Georges Brassens was a French singer and songwriter known for accompanying … Read Full Bio ↴Georges Brassens was a French singer and 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

Le Passéiste
Georges Brassens Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tant pis si j'ai l'air infantile,
Mais, par ma foi !
Ma phrase d'élection c'est : "Il
Etait une fois"
Et dans les salons où l'on cause,
Tant pis si on
Fait le procès de ma morose
Délectation.

Sitôt que je perds contenance
Au temps qui court,
Lors, j'appelle les souvenances
A mon secours.
Ne vous étonnez pas, ma chère,
Si vous trouvez
Les vers de jadis et naguère
A mon chevet.

Quitte à froisser la marguerite,
Faut que je dise
Que tu es ma fleur favorite,
Myosotis.
Si les neiges d'antan sont belles,
C'est qu' les troupeaux
De bovins posent plus sur elles
Leurs gros sabots.
Au royaume des vieilles lunes,
Que Copernic
M'excuse, pas d'ombre importune,
Pas de spoutnik !
Le feu des étoiles éteintes
M'éclaire encore,
Et j'entends l'Angélus qui tinte
Aux clochers morts.

Que les ans rongent mes grimoires,
Ça ne fait rien,
Mais qu'ils épargnent ma mémoire,
Mon plus cher bien !
Que Dieu me frappe d'aphasie,
D'influenza,
Mais qu'il m'évite l'amnésie,
Tout, mais pas ça !
Tant pis si j'ai l'air infantile,
Mais, par ma foi !
Ma phrase d'élection c'est : "Il
Etait une fois."
Tant pis si j'ai l'air infantile,
Mais, par ma foi !

Ma phrase d'élection c'est : "Il
Etait une fois."

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Georges Brassens's Le Passeiste are a reflection on the passing of time and the importance of memory. The singer admits that they may appear childish for their love of nostalgia and the past, but they hold onto it as a way to escape the fast pace of modern life. The phrase "Il Etait une fois" (Once upon a time) is the singer's favorite, and they use it to transport themselves and others back to a simpler time. They are aware that others may judge them for this mindset, but they refuse to let go of their "morose délectation" (melancholic delight).

The singer also expresses a love for nature and the beauty of the past. They use the image of old snow as a way to romanticize a time when cows roamed the land freely, unencumbered by human progress. They reject modern advancements, such as satellites, and instead choose to look to the stars of the past. Even the toll of time on their physical possessions, such as their books, is a small sacrifice if it means their memory remains intact.

Overall, Le Passeiste is a nostalgic and poetic reflection on the importance of memory and the beauty of the past, even if it means being perceived as childish or out of touch with the modern world.

Line by Line Meaning

Tant pis si j'ai l'air infantile,
I don't mind looking childish,

Mais, par ma foi !
But, by my faith!

Ma phrase d'élection c'est : "Il Etait une fois"
My chosen phrase is: "Once upon a time"

Et dans les salons où l'on cause,
And in the salons where people talk,

Tant pis si on
I don't mind if they

Fait le procès de ma morose Délectation.
Prosecute me for my gloomy delight.

Sitôt que je perds contenance Au temps qui court,
As soon as I lose my composure in current times,

Lors, j'appelle les souvenances A mon secours.
I call upon memories to help me.

Ne vous étonnez pas, ma chère,
Don't be surprised, my dear,

Si vous trouvez Les vers de jadis et naguère A mon chevet.
If you find old poems by my bedside.

Quitte à froisser la marguerite,
Even if it offends the daisy,

Faut que je dise Que tu es ma fleur favorite, Myosotis.
I have to say that you are my favorite flower, forget-me-not.

Si les neiges d'antan sont belles,
If the snows of olden times are beautiful,

C'est qu' les troupeaux De bovins posent plus sur elles Leurs gros sabots.
It's because the herds of cattle don't trample them with their heavy hooves.

Le PasséisteGeorges Brassens Lyrics

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Le Passéiste
Georges Brassens Lyrics