorities or desires anymore. She is left alone to search for answers as to why he is distancing himself from her. In the final verse, the rain falls and mixes with her tears as she confesses her love and hopes for the future. She wants to say "I love you" even more strongly than before, but wonders if there will be a next summer for them to spend together.
Overall, La fin de l'Été is a bittersweet reflection on a relationship that is undergoing significant changes. However, despite the doubts and struggles, the song ends with a glimmer of hope that love will endure, even if it is not guaranteed.
Line by Line Meaning
Tu sais, j'en ai fait des voyages
I've traveled far and wide, seen many other beaches, and have forgotten them.
J'en ai vu d'autres plages
I've seen other beaches.
Je les ai oubliées
I've forgotten them.
Tu sais, j'en ai vu des orages
I've experienced many thunderstorms.
On en voit à tout âge
Thunderstorms can happen at any age.
A la fin de l'été
Especially at the end of summer.
Alors, je voudrais bien savoir le pourquoi
I want to know why.
Qui me fait rester là, près de toi
What makes me want to stay near you.
Sous la pluie, ce soir
In the rain, tonight.
Pourtant, cette plage est la même
However, this beach is the same.
Je ne suis plus la même
I'm not the same anymore.
Qu'y a-t-il de changé?
What has changed?
Je sais, tu veux faire des voyages
I know you want to travel.
Oublier notre plage
Forget about our beach.
Et tout abandonner
And abandon everything.
Et seule, je suis seule à chercher le pourquoi
And I'm alone here trying to figure out why.
Qui t'emporte aujourd'hui loin de moi
What's taking you away from me now.
Peut-être à jamais
Maybe forever.
La pluie vient mouiller mon visage
Rain is falling on my face.
Et confondre les larmes
And mixing with my tears.
Que je ne peux cacher
That I can't hide.
Pourtant, je veux te dire quand même
But I still want to tell you.
Encore plus fort "je t'aime"
Even louder, "I love you".
Jusqu'au prochain été.
Until the next summer.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind