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.
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Georges Moustaki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Avec tous ses amis
Tous ceux qu'elle aimait bien
L'un avait de belles mains
L'autre était musicien
Le troisième l'emmenait
Flâner dans la forêt
Avec tous ses amis
Ceux d'un soir ou d'un jour
Ça lui faisait plaisir
D'offrir à leur désir
La chaleur de ses nuits
La douceur de son lit
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Avec tous ses amis
Pour être aimée de tous
Pour ne pas être seule
Pour connaître l'ivresse
De ce grand incendie
Qui met le cœur en liesse
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Avec tous ses amis
Avant de les quitter
Avant de s'en aller
Chanter rire et danser
Avant de les laisser
Un peu désenchantés
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Avec tous ses amis
Où est-elle à présent?
À quoi ressemble-t-elle?
Est-elle encore fidèle
À ses adorateurs
Qui ont pillé son cœur?
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Avec tous ses amis
J'étais un de ceux-là
Qu'elle a pris dans ses bras
Qu'elle a mis en émoi
Par ses tours de magie
Le temps d'une folie
J'étais un de ceux-là
Qu'elle a pris dans ses bras
Qu'elle a mis en émoi
Par ses tours de magie
Le temps d'une folie
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Georges Moustaki's song "Mélanie faisait l'amour" is a bittersweet meditation on the nature of love and intimacy. In the song, Mélanie is a young woman who indulges in sexual liaisons with all of her friends - men who she loves and who love her. Although some of her lovers are musicians, or have other attractive qualities, the song emphasizes that what draws them to Mélanie is her warmth and her willingness to give her body and heart to others.
The song also acknowledges that Mélanie's behavior is driven by a fear of loneliness and a desire to be loved by and connected to others. She gives herself freely, and enjoys the passion and joy of the moment, but the song hints that this behavior may ultimately be hollow and unfulfilling. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that Mélanie has moved on from her youthful exploits and that the singer (Moustaki himself) is thinking back on his own past and the brief moments of connection he shared with Mélanie.
One interesting aspect of the song is its ambiguity. Although the lyrics suggest that Mélanie's behavior may be harmful to herself or others, the song is ultimately non-judgmental. This lack of moralizing allows the listener to interpret the song in different ways, and to empathize with the different characters in the story. Some listeners may see Mélanie as a victim; others might view her as a confident and empowered woman who chooses to live her life on her own terms.
Another interesting detail of the song is its use of repetition. The refrain "Mélanie faisait l'amour avec tous ses amis" is repeated several times, emphasizing the central theme of the song and giving it a hypnotic, almost incantatory quality. This technique is common in Moustaki's music, and reflects his love of poetry and the rhythms of spoken language.
Overall, "Mélanie faisait l'amour" is a poignant and evocative song that captures the complexities of human relationships and the nature of desire. It is a testament to Moustaki's skill as a songwriter that he is able to convey so much nuance and emotion in just a few verses.
Line by Line Meaning
Mélanie faisait l'amour
Melanie was making love
Avec tous ses amis
With all of her friends
Tous ceux qu'elle aimait bien
All those she liked
L'un avait de belles mains
One had beautiful hands
L'autre était musicien
Another was a musician
Le troisième l'emmenait
The third took her
Flâner dans la forêt
For a walk in the forest
Ceux d'un soir ou d'un jour
Those of a night or a day
Ça lui faisait plaisir
It gave her pleasure
D'offrir à leur désir
To offer their desire
La chaleur de ses nuits
The warmth of her nights
La douceur de son lit
The softness of her bed
Pour être aimée de tous
To be loved by all
Pour ne pas être seule
To not be alone
Pour connaître l'ivresse
To experience the intoxication
De ce grand incendie
Of this great fire
Qui met le cœur en liesse
That puts the heart in joy
Avant de les quitter
Before leaving them
Avant de s'en aller
Before going away
Chanter rire et danser
Sing, laugh, and dance
Un peu désenchantés
A little disillusioned
Où est-elle à présent?
Where is she now?
À quoi ressemble-t-elle?
What does she look like?
Est-elle encore fidèle
Is she still faithful
À ses adorateurs
To her admirers
Qui ont pillé son cœur?
Who have plundered her heart?
J'étais un de ceux-là
I was one of them
Qu'elle a pris dans ses bras
Whom she took in her arms
Qu'elle a mis en émoi
Whom she stirred
Par ses tours de magie
With her magic tricks
Le temps d'une folie
For the time of a madness
Writer(s): georges moustaki
Contributed by Jonathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.