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
Maman Papa
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maman, maman, je r'deviens petit garçon
Alors je suis sage en classe
Et, pour te faire plaisir
J'obtiens les meilleures places
Ton désir
Maman, maman, je préfère à mes jeux fous
Maman, maman, demeurer sur tes genoux
Maman, maman, maman, maman
Papa, papa, en faisant cette chanson
Papa, papa, je r'deviens petit garçon
Et je t'entends sous l'orage
User tout ton humour
Pour redonner du courage
À nos cœurs lourds
Papa, papa, il n'y eut pas entre nous
Papa, papa, de tendresse ou de mots doux
Pourtant on s'aimait, bien qu'on ne se l'avouât pas
Papa, papa, papa, papa
Maman, papa, en faisant cette chanson
Maman, papa, je r'deviens petit garçon
Et, grâce à cet artifice
Soudain je comprends
Le prix de vos sacrifices
Mes parents
Maman, papa, toujours je regretterai
Maman, papa, de vous avoir fait pleurer
Au temps où nos cœurs ne se comprenaient encore pas
Maman, papa, maman, papa
The lyrics to Georges Brassens's song "Maman Papa" express the singer's longing to return to the innocence and comfort of childhood. He sings about his desire to please his mother in school by getting good grades and earning the best seats, and his preference for sitting on her lap and listening to her charming refrains over wild play. He also reflects on his father's attempts to cheer up the family during a storm, and the love that existed between them, even if it was not expressed in affectionate words.
In singing about his parents, the singer comes to a greater appreciation for their sacrifices and the love they had for him, even during times when their hearts did not fully understand each other. The song is a nostalgic tribute to the simple joys of childhood and a recognition of the complexity of adult relationships.
Overall, "Maman Papa" is a touching tribute to the relationships that shape our lives and the longing to revisit the comfort and security of childhood.
Line by Line Meaning
Maman, maman, en faisant cette chanson
Dear Mother, as I compose this melody
Maman, maman, je r'deviens petit garçon
I am transported back to my childhood with you
Alors je suis sage en classe
I endeavor to behave myself in school
Et, pour te faire plaisir
So as to satisfy your wishes
J'obtiens les meilleures places
I strive to attain the highest academic rank
Ton désir
In keeping with your desires
Maman, maman, je préfère à mes jeux fous
Mommy, to my wild and crazy games
Maman, maman, demeurer sur tes genoux
I prefer to stay close to you on your lap
Et, sans un mot dire, entendre tes refrains charmants
Listening to your lovely tunes without uttering a single word
Maman, maman, maman, maman
Mother, oh dear mother
Papa, papa, en faisant cette chanson
Dear Father, as I compose this melody
Papa, papa, je r'deviens petit garçon
I am transported back to my childhood with you
Et je t'entends sous l'orage
And I hear you during the storm
User tout ton humour
Exerting all your humor
Pour redonner du courage
To instill courage
À nos cœurs lourds
In our heavy hearts
Papa, papa, il n'y eut pas entre nous
Father, between us there was never
Papa, papa, de tendresse ou de mots doux
Father, any affection or tender words
Pourtant on s'aimait, bien qu'on ne se l'avouât pas
Yet we still loved each other, though we never admitted it
Papa, papa, papa, papa
Father, oh dear father
Maman, papa, en faisant cette chanson
Dear mother and father, as I compose this song
Maman, papa, je r'deviens petit garçon
I am once again a little boy with both of you
Et, grâce à cet artifice
Thanks to this device
Soudain je comprends
I suddenly realize
Le prix de vos sacrifices
The cost of your sacrifices
Mes parents
My parents
Maman, papa, toujours je regretterai
Mother and father, so much do I regret
Maman, papa, de vous avoir fait pleurer
Both of you shed tears for me
Au temps où nos cœurs ne se comprenaient encore pas
During those times where our hearts could not yet understand each other
Maman, papa, maman, papa
Mother and father, oh dear mother and father
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Poopita0602
Tout Brassens que j'aime pour ses bons textes et son authenticité..Je ne me lasse jamais de réentendre tous ces textes merveilleux à mon coeur.. Merci à tous qui apprécient aussi..
@louisemichel9999
Merci a toi Georges pour tes merveilleuses chansons. Toutes mes Amitiés Camarades 🏴☠️🐕💗
@fernanda1397
Super Patachou et Brassens chanter ensembles! Deux Grands chanteurs de l’époque !👍🎼🎤🌠🌿🕊🇵🇹
@sabaudialain
Je l'avais oubliée cette chanson tellement touchante et pleine d'amour, ce qui manque aujourd'hui chez beaucoup
@simonepascal7807
BRASSENS/PATACHOU DUO MAGNIFIQUE.TENDRESSE ET DOUCEUR. MERCI .
@happymonday9562
C'est exactement ce qui m'est arrivé avec les miens, aujourd'hui disparus malheureusement.
Je pense à eux chaque jour que Dieu fait !!!
@MAMADOV3e
j'ai appris cette chanson en CM2, et c'est un classique qui devrait être connu par bcp + de personnes !!! C'est juste magnifique !!!!!!!!!! merci pour cette excellente vidéo !!!
@jeancharles1963
Que dire de cette chanson....tellement touchante
@krautfrog
Que ces deux voix vont bien ensemble! Grand plaisir de les entendre chanter.
@anelise5584
Gênio.Bisous du Brésil