Georges Brassens was a French singer and songwriter known for accompanying … Read Full Bio ↴Georges Brassens was a French singer and songwriter known for accompanying himself with his acoustic guitar. He wrote some extremely controversial, yet poetic songs. In doing so, he managed to change attitudes across France.

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

Chanson pour l'auvergnat
Georges Brassens Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Elle est à toi, cette chanson
Toi l'auvergnat qui sans façon
M'as donné quatre bouts de bois
Quand dans ma vie il faisait froid

Toi qui m'as donné du feu quand
Les croquantes et les croquants
Tous les gens bien intentionnés

M'avaient fermé la porte au nez

Ce n'était rien qu'un feu de bois
Mais il m'avait chauffé le corps
Et dans mon âme il brûle encore
À la manière d'un feu de joie

Toi l'auvergnat, quand tu mourras
Quand le croque-mort t'emportera
Qu'il te conduise à travers ciel
Au père éternel

Elle est à toi, cette chanson
Toi l'hôtesse qui sans façon
M'as donné quatre bouts de pain
Quand dans ma vie il faisait faim

Toi qui m'ouvris ta huche quand
Les croquantes et les croquants
Tous les gens bien intentionnés
S'amusaient à me voir jeûner

Ce n'était rien qu'un peu de pain
Mais il m'avait chauffé le corps
Et dans mon âme, il brûle encore
À la manière d'un grand festin

Toi l'hôtesse, quand tu mourras
Quand le croque-mort t'emportera
Qu'il te conduise à travers ciel
Au père éternel

Elle est à toi, cette chanson
Toi l'étranger qui sans façon
D'un air malheureux m'a souri
Lorsque les gendarmes m'ont pris

Toi qui n'a pas applaudi quand
Les croquantes et les croquants
Tous les gens bien intentionnés
Riaient de me voir emmené

Ce n'était rien qu'un peu de miel
Mais il m'avait chauffé le corps
Et dans mon âme, il brûle encore
À la manière d'un grand soleil

Toi l'étranger, quand tu mourras
Quand le croque-mort t'emportera

Qu'il te conduise à travers ciel
Au père éternel

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Georges Brassens's song "Chanson pour l'auvergnat" address three different individuals - an Auvergnat, a hostess, and a stranger - who each provided the singer with a simple act of kindness in a time of need. The Auvergnat gave the singer four pieces of wood to help warm him when he was cold, the hostess gave him four pieces of bread when he was hungry, and the stranger offered a sympathetic smile when the police were taking him away. The singer expresses his gratitude to each of these individuals and declares that this song belongs to them because of their selfless acts.

The chorus of the song contains a message of hope for each of the three figures. The singer wishes that when they die, they will be carried to heaven by the funeral director and reunited with the eternal father. The final verse explains that all that was given to the singer may seem small and insignificant to others, but it had a profound impact on him - the warmth of the fire, the sustenance of the bread, and the comfort of the smile. He compares these acts to a "feu de joie" (bonfire), a "grand festin," and a "grand soleil" (great sun) that continue to burn in his soul.

Line by Line Meaning

Elle est à toi, cette chanson
This song is for you, the person from Auvergne who kindly gave me four pieces of wood when my life was cold.

Toi l'auvergnat qui sans façon M'as donné quatre bouts de bois Quand dans ma vie il faisait froid
You, the person from Auvergne who gave me four pieces of wood without hesitation when my life was cold.

Toi qui m'as donné du feu quand Les croquantes et les croquants Tous les gens bien intentionnés M'avaient fermé la porte au nez
You who gave me fire when the snobbish people refused to help me.

Ce n'était rien qu'un feu de bois Mais il m'avait chauffé le corps Et dans mon âme il brûle encore À la manière d'un feu de joie
It was only a fire made of wood, but it warmed my body and still burns in my soul like a joyful fire.

Toi l'auvergnat, quand tu mourras Quand le croque-mort t'emportera Qu'il te conduise à travers ciel Au père éternel
When you, the person from Auvergne, pass away and the undertaker takes you away, may he guide you to heaven to be with the eternal father.

Elle est à toi, cette chanson Toi l'hôtesse qui sans façon M'as donné quatre bouts de pain Quand dans ma vie il faisait faim
This song is for you, the hostess who kindly gave me four pieces of bread when my life was hungry.

Toi qui m'ouvris ta huche quand Les croquantes et les croquants Tous les gens bien intentionnés S'amusaient à me voir jeûner
You who opened your cupboard when the snobbish people were laughing at me for fasting.

Ce n'était rien qu'un peu de pain Mais il m'avait chauffé le corps Et dans mon âme, il brûle encore À la manière d'un grand festin
It was just a little bread, but it warmed my body and still burns in my soul like a grand feast.

Toi l'hôtesse, quand tu mourras Quand le croque-mort t'emportera Qu'il te conduise à travers ciel Au père éternel
When you, the hostess, pass away and the undertaker takes you away, may he guide you to heaven to be with the eternal father.

Elle est à toi, cette chanson Toi l'étranger qui sans façon D'un air malheureux m'a souri Lorsque les gendarmes m'ont pris
This song is for you, the stranger who kindly smiled at me when I was sad as the police took me away.

Toi qui n'a pas applaudi quand Les croquantes et les croquants Tous les gens bien intentionnés Riaient de me voir emmené
You who didn't laugh like the snobbish people did when they saw me being taken away.

Ce n'était rien qu'un peu de miel Mais il m'avait chauffé le corps Et dans mon âme, il brûle encore À la manière d'un grand soleil
It was just a little honey, but it warmed my body and still burns in my soul like a great sun.

Toi l'étranger, quand tu mourras Quand le croque-mort t'emportera Qu'il te conduise à travers ciel Au père éternel
When you, the stranger, pass away and the undertaker takes you away, may he guide you to heaven to be with the eternal father.

Chanson pour l'auvergnatGeorges Brassens Lyrics

Chanson pour l'auvergnat
Georges Brassens Lyrics