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.
Tout doux tout doucement
Henri Salvador Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un joli refrain
Dans les, dans les champs
Par un clair matin
J'ai cherché longtemps
D'où venait ta voix
J'ai cherché longtemps
Elle venait de toi}
Tout doux, tout doucement
Comme un enchantement
Là-bas, près de l'étang
C'était toi qui chantais
{Vers toi je suis venue
En chantant aussi
Les chœurs, vois-tu
Tu m'as souri}
Tout doux, tout doucement
Comme un enchantement
Et là, près de l'étang
Mon cœur battait, battait
{Et depuis ce temps
Nous chantons souvent
Tout comme au premier jour
Seulement par amour}
La la la la la....
The lyrics of Henri Salvador's Tout Doux Tout Doucement are filled with joyful and romantic imagery that describes the experience of falling in love. The song is about the singer who hears a beautiful melody while walking in the fields one morning. He tries to find the source of the tune for a long time until he realizes that the melody is coming directly from the voice of his beloved.
As the song progresses, the two lovers join in singing the same tune and smile happily at each other. The lyrics are filled with beautiful natural imagery, such as the enchanting feeling of being near a pond or the lightheartedness of the morning.
The song goes on to describe how the two lovers continue to sing together every day out of pure love. The overall message of the song is that love is all around us, and it can be a beautiful and pure thing that brings people together.
Line by Line Meaning
De tes pas monte
Your footsteps create a lovely melody
Un joli refrain
A beautiful song that I hear
Dans les, dans les champs
I hear it in the fields
Par un clair matin
On a clear morning
J'ai cherché longtemps
I searched for so long
D'où venait ta voix
To find out where your voice was coming from
J'ai cherché longtemps
I searched for so long
Elle venait de toi
And it was coming from you
Tout doux, tout doucement
Softly, slowly
Comme un enchantement
Like a magical enchantment
Là-bas, près de l'étang
There, near the pond
C'était toi qui chantais
It was you who was singing
Vers toi je suis venue
I came towards you
En chantant aussi
Singing along too
Les chœurs, vois-tu
In harmony, you see
Tu m'as souri
And you smiled at me
Et là, près de l'étang
And there, near the pond
Mon cœur battait, battait
My heart was beating, beating
Et depuis ce temps
And since that time
Nous chantons souvent
We often sing
Tout comme au premier jour
Just like on the first day
Seulement par amour
Just out of love
La la la la la....
La la la la la....
Contributed by Dylan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.