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Georges Brassens was a French singer-songwriter known for accompanying himself with his acoustic guitar. He wrote some extremely controversial, yet poetic songs. In doing so, he managed to change attitudes across France.
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. Read Full BioGeorges Brassens was a French singer-songwriter known for accompanying himself with his acoustic guitar. He wrote some extremely controversial, yet poetic songs. In doing so, he managed to change attitudes across France.
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
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. Read Full BioGeorges Brassens was a French singer-songwriter known for accompanying himself with his acoustic guitar. He wrote some extremely controversial, yet poetic songs. In doing so, he managed to change attitudes across France.
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
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Pauvre Martin
by Georges Brassens
Avec une bêche à l'épaule
Avec, à la lèvre, un doux chant
Avec, à la lèvre, un doux chant
Avec, à l'âme, un grand courage
Il s'en allait trimer aux champs
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Pour gagner le pain de sa vie
De l'aurore jusqu'au couchant
De l'aurore jusqu'au couchant
Il s'en allait bêcher la terre
En tous les lieux, par tous les temps
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Sans laisser voir, sur son visage
Ni l'air jaloux ni l'air méchant
Ni l'air jaloux ni l'air méchant
Il retournait le champ des autres
Toujours bêchant, toujours bêchant!
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Et quand la mort lui a fait signe
De labourer son dernier champ
De labourer son dernier champ
Il creusa lui-même sa tombe
En faisant vite, en se cachant
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Il creusa lui-même sa tombe
En faisant vite, en se cachant
En faisant vite, en se cachant
Et s'y étendit sans rien dire
Pour ne pas déranger les gens
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Dors sous la terre dors sous le temps!
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Georges Brassens
Avec une bêche à l'épaule
Avec, à la lèvre, un doux chant
Avec, à la lèvre, un doux chant
Avec, à l'âme, un grand courage
Il s'en allait trimer aux champs
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Pour gagner le pain de sa vie
De l'aurore jusqu'au couchant
De l'aurore jusqu'au couchant
Il s'en allait bêcher la terre
En tous les lieux, par tous les temps
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Sans laisser voir, sur son visage
Ni l'air jaloux ni l'air méchant
Ni l'air jaloux ni l'air méchant
Il retournait le champ des autres
Toujours bêchant, toujours bêchant!
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Et quand la mort lui a fait signe
De labourer son dernier champ
De labourer son dernier champ
Il creusa lui-même sa tombe
En faisant vite, en se cachant
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Creuse la terre creuse le temps!
Il creusa lui-même sa tombe
En faisant vite, en se cachant
En faisant vite, en se cachant
Et s'y étendit sans rien dire
Pour ne pas déranger les gens
Pauvre Martin, pauvre misère
Dors sous la terre dors sous le temps!
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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