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".
Johnny
Graeme Allwright Lyrics
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Je ne crois pas que tu cherchais la gloire.
T'avais peut-'tre seulement du mal ' jouer le jeu
Dans ta petite ville sans histoire.
On Va dit que l'-bas la cause 'tait juste
Qu'il fallait vaincre ' tout prix
Puis c'est facile de laisser les autres penser pour soi
Alors, sans savoir pourquoi tu es parti.
Mais c'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Vois-tu encore le soleil ?
C'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Sens-tu venir le sommeil ?
Toi qui lisais les bandes dessin'es
Et te voyais en surhomme vainqueur
L'-bas, dans l'enfer des for'ts vertes
Tu as appris ' conna'tre la peur.
Tu as appris ' manier des armes nouvelles
' br'ler les femmes et les enfants.
Tu n'aimais pas 'a mais on n'a pas le choix
Et la peur est un ma'tre exigeant.
Mais c'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Vois-tu encore le soleil ?
C'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Sens-tu venir le sommeil ?
Les soirs de chaleur, dans le quartier r'serv'
Tu d'gueulais toute ta bile
Tu creusais le vide du d'sespoir dans tes 'bats virils
Mais souvent tu pensais ' une apr's-midi
O' tu l'as vue dans un bistrot.
C''tait un peu pour elle que t'avais oubli' la bande
Et les cuites du samedi soir.
Mais c'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Vois-tu encore le soleil ?
C'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Sens-tu venir le sommeil ?
Entends-tu, Johnny, les avions s'en aller ?
Ils retournent maintenant ' leurs bases
Ils ont tout l'ch' et leurs bombes sont tomb'es
Sur toi, Johnny et tes camarades.
Oui ! C'est comme 'a, absurde et cruel.
Je crois comprendre que tu commences ' comprendre
Mais c'est un peu tard, oui, un peu tard.
La nuit commence ' descendre.
Maintenant c'est fini, Johnny ! Tes yeux se ferment d'j'
Maintenant c'est fini, Johnny ! Dans cette terre meurtrie, tu dormiras.
The lyrics of Graeme Allwright’s Johnny convey the story of a young man named Johnny who left his hometown to join the military, without really knowing why. Perhaps he found it challenging to play the game in his small and uneventful town, but he certainly did not pursue fame or fortune. He joined the cause and was asked to fight to the death, and it was easy to let others think for him. He did not understand the rationale behind the war and was confused about why he had to leave home.
The second verse of the song talks about how Johnny was an avid reader of comic books, and he saw himself as a superhero. But in the thick of the action and the terrifying green forests, he discovered fear. He learned how to use new arms to burn women and children, although he did not like it. It was a means to an end, a compulsion that he couldn’t ignore. As a result, he was forced to serve the strict master, fear. The chorus follows, repeating the fact that it is almost over for Johnny, despite what has happened to him.
The song concludes by emphasizing that Johnny is starting to grasp the full extent of the situation. He is aware that it is absurd and cruel that he is now fighting in a war that he does not understand. The planes have achieved everything that they wanted to, leaving Johnny and his companions to suffer. The singer admits that he can correlate with and understand the apprehension of Johnny. However, he recognizes that it is too late for Johnny, and the night has already begun to fall. Johnny's eyes close, and he will be sleeping eternally on this war-torn land.
Line by Line Meaning
Tu es parti l'-bas sans savoir pourquoi.
You went there without knowing why.
Je ne crois pas que tu cherchais la gloire.
I don't think you were looking for glory.
T'avais peut-'tre seulement du mal ' jouer le jeu
Maybe you just had trouble playing the game.
Dans ta petite ville sans histoire.
In your small town without history.
On Va dit que l'-bas la cause 'tait juste
They say that the cause was just over there.
Qu'il fallait vaincre ' tout prix
That victory was the only option.
Puis c'est facile de laisser les autres penser pour soi
It's easy to let others think for you.
Alors, sans savoir pourquoi tu es parti.
So you left without knowing why.
Mais c'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Vois-tu encore le soleil ?
But it's almost over, Johnny! Do you still see the sun?
C'est bient't fini, Johnny ! Sens-tu venir le sommeil ?
It's almost over, Johnny! Do you feel sleep coming?
Toi qui lisais les bandes dessin'es
You who read comic books.
Et te voyais en surhomme vainqueur
And imagined yourself as a victorious superhero.
L'-bas, dans l'enfer des for'ts vertes
There, in the hell of the green forests.
Tu as appris ' conna'tre la peur.
You learned to know fear.
Tu as appris ' manier des armes nouvelles
You learned to handle new weapons.
' br'ler les femmes et les enfants.
To burn women and children.
Tu n'aimais pas 'a mais on n'a pas le choix
You didn't like it, but there was no choice.
Et la peur est un ma'tre exigeant.
And fear is a demanding master.
Les soirs de chaleur, dans le quartier r'serv'
On hot evenings, in the reserved neighborhood.
Tu d'gueulais toute ta bile
You vomited out all your bitterness.
Tu creusais le vide du d'sespoir dans tes 'bats virils
You dug the emptiness of despair in your manly fights.
Mais souvent tu pensais ' une apr's-midi
But often you thought of one afternoon.
O' tu l'as vue dans un bistrot.
When you saw her in a bistro.
C''tait un peu pour elle que t'avais oubli' la bande
It was a little for her that you forgot the gang.
Et les cuites du samedi soir.
And the drunkenness of Saturday nights.
Entends-tu, Johnny, les avions s'en aller ?
Do you hear, Johnny, the airplanes leaving?
Ils retournent maintenant ' leurs bases
They are now returning to their bases.
Ils ont tout l'ch' et leurs bombes sont tomb'es
They had all the luck and their bombs fell.
Sur toi, Johnny et tes camarades.
On you, Johnny, and your comrades.
Oui ! C'est comme 'a, absurde et cruel.
Yes! It's like that, absurd and cruel.
Je crois comprendre que tu commences ' comprendre
I believe that you're starting to understand.
Mais c'est un peu tard, oui, un peu tard.
But it's a little late, yes, a little late.
La nuit commence ' descendre.
Night is beginning to fall.
Maintenant c'est fini, Johnny ! Tes yeux se ferment d'j'
Now it's over, Johnny! Your eyes are closing already.
Maintenant c'est fini, Johnny ! Dans cette terre meurtrie, tu dormiras.
Now it's over, Johnny! In this ravaged land, you'll sleep.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRAEME ALLWRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind