He was uncompromising when composing his songs. His tactical method of addressing issues was profound and often humorous, making him a unique and effective figure in the French community.
Brassens, born in 1921 in the small Mediterrenean port of Sete, wanted to be a poet. He realized very early however that poetry in the 20th century could hardly put bread on the table and instead set himself to become a singer.
He is much less famous internationally than contemporaries like Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf and Yves Montand, as much of the impact of his songs came from the lyrics, which proved difficult to translate into other languages. He loved the Middle Ages and used a great deal of Old French vocabulary, as well as many classical - ie., Latin and Greek - references. Few people, even in France, possess the background to fully understand his songs.
Yet he was at the same time a hugely popular singer and many of his songs still carry a lot of appeal and relevance. In this sense, he can be compared to Boris Vian, to Jacques Brel, and to a lesser extent to Serge Gainsbourg.
He was very sophisticated, yet at the same time used profanity liberally. While he wasn't politically engaged, he was nevertheless unambiguously a leftist, many of his songs carrying blatant and buoyant anarchist overtones.
While his music was initially quite primitive, the 1950's St-Germain-des-Pres influence quickly made itself felt and while subdued and - in his mind - always secondary to the lyrics, it became increasingly sophisticated - to the point that many of his songs have been covered and reinterpretated by jazzmen (see for instance this UK site: www.projetbrassens.eclipse.co.uk)
He died in 1981, but up to this date (2006) there are few French people - including most of those born since - who can't sing along to his most famous song, Les Copains d'abord ("Friends foremost") or his "Bancs public" ("Public Benches").
For those interested, this site carries a number of (quite good) English tranlations of his songs: www.brassens.org
À l ombre du c ur de ma mie
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
À l'ombre du cœur de ma mie
Un oiseau s'était endormi
Un oiseau s'était endormi
Un jour qu'elle faisait semblant
D'être la belle au bois dormant
Et moi, me mettant à genoux
Bonnes fées, sauvegardez-nous
Bonnes fées, sauvegardez-nous
Sur ce cœur j'ai voulu poser
Une manière de baiser
Alors cet oiseau de malheur
Alors cet oiseau de malheur
Se mis à crier au voleur
Se mis à crier au voleur
Au voleur et à l'assassin
Comme si j'en voulais à son sein
Aux appels de cet étourneau
Aux appels de cet étourneau
Grand branle-bas dans landerneau
Grand branle-bas dans landerneau
Tout le monde et son père accourt
Aussitôt lui porter secours
Tant de rumeurs, de grondements
Tant de rumeurs, de grondements
On fait peur aux enchantements
On fait peur aux enchantements
Et la belle désabusée
Ferma son cœur à mon baiser
Et c'est depuis ce temps, ma sœur
Et c'est depuis ce temps, ma sœur
Que je suis devenu chasseur
Que je suis devenu chasseur
Que mon arbalète à la main
Je cours les bois et les chemins
The song "À l'ombre du cœur de ma vie" by Georges Brassens is a vivid narrative that tells the story of a man's attempt to kiss his lover while she was pretending to be asleep. The lyrics describe a setting where a bird has taken refuge in the shadow of the woman's heart, and the man asks the help of the good fairies to assist him in his endeavor. However, when he leans in to give her a kiss, the bird suddenly wakes up and starts to cry out as if it were a thief or an assailant attacking the woman's bosom. The commotion caused by the bird's screeching triggers a chain of events that end up turning the woman's heart cold towards her lover, making him a hunter who now wanders through the forest with an arbalète (crossbow) in hand.
The story behind the song is a witty reflection on the male-female dynamics of romantic relationships. It shows how sometimes, men's attempts to conquer their lovers' hearts might be hindered by external factors, such as the pesky bird in the song. The lyrics are also a testimony to Brassens's distinct style of writing, which blends humor, irony, and satire with poetic language and melody, making his songs widely popular in France and beyond.
Line by Line Meaning
À l'ombre du cœur de ma mie
In the shadow of my beloved's heart
Un oiseau s'était endormi
A bird had fallen asleep
Un jour qu'elle faisait semblant d'être la belle au bois dormant
One day when she was pretending to be Sleeping Beauty
Et moi, me mettant à genoux
And me, kneeling down
Bonnes fées, sauvegardez-nous
Good fairies, save us
Sur ce cœur j'ai voulu poser une manière de baiser
I wanted to place a kind of kiss on her heart
Alors cet oiseau de malheur
Then this unlucky bird
Se mis à crier au voleur
Started to cry out thief
Au voleur et à l'assassin
Thief and murderer
Comme si j'en voulais à son sein
As if I wanted to harm its breast
Aux appels de cet étourneau
At the calls of this starling
Grand branle-bas dans landerneau
Great commotion in town
Tout le monde et son père accourt
Everyone and their father hurry up
Tant de rumeurs, de grondements
So many rumors, rumblings
On fait peur aux enchantements
We scare away the enchantments
Et la belle désabusée
And the disillusioned beauty
Ferma son cœur à mon baiser
Closed her heart to my kiss
Et c'est depuis ce temps, ma sœur
And since then, my sister
Que je suis devenu chasseur
That I have become a hunter
Que mon arbalète à la main
With my crossbow in hand
Je cours les bois et les chemins
I run through the woods and the paths
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Georges Brassens, Joel Favreau
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
24JEANCLAUDE
Merci Joël pour l'agréable partage, c'est toujours un régal d'écouter Brassens.
Bon week-end.
Amitiés.
Jean-Claude
Petite Nobi
J'aime beaucoup ta reprise Joël, bravo, bises mon ami !
joel maillard
C'est vrai ?
Danohé Terrassier
Très bien chanté 👍
joel maillard
Beau compliment . Je me suis abonné à tes vidéos . Merci A+ Joël
toutof1
Bien jouée et chantée, bravo !
Tu nous fais une grosse session Brassens, je file à la suivante...
A bientôt l'ami Joël,
Christophe
toutof1
De rien Joël, Chez Brassens on trouve souvent une chanson de plus que l'on aimerait chanter, lol
joel maillard
Merci Christophe . Oui , je passe en revue certaines chansons que je ne faisais pas . On s'aperçoit que la musique est primordiale . J'essaie de mettre ma touche personnelle aussi . Chacun son style , et fuyons si possible le phrasé spécial de Brassens qui n'allait qu'à lui . A+
jof1uo
C'est tout bon mon copain !!
joel maillard
Merci Jo!