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.

Pas Mon Papa
Henri Salvador Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

J'aim' bien rigoler, mais pas mon papa
J'aim' bien le soleil et la biche au bois
J'aim' bien rigoler et c'est pas marrant
De faire des dictées les jours de printemps

Soirs et matins,
J'entends papa sans fin :
"Lève-toi,

Bouge-toi,
Tais-toi !"

J'aim' les papillons et les scarabées
Mais Napoléon, j' peux pas l'avaler
La nuit, j' rêve de baffes et de gros zéros
De fautes d'orthographe et d' Victor Hugo

Soirs et matins,
J'entends papa sans fin :
"Lave-toi,
Mouche-toi,
Tais-toi !"

Papa dit tout l' temps qu'il était premier
Ça m' flanque des complexes d'infériorité
J' lui ai demandé d' m'expliquer l' neutron
Il est resté sec comme un vieux crouton

Je l'ai vexé,
Il a voulu s' venger
"Fripon
Démon
Blouson !"

J'ai bien rigolé avec les copains
Mais j'aim' bien surtout la fille du voisin
On va se prom'ner, on boit des sodas
On écoute du jazz, on est bien comme ça

Quand j' suis près d'elle
Je n'entends plus papa :
"Lève-toi
Couche-toi
Tais-toi !"

J'aim' bien rigoler, ça n' m'empêchera pas
D'être président comme mon papa
J'aim' bien rigoler mais quand viendra l'heure
Je s'rai décoré d' la légion d'honneur

A c' moment-là
C'est moi qui s'rai papa
"Lève-toi
Couche-toi
Tais-toi !"

Mais en attendant d'être décoré
J' veux pas qu'on m'empêche de bien rigoler !

Overall Meaning

The song "Pas Mon Papa" by Henri Salvador is a lighthearted and humorous piece that revolves around the relationship between a son and his strict, overbearing father. The lyrics express the son's desires to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, such as laughing and basking in the sun, but he feels suffocated and oppressed by his father. The son dreams of a carefree life and is drawn to the music of jazz and the company of a neighbor's girl, which provides an escape from his father's continuous demands.

Throughout the song, the son's father is portrayed as a disciplinarian who constantly belittles his son, corrects his grammar, and lectures him on being the best. The lyrics reflect the son's feelings of inadequacy and fear that he will never live up to his father's expectations. But despite this, he still dreams of becoming a successful and respected figure like his father and being awarded the Legion of Honor.

Line by Line Meaning

J'aim' bien rigoler, mais pas mon papa
I love to laugh but not when my father is around.

J'aim' bien le soleil et la biche au bois
I love the sun and the forest.

J'aim' bien rigoler et c'est pas marrant
I love to laugh even though it's not funny.

De faire des dictées les jours de printemps
It's not fun to do dictation during spring days.

Soirs et matins, J'entends papa sans fin : 'Lève-toi, Bouge-toi, Tais-toi !'
Every morning and night, my father's voice repeats the same commands over and over again: 'Get up, Move, Be Quiet!'

J'aim' les papillons et les scarabées
I love butterflies and scarabs.

Mais Napoléon, j' peux pas l'avaler
But I don't like Napoleon.

La nuit, j' rêve de baffes et de gros zéros
At night, I dream of getting hit and receiving bad grades.

De fautes d'orthographe et d' Victor Hugo
Of making spelling mistakes and of Victor Hugo.

Papa dit tout l' temps qu'il était premier
My dad always says that he was the first.

Ça m' flanque des complexes d'infériorité
It gives me an inferiority complex.

J' lui ai demandé d' m'expliquer l' neutron
I asked him to explain the neutron to me.

Il est resté sec comme un vieux crouton
He remained dry as an old piece of bread.

Je l'ai vexé, Il a voulu s' venger 'Fripon Démon Blouson !'
I upset him, and he wanted to get back at me by calling me a 'Rogue Demon Jacket!'

J'ai bien rigolé avec les copains
I had a good time laughing with my friends.

Mais j'aim' bien surtout la fille du voisin
But I really like the girl next door.

On va se prom'ner, on boit des sodas
We go for walks and drink sodas.

On écoute du jazz, on est bien comme ça
We listen to jazz, and we are happy like that.

Quand j' suis près d'elle Je n'entends plus papa : 'Lève-toi Couche-toi Tais-toi !'
When I'm next to her, I don't hear my father's voice anymore: 'Get up, Go to bed, Be Quiet!'

J'aim' bien rigoler, ça n' m'empêchera pas D'être président comme mon papa
I love to laugh, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to be president like my father.

J'aim' bien rigoler mais quand viendra l'heure Je s'rai décoré d' la légion d'honneur
I love to laugh, but when the time comes, I will be decorated with the Legion of Honor.

A c' moment-là C'est moi qui s'rai papa 'Lève-toi Couche-toi Tais-toi !'
At that moment, I will be the one to say: 'Get up, Go to bed, Be Quiet!'

Mais en attendant d'être décoré J' veux pas qu'on m'empêche de bien rigoler !
But until then, I don't want anyone to stop me from laughing!

Contributed by Ian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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