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Georges Brassens was a French singer-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. Read Full BioGeorges Brassens was a French singer-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
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. Read Full BioGeorges Brassens was a French singer-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
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L'épave
by Georges Brassens
J'en appelle à bacchus ! a bacchus j'en appelle !
le tavernier du coin vient d'me la bailler belle.
de son établiss'ment j'étais l'meilleur pilier.
quand j'eus bu tous mes sous, il me mit à la porte
en disant : les poivrots, le diable les emporte !
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des bistrots bien singuliers...
un certain va-nu-pieds qui passe et me trouve ivre
mort, croyant tout de bon que j'ai cessé de vivre
(vous auriez fait pareil), s'en prit à mes souliers.
pauvre homme ! vu l'état piteux de mes godasses,
je dout' qu'il trouve avec son chemin de damas-se.
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des passants bien singuliers...
un étudiant miteux s'en prit à ma liquette
qui, à la faveur d'la nuit lui avait paru coquette,
mais en plein jour ses yeux ont dû se dessiller.
je l'plains de tout mon coeur, pauvre enfant, s'il l'a mise,
vu que, d'un homme heureux, c'était loin d'êtr' la ch'mise.
Ça n'fait rien, y a des étudiants bien singuliers...
la femm' d'un ouvrier s'en prit à ma culotte.
pas ça, madam', pas ça, mille et un coups de bottes
ont tant usé le fond que, si vous essayiez
d'la mettre à votr' mari, bientôt, je vous en fiche
mon billet, il aurait du verglas sur les miches.
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des ménages bien singuliers...
et j'étais là, tout nu, sur le bord du trottoir-e
exhibant, malgré moi, mes humbles génitoires.
une petit' vertu rentrant de travailler,
elle qui, chaque soir, en voyait un' douzaine,
courut dire aux agents : j'ai vu que'qu' chos' d'obscène !
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des tapins bien singuliers...
le r'présentant d'la loi vint, d'un pas débonnaire.
sitôt qu'il m'aperçut il s'écria : tonnerre !
on est en plein hiver et si vous vous geliez !
et de peur que j'n'attrape une fluxion d'poitrine,
le bougre, il me couvrit avec sa pèlerine.
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des flics bien singuliers...
et depuis ce jour-là, moi, le fier, le bravache,
moi, dont le cri de guerr' fut toujours mort aux vaches !
plus une seule fois je n'ai pu le brailler.
j'essaye bien encor, mais ma langue honteuse
retombe lourdement dans ma bouche pâteuse.
Ça n'fait rien, nous vivons un temps bien singulier...
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Georges Brassens
J'en appelle à bacchus ! a bacchus j'en appelle !
le tavernier du coin vient d'me la bailler belle.
de son établiss'ment j'étais l'meilleur pilier.
quand j'eus bu tous mes sous, il me mit à la porte
en disant : les poivrots, le diable les emporte !
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des bistrots bien singuliers...
un certain va-nu-pieds qui passe et me trouve ivre
mort, croyant tout de bon que j'ai cessé de vivre
(vous auriez fait pareil), s'en prit à mes souliers.
pauvre homme ! vu l'état piteux de mes godasses,
je dout' qu'il trouve avec son chemin de damas-se.
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des passants bien singuliers...
un étudiant miteux s'en prit à ma liquette
qui, à la faveur d'la nuit lui avait paru coquette,
mais en plein jour ses yeux ont dû se dessiller.
je l'plains de tout mon coeur, pauvre enfant, s'il l'a mise,
vu que, d'un homme heureux, c'était loin d'êtr' la ch'mise.
Ça n'fait rien, y a des étudiants bien singuliers...
la femm' d'un ouvrier s'en prit à ma culotte.
pas ça, madam', pas ça, mille et un coups de bottes
ont tant usé le fond que, si vous essayiez
d'la mettre à votr' mari, bientôt, je vous en fiche
mon billet, il aurait du verglas sur les miches.
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des ménages bien singuliers...
et j'étais là, tout nu, sur le bord du trottoir-e
exhibant, malgré moi, mes humbles génitoires.
une petit' vertu rentrant de travailler,
elle qui, chaque soir, en voyait un' douzaine,
courut dire aux agents : j'ai vu que'qu' chos' d'obscène !
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des tapins bien singuliers...
le r'présentant d'la loi vint, d'un pas débonnaire.
sitôt qu'il m'aperçut il s'écria : tonnerre !
on est en plein hiver et si vous vous geliez !
et de peur que j'n'attrape une fluxion d'poitrine,
le bougre, il me couvrit avec sa pèlerine.
Ça n'fait rien, il y a des flics bien singuliers...
et depuis ce jour-là, moi, le fier, le bravache,
moi, dont le cri de guerr' fut toujours mort aux vaches !
plus une seule fois je n'ai pu le brailler.
j'essaye bien encor, mais ma langue honteuse
retombe lourdement dans ma bouche pâteuse.
Ça n'fait rien, nous vivons un temps bien singulier...
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
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