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
Mourir Pour Des Idées
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moi j'ai failli mourir de ne l'avoir pas eue
Car tous ceux qui l'avaient, multitude accablante
En hurlant à la mort me sont tombés dessus
Ils ont su me convaincre et ma muse insolente
Abjurant ses erreurs, se rallie à leur foi
Avec un soupçon de réserve toutefois
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
Jugeant qu'il n'y a pas péril en la demeure
Allons vers l'autre monde en flânant en chemin
Car, à forcer l'allure, il arrive qu'on meure
Pour des idées n'ayant plus cours le lendemain
Or, s'il est une chose amère, désolante
En rendant l'âme à Dieu c'est bien de constater
Qu'on a fait fausse route, qu'on s'est trompé d'idée
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
D'accord, mais de mort lente
Les saint jean bouche d'or qui prêchent le martyre
Le plus souvent, d'ailleurs, s'attardent ici-bas
Mourir pour des idées, c'est le cas de le dire
C'est leur raison de vivre, ils ne s'en privent pas
Dans presque tous les camps on en voit qui supplantent
Bientôt Mathusalem dans la longévité
J'en conclus qu'ils doivent se dire, en aparté
"Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
D'accord, mais de mort lente"
Des idées réclamant le fameux sacrifice
Les sectes de tout poil en offrent des séquelles
Et la question se pose aux victimes novices
Mourir pour des idées, c'est bien beau mais lesquelles?
Et comme toutes sont entre elles ressemblantes
Quand il les voit venir, avec leur gros drapeau
Le sage, en hésitant, tourne autour du tombeau
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
D'accord, mais de mort lente
Encor s'il suffisait de quelques hécatombes
Pour qu'enfin tout changeât, qu'enfin tout s'arrangeât
Depuis tant de "grands soirs" que tant de têtes tombent
Au paradis sur terre on y serait déjà
Mais l'âge d'or sans cesse est remis aux calendes
Les dieux ont toujours soif, n'en ont jamais assez
Et c'est la mort, la mort toujours recommencée
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
D'accord, mais de mort lente
O vous, les boutefeux, ô vous les bons apôtres
Mourez donc les premiers, nous vous cédons le pas
Mais de grâce, morbleu! laissez vivre les autres!
La vie est à peu près leur seul luxe ici bas
Car, enfin, la Camarde est assez vigilante
Elle n'a pas besoin qu'on lui tienne la faux
Plus de danse macabre autour des échafauds!
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
D'accord, mais de mort lente
"Mourir pour des idées" is a satirical song by Georges Brassens that reflects his cynical view of people who are willing to die and kill for their ideological beliefs. The song opens with the statement that "dying for ideas is a great idea," but the singer, who almost died for an idea he didn't have, is skeptical of those who have such strong convictions that they will attack and kill anyone who disagrees with them. The song argues that while people should be passionate about their beliefs, they should also be open to questioning and revising them, as blindly following any ideology can lead to harm and destruction.
Brassens uses a range of colorful and ironic metaphors to convey his views, such as "saint john gold-mouthed" who preach martyrdom but live long lives, or the "wise man" who hesitates when faced with people carrying flags because they all look alike. The repetition of the phrase "dying for ideas" emphasizes the absurdity of sacrificing oneself for a belief that may change, and the phrase "slow death" underscores the message that people should be careful not to become too rigid in their thinking or too eager to die for their beliefs.
Overall, the song is a clever commentary on the dangers of blind belief and the need to balance passion with reason.
Line by Line Meaning
Mourir pour des idées, l'idée est excellente
Dying for ideas could be seen as an excellent idea.
Moi j'ai failli mourir de ne l'avoir pas eue
The singer almost died for not having that idea.
Car tous ceux qui l'avaient, multitude accablante
Everyone who had the idea, in a huge overwhelming crowd, attacked the singer.
En hurlant à la mort me sont tombés dessus
They attacked the artist, screaming and shouting for their deaths.
Ils ont su me convaincre et ma muse insolente
Finally, they convinced the artist and the artist's rebellious inspiration joined their belief.
Abjurant ses erreurs, se rallie à leur foi
The inspiration abandoned its previous mistakes and followed their faith.
Avec un soupçon de réserve toutefois
Although with a slight reservation.
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
Let's die for ideas, but slowly and gradually.
D'accord, mais de mort lente
Yes, but very slowly.
Jugeant qu'il n'y a pas péril en la demeure
Considering that there is no danger in staying where they are.
Allons vers l'autre monde en flânant en chemin
Let's take a leisurely stroll to the afterlife.
Car, à forcer l'allure, il arrive qu'on meure
Because rushing can sometimes cause death.
Pour des idées n'ayant plus cours le lendemain
For ideas that will be outdated the next day.
Or, s'il est une chose amère, désolante
If there is one bitter, sad thing:
En rendant l'âme à Dieu c'est bien de constater
When one dies and faces God, it is clear that
Qu'on a fait fausse route, qu'on s'est trompé d'idée
They have gone astray and followed the wrong ideas.
Les saint jean bouche d'or qui prêchent le martyre
The preachers who proclaim martyrdom as a way to salvation.
Le plus souvent, d'ailleurs, s'attardent ici-bas
Most often, they stick around in this life.
C'est leur raison de vivre, ils ne s'en privent pas
It's their reason for living, and they don't deny themselves that pleasure.
Dans presque tous les camps on en voit qui supplantent
In almost every group, there are those who outlive
Bientôt Mathusalem dans la longévité
Even Methuselah in terms of longevity.
J'en conclus qu'ils doivent se dire, en aparté
I conclude that they must say to themselves, in secret:
"Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
"Let's die for ideas, but slowly and gradually.
Des idées réclamant le fameux sacrifice
Ideas that demand the famous sacrifice,
Les sectes de tout poil en offrent des séquelles
All sorts of sects offer a legacy of ideas requiring such sacrifice.
Et la question se pose aux victimes novices
The question arises for new victims:
Mourir pour des idées, c'est bien beau mais lesquelles?
Dying for ideas is all well and good, but which ones?
Et comme toutes sont entre elles ressemblantes
Since they all resemble one another,
Quand il les voit venir, avec leur gros drapeau
When the artist sees them coming, brandishing their banners
Le sage, en hésitant, tourne autour du tombeau
The wise person hesitates and circles around the grave.
Encor s'il suffisait de quelques hécatombes
If only a few mass slaughters were enough
Pour qu'enfin tout changeât, qu'enfin tout s'arrangeât
For everything to finally change and settle down.
Depuis tant de "grands soirs" que tant de têtes tombent
Since there have been so many "great evenings" and so many heads have rolled
Au paradis sur terre on y serait déjà
If heaven on earth were possible, it would have already arrived.
Mais l'âge d'or sans cesse est remis aux calendes
The golden age is constantly postponed.
Les dieux ont toujours soif, n'en ont jamais assez
The gods always thirst for more, they are never satisfied.
Et c'est la mort, la mort toujours recommencée
And it is death, death that keeps starting over.
O vous, les boutefeux, ô vous les bons apôtres
Oh, you who are always bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, oh, you who are such good apostles
Mourez donc les premiers, nous vous cédons le pas
Please go ahead and die first, we'll follow your lead.
Mais de grâce, morbleu! laissez vivre les autres!
But for heaven's sake, leave everyone else alone and let them live!
La vie est à peu près leur seul luxe ici-bas
After all, life is almost the only luxury they have in this world.
Car, enfin, la Camarde est assez vigilante
Finally, Death is vigilant enough on her own.
Elle n'a pas besoin qu'on lui tienne la faux
She doesn't need anyone to hold her scythe for her.
Plus de danse macabre autour des échafauds!
No more macabre dancing around the scaffolds!
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente
Let's die for ideas, but slowly and gradually.
D'accord, mais de mort lente
Yes, but very slowly.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fernandoolea2999
Brassens, eterno, inmenso!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@isidoromacarenaestrella1962
gracias Eva. Maravillosos los dos
@gluups
Quelle belle vidéo ! Merci ; )
@leoposti3845
muy muy bueno
@Aetiusflavius1
Merci :)
@Slimo74
Patrick Dewaere :-) Como ciudadano del 14 de Paris, es muy emocion para mi
@jeanpierrezutter587
Una muy buena canción !!
@noellebousserie6099
Partagé! j'adore ! bises Eva
@evabaila9006
Merci Noëlle ! Bises aussi ! :-)
@Zyryad
Mieux, c'est bien la seule, mais c'est mieux que celle de Brassens