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 vieux château
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Il est mort dimanche
Et le vieux chameau dans son testament
A prit sa revanche
Tout l'argent que je guettait
Aux oeuvres de charité
Moi je dois me contenter
Je l'ai visité
C'est un vieux château du moyen âge
Avec un fantôme à chaque étage
Dans toutes les chambres d'ami
Y'a des souris sous les lits
Si vous n'en voyez pas
C'est par qu'il y a des rats
Des rats gros comme ça
C'est un vieux château teau teau
Cerné de corbeaux beau beau
Le petit salon mesure à peu près
Cent quatre vingt mètres
Il est ravissant mais il y faudrait
Des carreaux aux fenêtres
On s'éclaire à la bougie
On se lave avec l'eau de la pluie
Et quand il n'a pas plu tant pis
On reste sale entre amis
Tout ça simplifie
C'est un vieux château teau teau
Cerné de corbeaux beau beau
Dans ce vieux château jamais aucun bruit
L'histoire rapporte
Qu'une impératrice y passa la nuit
Et qu'elle en ai morte
Quatre princes y sont nés
Et trois têtes couronnées
Y furent assassinées
Mais il n'y pas de cabinet
Et pas de robinet
C'est un vieux château du moyen âge
Avec un fantôme à chaque étage
Dans toutes les chambres d'ami
Y'a des souris sous les lits
Si vous n'en voyez pas
C'est par qu'il y a des rats
Des rats des rats Ahhh
Des rats gros comme ça
C'est un vieux château teau teau
Cerné de corbeaux beau beau
The song Le vieux château by Georges Brassens tells the story of the singer's wealthy uncle who recently passed away at the age of 102. In his will, the uncle left behind the old castle that he had lived in as his only inheritance to the singer, instead of any money that the singer was counting on. The singer now finds himself the owner of an old medieval castle with a ghost on every floor, mice under every bed, and rats as big as cats. The castle has no modern amenities and the singer must make do with candlelight and rainwater for washing. Despite its lack of comfort, the singer has come to appreciate the charm and simplicity of the old castle.
The lyrics are full of comical exaggerations, playing with the image of the grandeur of old castles and turning it on its head, emphasizing the decrepit state of the castle and the difficulties of living in such ancient accommodations. Through the song, Brassens plays with the common romanticized image of grand old castles and highlights the challenges of living in such places in the modern era. Nevertheless, the singer seems content with his new residence, finding beauty in its unique characteristics and the memories that accompany it.
Line by Line Meaning
Mon oncle Rodolphe avait cent deux ans
My uncle Rodolphe was one hundred and two years old.
Il est mort dimanche
He died on Sunday.
Et le vieux chameau dans son testament
And the old camel, in his will.
A prit sa revanche
Got his revenge.
Tout l'argent que je guettait
All the money I was hoping for.
Aux oeuvres de charité
Went to charity.
Moi je dois me contenter
I have to settle.
Du château qu'il habitait
For the castle he lived in.
Je l'ai visité
I visited it.
C'est un vieux château du moyen âge
It's an old castle from the Middle Ages.
Avec un fantôme à chaque étage
With a ghost on each floor.
Dans toutes les chambres d'ami
In all the guest rooms.
Y'a des souris sous les lits
There are mice under the beds.
Si vous n'en voyez pas
If you don't see them.
C'est par qu'il y a des rats
It's because there are rats.
Des rats gros comme ça
Big rats like this.
C'est un vieux château teau teau
It's an old castle, castle, castle.
Cerné de corbeaux beau beau
Surrounded by beautiful crows.
Le petit salon mesure à peu près
The small living room measures approximately.
Cent quatre vingt mètres
One hundred and eighty meters.
Il est ravissant mais il y faudrait
It's charming, but it would need.
Des carreaux aux fenêtres
Tiles on the windows.
On s'éclaire à la bougie
We light candles.
On se lave avec l'eau de la pluie
We wash with rainwater.
Et quand il n'a pas plu tant pis
And when it doesn't rain, too bad.
On reste sale entre amis
We stay dirty among friends.
Tout ça simplifie
All of this simplifies things.
Dans ce vieux château jamais aucun bruit
In this old castle, there is never any noise.
L'histoire rapporte
History tells us.
Qu'une impératrice y passa la nuit
That an empress spent the night there.
Et qu'elle en ai morte
And she died there.
Quatre princes y sont nés
Four princes were born there.
Et trois têtes couronnées
And three crowned heads.
Y furent assassinées
Were assassinated there.
Mais il n'y pas de cabinet
But there is no bathroom.
Et pas de robinet
And no faucet.
Des rats des rats Ahhh
Rats, rats, Ahhh.
Writer(s): Jean Nohain, Mireille
Contributed by Ava Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.