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.
Humbly He Came
Georges Moustaki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nobody knew his name
He was so poorly dressed
Looking for a place to rest
Because his feet were bare
They didn't really care
Humbly he came
The words he said were good
But no one understood
Thought some of them received
So very few believed
Humbly he came
Nobody knew his name
Just asked for wine and bread
Somewhere to lay his head
But he asked for so much more
From the rich and from the poor
So humbly he came
His leaving was the same
Like a ship without a crew
A stranger passing through
He left the way he came
Nobody cried his name
Humbly he came
And never came again
It happened long ago
Now they would not let him go
Women wear their nicest dress
As for a much awaited guest
Children call him by his name
Invite him to their game
Men keep a glass of wine
To celebrate that time
They will feast and sing and then
They will love and love and love again
Humbly he came
Nobody knew his name
Humbly he came
And never came again
The song "Humbly He Came" by Georges Moustaki might seem like a tale of a stranger passing through without leaving any impact on the people around him. The lyrics tell the story of an unknown man who came looking for a place to rest, his feet bare, but was neglected by people around him. The man came and went like a stranger and did not leave a name behind. The words he said were good, but no one understood or believed him. He only asked for wine and bread and a place to lay his head, but some wanted more from him.
The man left as quietly as he came, like a ship without a crew. Nobody cried his name when he left. However, the song's tone shifts from the man's humble arrival to a celebration of his existence. Even though he might have seemed like a stranger passing through, he left an impact on the people he met. The song suggests that people did not appreciate the man during his time but later, women wore their nicest dresses, children called him by his name, and men kept a glass of wine to celebrate his memory. The lyrics imply that the man might have been a prophet or a messiah, and people did not recognize him at the time. But after his departure, he remains engraved in their memory as someone special.
Overall, "Humbly He Came" is a somewhat symbolic song. The lyrics do not reveal the man's identity or the time frame when he arrived. It's open to interpretation, and the song's message is not as straightforward as it might appear at first.
Line by Line Meaning
Humbly he came
A humble man came to town
Nobody knew his name
He was a stranger and unknown to anyone
He was so poorly dressed
His clothes were tattered and torn
Looking for a place to rest
He searched for somewhere to lay his head
Because his feet were bare
He had no shoes and his feet were uncovered
They didn't really care
People did not pay much attention to him
The words he said were good
He spoke wise and kind words
But no one understood
People were unable to grasp his message
Thought some of them received
Few people were receptive to his words
So very few believed
Most people did not believe what he said
Just asked for wine and bread
He requested basic needs such as food and drink
Somewhere to lay his head
He was seeking a place to rest for the night
But he asked for so much more
He had a deeper and more profound request
From the rich and from the poor
He appealed to those from all walks of life
His leaving was the same
He departed as humbly as he arrived
Like a ship without a crew
He was alone and unrecognized
A stranger passing through
He was a traveler on a journey
He left the way he came
He departed unrecognized and unappreciated
Nobody cried his name
No one mourned his departure
And never came again
He did not return to that place
It happened long ago
This event took place in the distant past
Now they would not let him go
People appreciate and honor his memory
Women wear their nicest dress
Ladies make preparations for his arrival
As for a much awaited guest
He is welcomed as a long-awaited visitor
Children call him by his name
Kids recognize and celebrate his legacy
Invite him to their game
They include him in their activities and play
Men keep a glass of wine
Gentlemen honor him with a toast
To celebrate that time
They recall and celebrate his arrival
They will feast and sing and then
People enjoy food, music and merriment
They will love and love and love again
People express love and kindness, inspired by his presence
Contributed by Mateo J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.