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

Heureux Qui Comme Ulysse
Georges Brassens Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Heureux qui comme Ulysse
A fait un beau voyage
Heureux qui comme Ulysse
A vu cent paysages
Et puis a retrouvé
Après maintes traversées
Le pays des vertes allées

Par un petit matin d'été
Quand le soleil vous chante au cœur
Qu'elle est belle la liberté, la liberté

Quand on est mieux ici qu'ailleurs
Quand un ami fait le bonheur
Qu'elle est belle la liberté, la liberté

Avec le soleil et le vent
Avec la pluie et le beau temps
On vivait bien contents
Mon cheval, ma Provence et moi
Mon cheval, ma Provence et moi

Heureux qui comme Ulysse
A fait un beau voyage
Heureux qui comme Ulysse
A vu cent paysages
Et puis a retrouvé
Après maintes traversées
Le pays des vertes allées

Par un joli matin d'été
Quand le soleil vous chante au cœur
Qu'elle est belle la liberté, la liberté

Quand c'en est fini des malheurs
Quand un ami sèche vos pleurs
Qu'elle est belle la liberté, la liberté

Battus de soleil et de vent
Perdus au milieu des étangs
On vivra bien contents

Mon cheval, ma Camargue et moi
Mon cheval, ma Camargue et moi

Overall Meaning

The song "Heureux qui comme Ulysse" by Georges Brassens is about a man who has gone on a beautiful journey to see new lands, but ultimately returns to his homeland. The singer states that Ulysses, who is a reference to the Greek hero of the same name, is happy because he has seen one hundred different landscapes throughout his travels, but is even happier to have returned to his home in the green pathways. The lyrics also describe the feeling of freedom that comes with being content and grateful for the present moment. The singer appreciates the little moments in life such as having a friend who brings happiness and having the sun shining down on you.

The song is a celebration of life's simple pleasures and the beauty of the natural world. It encourages listeners to appreciate the beauty found within their own lives and to be grateful for the experiences that come their way. The lyrics suggest that true happiness can be found in returning home to the things and people you love the most.

Line by Line Meaning

Heureux qui comme Ulysse
Fortunate is he who, like Ulysses,

A fait un beau voyage
Has embarked on a beautiful journey

A vu cent paysages
Has seen a hundred landscapes

Et puis a retrouvé
And then has found

Après maintes traversées
After many crossings

Le pays des vertes allées
The land of green alleys

Par un petit matin d'été
On a small summer morning

Quand le soleil vous chante au cœur
When the sun sings to your heart

Qu'elle est belle la liberté, la liberté
How beautiful is freedom, freedom

Quand on est mieux ici qu'ailleurs
When one is better here than elsewhere

Quand un ami fait le bonheur
When a friend brings happiness