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
Je Suis Un Voyou
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un fantôme, un souvenir d'une que j'aimais
Le temps, à grands coups de faux, peut faire des siennes
Mon bel amour dure encore, et c'est à jamais
J'ai perdu la tramontane en trouvant Margot
Princesse vêtue de laine, déesse en sabots
Si les fleurs, le long des routes, se mettaient à marcher
Je lui ai dit "de la Madone, tu es le portrait!"
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, c'était un peu vrai
Qu'il me pardonne ou non, d'ailleurs, je m'en fous
J'ai déjà mon âme en peine, je suis un voyou
La mignonne allait aux vêpres se mettre à genoux
Alors j'ai mordu ses lèvres pour savoir leur goût
Elle m'a dit d'un ton sévère "qu'est-ce que tu fais là?"
Mais elle m'a laissé faire, les filles, c'est comme ça
Je lui ai dit "par la Madone, reste auprès de moi!"
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, mais chacun pour soi
Qu'il me pardonne ou non, d'ailleurs, je m'en fous
J'ai déjà mon âme en peine, je suis un voyou
C'était une fille sage, à "bouche, que veux-tu?"
J'ai croqué dans son corsage les fruits défendus
Elle m'a dit d'un ton sévère "qu'est-ce que tu fais là?"
Mais elle m'a laissé faire, les filles, c'est comme ça
Puis, j'ai déchiré sa robe, sans l'avoir voulu
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, je n'y tenais plus!
Qu'il me pardonne ou non, d'ailleurs, je m'en fous
J'ai déjà mon âme en peine, je suis un voyou
J'ai perdu la tramontane en perdant Margot
Qui épousa, contre son âme, un triste bigot
Elle doit avoir à l'heure, à l'heure qu'il est
Deux ou trois marmots qui pleurent pour avoir leur lait
Et moi, j'ai tété leur mère longtemps avant eux
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, j'étais amoureux!
Qu'il me pardonne ou non, d'ailleurs, je m'en fous
J'ai déjà mon âme en peine, je suis un voyou
The song “Je suis un voyou” by Georges Brassens speaks of a love affair between the singer and a woman named Margot. The singer speaks of how Margot is a goddess in his eyes and how he holds onto the memory of her despite the passage of time. His love for Margot is so intense and powerful, it has become a permanent part of his heart.
The singer then recounts how he forcibly kissed Margot during a prayer service, tearing her clothes in the process. Despite her protests, Margot allowed him to continue, which the singer attributes to the nature of women. He was punished for his actions when Margot married someone else and had children. The lyrics suggest that the singer had an affair with Margot while she was married and even before she had children.
The song is a commentary on the complexities of love and relationships, and how they can lead people to act in ways that are not always accepted by society. The lyrics of the song reflects the attitude that society has towards cheating and being a voyou in French, which translates to a rogue or scoundrel.
Line by Line Meaning
Ci-gît au fond de mon cœur une histoire ancienne
Deep inside my heart lies an old tale
Un fantôme, un souvenir d'une que j'aimais
A ghost, a memory of one whom I loved
Le temps, à grands coups de faux, peut faire des siennes
Time, with its scythe, can be unpredictable
Mon bel amour dure encore, et c'est à jamais
Yet my beautiful love remains forever
J'ai perdu la tramontane en trouvant Margot
I lost my bearings when I met Margot
Princesse vêtue de laine, déesse en sabots
A princess clad in wool and a goddess in clogs
Si les fleurs, le long des routes, se mettaient à marcher
If the flowers along the way could walk
C'est à la Margot, sans doute, qu'elles feraient songer
They surely would remind me of Margot
Je lui ai dit "de la Madone, tu es le portrait!"
I told her, "You resemble the Madonna!"
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, c'était un peu vrai
May God forgive me, it was partly true
Qu'il me pardonne ou non, d'ailleurs, je m'en fous
Whether He forgives me or not, I don't care
J'ai déjà mon âme en peine, je suis un voyou
My soul is already in pain, I am a thug
La mignonne allait aux vêpres se mettre à genoux
The pretty one was headed to vespers to kneel down
Alors j'ai mordu ses lèvres pour savoir leur goût
So I bit her lips to taste them
Elle m'a dit d'un ton sévère "qu'est-ce que tu fais là?"
She asked me sternly, "What are you doing here?"
Mais elle m'a laissé faire, les filles, c'est comme ça
But, as girls are, she let me do it
Je lui ai dit "par la Madone, reste auprès de moi!"
I said to her, "By the Madonna, stay with me!"
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, mais chacun pour soi
God may forgive me, but everyone looks out for themselves
C'était une fille sage, à "bouche, que veux-tu?"
She was a good girl, but had a tempting mouth
J'ai croqué dans son corsage les fruits défendus
I nibbled on her forbidden fruit under her blouse
Puis, j'ai déchiré sa robe, sans l'avoir voulu
Then, unintentionally, I tore her dress
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, je n'y tenais plus!
God may forgive me, I couldn't resist any longer!
J'ai perdu la tramontane en perdant Margot
I lost my way after losing Margot
Qui épousa, contre son âme, un triste bigot
She married a sad, bigoted man against her soul
Elle doit avoir à l'heure, à l'heure qu'il est
By now, she must have a few crying babies of her own
Deux ou trois marmots qui pleurent pour avoir leur lait
Two or three kids wailing for their milk
Et moi, j'ai tété leur mère longtemps avant eux
And I suckled their mother long before them
Le Bon Dieu me le pardonne, j'étais amoureux!
God may forgive me, I was in love!
Qu'il me pardonne ou non, d'ailleurs, je m'en fous
Whether He forgives me or not, I don't care
J'ai déjà mon âme en peine, je suis un voyou
My soul is already in pain, I am a thug
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fred Nico
Bravo et merci ;-)
Quentin kilmister
Ptetre ben qu'oui ptetre ben qu'non .. Je suis Normand mais pour une fois je vais trancher : Oui, oui Brassens tu es le plus grand poète !
Mickael Bessou
A ma soeur de verneuil sur avre