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
Il Suffit De Passer Le Pont
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
C'est tout de suite l'aventure
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
J't'emmène visiter la nature
L'herbe est douce à Pâques fleuries
Jetons mes sabots, tes galoches
Et, légers comme des cabris
Courons après les sons de cloches
En l'honneur de notre bonheur
Ding ding dong, faut l'dire à personne
J'ai graissé la patte au sonneur
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
Courons, guilleret, guillerette
Il suffit de passer le pont
Et c'est le royaume des fleurettes
Entre toutes les belles que voici
Je devine celle que tu préfères
C'est pas le coquelicot, Dieu merci
Ni l'coucou, mais la primevère
J'en vois une blottie sous les feuilles
Elle est en velours comme tes joues
Fais le guet pendant qu'je la cueille
"Je n'ai jamais aimé que vous"
Il suffit de trois petits bonds
C'est tout de suite la tarentelle
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
J'saurai ménager tes dentelles
J'ai graissé la patte au berger
Pour lui faire jouer une aubade
Lors, ma mie, sans croire au danger
Faisons mille et une gambades
Ton pied frappe et frappe la mousse
Si l'chardon s'y pique dedans
Ne pleure pas, ma mie qui souffre
Je te l'enlève avec les dents
On n'a plus rien à se cacher
On peut s'aimer comme bon nous semble
Et tant mieux si c'est un péché
Nous irons en enfer ensemble
Il suffit de passer le pont
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
Il suffit de passer le pont
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
Georges Brassens's song Il suffit de passer le pont is a romantic, tender, and sensual ode to exploring nature and love. The song portrays a picturesque rural landscape with beautiful flowers, sounds of bells ringing, and the gentle touches of a lover. Brassens invites his beloved to cross the bridge and enter into a new adventure in nature. He offers to hold her dress and leads her to explore the beauty of the countryside. They run after the sound of bells, and the morning prayers are an opportunity for them to celebrate their love. Brassens refers to the "sabots" and "galoches" as symbols of the simple life in rural areas, and the sound of the "ding ding dong" bells reminds them of the joys of being alive. They walk, dance, and run in the grass and among the lush flowers, and together they discover the beauty of the countryside. Brassens sings about his lover's favorite flower, the ''primevère'', and he picks it for her. He even risks being pricked by the chardon to soothe her pain, showing the extent of his affection.
The lyrics of Il suffit de passer le pont express both the joy of being in nature and the beauty of true, intimate love. The act of crossing the bridge is a metaphor for the change that can come with taking risks and embracing new opportunities, even in love. Brassens's description of nature and love creates an idyllic setting for the song. The lyrics veer towards the sensual and erotic, yet they maintain a sweet romanticism that is both charming and engaging.
Line by Line Meaning
Il suffit de passer le pont
We just need to cross the bridge
C'est tout de suite l'aventure
It's an adventure right away
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
Let me hold your skirt
J't'emmène visiter la nature
I'll take you to visit nature
L'herbe est douce à Pâques fleuries
The grass is soft during blooming Easter
Jetons mes sabots, tes galoches
Let's toss my clogs and your overshoes
Et, légers comme des cabris
And light as young goats
Courons après les sons de cloches
Let's run after the sound of bells
Ding ding dong, les matines sonnent
Ding ding dong, morning bells are ringing
En l'honneur de notre bonheur
In honor of our happiness
Ding ding dong, faut l'dire à personne
Ding ding dong, we must not tell anyone
J'ai graissé la patte au sonneur
I gave a bribe to the bell ringer
Courons, guilleret, guillerette
Let's run, merry and sprightly
Et c'est le royaume des fleurettes
And this is the kingdom of little flowers
Entre toutes les belles que voici
Among all the beauties here
Je devine celle que tu préfères
I can tell which one you prefer
C'est pas le coquelicot, Dieu merci
It's not the poppy, thank God
Ni l'coucou, mais la primevère
Not the cuckoo, but the primrose
J'en vois une blottie sous les feuilles
I see one nestled under the leaves
Elle est en velours comme tes joues
It's velvety, like your cheeks
Fais le guet pendant qu'je la cueille
Keep watch while I pick it
'Je n'ai jamais aimé que vous'
'I have never loved anyone but you'
Il suffit de trois petits bonds
We just need three little jumps
C'est tout de suite la tarentelle
And here we are doing the tarantella
J'saurai ménager tes dentelles
I'll take care not to ruin your lace
J'ai graissé la patte au berger
I gave a bribe to the shepherd
Pour lui faire jouer une aubade
To make him play a serenade for us
Lors, ma mie, sans croire au danger
Then, my dear, without fearing any danger
Faisons mille et une gambades
Let's jump around a thousand times
Ton pied frappe et frappe la mousse
Your foot hits the foam repeatedly
Si l'chardon s'y pique dedans
If you get pricked by thistle
Ne pleure pas, ma mie qui souffre
Don't cry, my dear who's suffering
Je te l'enlève avec les dents
I'll take it out with my teeth
On n'a plus rien à se cacher
We have nothing left to hide
On peut s'aimer comme bon nous semble
We can love each other however we want
Et tant mieux si c'est un péché
And it's even better if it's a sin
Nous irons en enfer ensemble
We'll go to hell together
Il suffit de passer le pont
We just need to cross the bridge
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
Let me hold your skirt
Il suffit de passer le pont
We just need to cross the bridge
Laisse-moi tenir ton jupon
Let me hold your skirt
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind