Georges Moustaki (1934-2013) was a singer-songwriter of Greek Jewish origin… Read Full Bio ↴Georges Moustaki (1934-2013) was a singer-songwriter of Greek Jewish origin.

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.

Aphorismes
Georges Moustaki Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quand nous avons
dépassé les savoirs
Alors nous avons la
connaissance
La raison fût une aide
La raison est l'entrave

Quand nous avons

dépassé les velléités
Alors nous avons le pouvoir
L'effort fût une aide
L'effort est l'entrave

Quand nous avons dépassé les
jouissances
Alors nous avons la béatitude
Le désir fût une aide
Le désir est l'entrave

Quand nous avons dépassé
l'individualisation
Alors nous sommes des personnes
réelles
Le moi fût une aide
Le moi est l'entrave

Quand nous dépasserons
l'humanité
Alors nous serons l'homme
L'animal fût une aide
L'animal est l'entrave

Quand nous dépasserons
l'humanité Alors nous serons
l'homme

L'animal fût une aide
L'animal est l'entrave
L'animal fût une aide
L'animal est l'entrave

L'animal fût une aide
L'animal est l'entrave

Overall Meaning

In Georges Moustaki's song Aphorismes, the lyrics speak to the idea of personal growth and evolution. The song starts with the concept that knowledge comes from going beyond what we already know, and reason can both help and hinder us in this process. Effort is another aid in personal growth, but it can also be a hindrance if we become too focused on it. The same goes for desire – it can help us grow, but it can also hold us back if we become too attached to it. Lastly, the lyrics speak to the ultimate goal of personal growth, which is to become more than just an individual, but a true person. In order to do this, we must transcend our animalistic tendencies.

The repetition of the line "L'animal fût une aide / L'animal est l'entrave" (The animal was a help / The animal is a hindrance) at the end of the song is particularly powerful. It speaks to the idea that our animal instincts and desires can both help us and hold us back on our journey towards personal growth. The song can be seen as a call to action to look beyond ourselves and strive for personal enlightenment.

Line by Line Meaning

Quand nous avons dépassé les savoirs
When we have gone beyond knowledge

Alors nous avons la connaissance
Then we have understanding

La raison fût une aide
Reason was helpful

La raison est l'entrave
Reason is a hindrance

Quand nous avons dépassé les velléités
When we have gone beyond desires

Alors nous avons le pouvoir
Then we have power

L'effort fût une aide
Effort was helpful

L'effort est l'entrave
Effort is a hindrance

Quand nous avons dépassé les jouissances
When we have gone beyond pleasures

Alors nous avons la béatitude
Then we have bliss

Le désir fût une aide
Desire was helpful

Le désir est l'entrave
Desire is a hindrance

Quand nous avons dépassé l'individualisation
When we have gone beyond individualism

Alors nous sommes des personnes réelles
Then we become real people

Le moi fût une aide
The self was helpful

Le moi est l'entrave
The self is a hindrance

Quand nous dépasserons l'humanité
When we surpass humanity

Alors nous serons l'homme
Then we will be human

L'animal fût une aide
Animals were helpful

L'animal est l'entrave
Animals are a hindrance

L'animal fût une aide
Animals were helpful

L'animal est l'entrave
Animals are a hindrance

L'animal fût une aide
Animals were helpful

L'animal est l'entrave
Animals are a hindrance

Contributed by Layla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

cjm

2y↑1

Bonjour,
Voici le texte original en anglais. J'ai du chercher dans la collection complète des œuvres de Sri Aurobindo (CWSE) car je ne reconnaissais pas la traduction en anglais qui suit le texte en français. Google Translate ses limites. Bien à vous.
Aphorisms – Thoughts and Glimpses
The Goal
When we have passed beyond knowings, then we shall have Knowledge. Reason was the helper; Reason is the bar.
When we have passed beyond willings, then we shall have Power. Effort was the helper; Effort is the bar.
When we have passed beyond enjoyings, then we shall have Bliss. Desire was the helper; Desire is the bar.
When we have passed beyond individualising, then we shall be real Persons. Ego was the helper; Ego is the bar.
When we have passed beyond humanity, then we shall be the Man. The Animal was the helper; the Animal is the bar.
Transform reason into ordered intuition; let all thyself be light.
This is thy goal.
Transform effort into an easy and sovereign overflowing of the soul-strength; let all thyself be conscious force. This is thy goal.
Transform enjoying into an even and objectless ecstasy; let all thyself be bliss. This is thy goal.
Transform the divided individual into the world-personality; let all thyself be the divine. This is thy goal.
Transform the Animal into the Driver of the herds; let all thyself be Krishna. This is thy goal.

All comments from YouTube:

claricos

9y↑9

un texte qui est toujours tellement actuel...l'humain de tous les temps et de toutes les societés....merci à Georges d'avoir mis en musique et d'avoir essayé il y a déjà quelques années ,de nous faire passer le message......C'est grâce à cette chanson que j'ai découvert sri Aurobindo il y a quelques années.....C'est une belle aventure et c'est chouette de la partager comme ça!!!

bénichou nicole

4y↑3

Pure et profonde vérité : Moustaki une merveille d'homme ,bien plus qu'un chanteur de "variétés" ...et mettre en musique des paroles si authentiquement HUMAINES ! et encore plus en 2020 ! on avance (j'espère) vers le "devenir humain" malgré tout! MERCI 2020 fois!