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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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La Fessée
by Georges Brassens
La veuve et l'orphelin quoi de plus émouvant?
Un vieux copain d'école étant mort sans enfants
Abandonnant au monde une épouse épatante
J'allai rendre visite à la désespérée
Et puis ne sachant plus où finir ma soirée
Je lui tins compagnie dans la chapelle ardente
Pour endiguer ses pleurs pour apaiser ses maux
Je me mis à blaguer à sortir des bons mots
Tous les moyens sont bons au médecin de l'âme
Bientôt par la vertu de quelques facéties
La veuve se tenait les côtes Dieu merci
Ainsi que des bossus tous deux nous rigolâmes
Ma pipe dépassait un peu de mon veston
Aimable elle m'encouragea Bourrez-la donc
Qu'aucun impératif moral ne vous arrête
Si mon pauvre mari détestait le tabac
Maintenant la fumée ne le dérange pas
Mais où diantre ai-je mis mon porte-cigarettes?
A minuit d'une voix douce de séraphin
Elle me demanda si je n'avais pas faim
Ça le ferait-il revenir ajouta-t-elle
De pousser la piété jusqu'à l'inanition
Que diriez-vous d'une frugale collation?
Et nous fîmes un petit souper aux chandelles
Regardez s'il est beau Dirait-on point qu'il dort
Ce n'est certes pas lui qui me donnerait tort
De noyer mon chagrin dans un flot de champagne
Quand nous eûmes vidé le deuxième magnum
La veuve était émue nom d'un petit bonhomm'
Et son esprit se mit à battre la campagne
Mon Dieu ce que c'est tout de même que de nous
Soupira-t-elle en s'asseyant sur mes genoux
Et puis ayant collé sa lèvre sur ma lèvre
Me voilà rassurée fit-elle j'avais peur
Que sous votre moustache en tablier d'sapeur
Vous ne cachiez coquettement un bec-de-lièvre
Un tablier d'sapeur ma moustache pensez
Cette comparaison méritait la fessée
Retroussant l'insolente avec nulle tendresse
Conscient d'accomplir somme toute un devoir
Mais en fermant les yeux pour ne pas trop en voir
Paf j'abattis sur elle une main vengeresse
Aïe vous m'avez fêlé le postérieur en deux
Se plaignit-elle et je baissai le front piteux
Craignant avoir frappé de façon trop brutale
Mais j'appris par la suite et j'en fus bien content
Que cet état de chos's durait depuis longtemps
Menteuse la fêlure était congénitale
Quand je levai la main pour la deuxième fois
Le cœur n'y était plus j'avais perdu la foi
Surtout qu'elle s'était enquise la bougresse
Avez-vous remarqué que j'avais un beau cul?
Et ma main vengeresse est retombée vaincue
Et le troisième coup ne fut qu'une caresse
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Georges Charles Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Georges Brassens
La veuve et l'orphelin quoi de plus émouvant?
Un vieux copain d'école étant mort sans enfants
Abandonnant au monde une épouse épatante
J'allai rendre visite à la désespérée
Et puis ne sachant plus où finir ma soirée
Je lui tins compagnie dans la chapelle ardente
Pour endiguer ses pleurs pour apaiser ses maux
Je me mis à blaguer à sortir des bons mots
Tous les moyens sont bons au médecin de l'âme
Bientôt par la vertu de quelques facéties
La veuve se tenait les côtes Dieu merci
Ainsi que des bossus tous deux nous rigolâmes
Ma pipe dépassait un peu de mon veston
Aimable elle m'encouragea Bourrez-la donc
Qu'aucun impératif moral ne vous arrête
Si mon pauvre mari détestait le tabac
Maintenant la fumée ne le dérange pas
Mais où diantre ai-je mis mon porte-cigarettes?
A minuit d'une voix douce de séraphin
Elle me demanda si je n'avais pas faim
Ça le ferait-il revenir ajouta-t-elle
De pousser la piété jusqu'à l'inanition
Que diriez-vous d'une frugale collation?
Et nous fîmes un petit souper aux chandelles
Regardez s'il est beau Dirait-on point qu'il dort
Ce n'est certes pas lui qui me donnerait tort
De noyer mon chagrin dans un flot de champagne
Quand nous eûmes vidé le deuxième magnum
La veuve était émue nom d'un petit bonhomm'
Et son esprit se mit à battre la campagne
Mon Dieu ce que c'est tout de même que de nous
Soupira-t-elle en s'asseyant sur mes genoux
Et puis ayant collé sa lèvre sur ma lèvre
Me voilà rassurée fit-elle j'avais peur
Que sous votre moustache en tablier d'sapeur
Vous ne cachiez coquettement un bec-de-lièvre
Un tablier d'sapeur ma moustache pensez
Cette comparaison méritait la fessée
Retroussant l'insolente avec nulle tendresse
Conscient d'accomplir somme toute un devoir
Mais en fermant les yeux pour ne pas trop en voir
Paf j'abattis sur elle une main vengeresse
Aïe vous m'avez fêlé le postérieur en deux
Se plaignit-elle et je baissai le front piteux
Craignant avoir frappé de façon trop brutale
Mais j'appris par la suite et j'en fus bien content
Que cet état de chos's durait depuis longtemps
Menteuse la fêlure était congénitale
Quand je levai la main pour la deuxième fois
Le cœur n'y était plus j'avais perdu la foi
Surtout qu'elle s'était enquise la bougresse
Avez-vous remarqué que j'avais un beau cul?
Et ma main vengeresse est retombée vaincue
Et le troisième coup ne fut qu'une caresse
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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