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'enterrement De Verlaine
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et dont le plus beau jour fut un jour de beau froid:
Dieu: s'ouvrit-il jamais une voie aussi pure
Au convoi d'un grand mort suivi de miniatures?
Tous les grognards - petits - de Verlaine étaient là,
Toussotant, Frissonnant, Glissant sur le verglas,
Mais qui suivaient ce mort et la désespérance,
Ou plutôt du second (François de Montcorbier,
Voici belle lurette en fut le vrai premier)
N'importe! Lélian, je vous suivrai toujours!
Premier? Second? vous seul. En ce plus froid des jours.
N'importe! Je suivrai toujours, l'âme enivrée
Ah! Folle d'une espérance désespérée
Montesquiou-Fezensac et Bibi-la-Purée
Vos deux gardes du corps, - entre tous moi dernier.
The song "L'enterrement De Verlaine" by French singer-songwriter Georges Brassens describes the funeral of French poet Paul Verlaine. The first stanza mentions the "Boule Miche d'autrefois", a reference to the game of boules, which Verlaine enjoyed playing. The day of Verlaine's funeral is described as a beautiful cold day, with a pure path for the procession of the great poet's funeral followed by small portraits/paintings of him. Referring to his followers as "petits grognards", which means small grunts or foot soldiers. They were all there, coughing, trembling and slipping on the icy ground. Verlaine was known as the "Premier Rossignol", or first nightingale of France, but the song questions whether he was truly the first, mentioning François de Montcorbier as a potential candidate. The chorus states, "N'importe! Lélian, je vous suivrai toujours!", which translates to "No matter! Lélian, I will always follow you!", indicating that Brassens will always follow Verlaine, regardless of who was the first.
The second verse mentions Montesquiou-Fezensac and Bibi-la-Purée, who were Verlaine's bodyguards. They are referred to as "garde du corps", which can mean bodyguard or even pallbearer. Brassens includes himself as the last of Verlaine's bodyguards, indicating his admiration and loyalty to the poet. The verse ends with the phrase "l'âme enivrée", translating to "the intoxicated soul", showing Brassens' passion for Verlaine's work.
Line by Line Meaning
Le revois-tu mon âme, ce Boule Miche d'autrefois
Do you remember, my soul, that Boule Miche from before, whose most beautiful day was one of intense cold?
Et dont le plus beau jour fut un jour de beau froid:
That day was so beautiful because it was intensely cold.
Dieu: s'ouvrit-il jamais une voie aussi pure
Did heaven ever open up such a pure path?
Au convoi d'un grand mort suivi de miniatures?
For the funeral procession of a great dead followed by miniatures?
Tous les grognards - petits - de Verlaine étaient là,
All of Verlaine's little grumblers were there,
Toussotant, Frissonnant, Glissant sur le verglas,
Coughing, shivering, sliding on the ice,
Mais qui suivaient ce mort et la désespérance,
But following this death and despair,
Morte enfin, du Premier Rossignol de la France.
Death finally claimed the First Nightingale of France.
Ou plutôt du second (François de Montcorbier,
Or perhaps the second (François de Montcorbier,
Voici belle lurette en fut le vrai premier)
Who for a long time was considered the true first)
N'importe! Lélian, je vous suivrai toujours!
Either way, Lélian, I will always follow you!
Premier? Second? vous seul. En ce plus froid des jours.
First? Second? To me, you are the only one, on this coldest of days.
N'importe! Je suivrai toujours, l'âme enivrée
Either way, I will always follow, my soul intoxicated
Ah! Folle d'une espérance désespérée
Ah! Crazy with a desperate hope
Montesquiou-Fezensac et Bibi-la-Purée
Montesquiou-Fezensac and Bibi-la-Purée
Vos deux gardes du corps, - entre tous moi dernier.
Your two bodyguards - and of them all, I am the last.
Contributed by Jasmine K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Vasso D
Le revois-tu mon âme, ce Boul' Mich' d'autrefois
Et dont le plus beau jour fut un jour de beau froid :
Dieu : s'ouvrit-il jamais une voie aussi pure
Au convoi d'un grand mort suivi de miniatures ?
Tous les grognards - petits - de Verlaine étaient là,
Toussotant, frissonnant, glissant sur le verglas,
Mais qui suivaient ce mort et la désespérance,
Morte enfin, du Premier Rossignol de la France.
Ou plutôt du second (François de Montcorbier,
Voici belle lurette en fut le vrai premier)
N'importe ! Lélian, je vous suivrai toujours !
Premier ? Second ? Vous seul.
En ce plus froid des jours.
N'importe ! Je suivrai toujours, l'âme enivrée
Ah ! Folle d'une espérance désespérée
Montesquiou-Fezensac et Bibi-la-Purée
Vos deux gardes du corps, - entre tous moi dernier.
https://lyricstranslate.com
Ian Moro
moi,j'ai connu la poésie grâce à Monsieur Brassens.. j'étais nul à l'école.. je travaillais à 16 ans... j'ai découvert Brassens,il m'a énormément apporté.. (j'ai 62 balais) Ian
Michel Swornik
Ces chansons sont de vrais joyaux!!!
Sherlockian Fannibal
Un de mes chanteurs favoris, qui rend hommage à l'un de mes poètes favoris, le comble. J'adore.
Hervé LOTTIN
Merci pour cette chanson que j'avais oubliée. Ah ! Tonton Georges. Les anges soupirent encore...
Amar Alidjra
Georges Brassens un poète qui laisse une trace indélébile dans les coeurs...
Julie de Pardailhan
@Amar Alidjra En l'occurrence il s'agit de Paul Fort.
Amar Alidjra
Irremplaçable Georges, inoubliable Georges...
colombe paula
Bel Hommage ... Un chef-d’œuvre Brassens Merci *****
Quentin kilmister
Chanson de la marche nuptiale et d’ailleurs si Brassens n'as jamais enregistré cette version c'était pour ne pas avoir de textes avec une mélodie.. Et pourtant quelle beauté !
Caprice Royal
Jamais oublié Brassens! Merci :-)