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
Sur La Mort D'Une Cousine De Sept Ans
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
T'ennuyait de leçons, que sur toi rose et fraîche
L′oiseau noir du malheur planait inaperçu,
Que la fièvre guettait sa proie et que la porte
Où tu jouais hier te verrait passer morte,
Hélas, si j'avais su!
Enfant, je t'aurais fait l′existence bien douce,
Sous chacun de tes pas j′aurais mis de la mousse.
Et j'aurais fait tenir dans ta petite vie
Des trésors de bonheur immense à faire envie
Aux heureux de cent ans.
Loin des bancs où pâlit l′enfance prisonnière,
Nous aurions fait tous deux l'école buissonnière.
Au milieu des parfums et des champs d′alentour
J'aurais vidé les nids pour emplir ta corbeille
Et je t′aurais donné plus de fleurs qu'une abeille
N'en peut voir en un jour.
Puis, quand le vieux janvier les épaules drapées
D′un long manteau de neige et suivi de poupées,
De magots, de pantins, minuit sonnant accourt,
Parmi tous les cadeaux qui pleuvent pour étrennes,
Je t′aurais faite asseoir comme une jeune reine
Au milieu de sa cour.
Mais je ne savais pas et je prêchais encore;
Sûr de ton avenir, je le pressais d'éclore,
Quand tout à coup pleurant un pauvre espoir déçu,
De ta petite main j′ai vu tomber le livre,
Tu cessas à la fois de m'entendre et de vivre.
Hélas, si j′avais su! Hélas, si j'avais su!
The song "Sur La Mort D'une Cousine De Sept Ans" by Georges Brassens expresses deep regret and sorrow over the death of the singer's seven-year-old cousin. The lyrics speak to the pain of losing a young life to illness, and the sense of helplessness that comes with being unable to prevent the tragedy. The singer reflects on the fact that he had been trying to teach the child, instead of simply cherishing her and giving her a carefree childhood. He imagines a different world where he had been able to protect her and make her life easier, filled with joy and beauty.
The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the singer lamenting that he didn't know about the terrible fate that awaited his cousin. The second verse expresses the desire to have made her life full of wonder and happiness, had he known what was coming. The last verse is a poignant reflection on the abrupt end of her life, and the finality of death. The repeated refrain "Hélas, si j'avais su!" ("Alas, if only I had known!") emphasizes the singer's regret and sense of missed opportunities.
Line by Line Meaning
Hélas, si j′avais su lorsque ma voix qui prêche
Oh, if only I had known when my preaching voice bore upon you, that on your rose and fresh skin, the black bird of misfortune was hovering unnoticed.
T'ennuyait de leçons, que sur toi rose et fraîche
That you were bothered by my lessons, on you, who were full of life and energy.
L′oiseau noir du malheur planait inaperçu,
The dark bird of tragedy was lurking, unseen and unnoticed.
Que la fièvre guettait sa proie et que la porte
The fever was waiting to pounce on its prey, and the very door through which you played yesterday would see you passing away.
Où tu jouais hier te verrait passer morte,
The same door that witnessed your play yesterday would witness your lifeless body being carried through it.
Hélas, si j'avais su!
Oh, if only I had known!
Enfant, je t'aurais fait l′existence bien douce,
As a child, I would have made your life easy and comfortable.
Sous chacun de tes pas j′aurais mis de la mousse.
I would have laid moss under every step you took.
Tes ris auraient sonné chacun de tes instants
Your laughter would have echoed in every moment of your life.
Et j'aurais fait tenir dans ta petite vie
And I would have filled your small life with an abundance of joy,
Des trésors de bonheur immense à faire envie
So much happiness that even the happiest centenarians would be envious.
Aux heureux de cent ans.
Oh, if only I had known!
Loin des bancs où pâlit l′enfance prisonnière,
Away from the benches where imprisoned childhood dwindles,
Nous aurions fait tous deux l'école buissonnière.
We would have played truant and gone adventuring.
Au milieu des parfums et des champs d′alentour
Amidst the scents and fields around us.
J'aurais vidé les nids pour emplir ta corbeille
I would have emptied nests to fill your basket.
Et je t′aurais donné plus de fleurs qu'une abeille
And I would have given you more flowers than a bee could see in a day.
N'en peut voir en un jour.
Oh, if only I had known!
Puis, quand le vieux janvier les épaules drapées
Then when the old January comes, draped in snowy robes,
D′un long manteau de neige et suivi de poupées,
And accompanied by dolls, and puppets,
De magots, de pantins, minuit sonnant accourt,
With midnight approaching, the toys, dolls and puppets arrive.
Parmi tous les cadeaux qui pleuvent pour étrennes,
And all the gifts that rain down for the New year,
Je t′aurais faite asseoir comme une jeune reine
I would have made you sit like a young queen.
Au milieu de sa cour.
Among all her courtiers.
Mais je ne savais pas et je prêchais encore;
But I did not know, and continued to preach.
Sûr de ton avenir, je le pressais d'éclore,
Certain of your bright future, I urged it to unfold.
Quand tout à coup pleurant un pauvre espoir déçu,
When suddenly, weeping for a poor, shattered hope,
De ta petite main j′ai vu tomber le livre,
I saw the book fall from your tiny hand.
Tu cessas à la fois de m'entendre et de vivre.
And at once you stopped listening and living.
Hélas, si j′avais su! Hélas, si j'avais su!
Oh, if only I had known! Oh, if only I had known!
Writer(s): Georges Brassens, Hégésippe Moreau, Hegesippe Moreau
Contributed by Liam G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
beige51
Effectivement ça coule parfaitement bien sur cette mélodie. Bravo John !
maxmophil
que c'est beau!!!