Jacques Brel (8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and songw… Read Full Bio ↴Jacques Brel (8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in Belgium and France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson. Although he recorded most of his songs in French, he became a major influence on English-speaking songwriters and performers such as David Bowie, Alex Harvey, Leonard Cohen, Marc Almond and Rod McKuen. English translations of his songs were recorded by many top performers in the United States, including Ray Charles, Judy Collins, John Denver, the Kingston Trio, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Scott Walker, and Andy Williams. In French-speaking countries, Brel was also a successful actor, appearing in ten films. He also directed two films, one of which, Le Far West, was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1973. Jacques Brel has sold over 25 million records worldwide, and is the third best-selling Belgian recording artist of all time.

Brel was born on 8th April 1929 in Schaarbeek, a district of Brussels, and lived half of his life in Paris. He died of lung cancer on 9th October 1978 in Bobigny in the suburbs of Paris, and is buried in the Marquesas Islands.

Although the Brels spoke French, they were of Flemish descent, with some of the family originating from Zandvoorde, near Ieper. Brel's father was co-owner of a cardboard factory and Brel started his professional life at that firm, apparently destined to follow in his father's footsteps. However he had no interest in it, showing instead an interest in the arts, having joined the Catholic-humanist youth organisation Franche Cordée, where he did some singing and acting. At Franche Cordée he met Thérèse Michielsen ('Miche'), and they married in 1950.

In the early 1950s Brel achieved some minor success in Belgium, singing his own songs. A 78rpm record ("La foire"/"Il y a") was released as a result. From 1954 Brel seriously pursued a singing career. He quit his job and moved to Paris, writing music and singing in the city's cabarets and music-halls.. In January 1955 he supported in the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels the performances of the Belgian pop and variety pioneer Bobbejaan Schoepen. After some success his wife and daughters joined him from Belgium. By 1956 he was touring Europe and he recorded the song "Quand on n'a que l'amour", which brought him his first major recognition. He appeared in a show with Maurice Chevalier and Michel Legrand.

By the end of the 1950s Miche and Brel's three daughters moved to Brussels. He and his family led separate lives from then on. Under the influence of his friend Georges Pasquier ('Jojo') and pianists Gérard Jouannest and François Rauber, Brel's style changed. He was no longer a Catholic-humanist troubadour, but sang grimmer songs about love, death, and the struggle that is life. The music became more complex and his themes more diverse, exploring love ("Je t'aime", "Litanies pour un retour"), society ("Les singes", "Les bourgeois", "Jaurès") and spiritual concerns ("Le bon Dieu", "Dites, si c'était vrai", "Fernand"). His work is not limited to one style. He was as proficient in comic compositions ("Le lion", "Comment tuer l'amant de sa femme...") as in more emotional ones ("Voir un ami pleurer", "Fils de...", "Jojo"). He composed and recorded his songs almost exclusively in French, and is widely recognised in French-speaking countries as one of the best French-language composers of all time.

Brel himself occasionally included parts of his songs in Flemish (Dutch), one of the three official languages of Belgium, as in Marieke. He also recorded eight other Flemish versions of songs, such as Mijn vlakke land (Le plat Pays), Laat Me Niet Alleen (Ne me quitte pas), Rosa, De Burgerij (Les Bourgeois), and De Nuttelozen van de Nacht (Les paumés du petit matin). Since his own command of the language was poor, these were translated by Ernst van Altena, renowned translator of French song. Although France was Brel's "spiritual home" and he expressed contradictory statements about his native Belgium, some of his best compositions pay tribute to Belgium.

A very successful theatrical review of his songs, "Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris," was launched in 1968. It featured English translations of his songs, and it was late made into a film.

To English-speaking listeners, Brel's best-known song is probably "Seasons in the Sun," a hit for Terry Jacks in 1973. Its English lyrics are a translation by Rod McKuen of Brel's "Le Moribond."

For twenty years he was a major star gaining recognition beyond French audiences. In 1973 he retreated to French Polynesia, remaining there until 1977 when he returned to Paris and recorded his well-received final album.

A heavy smoker, it was discovered in 1973 that Brel had lung cancer. He died in 1978 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia only a few yards away from painter Paul Gauguin.

Clara
Jacques Brel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant
Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Carnaval à Rio
Tu peux toujours danser
Carnaval à Rio

Tu n'y peux rien changer
Je suis mort à Paris
Il y a longtemps déjà
Il y a longtemps d'ennui
Il y a longtemps de toi

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant
Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Carnaval à Rio
Tu peux toujours chanter
Carnaval à Rio
Tu n'y peux rien changer
Je suis mort à Paris
Tombé au champ d'amour
Pour un prénom de fille
Qui m'avait dit toujours

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant
Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Carnaval à Rio
Tu peux toujours tourner
Carnaval à Rio
Tu n'y peux rien changer
Je suis mort à Paris
De m'être trop trompé
De m'être trop meurtri
De m'être trop donné

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant
Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Carnaval à Rio
Tu peux me bousculer
Carnaval à Rio
Tu n'y peux rien changer
Je suis mort à Paris
Fusillé par une fleur
Au poteau de son lit
De douze rires dans le cœur

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant
Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Carnaval à Rio
Tu peux toujours crier
Carnaval à Rio
Tu n'y peux rien changer
Je suis mort à Paris
Il y a mille soirs
Il y a mille nuits
Il n'y a plus d'espoir

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant
Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Carnaval à Rio
Tu peux bien me saouler
Carnaval à Rio
Tu n'y peux rien changer
Je suis mort à Paris
A Paris que j'enterre
Et depuis mille nuits
Dans le fond de mon verre

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant
Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Carnaval à Rio
Tu peux carnavaler
Carnaval à Rio
Tu n'y peux rien changer
Je suis mort à Paris
Que la mort me console
La mort est par ici
La mort est espagnole

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
Je t'aimais tant

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jacques Brel's song 'Clara' express an intense passion and longing for a woman named Clara, which persists even though the singer has since died in Paris. While Clara is free to enjoy herself at the carnival in Rio, the singer can no longer be with her. The repetition of the phrase "Je t'aimais tant" (I loved you so much) underscore the depth of feeling and the singer's inability to let go of his love for Clara. The second verse reveals that the singer died for a girl with a certain name who had always loved him. The name of the girl is not revealed, but the implication is that it is not Clara. In the third verse, the singer acknowledges that he made mistakes and gave too much of himself, leading to his death. He recognizes that no matter how much Clara enjoys herself at the carnival in Rio, it cannot change the reality of his death and the fact that he no longer has hope. Finally, in the last verse, the singer accepts his death and speaks of finding solace in it.

Line by Line Meaning

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
I loved you so much, Clara

Carnaval à Rio Tu peux toujours danser
You can always dance at Carnival in Rio

Carnaval à Rio Tu n'y peux rien changer
But you can't change anything by dancing at Carnival in Rio

Je suis mort à Paris Il y a longtemps déjà Il y a longtemps d'ennui Il y a longtemps de toi
I died in Paris a long time ago, long ago because of boredom, and long ago because of you

Carnaval à Rio Tu peux toujours chanter
You can always sing at Carnival in Rio

Je suis mort à Paris Tombé au champ d'amour Pour un prénom de fille Qui m'avait dit toujours
I died in Paris, fallen in the field of love for a girl named always

Carnaval à Rio Tu peux toujours tourner
You can always spin at Carnival in Rio

Je suis mort à Paris De m'être trop trompé De m'être trop meurtri De m'être trop donné
I died in Paris from having made too many mistakes, being too hurt, and having given too much

Carnaval à Rio Tu peux me bousculer
You can push me around at Carnival in Rio

Je suis mort à Paris Fusillé par une fleur Au poteau de son lit De douze rires dans le cœur
I died in Paris, shot by a flower on the post of her bed, with twelve laughs in my heart

Carnaval à Rio Tu peux toujours crier
You can always shout at Carnival in Rio

Je suis mort à Paris Il y a mille soirs Il y a mille nuits Il n'y a plus d'espoir
I died in Paris a thousand nights ago, there is no more hope

Carnaval à Rio Tu peux bien me saouler
You can get me drunk at Carnival in Rio

Je suis mort à Paris A Paris que j'enterre Et depuis mille nuits Dans le fond de mon verre
I died in Paris, in the Paris that I bury, and for a thousand nights it has been at the bottom of my glass

Carnaval à Rio Tu peux carnavaler
You can party at Carnival in Rio

Je t'aimais tant, Clara
I loved you so much, Clara

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

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