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 Mauvaise Herbe
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comme tous les autres étaient crevés
Moi seul connus le déshonneur
De ne pas être mort au champ d'honneur
Je suis de la mauvaise herbe, braves gens, braves gens
C'est pas moi qu'on rumine et c'est pas moi qu'on met en gerbe
La mort faucha les autres, braves gens, braves gens
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
Ça vous dérange que je vive un peu
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
Ça vous dérange que je vive un peu
La fille à tout le monde a bon cœur
Elle me donne au petit bonheur
Les petits bouts de sa peau, bien cachés
Que les autres n'ont pas touché
Je suis de la mauvaise herbe, braves gens, braves gens
C'est pas moi qu'on rumine et c'est pas moi qu'on met en gerbe
Elle se vend aux autres, braves gens, braves gens
Elle se donne à moi, c'est immoral et c'est comme ça
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
Ça vous dérange qu'on m'aime un peu
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
Ça vous dérange qu'on m'aime un peu
Les hommes sont faits, nous dit-on
Pour vivre en bande, comme les moutons
Moi, je vis seul, et c'est pas demain
Que je suivrai leur droit chemin
Je suis de la mauvaise herbe, braves gens, braves gens
C'est pas moi qu'on rumine et c'est pas moi qu'on met en gerbe
Je suis de la mauvaise herbe, braves gens, braves gens
Je pousse en liberté dans les jardins mal fréquentés
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
Ça vous dérange que je vive un peu
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
Ça vous dérange que je vive un peu
Georges Brassens's song "La mauvaise réputation" (The Bad Reputation), released in 1952, challenges the societal norms of his time, with the singer celebrating his nonconformity and openly questioning why others don't accept him for who he is. The lyrics begin with a reference to "the day of glory," which is a nod to the French national holiday commemorating the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution. Brassens uses this reference to contrast his own position with many other citizens, who are celebrated for their military service in battles. The first verse highlights the fact that Brassens's reputation is not among those soldiers who died in service, implying that he is not valued by society.
He goes on to describe himself as "bad weed" that isn't chewed or bundled, referencing his place outside of mainstream society. Brassens sings that death may have claimed others but spared him, which he sees as immoral, reflecting on the idea that society values obedience and conformity to established norms above all else. In the third verse, he describes his unconventional relationship with a promiscuous woman, who has "a good heart" despite her reputation. He explains that she only gives him the parts of herself that others haven't already taken, again emphasizing his own lack of acceptance in society.
In the final verse, Brassens sings that society tells us we are meant to live in groups like sheep, whereas he likes to live alone and will continue to do so. He is the "bad weed" that grows freely in neglected gardens, and he proudly asks why it bothers others that he wants to live his life unconventionally.
Line by Line Meaning
Quand le jour de gloire est arrivé
When the day of glory came
Comme tous les autres étaient crevés
As all the others were worn out
Moi seul connus le déshonneur
I alone knew dishonor
De ne pas être mort au champ d'honneur
For not having died in the field of honor
Je suis de la mauvaise herbe, braves gens, braves gens
I am the weed, good people, good people
C'est pas moi qu'on rumine et c'est pas moi qu'on met en gerbe
It's not me that's chewed and not me that's put in a sheaf
La mort faucha les autres, braves gens, braves gens
Death mowed down the others, good people, good people
Et me fit grâce à moi c'est immoral et c'est comme ça
And spared me, it's immoral and that's how it is
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
And I wonder why, dear God
Ça vous dérange que je vive un peu
Does it bother you that I live a little
La fille à tout le monde a bon cœur
The girl who belongs to everyone has a good heart
Elle me donne au petit bonheur
She gives me randomly
Les petits bouts de sa peau, bien cachés
The little parts of her skin, well hidden
Que les autres n'ont pas touché
That the others haven't touched
Elle se vend aux autres, braves gens, braves gens
She sells herself to others, good people, good people
Elle se donne à moi, c'est immoral et c'est comme ça
She gives herself to me, it's immoral and that's how it is
Les hommes sont faits, nous dit-on
We are told that men are made
Pour vivre en bande, comme les moutons
To live in a herd, like sheep
Moi, je vis seul, et c'est pas demain
I, on the other hand, live alone, and it's not tomorrow
Que je suivrai leur droit chemin
That I will follow their straight path
Je suis de la mauvaise herbe, braves gens, braves gens
I am the weed, good people, good people
Je pousse en liberté dans les jardins mal fréquentés
I grow freely in poorly frequented gardens
Et je me demande pourquoi, Bon Dieu
And I wonder why, dear God
Ça vous dérange que je vive un peu
Does it bother you that I live a little
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
claire cholier
Hymne à la liberté de ne pas suivre " la même route" que les autres ..
Pierre Schuller
Très juste !
Fabrice Vaudron
Hymne à la vie !! ?
Marie Mouth
Extra-ordinaire !!!!!!