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.

Faire cette chanson
Georges Moustaki Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Faire cette chanson
Comme on ferait l'amour
Caresser chaque mot
Courtiser chaque rime
Étreindre les couplets
Déshabiller les vers
Éprouver la rondeur
Des voyelles agiles

Descendre jusqu'au fond
De la dernière strophe
Et trouver le bonheur
Dans un accord parfait

Faire cette chanson
Comme on ferait l'amour
Enlacer la musique
S'enivrer de son rythme
Dépasser la mesure
Et perdre la raison
Trouver à l'unisson
La même volupté
Arriver au point d'orgue
Atteindre l'harmonie
Dans cet accord final
Qui jamais ne finit

Faire cette chanson
Comme une nuit de noce
Dormir avec la muse
Qu'on a tant désirée
La regarder rêver
Entendre ses soupirs
Et savoir que demain
On recommencera
À découvrir encore
Ce qu'on n'a jamais fait
Ce qu'on n'a jamais dit
Ce que nul n'a osé

Arriver au point d'orgue
Atteindre l'harmonie

Dans cet accord final
Qui jamais ne finit

Overall Meaning

The song "Faire cette chanson" by Georges Moustaki is a romantic and poetic tribute to the act of songwriting. The lyrics compare the process of writing a song to making love, with each word and rhyme being caressed and courted. The verses are stripped bare, revealing their vulnerability and beauty, and the melody is embraced and intoxicated with. The goal of the song is to reach a perfect harmony, a moment of pure and eternal happiness.

The first stanza describes the process of creating the lyrics of the song. The words are compared to a lover's body, to be caressed and courted. The poet doesn't just use words, he "carries" them, embraces them, and uncovers their essence and sensuality. He explores the depth of every line, every verse, and every stanza to discover the perfect flow of vowels and consonants, the perfect rhythm that will magnify their meaning. Finally, the last stanza is dedicated to the moment when the song is completed, comparing it to a night of nuptial bliss, with the poet watching over the inspiration and passion that brought it all to life.

The song has a universal message that transcends the boundaries of language or culture. It speaks about the long and arduous process of creation that every artist goes through. It highlights the importance of seeking perfection while embracing and celebrating the beauty of imperfection. It also speaks about how the joy of creation is eternal, that one can always continue to discover and explore new paths and possibilities.

Line by Line Meaning

Faire cette chanson
Creating this song

Comme on ferait l'amour
Like making love

Caresser chaque mot
Caressing each word

Courtiser chaque rime
Courtship of every rhyme

Étreindre les couplets
Embracing the verses

Déshabiller les vers
Undressing the verses

Éprouver la rondeur
Feel the smoothness

Des voyelles agiles
From agile vowels

Descendre jusqu'au fond
Going deep

De la dernière strophe
Of the last stanza

Et trouver le bonheur
And finding happiness