Georges Brassens, Vénus Callipyge: We need your help!
-
I can comment on it
-
I know the meaning
-
I can review it
-
I can translate it
Vénus Callipyge
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
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Vénus Callipyge
by Georges Brassens
Que jamais l'art abstrait, qui sévit maintenant
N'enlève à vos attraits ce volume étonnant
Au temps où les faux culs sont la majorité
Gloire à celui qui dit toute la vérité
Votre dos perd son nom avec si bonne grâce
Qu'on ne peut s'empêcher de lui donner raison
Que ne suis-je, madame, un poète de race
Pour dire à sa louange un immortel blason
En le voyant passer, j'en eus la chair de poule
Enfin, je vins au monde et, depuis, je lui voue
Un culte véritable et, quand je perds aux boules
En embrassant Fanny, je ne pense qu'à vous
Pour obtenir, madame, un galbe de cet ordre
Vous devez torturer les gens de votre entour
Donner aux couturiers bien du fil à retordre
Et vous devez crever votre dame d'atour
C'est le duc de Bordeaux qui s'en va, tête basse
Car il ressemble au mien comme deux gouttes d'eau
S'il ressemblait au vôtre, on dirait, quand il passe
"C'est un joli garçon que le duc de Bordeaux!"
Ne faites aucun cas des jaloux qui professent
Que vous avez placé votre orgueil un peu bas
Que vous présumez trop, en somme de vos fesses
Et surtout, par faveur, ne vous asseyez pas
Laissez-les raconter qu'en sortant de calèche
La brise a fait voler votre robe et qu'on vit
Ecrite dans un c?ur transpercé d'une flèche
Cette expression triviale, "A Julot pour la vie"
Laissez-les dire encor qu'à la cour d'Angleterre
Faisant la révérence aux souverains anglois
Vous êtes, patatras ! tombée assise à terre
La loi d'la pesanteur est dure, mais c'est la loi
Nul ne peut aujourd'hui trépasser sans voir Naples
A l'assaut des chefs-d'œuvre ils veulent tous courir
Mes ambitions à moi sont bien plus raisonnables
Voir votre académie, madame, et puis mourir
Que jamais l'art abstrait, qui sévit maintenant
N'enlève à vos attraits ce volume étonnant
Au temps où les faux culs sont la majorité
Gloire à celui qui dit toute la vérité
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Georges Brassens
Que jamais l'art abstrait, qui sévit maintenant
N'enlève à vos attraits ce volume étonnant
Au temps où les faux culs sont la majorité
Gloire à celui qui dit toute la vérité
Votre dos perd son nom avec si bonne grâce
Qu'on ne peut s'empêcher de lui donner raison
Que ne suis-je, madame, un poète de race
Pour dire à sa louange un immortel blason
En le voyant passer, j'en eus la chair de poule
Enfin, je vins au monde et, depuis, je lui voue
Un culte véritable et, quand je perds aux boules
En embrassant Fanny, je ne pense qu'à vous
Pour obtenir, madame, un galbe de cet ordre
Vous devez torturer les gens de votre entour
Donner aux couturiers bien du fil à retordre
Et vous devez crever votre dame d'atour
C'est le duc de Bordeaux qui s'en va, tête basse
Car il ressemble au mien comme deux gouttes d'eau
S'il ressemblait au vôtre, on dirait, quand il passe
"C'est un joli garçon que le duc de Bordeaux!"
Ne faites aucun cas des jaloux qui professent
Que vous avez placé votre orgueil un peu bas
Que vous présumez trop, en somme de vos fesses
Et surtout, par faveur, ne vous asseyez pas
Laissez-les raconter qu'en sortant de calèche
La brise a fait voler votre robe et qu'on vit
Ecrite dans un c?ur transpercé d'une flèche
Cette expression triviale, "A Julot pour la vie"
Laissez-les dire encor qu'à la cour d'Angleterre
Faisant la révérence aux souverains anglois
Vous êtes, patatras ! tombée assise à terre
La loi d'la pesanteur est dure, mais c'est la loi
Nul ne peut aujourd'hui trépasser sans voir Naples
A l'assaut des chefs-d'œuvre ils veulent tous courir
Mes ambitions à moi sont bien plus raisonnables
Voir votre académie, madame, et puis mourir
Que jamais l'art abstrait, qui sévit maintenant
N'enlève à vos attraits ce volume étonnant
Au temps où les faux culs sont la majorité
Gloire à celui qui dit toute la vérité
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
SIGN UP
-or-