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
Elégie à un rat de cave
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Prophétisant que par malheur
Mon pauvre petit rat de cave
Tu débarquerais avant l'heure
Tu n'étais pas du genre qui vire
De bord et tous on le savait
Du genre à quitter le navire
Et tu es la premièr' qui l'aies fait
Maintenant m'amie qu'on te séquestre
Au sein des cieux
Que je m'déguise en chanteur d'orchestre
Pour tes beaux yeux
En partant m'amie je te l'assure
Tu as fichu le noir au fond de nous
Quoiqu'on n'ait pas mis de crêpe sur
Nos putains de binious
On n'm'a jamais vu, faut que tu l'notes
C'est une primeur
Faire un bœuf avec des croque-notes
C'est en ton honneur
Sache aussi qu'en écoutant Bechet
Foll' gamberge, on voit la nuit tombée
Ton fantôme qui sautille en cachette
Rue du Vieux Colombier
Ton fantôme qui sautille en cachette
Rue du Vieux Colombier
Sans aucun "au revoir mes frères"
Mais on n't'en veut pas pour autant
Mine de rien tu est allée faire
Ton trou dans les neiges d'antan
Désormais, c'est pas des salades
Parmi Flora, Jeanne, Thaïs
J'inclus ton nom à la ballade
Des belles dam's du temps jadis
Maintenant m'amie qu'ta place est faite
Chez les gentils
Qu'tu as r'trouvé pour l'éternelle fête
Papa Zutty
Chauff' la place à tous les vieux potaches
Machin, Chose, et Luter et Longnon
Et ce gras du bide de Moustache
Tes fidèl's compagnons
S'il est brave, pourquoi que Dieu le père
Là-haut ferait
Quelque différence entre Saint-Pierre
Et Saint-Germain-des-Prés
De tout cœur on espère que dans ce
Paradis miséricordieux
Brill'nt pour toi des lendemains qui dansent
Où y a pas de bon Dieu
Brill'nt pour toi des lendemains qui dansent
Où y a pas de bon Dieu
The song "Elégie A Un Rat De Cave" by Georges Brassens tells the story of a rat that lived in a wine cellar and was known for being particularly resilient and loyal. However, one day, the rat left the wine cellar and never returned, leaving behind a sense of sadness and loss for those who knew and loved him. The lyrics speak to the emotions that were felt by those who knew the rat and the impact that he had on their lives, both during his life and after his death. The song is a tribute to the rat and the role that he played in the lives of those who knew him.
The lyrics of the song are very poetic, using metaphor and symbolism to convey the emotions of the singer. The rat is used as a symbol for loyalty and resilience, but also for the fragility of life and the inevitability of death. The song also touches on broader themes of memory, loss, and the impermanence of all things.
Line by Line Meaning
Personne n'aurait cru ce cave
No one would have believed that fool
Prophétisant que par malheur
Predicting that, unfortunately,
Mon pauvre petit rat de cave
My poor little rat of the cellar
Tu débarquerais avant l'heure
You would depart before your time
Tu n'étais pas du genre qui vire
You were not the type to change course
De bord et tous on le savait
From the ship, and we all knew it
Du genre à quitter le navire
Of the kind to leave the ship
Et tu es la premièr' qui l'aies fait
And you are the first one who has done it
Maintenant m'amie qu'on te séquestre
Now that they hold you captive, my friend
Au sein des cieux
In the midst of the heavens
Que je m'déguise en chanteur d'orchestre
Let me dress up as an orchestra singer
Pour tes beaux yeux
For your beautiful eyes
En partant m'amie je te l'assure
Before leaving, my friend, I assure you
Tu as fichu le noir au fond de nous
You have cast a dark shadow upon us
Quoiqu'on n'ait pas mis de crêpe sur
Although we haven't put mourning bands on
Nos putains de binious
Our stupid bagpipes
On n'm'a jamais vu, faut que tu l'notes
You must note that I have never been seen
C'est une primeur
It's a first for me
Faire un bœuf avec des croque-notes
To jam with some mediocre musicians
C'est en ton honneur
It's in your honor
Sache aussi qu'en écoutant Bechet
Know also that when listening to Bechet
Foll' gamberge, on voit la nuit tombée
One's mind wanders, and one sees the night falling
Ton fantôme qui sautille en cachette
Your ghost hopping around secretly
Rue du Vieux Colombier
On the street of Old Dovecote
Sans aucun "au revoir mes frères"
Without any "farewell, my brothers"
Mais on n't'en veut pas pour autant
But we don't hold it against you
Mine de rien tu est allée faire
You went and did it anyway
Ton trou dans les neiges d'antan
Your hole in the snows of yesteryear
Désormais, c'est pas des salades
From now on, it's no joke
Parmi Flora, Jeanne, Thaïs
Among Flora, Jeanne, and Thaïs
J'inclus ton nom à la ballade
I include your name in the ballad
Des belles dam's du temps jadis
Of the beautiful ladies of olden times
Maintenant m'amie qu'ta place est faite
Now that your place is made, my friend
Chez les gentils
Among the kind ones
Qu'tu as r'trouvé pour l'éternelle fête
That you have found again for the eternal party
Papa Zutty
Papa Zutty
Chauff' la place à tous les vieux potaches
Warm up the place for all the old buddies
Machin, Chose, et Luter et Longnon
Machin, Chose, and Luter and Longnon
Et ce gras du bide de Moustache
And that fat one with the belly of Moustache
Tes fidèl's compagnons
Your faithful companions
S'il est brave, pourquoi que Dieu le père
If he is good, why would God the Father
Là-haut ferait
Up there do anything else
Quelque différence entre Saint-Pierre
Than to make some difference between Saint Peter
Et Saint-Germain-des-Prés
And Saint Germain des Prés
De tout cœur on espère que dans ce
With all our hearts, we hope that in this
Paradis miséricordieux
Merciful paradise
Brill'nt pour toi des lendemains qui dansent
Bright future that dances for you
Où y a pas de bon Dieu
Where there is no good God
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Georges Charles Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind