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.
Ballade Pour 5 Instruments
Georges Moustaki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pour faire danser grand-mère
Pour faire chanter les mots
De ma chanson douce amère
Laisse glisser ton archet
Le long de la chanterelle
Donne-moi le la caché
Dans l'âme du violoncelle
Oh la flûte emmène-moi
Sur les rivages de Grèce
Là-bas elle était en bois
Et son chant plein d'allégresse
Oh la flûte pardonne-moi
Si je deviens nostalgique
Si je divague parfois
En écoutant ta musique
Posée contre ton épaule
Ton amie la contrebasse
Joue discrètement son rôle
Discrètement efficace
Je ne sais qui soutient l'autre
De l'homme et de l'instrument
Unis comme deux apôtres
Ou peut-être deux amants
Et sur les rythmes du coeur
Les tambourins les crotales
Font revivre les couleurs
De mon Afrique natale
Réveille-moi aux accents
Des pays que je visite
De ma vie qui va dansant
De ma vie qui va trop vite
Et je voudrais rendre aussi
Un hommage à ma guitare
Mon inséparable outil
Qui partage mon histoire
Qui m'aide à trouver les mots
De la chanson douce amère
Qui a fait pleurer Margot
Qui a célébré grand-père
Georges Moustaki's song "Ballade pour 5 instruments" is an ode to the power of music to evoke a wide range of emotions and memories. The song begins with a call for the violinist to let his bow "slide along the strings" and find "the hidden note in the cello's soul," in order to bring forth the poignant lyrics of the bittersweet song. The flute then carries the listener on a journey to the shores of Greece and the carefree melodies of Greek music, before returning to the present and the somber tone of the song. The double bass is the foundation of the music, playing a steady rhythm and serving as a support to the other instruments.
The song then shifts to the percussive instruments, which bring to life the vibrant colors and rhythms of Moustaki's native Africa. The lyrics express a yearning to be awakened by the sounds of the places he visits and to slow down the pace of his life, which seems to be moving too quickly. Finally, Moustaki pays tribute to his guitar, which he considers to be his lifelong companion and the tool that helps him find the right words to express the emotions of his songs.
Overall, "Ballade pour 5 instruments" is a heartfelt poem to the art of music and its capacity to connect people across cultures and generations. It illustrates how music can create a space where different emotions can coexist, where nostalgia and joy, sorrow and celebration can all find a home.
Line by Line Meaning
Pour faire pleurer Margot
To evoke tears from Margot
Pour faire danser grand-mère
To make grand-mother dance in joy
Pour faire chanter les mots
To make the words sing
De ma chanson douce amère
Of my sweet and bitter song
Laisse glisser ton archet
Let your bow slide
Le long de la chanterelle
Along the violin's string
Donne-moi le la caché
Give me the hidden A
Dans l'âme du violoncelle
In the soul of the cello
Oh la flûte emmène-moi
Oh flute, take me away
Sur les rivages de Grèce
To the shores of Greece
Là-bas elle était en bois
There, she was made of wood
Et son chant plein d'allégresse
And her song so full of joy
Oh la flûte pardonne-moi
Oh flute, forgive me
Si je deviens nostalgique
If I become nostalgic
Si je divague parfois
If I wander sometimes
En écoutant ta musique
While listening to your music
Posée contre ton épaule
Resting against your shoulder
Ton amie la contrebasse
Your friend, the double bass
Joue discrètement son rôle
Plays her role discreetly
Discrètement efficace
Efficiently discreet
Je ne sais qui soutient l'autre
I do not know who supports whom
De l'homme et de l'instrument
Between the man and the instrument
Unis comme deux apôtres
United like two apostles
Ou peut-être deux amants
Or maybe two lovers
Et sur les rythmes du coeur
And on the rhythms of the heart
Les tambourins les crotales
The tambourines, the rattles
Font revivre les couleurs
Bring the colors back to life
De mon Afrique natale
Of my native Africa
Réveille-moi aux accents
Awaken me to the sounds
Des pays que je visite
Of the countries I visit
De ma vie qui va dansant
Of my life that goes dancing
De ma vie qui va trop vite
Of my life that goes too fast
Et je voudrais rendre aussi
And I would like to pay tribute also
Un hommage à ma guitare
A tribute to my guitar
Mon inséparable outil
My inseparable tool
Qui partage mon histoire
That shares my story
Qui m'aide à trouver les mots
That helps me find the words
De la chanson douce amère
Of the sweet and bitter song
Qui a fait pleurer Margot
That made Margot cry
Qui a célébré grand-père
That celebrated grand-father
Contributed by Eva A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marine Bailly
Très beau, tant la chanson, que la musique et tous les instruments ! Superbe et très doux à l'oreille. Merci pour les belles images aussi;
rosahelo
Gracias por compartir esta bellísima canción llena de nostalgia. . Cuando la escuché por primera vez me enamoré del chelo.
alberto mario ascencio yuduman
Que delicada melodía, caricia suave, una belleza!!!!!
Poupette Crochet
Il sera toujours immortel à ceux qui l'aiment ;-)
Joli partage
Ines Duran
Una canción muy nostálgica mas cargada de mucha emoción bravo
lasanchez47
Te amo Moustaki y te amaré siempre!
Gracias por existir!
federicomonterrey
Sí, realmente genial. Esta canción no es muy onocida pero es bella...
Hayas Verdes
Realmente genial dentro de su sencillez
clara Perez Torres
son tan hermosas su canción es que como no me va a enamorar
Dolors Domingo
Es preciosa