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.
Qui peut dire
Françoise Hardy Lyrics
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Viendra après la nuit
Qui peut dire si le jour
Sera bleu ou bien gris?
Si l'on sait que l'hiver
Reviendra tous les ans
Ce que sera l'hiver
Nul ne le sait vraiment
Les jours, tous plus ou moins
Se ressemblent et les nuits
Mais qui peut dire
"Demain sera comme aujourd'hui"?
Qui peut être assez sûr?
Ce que l'on croit avoir
On ne peut que le perdre
Et si le ciel est noir
C'est qu'il peut être clair
Car tout commencement
Doit avoir une fin
Ce qui vit est changeant
Puis meurt et n'est plus rien
Les gens, tous plus ou moins
Se ressemblent, alors qui
Peut promettre à quelqu'un
De l'aimer plus que lui?
The lyrics of Françoise Hardy's song "Qui peut dire" explore the existential questions of uncertainty and impermanence. The song reflects on the unpredictable nature of life and the inability to predict the future with any certainty.
The opening lines suggest that while we know day follows night, we cannot know whether the day will be blue or gray, emphasizing the unpredictability of what lies ahead. Similarly, although we know winter will come every year, we cannot truly know what it will bring. This uncertainty is a recurring theme throughout the song.
The chorus poses the question of who can confidently assert what the future holds. The days and nights may resemble each other, but there is no guarantee that tomorrow will be the same as today. The lyrics suggest that no one can be entirely sure, as what one believes to possess can easily be lost and what appears dark can become clear.
The song further explores the transient nature of existence. Everything that begins must eventually come to an end, and everything that lives is subject to change and ultimately fades away into nothingness. In this context, the song questions the ability of anyone to make promises or declarations of love, as people are inherently similar and no one can guarantee loving another more than they love themselves.
Overall, "Qui peut dire" serves as a reflection on the uncertainties of life, the ever-changing nature of existence, and the impossibility of truly knowing what lies ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
Si l'on sait que le jour
If one knows that the day
Viendra après la nuit
Will come after the night
Qui peut dire si le jour
Who can say if the day
Sera bleu ou bien gris?
Will be blue or rather grey?
Si l'on sait que l'hiver
If one knows that winter
Reviendra tous les ans
Will come back every year
Ce que sera l'hiver
What winter will be
Nul ne le sait vraiment
No one truly knows
Les jours, tous plus ou moins
The days, all more or less
Se ressemblent et les nuits
Resemble each other, and the nights
Mais qui peut dire
But who can say
"Demain sera comme aujourd'hui"?
"Tomorrow will be like today"?
Qui peut être assez sûr?
Who can be sure enough?
Ce que l'on croit avoir
What one believes to have
On ne peut que le perdre
One can only lose it
Et si le ciel est noir
And if the sky is black
C'est qu'il peut être clair
It's because it can be clear
Car tout commencement
For every beginning
Doit avoir une fin
Must have an end
Ce qui vit est changeant
What lives is changing
Puis meurt et n'est plus rien
Then dies and is nothing anymore
Les gens, tous plus ou moins
People, all more or less
Se ressemblent, alors qui
Resemble each other, so who
Peut promettre à quelqu'un
Can promise someone
De l'aimer plus que lui?
To love them more than themselves?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Francoise Hardy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind