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
P... De toi
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Les bonheurs d'ici-bas m'étaient tous défendus
Je semais des violettes et chantais pour des prunes
Et tendais la patte aux chats perdus
Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi
Je m'empresse d'ouvrir, sans doute un nouveau chat!
Nom de Dieu! l'beau félin que l'orage m'apporte
C'était toi, c'était toi, c'était toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi
Les yeux fendus et couleur de pistache
T'as posé sur mon cœur ta patte de velours
Fort heureusement pour moi, t'avais pas de moustache
Et ta vertu ne pesait pas trop lourd
Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi
Aux quatre coins de ma vie de bohème
Tu as promené, tu as promené le feu de tes vingt ans
Et pour moi, pour mes chats, pour mes fleurs, mes poèmes
C'était toi, la pluie et le beau temps
Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi
Mais le temps passe et fauche à l'aveuglette
Notre amour mûrissait à peine que, déjà
Tu brûlais mes chansons, crachais sur mes violettes
Et faisais des misères à mes chats
Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi
Le comble enfin, misérable salope
Comme il n'restait plus rien dans le garde-manger
T'as couru sans vergogne, et pour une escalope
Te jeter dans le lit du boucher
Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi
C'était fini, t'avais passé les bornes
En renonçant aux amours frivoles d'ici-bas
J'suis remonté dans la lune en emportant mes cornes
Mes chansons, et mes fleurs, et mes chats
Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi
The song "P... De toi" by Georges Brassens tells a story of a man who lived in his own world and did not care about the material things in life. He spent his days singing and growing violets, not expecting anything in return. However, one rainy night, his life changed when a beautiful woman came to his door seeking shelter. The man fell in love with her and spent the rest of his time by her side. However, their love was short-lived as the woman turned out to be unfaithful, leaving the man heartbroken and alone.
The chorus of the song, "Ah, ah, ah, ah, putain de toi, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, pauvre de moi," which roughly translates to "Damn you, poor me," expresses the man's frustration and sadness. He curses the woman for her betrayal while also feeling sorry for himself and the situation he finds himself in.
The lyrics also paint a picture of a bohemian lifestyle, with mentions of cats, flowers, and poetry. The man's world is imaginative and creative, but also fragile and vulnerable. The song is both a lament for lost love and a commentary on the transient nature of happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
En ce temps-là, je vivais dans la lune
At that time, I was living in my own world, detached from reality
Les bonheurs d'ici-bas m’étaient tous défendus
Every earthly happiness was forbidden to me
Je semais des violettes et chantais pour des prunes
I was doing meaningless things that had no value or rewards
Et tendais la patte aux chats perdus
I was offering help to those who were helpless and lost
Un soir de pluie, v'là qu'on gratte à ma porte
One rainy evening, someone knocked on my door
Je m'empresse d'ouvrir, sans doute un nouveau chat!
Excitedly, I opened the door, thinking it might be a new cat
Nom de Dieu! l'beau félin que l'orage m'apporte
Holy cow! It was a beautiful cat that the storm brought to me
C’était toi, c’était toi, c’était toi
It was you, it was you, it was you
Les yeux fendus et couleur de pistache
You had green, almond-shaped eyes
T’as posé sur mon cœur ta patte de velours
You placed your soft paw on my heart
Fort heureusement pour moi, t'avais pas de moustache
Luckily, you were a female cat without a mustache
Et ta vertu ne pesait pas trop lourd
And your virtues didn't weigh too heavily
Aux quatre coins de ma vie de bohème
Throughout my bohemian life
Tu as promené, tu as promené le feu de tes vingt ans
You brought the fire of your youth everywhere you went
Et pour moi, pour mes chats, pour mes fleurs, mes poèmes
And for me, my cats, my flowers, my poems
C'était toi, la pluie et le beau temps
You were always there, rain or shine
Mais le temps passe et fauche à l'aveuglette
But time passes by and takes away without any reason
Notre amour mûrissait à peine que, déjà
Our love had barely matured before
Tu brûlais mes chansons, crachais sur mes violettes
You burned my songs and spat on my violets
Et faisais des misères à mes chats
And caused trouble for my cats
Le comble enfin, misérable salope
The worst thing, you miserable slut
Comme il n'restait plus rien dans le garde-manger
As there was nothing left in the pantry
T'as couru sans vergogne, et pour une escalope
You shamelessly ran off to the butcher for a cutlet
Te jeter dans le lit du boucher
To throw yourself into the butcher's bed
C'était fini, t'avais passé les bornes
It was over, you had crossed the line
En renonçant aux amours frivoles d'ici-bas
By giving up on frivolous earthly love
J'suis remonté dans la lune en emportant mes cornes
I went back to my world, taking my horns with me
Mes chansons, et mes fleurs, et mes chats
My songs, my flowers, and my cats
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Georges Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Liance Liance
Sacré George! Quel poète disparu....heureusement tu es toujours parmi nous avec tes belles et tendres chansons!❤️😪
fanfan Legrand
Magnifique Georges Brassens.... On ne s'en lasse pas😘
Pablo & Alba
C'est simplement le Dieu de la chanson.
Fafounette R
quel talent !
Angélique Nomade
Oh comme Brassens l'à Aimée ! Merci Brassens
Saam Channel
Excellente année 2015.
julien Le mée
genie inoui
Fabrice Vaudron
Avec les chiens, ça marche aussi ??
Aaaaaaqqaa. Merci
Leyla 🇹🇳
C mon collèges Georges Brassens
Greg Greg
Je préfère ma chienne ..