Henri Salvador (born July 18, 1917, Cayenne, French Guiana, died February 1… Read Full Bio ↴Henri Salvador (born July 18, 1917, Cayenne, French Guiana, died February 13, 2008, Paris) was a French singer. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of an native Indian from the Caribbean, were both from Guadeloupe.

Salvador recorded several songs written with Boris Vian with Quincy Jones as arranger.

In the 60's Salvador was the television host of several popular TV variety shows on French TV.

Henri Salvador and his song "Dans mon île" (1957) is said to have unwittingly inspired bossa nova in Brazil, as Carlos Tom Jobim would have exclaimed on hearing the song "This is what you have to do! Slow down the tempo of samba, add a good melody and top it with beautiful chords!"
Caetano Veloso, a renowned brasilian composer and singer, made a direct reference at Salvador in his song "Reconvexo" : "quem não sentiu o swing de Heri Salvador ?" (who hasn't felt the swing of Henri Salvador ?)

In (1964) Henri Salvador scored a popular French hit with "Zorro est arrivé" (which was inspired by the English song "Along Came Jones"). His song "Mais non, mais non" (1969) inspired Jim Henson' song Mahna Mahna. These kind of comedy songs made him well known in France. He is also famous for his good nature and rich, catchy laugh, which is a standalone feature in many of his humoristic songs.

He has a brother, André, and a sister Alice. He became a musician and comedian. Later he uncovered new French talents Keren Ann and Art Mengo.

C'était hier
Henri Salvador Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

C'était hier
Ce matin-là
C'était hier
C'est loin déjà
C'était hier
Il y a longtemps
Et tu te perds
Dans la nuit des temps

Peu m'importe de savoir où tu es
Puisque tu ne reviendras plus jamais
Simplement, pour que mon coeur ait moins froid
Simplement, je te revois
Tout comme hier
Ce matin-là
C'était hier
Et c'est loin déjà
Il a brillé
Ce vieux soleil
Pour saluer
Notre réveil
Le beau temps aura quitté l'horizon
Il pleuvra, ce sera triste à mourir
Et la neige couvrira la maison
Les lilas pourront fleurir
Tout comme hier
Je serai là
Tout comme hier
Et c'est loin déjà
Ce matin-là
C'était hier

Ce matin-là
C'est loin déjà.

Overall Meaning

In Henri Salvador's song "C'était hier," the lyrics express a sense of longing and nostalgia for the past. The repetition of "C'était hier" (It was yesterday) emphasizes the idea that time has passed and things have changed. The phrase "C'est loin déjà" (It is far already) adds to the realization that the past is now distant, almost unreachable.

The song talks about a lost love, as the singer mentions "tu ne reviendras plus jamais" (you will never come back again). However, the singer doesn't care about knowing where the person is because they know they will never return. The longing for this person is reflected in the lines "pour que mon cœur ait moins froid" (so that my heart feels less cold) and "je te revois" (I see you again).

The second verse introduces the image of the sun shining to greet their awakening. However, the lyrics suggest that the beautiful weather will soon fade away and be replaced by rain, making everything sad and the house covered in snow. Despite this gloomy outlook, the singer declares they will still be there, just like in the past, waiting for the sun to return.

Overall, "C'était hier" evokes a bittersweet feeling, a longing for the past and a recognition that life has changed. The lyrics capture the nostalgia for a lost love and the determination to persist in the face of difficult times, even if it means enduring sadness and longing.

C'était hierHenri Salvador Lyrics

C'était hier
Henri Salvador Lyrics