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
La Guerre de 14-18
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Depuis qu'il bataille à cœur joie
Entre mille et une guerre notoires
Si j'étais tenu de faire un choix
À l'encontre du vieil Homère
Je déclarerais tout de suite
"Moi, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit"
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Est-ce à dire que je méprise
Les nobles guerres de jadis
Que je m'soucie comme d'une cerise
De celle de soixante-dix?
Au contraire, je la révère
Et lui donne un satisfecit
Mais, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Moi, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Je sais que les guerriers de Sparte
Plantaient pas leurs epées dans l'eau
Que les grognards de Bonaparte
Tiraient pas leur poudre aux moineaux
Leurs faits d'armes sont légendaires
Au garde-à-vous, je les félicite
Mais, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Moi, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Bien sûr, celle de l'an quarante
Ne m'as pas tout à fait déçu
Elle fut longue et massacrante
Et je ne crache pas dessus
Mais à mon sens, elle ne vaut guère
Guère plus qu'un premier accessit
Moi, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Moi, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Mon but n'est pas de chercher noise
Au guérillas, non, fichtre, non
Guerres saintes, guerres sournoises
Qui n'osent pas dire leur nom
Chacune a quelque chose pour plaire
Chacune a son petit mérite
Mais, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Moi, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Du fond de son sac à malices
Mars va sans doute, à l'occasion
En sortir une, un vrai délice
Qui me fera grosse impression
En attendant je persévère
À dire que ma guerre favorite
Celle, mon colon, que j'voudrais faire
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Celle, mon colon, que j'voudrais faire
C'est la guerre de quatorze-dix-huit
Georges Brassens's song La Guerre de 14-18 is about the preference of the singer towards the first World War among all other wars in history. The lyrics portray how wars have been fought throughout history and how the singer's choice would still be the first world war. The first verse begins with acknowledging how battles and wars have been going on since the beginning of recorded history, but the singer claims that if he had to pick a specific war, he would choose the World War I. In the second verse, he clarifies that he does not disregard the noble wars of the past, but he holds the first world war in higher esteem above them all. The third verse mentions specific wars, such as the wars of Sparta and Napoleon's wars, and how they are considered legendary. The chorus repeats the same line, "C'est la guerr' de quatorz'-dix-huit," emphasizing the singer's preference.
The song is a commentary on how war and battles have been glorified in history books. The singer's choice of the first world war is surprising since it was the deadliest conflict in history until that point. The song brings attention to the fact that wars have been fought in different ways throughout history, but they all have had a fundamental impact on the human race.
Line by Line Meaning
Depuis que l'homme écrit l'Histoire
Since the beginning of recorded history
Depuis qu'il bataille à cœur joie
Since he has been fighting with all his heart
Entre mille et une guerr' notoires
Among a thousand and one notorious wars
Si j'étais t'nu de faire un choix
If I had to make a choice
A l'encontre du vieil Homère
Contrary to the old Homer
Je déclarerais tout de suite
I would declare right away
"Moi, mon colon, cell' que j'préfère,
"Me, my colonel, the one I prefer,
C'est la guerr' de quatorz'-dix-huit!"
Is the war of 1914-1918!"
Est-ce à dire que je méprise
Does this mean that I despise
Les nobles guerres de jadis
The noble wars of yore
Que je m'soucie comm' d'un'cerise
That I care about as much as a cherry
De celle de soixante-dix?
About the one of seventy?
Au contrair', je la révère
On the contrary, I revere it
Et lui donne un satisfecit
And give it a passing grade
Mais, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
But, my colonel, the one I prefer
C'est la guerr' de quatorz'-dix-huit
Is the war of 1914-1918
Je sais que les guerriers de Sparte
I know that the warriors of Sparta
Plantaient pas leurs épées dans l'eau
Did not plant their swords in the water
Que les grognards de Bonaparte
That the Grognards of Bonaparte
Tiraient pas leur poudre aux moineaux
Did not shoot their powder at sparrows
Leurs faits d'armes sont légendaires
Their feats of arms are legendary
Au garde-à-vous, je les félicite
At attention, I congratulate them
Mais, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
But, my colonel, the one I prefer
C'est la guerr' de quatorz'-dix-huit
Is the war of 1914-1918
Bien sûr, celle de l'an quarante
Of course, the one of forty
Ne m'as pas tout à fait déçu
Did not completely disappoint me
Elle fut longue et massacrante
It was long and deadly
Et je ne crache pas dessus
And I don't spit on it
Mais à mon sens, elle ne vaut guère
But in my opinion, it is not worth much
Guèr' plus qu'un premier accessit
Not much more than an honorable mention
Moi, mon colon, celle que j' préfère
Me, my colonel, the one I prefer
C'est la guerr' de quatorz'-dix-huit
Is the war of 1914-1918
Mon but n'est pas de chercher noise
My goal is not to start trouble
Au guérillas, non, fichtre, non
To the guerillas, no, damn no
Guerres saintes, guerres sournoises
Holy wars, sneaky wars
Qui n'osent pas dire leur nom,
That do not dare to say their name
Chacune a quelque chos' pour plaire
Each one has something to appeal
Chacune a son petit mérite
Each one has its own little merit
Mais, mon colon, celle que j'préfère
But, my colonel, the one I prefer
C'est la guerr' de quatorz'-dix-huit
Is the war of 1914-1918
Du fond de son sac à malices
From the depths of his bag of tricks
Mars va sans doute, à l'occasion
Mars will undoubtedly, from time to time
En sortir une, un vrai délice
Pull out a real delight
Qui me fera grosse impression
That will impress me greatly
En attendant je persévère
In the meantime, I persevere
A dir' que ma guerr' favorite
In saying that my favorite war
Cell', mon colon, que j'voudrais faire
Is the one, my colonel, that I would like to fight
C'est la guerr' de quatorz'-dix-huit
Is the war of 1914-1918
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind