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
Les yeux fendus et couleur pistache
T´as posé sur mon cœur ta patte de velours
Fort heureus´ment pour moi t´avais pas de moustache
Et ta vertu ne pesait pas trop lourd
Au quatre coins de ma vie de bohème
T´as prom´né, t´as prom´né 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
Mais le temps passe et fauche à l´aveuglette
Notre amour mûrissait à peine que déjà
Tu brûlais mes chansons, crachais sur mes viollettes
Et faisais des misères à mes chats
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
C´était fini, t´avais passé les bornes
Et, r´nonçant aux amours frivoles d´ici-bas
J´suis r´monté dans la lune en emportant mes cornes
Mes chansons, et mes fleurs, et mes chats
The song "P de Toi" by Georges Brassens tells a story of a man who used to live in his own world, disconnected from the joys of life on earth. He spent his time planting violets and singing for free, while also taking in stray cats. One rainy night, there was a knock on his door, and he was excited to meet the new cat that had arrived. However, to his surprise, it was not a cat but a woman. The woman, with her sharp green eyes, stole his heart and started to live with him. She became his rain or sunshine, and they traveled the world together.
As time passed, their love grew, but it was not without difficulties. The woman started to become possessive and jealous, burning his songs and mistreating his cats. She even cheated on him with the local butcher, which was the final straw for the man. He decided to leave her and return to his life in the "moon" with his cats, flowers, and songs.
The lyrics of "P de Toi" depict a love story that is not idealistic but realistic. It shows how love can change people, and how relationships can have their highs and lows. The song also highlights the importance of self-preservation, and that sometimes love can break you if not taken care of.
Line by Line Meaning
En ce temps-là, je vivais dans la lune
At that time, I was living in a dream world
Les bonheurs d´ici-bas m´étaient tous défendus
The worldly pleasures were forbidden for me
Je semais des violettes et chantais pour des prunes
I was wasting my time doing insignificant things
Et tendais la patte aux chats perdus
I was kind to the stray cats
Ah ah ah ah putain de toi
Damn you, you caused me a lot of trouble
Ah ah ah ah ah ah pauvre de moi
Poor me, I was a victim of your actions
Un soir de pluie v´là qu´on gratte à ma porte
One rainy night, someone knocked on my door
Je m´empresse d´ouvrir, sans doute un nouveau chat
I eagerly opened the door, thinking it was a new stray cat
Nom de dieu l´beau félin que l´orage m´apporte
God damn, it was a beautiful cat brought by the storm
C´était toi, c´était toi, c´était toi
It was you, it was you, it was you
Les yeux fendus et couleur pistache
With almond-shaped and green eyes
T´as posé sur mon cœur ta patte de velours
You gently rested your paw on my heart
Fort heureus´ment pour moi t´avais pas de moustache
Fortunately, you were not a male cat with a mustache
Et ta vertu ne pesait pas trop lourd
And you were not too demanding
Au quatre coins de ma vie de bohème
Throughout my bohemian life
T´as prom´né, t´as prom´né le feu de tes vingt ans
You brought your youthful passion and energy
Et pour moi, pour mes chats, pour mes fleurs, mes poèmes
You were everything to me, my cats, my flowers, my poetry
C´était toi la pluie et le beau temps
You were everything to me, my rain and my sunshine
Mais le temps passe et fauche à l´aveuglette
But the time passes and takes away everything
Notre amour mûrissait à peine que déjà
Our love was still young but
Tu brûlais mes chansons, crachais sur mes viollettes
You burned my songs, spit on my violets
Et faisais des misères à mes chats
And mistreated my cats
Le comble enfin, misérable salope
And to top it off, you miserable bitch
Comme il n´restait plus rien dans le garde-manger
Because there was nothing left in the pantry
T´as couru sans vergogne, et pour une escalope
You shamelessly ran away for a piece of meat
Te jeter dans le lit du boucher
To sleep with the butcher
C´était fini, t´avais passé les bornes
It was over, you went too far
Et, r´nonçant aux amours frivoles d´ici-bas
Giving up on frivolous love affairs
J´suis r´monté dans la lune en emportant mes cornes
I went back to my dream world with my regrets, my songs, my flowers, and my cats
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nathalie CARREÑO METAY
Ma chanson préférée de Brassens, maintenant que je comprends mieux le français je pense que ses paroles sont impeccables, quelle manière d'écrire !!!
Christophe Schwartz
c' Est toujours un bonheur d' écouter toutes les poésies et chansons de Georges Brassens!!!
Odila Pueblas
J'ai toujours aimé Brassens, un vrai plaisir l'entendre. Les grands chanteurs sont toujours avec nous..
Will Boyer
Écouter son répertoire, trouver 1 réponse dans ses chansons
Salomé Bouzerand
J'adore Brassens depuis l'enfance mais c'est la première fois que j'écoute.. ce poème disons les mots. Pas mon préféré mais certainement pas une déception 😊
Märchenwald
"Fort heureusement pour moi, t'avais pas de moustaches et ta vertu ne pesait pas trop lourd"
Génie absolu ! xD
Tokyo est mon jardin
Visiblement sa vertue pesait une escalope (150 grammes environ, pour une escalope moyenne) - ceci dit pendant la guerre ça valait surement plus cher ? 😅
pralevers
Qu'il était jeune quand il a chanté cette chanson ! Je l'adore !
Daemonologic
Aujourd'hui je me resemble dans cette chanson. A votre santé, monsieur Brassens!
okidoki -
Toujours d'actualité ce bon Brassens. Quand on voit tout ces cons qui se battent pour que dalle... Il aurait l'inspiration !