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
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comme je ne l'admire pas beaucoup
M'enlève son feu, oui mais, d'son feu, moi j'm'en fous
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
La lumière que je préfère
C'est celle de vos yeux jaloux
Tout le restant m'indiffère
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
Monsieur mon propriétaire
Comme je lui dévaste tout
Me chasse de son toit, oui mais, d'son toit, moi j'm'en fous
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
La demeure que je préfère
C'est votre robe à froufrous
Tout le restant m'indiffère
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
Madame ma gargotière
Comme je lui dois trop de sous
Me chasse de sa table, oui mais, d'sa tabl', moi j'm'en fous
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
Le menu que je préfère
C'est la chair de votre cou
Tout le restant m'indiffère
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
Sa Majesté financière
Comme je n'fais rien à son goût
Garde son or, or, de son or, moi j'm'en fous
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
La fortune que je préfère
C'est votre cœur d'amadou
Tout le restant m'indiffère
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
The song "J'ai rendez-vous avec vous" by Georges Brassens is about the singer's devotion to a person he is in love with, whom he has a rendezvous with. The song begins with the singer expressing his indifference towards the sun's heat, and how he doesn't care for it much because he is more concerned about meeting the person he loves. He follows this up with a similar statement about his landlord who is trying to evict him, stating that he doesn't care about being kicked out because his only concern is meeting the person he loves. The third stanza is about his lack of concern for the debts he owes to his cafe owner, and how he is more interested in having a meal with his love interest. The final stanza talks about how the singer doesn't care about the opinions of wealthy people, and how his only concern is the love he has for his companion.
Throughout the song, Brassens emphasizes the importance of his love interest while ignoring the distractions that the world offers. He further emphasizes this by saying that he doesn't care much about external things and only cares for what the person he loves has to offer. The lyrics are metaphorical and suggestive, making references to things that seem trivial compared to the singer's love for the person he is singing to.
Overall, "J'ai rendez-vous avec vous" is a love song that is simple yet complex in its underlying meaning, with the use of metaphors and scenarios that have no direct relation to the love story on the surface.
Line by Line Meaning
Monseigneur l'astre solaire
Although I do not admire the sun very much, I do not care to be deprived of its heat.
Comme je ne l'admire pas beaucoup
I don't really care for the sun.
M'enlève son feu, oui mais, d'son feu, moi j'm'en fous
If it takes its heat away from me, I don't really care because I have a different date.
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
I have a date with you.
La lumière que je préfère
The light that I prefer is the one in your jealous eyes.
C'est celle de vos yeux jaloux
Your jealous eyes are the best.
Tout le restant m'indiffère
Everything else is unimportant to me.
Monsieur mon propriétaire
Even though I destroy everything owned by my landlord,
Comme je lui dévaste tout
I don't care if he throws me out of his house.
Me chasse de son toit, oui mais, d'son toit, moi j'm'en fous
Being thrown out of his house does not matter because I have a different date.
La demeure que je préfère
The dwelling that I prefer
C'est votre robe à froufrous
Is your frilly dress.
Madame ma gargotière
Even though I owe my restaurant keeper too much money,
Comme je lui dois trop de sous
I don't care if she throws me out of her table.
Me chasse de sa table, oui mais, d'sa tabl', moi j'm'en fous
Getting kicked out of her table doesn't matter because I have a different date.
Le menu que je préfère
The menu that I prefer
C'est la chair de votre cou
Is the meat on your neck.
Sa Majesté financière
Even though I don't meet the financial expectations of my majesty,
Comme je n'fais rien à son goût
I don't care if she keeps her gold, and the like.
Garde son or, or, de son or, moi j'm'en fous
If she holds onto her gold, it does not matter to me because I have a different date.
La fortune que je préfère
The fortune that I prefer
C'est votre cœur d'amadou
Is your heart made of love.
Tout le restant m'indiffère
Everything else is unimportant to me.
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous
I have a date with you.
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Georges Charles Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chantalou
J'adore cette chanson!
Gianfar Ays
Me gustaría saber frances para decir que es hermosa esta canción. Con mi creencia, un exelente musico, puede ser llamado así cuando hace que su musica transmita las emociones a la gente sin tener que saber la lengua
Salomé Bouzerand
Esta cansion dice que este musico es amouroso de una dama y que rien ne es mas importante para el que este mujer .
De su casa se hace ejectado, pero sorei de este amor con su dama mui importante , y problemas et cetera etc con logica parello
Salomé Bouzerand
Pero te puede IR sobre Google traduction , et sûrement que tu l'as fait depuis,
Salomé Bouzerand
peut-être même que tu parles français désormais ... "Te puedeS" pardon mon espagnol est vraiment nul nul nul
EDEM MELEGNA
Vive Brassens éternellement !!!
CrisTOasis
Très jolie chanson , aller tous le monde pouce vert !
BARVACHE
Ah tiens j'l'avais apprise en 5° je crois (ou en cm1 j'sais plus) . Souvenirs, souvenirs...
Michel Decaumont
Merçi ! Monsieur Brassens !!!!
Brunet Helen
extraordinaire, c'est ce que je souhaiterai ; avoir rendez vous avec vous