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
L'amandier
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'avais le plus bel amandier du quartier
Et, pour la bouche gourmande
Des filles du monde entier
Je faisais pousser des amandes
Le beau, le joli métier
Un écureuil en jupon dans un bond
Vint me dire "Je suis gourmande
Et mes lèvres sentent bon
Et, si tu me donnes une amande
Je te donne un baiser fripon"
Grimpe aussi haut que tu veux, que tu peux
Grimpe aussi haut que tu veux, que tu peux
Et tu croques, et tu picores
Puis tu grignotes, et puis tu
Redescends plus vite encore
Me donner le baiser dû
Quand la belle eut tout rongé, tout mangé
Quand la belle eut tout rongé, tout mangé
Je te paierai, me dit-elle
à pleine bouche quand les
Nigauds seront pourvus d'ailes
Et que tu sauras voler
Monte m'embrasser si tu veux, si tu peux
Monte m'embrasser si tu veux, si tu peux
Mais dis-toi que, si tu tombes
Je n'aurais pas la larme à l'œil
Dis-toi que, si tu succombes
Je ne porterai pas le deuil
Les avait, bien entendu toutes mordues
Les avait, bien entendu toutes mordues
Toutes grignotées, mes amandes
Ma récolte était perdue
Mais sa jolie bouche gourmande
En baisers m'a tout rendu
Et la fête dura tant que le beau temps
Et la fête dura tant que le beau temps
Mais vint l'automne, et la foudre
Et la pluie, et les autans
Ont changé mon arbre en poudre
Et mon amour en même temps
The song L'amandier by Georges Brassens tells the story of a man who had the most beautiful almond tree in his neighborhood. He took pride in the fact that he could grow almonds that were delicious enough to satisfy the cravings of girls from all around the world. One day, an attractive girl dressed like a squirrel approached him, expressing her desire for some of his almonds. The man offered her a deal: if she climbed his tree and got an almond for herself, she would reward him with a naughty kiss. The girl agreed and climbed the tree, but as she was eating the almond, the man warned her that if she fell, he wouldn't be sad, and if she died, he wouldn't mourn her. Despite this, the girl finished the almond and gave the man his prize. They ended up spending a lot of time together, enjoying each other's company and the pleasures of life. However, their happiness was short-lived, as a storm destroyed the beautiful almond tree and the man's love for the girl faded with it.
The song L'amandier is a metaphor for love and its natural cycle, as shown through the story of the man and the girl. The almond tree represents the man's love, which was once beautiful and fruitful, but was ruined by the natural elements. The girl represents the excitement and thrill of love, which the man pursued in the first place. However, like the storm that destroyed the almond tree, their love was temporary, and it eventually faded away. The song shows how love, like everything in life, is subject to both beauty and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
J'avais le plus bel amandier
I once had the most beautiful almond tree.
Du quartier
In the whole neighborhood.
Et, pour la bouche gourmande
And, to satisfy the craving mouths.
Des filles du monde entier
Of girls from all around the world.
Je faisais pousser des amandes
I made almonds grow.
Le beau, le joli métier!
Such a beautiful, lovely profession!
Un écureuil en jupon
A squirrel in a skirt.
Dans un bond
In a single jump.
Vint me dire "Je suis gourmande
Came to me and said: "I have a sweet tooth.
Et mes lèvres sentent bon
And my lips smell good.
Et, si tu me donnes une amande
And, if you give me an almond.
Je te donne un baiser fripon!"
I'll give you a naughty kiss!"
"Grimpe aussi haut que tu veux
"Climb as high as you want.
Que tu peux et tu croques, et tu picores
As high as you can, bite and nibble.
Puis tu grignotes, et puis tu
Then you nibble, and you.
Redescends plus vite encore
Come down even faster.
Me donner le baiser dû!"
"To give me the rightful kiss!"
Quand la belle eut tout rongé
When the beauty had eaten it all.
Tout mangé
Consumed it all.
Je te paierai, me dit-elle
She said to me: "I'll pay you.
A pleine bouche quand les
With a mouthful when.
Nigauds seront pourvus d'ailes
Idiots will grow wings.
Et que tu sauras voler!"
"And you'll learn how to fly!"
"Monte m'embrasser si tu veux, si tu peux
"Climb up and kiss me if you want, if you can.
Mais dis-toi que, si tu tombes
But keep in mind that if you fall.
Je n'aurais pas la larme à l'œil
I won't shed a tear.
Dis-toi que, si tu succombes
Think about the fact that if you fail.
Je ne porterai pas le deuil!"
"I won't mourn you!"
Les avait, bien entendu
She had, of course.
Toutes mordues
All the almonds bitten into.
Toutes grignotées, mes amandes
All my almonds nibbled on.
Ma récolte était perdue
My harvest was lost.
Mais sa jolie bouche gourmande
But her pretty, greedy mouth.
En baisers m'a tout rendu!
In kisses gave it all back to me!
Et la fête dura tant
And the party lasted so long.
Que le beau temps
That the good times.
Mais vint l'automne, et la foudre
But then came autumn, and lightning.
Et la pluie, et les autans
And rain, and the wind from the south.
Ont change mon arbre en poudre
Turned my tree into dust.
Et mon amour en même temps!
And my love at the same time!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind