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 marche nuptiale
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'ai vu se marier toutes sortes de gens
Des gens de basse source
Et des grands de la terre
Des prétendus coiffeurs
Des soi-disant notaires
Quand même je vivrai jusqu'à la fin des temps
Du jour de pauvre noce
Où mon père et ma mère
S'allièrent épouser
Devant Monsieur le Maire
C'est dans un char à bœufs
S'il faut parler bien franc
Tiré par les amis
Poussé par les parents
Que les vieux amoureux
Firent leurs épousailles
Après long temps d'amour
Long temps de fiançailles
Cortège nuptial hors de l'ordre courant
La foule nous couvait d'un œil protubérant
Nous étions contemplés
Par le monde futile
Qui n'avait jamais vu de noces de ce style
Voici le vent qui souffle emportant, crève-cœur
Le chapeau de mon père et les enfants de chœur
Voilà la pluie qui tombe
En pesant bien ses gouttes
Comme pour empêcher la noce, coûte que coûte
Je n'oublierai jamais la mariée en pleurs
Berçant comme une poupée
Son gros bouquet de fleurs
Moi, pour la consoler
Moi, de toute ma morgue
Sur mon harmonica jouant les grandes orgues
Tous les garçons d'honneur, montrant le poing aux nues
Criaient "par Jupiter, la noce continue!"
Par les hommes décriée
Par les dieux contrariée
La noce continue et Vive la mariée!
Georges Brassens's La marche nuptiale is a ballad that humorously tells the story of a wedding ceremony in which two souls decide to tie the knot despite their financial inequality. The first stanza sets the tone of the song with the phrase "Mariage d'amour, mariage d'argent" (Marriage of love, marriage of money). The singer then reminisces about all kinds of people he has seen getting married; people from all walks of life - "Des gens de basse source et des grands de la terre" (From lowly sources and the high-born). This states that love knows no wealth barriers and that everyone deserves a chance at happiness.
The second stanza recounts the singer's favorite wedding memory, where his parents got married in simple, humble circumstances. There was a primitive wedding procession - "C'est dans un char à bœufs s'il faut parler bien franc" (It was in an ox cart if we must speak frankly), making it clear that the lack of material wealth did not dampen the joy of their wedding day.
The third stanza describes the wedding proceedings, which were unconventional and caused the public to gawk with interest. The wedding climate worsened by the weather - the wind blew off the groom's hat, and the rain fell intentionally to make the event miserable. Despite the disheartening weather, the singer remembers the bride, who was weeping silently, taking solace in the melody of his harmonica, evoking the sound of a church organ.
In conclusion, the song is a heartfelt tribute to the vitality of love that transcends social boundaries and overcomes all forms of adversity. Brassens entertains us with his storytelling while at the same time giving us something to pause and ponder.
Line by Line Meaning
Mariage d'amour, mariage d'argent
Whether it's a love marriage or a marriage based on financial gain
J'ai vu se marier toutes sortes de gens
I've seen all kinds of people get married
Des gens de basse source
Some from low backgrounds
Et des grands de la terre
And others from high society
Des prétendus coiffeurs
Even supposed hairdressers
Des soi-disant notaires
And so-called notaries
Quand même je vivrai jusqu'à la fin des temps
Even if I live forever
Je garderais toujours le souvenir content
I'll always have a happy memory
Du jour de pauvre noce
Of the day of a humble wedding
Où mon père et ma mère
Where my father and mother
S'allièrent épouser
Joined in marriage
Devant Monsieur le Maire
Before the Mayor
C'est dans un char à bœufs
It was in an ox cart
S'il faut parler bien franc
To be perfectly frank
Tiré par les amis
Pulled by friends
Poussé par les parents
Pushed by parents
Que les vieux amoureux
That the old lovers
Firent leurs épousailles
Got married
Après long temps d'amour
After a long time of love
Long temps de fiançailles
And a long engagement
Cortège nuptial hors de l'ordre courant
A wedding procession out of the ordinary
La foule nous couvait d'un œil protubérant
The crowd was staring at us with bulging eyes
Nous étions contemplés
We were being observed
Par le monde futile
By the superficial world
Qui n'avait jamais vu de noces de ce style
Who had never seen a wedding like this before
Voici le vent qui souffle emportant, crève-cœur
Here comes the wind blowing away, heartbreakingly
Le chapeau de mon père et les enfants de chœur
My father's hat and the choirboys
Voilà la pluie qui tombe
And now the rain is falling
En pesant bien ses gouttes
Each drop heavy with meaning
Comme pour empêcher la noce, coûte que coûte
As if trying to stop the wedding at all costs
Je n'oublierai jamais la mariée en pleurs
I'll never forget the bride in tears
Berçant comme une poupée
Cradling her bouquet like a doll
Son gros bouquet de fleurs
Her big bouquet of flowers
Moi, pour la consoler
Me, trying to console her
Moi, de toute ma morgue
Me, with all my pride
Sur mon harmonica jouant les grandes orgues
Playing grand organ music on my harmonica
Tous les garçons d'honneur, montrant le poing aux nues
All the groomsmen raising their fists to the sky
Criaient "par Jupiter, la noce continue!"
Crying out 'By Jupiter, the wedding goes on!'
Par les hommes décriée
Disapproved of by men
Par les dieux contrariée
Thwarted by the gods
La noce continue et Vive la mariée!
The wedding goes on and long live the bride!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@1sanremy
Paroles de la chanson La Marche Nuptiale par Georges Brassens
Mariage d'amour, mariage d'argent
J'ai vu se marier toutes sortes de gens
Des gens de basse source et des grands de la terre
Des prétendus coiffeurs, des soi-disant notaires
Quand même je vivrai jusqu'à la fin des temps
Je garderais toujours le souvenir content
Du jour de pauvre noce où mon père et ma mère
S'allèrent épouser devant Monsieur le Maire
C'est dans un char à bœufs, s'il faut parler bien franc
Tiré par les amis, poussé par les parents
Que les vieux amoureux firent leurs épousailles
Après long temps d'amour, long temps de fiançailles
Cortège nuptial hors de l'ordre courant
La foule nous couvait d'un œil protubérant
Nous étions contemplés par le monde futile
Qui n'avait jamais vu de noces de ce style
Voici le vent qui souffle emportant, crève-cœur
Le chapeau de mon père et les enfants de chœur
Voilà la pluie qui tombe en pesant bien ses gouttes
Comme pour empêcher la noce, coûte que coûte
Je n'oublierai jamais la mariée en pleurs
Berçant comme une poupée son gros bouquet de fleurs
Moi, pour la consoler, moi, de toute ma morgue
Sur mon harmonica jouant les grandes orgues
Tous les garçons d'honneur, montrant le poing aux nues
Criaient: Par Jupiter, la noce continue!
Par les hommes décriés, par les dieux contrariés
La noce continue et vive la mariée!
@michellafont8486
Quelle belle chanson, Georges Brassens,
@andreameriggi7214
Bellissima canzone di Brassens impreziosita, successivamente, dal genio di Fabrizio De Andrè
@mariemario1444
Si belle chanson de Georges, comme toutes ses chansons...
@oldmanferdy1
matrimonio come avrei voluto fare ma ,mi sono dovuto adeguare ,mervielleuse chanson,bella anche la versione di de andre
@umbertodante872
Non posso commentare, soltanto aderire e camminare insieme al corteo. Quasi mi spaventa la profondità di Brassens. Un cuore così è condannato alla solitudine? Oppure nel suo caso la solitudine è un privilegio
@carlocampanelli6503
La seconda che hai detto...🤫
@skatewithsheeps6214
Le piace anche la versione di F. De André?
@carlocampanelli6503
@@skatewithsheeps6214 Ovviamente sì!
@Nemo-xq7fi
Quelle chanson!…
@brynhildk8864
Cette grâce inimitable. Merci pour la vidéo !