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.
Filles D'Eve
Georges Moustaki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et Manon la plus démodée
J‘aimais la bouche de Cassandre
Et le regard de Maité
Caroline était la plus douce
Jeannette avait plusieurs amants
L‘une était brune et l'autre rousse
Et puis Juliette et puis Julie
Thérèse Margot ou Ninon
Sans compter celles que j‘oublie
Et celles don't je tais le nom
À Londres j'ai revu Louise
Et Joséphine à Amsterdam
J’ai revu Marie à Venise
Et Judith près de Notre-Dame
Hélène est mère de famille
Je la croise avec ses bambins
Lizette est partie aux Antilles
Elle m‘écrit de loin en loin
J'entends la voix de Catherine
Quand elle chante à la radio
Et si un jour je vais en Chine
J’y verrai sans doute Margot
Parfois la flamme se ranime
Le temps d’un souvenir ému
Le temps d’ajouter une rime
À un poème déjà lu
Et l'on refait es mêmes gestes
On reprend les mêmes discours
Avec un sentiment d’inceste
On se risque à faire l‘amour
Tendres amours anachroniques
Charmants fantômes du passé
Parfois je vous mets en musique
Pour vous faire encore danser
Filles d‘Ève filles de rêve
De vous aimer mon cœur n’est pas encore déçu
Filles d‘Ève filles de rêve
Mon amour ininterrompu!
The song "Filles D'Eve" by Georges Moustaki talks about the different women he has loved throughout his life. The song starts with him listing off the different women he has loved and what he liked about each of them. He talks about the tenderness of Marguerite, the outdated nature of Manon, the mouth of Cassandre, and the gaze of Maite. He then goes on to talk about Caroline, who he found to be sweet, and Jeannette, who had multiple lovers. He loved them both equally, regardless. Moustaki then lists off other women he has loved and mentions some he doesn't name. He then goes on to talk about how he has encountered some of them again in various places throughout the world. He talks about the different paths their lives have taken since he last saw them. Towards the end of the song, Moustaki talks about how sometimes he can't help but relive the moments he spent with these women after the memories come flooding back. Even if these feelings only last for a moment, he'll use those memories to write a song or poem.
Line by Line Meaning
Marguerite était la plus tendre
Amongst all the women I’ve known, Marguerite was the one who had the gentlest demeanor.
Et Manon la plus démodée
Manon, on the other hand, seemed outdated and old-fashioned.
J‘aimais la bouche de Cassandre
Cassandre had an alluring set of lips which I found very attractive.
Et le regard de Maité
Looking into the eyes of Maité was an experience that captivated me.
Caroline était la plus douce
Out of everyone, Caroline was the kindest and gentlest.
Jeannette avait plusieurs amants
Jeannette was involved with many different men at the same time.
L‘une était brune et l'autre rousse
One had brown hair and the other was a redhead.
J‘aimais les deux également
I was equally fond of both.
Et puis Juliette et puis Julie
There was also Juliette and then Julie.
Thérèse Margot ou Ninon
And let's not forget Thérèse, Margot or Ninon.
Sans compter celles que j‘oublie
Not to mention those whose names I have forgotten.
Et celles don't je tais le nom
And those whose names I choose to keep secret.
À Londres j'ai revu Louise
During my travels to London, I came across Louise again.
Et Joséphine à Amsterdam
In Amsterdam, I met up with Joséphine.
J’ai revu Marie à Venise
While in Venice, I was reunited with Marie.
Et Judith près de Notre-Dame
I also ran into Judith near the Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Hélène est mère de famille
Hélène, on the other hand, has started her own family.
Je la croise avec ses bambins
I often see her with her children.
Lizette est partie aux Antilles
Lizette has gone off to the Caribbean Islands.
Elle m‘écrit de loin en loin
Every once in a while, she writes to me from afar.
J'entends la voix de Catherine
Whenever Catherine sings on the radio, I can’t help but feel for her.
Quand elle chante à la radio
It seems like her singing is speaking to me directly.
Et si un jour je vais en Chine
If I ever go to China someday, I will surely meet Margot there.
J’y verrai sans doute Margot
A person whom I trust and know quite well.
Parfois la flamme se ranime
Recalling some of these past experiences can reignite long-buried emotions.
Le temps d’un souvenir ému
For a brief moment, I am filled with a strong emotional energy.
Le temps d’ajouter une rime
These instances often inspire me to pen new poetry.
À un poème déjà lu
On a subject that has already been written about before.
Et l'on refait es mêmes gestes
Sometimes these memories inspire me to repeat certain actions.
On reprend les mêmes discours
I find myself repeating the same words that were spoken all those years ago.
Avec un sentiment d’inceste
Though it may seem strange, there are times when it feels like an act of incest.
On se risque à faire l‘amour
In these moments, we take a risk and dive into an act of love.
Tendres amours anachroniques
These memories often feature tender and affectionate moments that seem out of place in our current time.
Charmants fantômes du passé
They represent happy memories from a time that is no more, much like charming ghosts from the past.
Parfois je vous mets en musique
Sometimes I’ll set these memories to music.
Pour vous faire encore danser
In the hopes of capturing that specific feeling or moment that was once so special.
Filles d‘Ève filles de rêve
You were all such wonderful women, so full of love and life.
De vous aimer mon cœur n’est pas encore déçu
My heart has yet to be disappointed by my affection for you all.
Filles d‘Ève filles de rêve
Each and every one of you will always hold a special place in my heart.
Mon amour ininterrompu!
My love for you all is everlasting and will never die.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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