Graeme Allwright (born in Wellington, New Zealand on 7 November 1926; died … Read Full Bio ↴Graeme Allwright (born in Wellington, New Zealand on 7 November 1926; died 16 February 2020) was a New Zealand-born French singer and songwriter. He became popular in the 1960s and 1970s as a French language interpreter of the songs of American and Canadian songwriters such as Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Pete Seeger, and remained active into his nineties.

Allwright traveled to France in the early 1950's and married Catherine Dasté. His son Christophe Allwright, is a French comedian.

In the early '60s, Allwright sang at a number of clubs in Paris, folk music that was very big in the 60s. He wrote his own music, and created the French language versions of many songs by US and Canadian artists like Tom Paxton ("Sacrée Bouteille" "Qu'as tu appris à l'école?"), Leonard Cohen ("Suzanne") and Pete Seeger ("Jusqu' à la ceinture").

His earlier music focused more on social protest songs. As he matured as an artist, his songs became more personal, and his choice in material included more funny songs, songs with a mystical bent ("Garder le Souvenir", "Lumière"), and songs about the complexities of relationships ("No Man's Land"). Some of his songs are in English, but the vast majority are in French.

He has travelled extensively, to the Himalayas, Réunion Island, and Madascar, among other places. He was strongly influenced by the Indian master and teacher Sri Aurobino, which is reflected in the mystical qualities of some of his songs.

In 2005, he wrote new lyrics for the French National Anthem, "La Marseillaise".

Garde Le Souvenir
Graeme Allwright Lyrics

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Quand les ondes sur l'étang
Réveillées par le vent
Semblent bouger dans ton cœur
Tu ne crois pas tes yeux
En regardant le jeu
De la lumière qui danse sur une fleur
N'essaie pas mon amour de le saisir
Mais garde toujours le souvenir

Quand tu sens derrière les mots
Plus caché par un rideau
Celui qui se penche vers toi
Tu ne sais plus blâmer
Et tu vois seulement vibrer
Une flamme comme une grande joie
N'essaie pas mon amour de le saisir
Mais garde toujours le souvenir

Quand un jour tu sentiras
Que les couleurs prennent de l'éclat
Et les mots voltigent dans le vide
Si tu crois mon amour
En un voyage sans retour
Viendra le temps des terres arides
N'essaie pas de le faire revenir
Mais garde toujours le souvenir

Mais un jour tu sais, tout ça peut s'en aller
Comme les oiseaux qui s'envolent
Ne pleure pas ton sort
Ne cherche pas un réconfort
Ne recommence pas à jouer ton rôle

Ne retourne pas dans le passé
Mais essaie mon amour de ne pas l'oublier

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Graeme Allwright's song "Garde Le Souvenir" (Keep the Memory) describe several experiences of fleeting moments of beauty, love, and joy that one should not try to hold onto too tightly, but instead cherish as a memory. The first stanza describes the effect of the wind disturbing the water on a pond, creating a visual dance on a flower, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the temporary nature of happiness. The second stanza describes how when someone speaks to you, you can sense their true feelings even if they are veiled by words, and the emotion shared should not be grasped but allowed to vibrate and be felt as a great joy. The third stanza alludes to the idea that life is impermanent, and one day colors will become more vibrant, words will become meaningless, and one will be faced with the reality of the end of life. Rather than trying to hold onto life or make it return, one should cherish memories, especially those of love or moments of beauty.

The song "Garde Le Souvenir" was released by the French-American singer and songwriter Graeme Allwright in 1972. Graeme Allwright was a folk singer-songwriter, born in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1926, who later emigrated to France in the 1950s. He became famous in France for his translations of and covers of songs by American and British musicians such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. The song "Garde Le Souvenir" became one of Allwright's most famous compositions.

Line by Line Meaning

Quand les ondes sur l'étang
When the ripples on the pond

Réveillées par le vent
Stirred by the wind

Semblent bouger dans ton cœur
Seem to move in your heart

Tu ne crois pas tes yeux
You don't believe your eyes

En regardant le jeu
Watching the play

De la lumière qui danse sur une fleur
Of the light dancing on a flower

N'essaie pas mon amour de le saisir
Don't try my love to grasp it

Mais garde toujours le souvenir
But always keep the memory

Quand tu sens derrière les mots
When you feel behind the words

Plus caché par un rideau
More hidden behind a curtain

Celui qui se penche vers toi
The one who leans towards you