Moustaki was born Yussef Mustacchi on the 3rd May 1934 in Alexandria, Egypt, of Sephardic Jewish parents who had moved there from Corfu, and who ran a bookshop in the city. The family spoke Italian at home, but Georges (then Yussef) spoke Arabic with his friends and attended a French school to which his Francophile parents sent him and his sisters. In 1951 he moved to Paris, where he was inspired by the young Georges Brassens, in honour of whom he changed his name to Georges Moustaki.
Moustaki wrote and sang in French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, English, Yiddish, and Arabic. Early influences included Edith Piaf, with whom Moustaki carried on a year-long romance. His pan-national approach to music made him a star in Europe in the late sixties and early seventies.
He died on the 23rd May 2013 in Nice, France.
Adolescence
Georges Moustaki Lyrics
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Je filais dans le vent sur ma motocyclette
Ma guitare sur le dos et la
Tête pleine de mots
Je m'arrêtais parfois pour cueillir une fleur
Pour cueillir une fille sur
Le bord d'un chemin
Ou bien lorsqu'il y avait une
Et puis je repartais un peu plus loin
Soleil ou mauvais temps
C'était toujours la fête:
Je dormais dans les champs
Parmi les pâquerettes
Me lavais dans le ruisseau
En écoutant les oiseaux
Je volais quelques fruit's et
C'était un festin le vin rouge était rare
Mais l'ivresse était là
Je ne mourais jamais ni de soif ni de faim
Et je ne faisais rien de mes dix doigts
Et puis de temps en temps
Je chantais à tue-tête
Quand ça plaisait aux gens
Je leur faisais la quête
Ça ne rapportait pas lourd
Mais c'était bien assez
Pour aller boire um verre
Avec tous les copains
Les amis de toujours, de tous les continents
Tous les gitans, tous les nomades musiciens
Et tous ceux qui vivaient de l'air du temps
Je me rappelle ce temps où j'étais un poète
J'étais adolescent, ni ange ni trop bête
Ce temps-là est révolu
Je ne le reverrai plus
Et s'il m'arrive de croiser sur mon chemin
Un de ceux qui ressemble à celui que je fus
Je lui fais un salut, un signe de la main
C'est mon Adolescence que je salue
Je lui fais un salut, un signe de la main
Ou bien je fais semblant de ne l'avoir pas vu
The lyrics of Georges Moustaki's song "Adolescence" reminisce about a time in the singer's life when he was a poet, riding on his motorcycle with his guitar on his back and his mind filled with words. He would occasionally stop to pick a flower or pick up a girl along the roadside, or when his motorcycle broke down. But he would always continue his journey, moving a little further each time.
The song reflects on the carefree nature of the singer's youth. Whether it was sunny or rainy, it was always a celebration. He would sleep in fields among daisies, wash in a stream while listening to the birds, and enjoy stolen fruits. The wine may have been scarce, but the intoxication of life was always present. He never suffered from thirst or hunger, and he didn't have to do anything with his hands.
Occasionally, he would sing at the top of his lungs, entertaining people and collecting donations. It didn't bring in much, but it was enough to go have a drink with his friends - lifelong companions, gypsies, nomadic musicians, and those who lived freely. The singer cherishes those days of his adolescence, when he was a poet, neither angel nor fool. However, he acknowledges that those days are gone, and if he happens to encounter someone resembling the person he once was, he greets them with a wave or pretends not to have seen them.
Line by Line Meaning
Je me souviens du temps où j'étais un poète:
I remember the time when I was a poet.
Je filais dans le vent sur ma motocyclette
I zoomed through the wind on my motorcycle.
Ma guitare sur le dos et la Tête pleine de mots
With my guitar on my back and my head full of words.
Je m'arrêtais parfois pour cueillir une fleur
Sometimes I would stop to pick a flower.
Pour cueillir une fille sur Le bord d'un chemin
To pick up a girl on the side of the road.
Ou bien lorsqu'il y avait une Panne à mon moteur
Or when there was a breakdown in my engine.
Et puis je repartais un peu plus loin
And then I would continue a little further.
Soleil ou mauvais temps C'était toujours la fête:
Whether it was sunny or bad weather, it was always a celebration.
Je dormais dans les champs Parmi les pâquerettes
I would sleep in the fields among the daisies.
Me lavais dans le ruisseau En écoutant les oiseaux
I would wash myself in the stream while listening to the birds.
Je volais quelques fruit's et C'était un festin
I would steal some fruits and it was a feast.
Le vin rouge était rare Mais l'ivresse était là
Red wine was scarce, but the intoxication was present.
Je ne mourais jamais ni de soif ni de faim
I never died of thirst or hunger.
Et je ne faisais rien de mes dix doigts
And I did nothing with my ten fingers.
Et puis de temps en temps Je chantais à tue-tête
And then from time to time, I would sing at the top of my lungs.
Quand ça plaisait aux gens Je leur faisais la quête
When people liked it, I would ask them for money.
Ça ne rapportait pas lourd Mais c'était bien assez
It didn't bring much, but it was enough.
Pour aller boire um verre Avec tous les copains
To go have a drink with all my friends.
Les amis de toujours, de tous les continents Tous les gitans, tous les nomades musiciens Et tous ceux qui vivaient de l'air du temps
The lifelong friends from all continents, all gypsies, all nomadic musicians, and everyone who lived by the passing moments.
Je me rappelle ce temps où j'étais un poète
I remember that time when I was a poet.
J'étais adolescent, ni ange ni trop bête
I was an adolescent, neither an angel nor too foolish.
Ce temps-là est révolu Je ne le reverrai plus
That time is over, I will never see it again.
Et s'il m'arrive de croiser sur mon chemin Un de ceux qui ressemble à celui que je fus
And if I happen to come across someone on my path who resembles the person I used to be.
Je lui fais un salut, un signe de la main
I greet them with a salute, a wave of my hand.
C'est mon Adolescence que je salue
It is my adolescence that I greet.
Ou bien je fais semblant de ne l'avoir pas vu
Or I pretend as if I haven't seen them.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jermaine L Cole, Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke, William T Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind