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.

Fils de
Jacques Brel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fils de bourgeois
Ou fils d`apôtres
Tous les enfants
Sont comme les vôtres
Fils de César
Ou fils de rien
Tous les enfants
Sont comme le tien

Le même sourire
Les mêmes larmes
Les mêmes alarmes
Les mêmes soupirs
Fils de César
Ou fils de rien
Tous les enfants
Sont comme le tien
Ce n`est qu`après
Longtemps après

Mais fils de sultan
Fils de fakir
Tous les enfants
Ont un empire
Sous voûtes d`or
Sous toits de chaumes
Tous les enfants
Ont un royaume
Un coin de vague
Une fleur qui tremble
Un oiseau mort
Qui leur ressemble
Fils de sultan
Fils de fakir
Tous les enfants
Ont un empire
Ce n`est qu`après
Longtemps après

Mais fils de bon fils
Ou fils d`étranger
Tous les enfants
Sont des sorciers
Fils de l`amour
Fils d`amourettes
Tous les enfants
Sont des poètes
Ils sont bergers
Ils sont rois mages
Font des nuages
Pour mieux voler
Mais fils de bon fils
Ou fils d`étranger
Tous les enfants
Sont des sorciers
Ce n`est qu`après
Longtemps après

Mais fils de bourgeois
Ou fils d`apôtres
Tous les enfants
Sont comme les vôtres
Fils de César
Ou fils de rien
Tous les enfants
Sont comme le tien
Le même sourire
Les mêmes larmes
Les mêmes alarmes
Les mêmes soupirs
Fils de César
Ou fils de rien

Tous les enfants
Sont comme le tien

Overall Meaning

The song "Fils De" by Jacques Brel is a beautiful tribute to children everywhere. The lyrics express the idea that all children, whether they come from wealthy or poor backgrounds or any other social class, share the same emotions and experiences of childhood. The song celebrates the universality of childhood, highlighting that every child has the same smile, the same tears, the same fears, and the same sighs - regardless of their class or background.

The song begins with the lines "Fils de bourgeois ou fils d'apôtres, Tous les enfants sont comme les vôtres" which can be translated as "Sons of the wealthy or sons of the apostles, all children are like yours". With this line, Brel emphasizes that every child is equal, and no matter what social class they are born into, they are all the same. The chorus "Fils de César ou fils de rien, Tous les enfants sont comme le tien" emphasizes that every child shares the same feelings and experiences regardless of their background.

The second verse of the song talks about the secret world of a child's imagination. "Sous voûtes d'or, Sous toits de chaumes, Tous les enfants ont un royaume" can be translated as - "Under golden vaults, Or under straw roofs, every child has a kingdom." This reveals that children have worlds of their own creation that adults cannot enter. The song emphasizes that children, regardless of their background, have imaginations that are rich and wondrous.

Overall, this song of Jacques Brel is a tribute to childhood and equality, and it celebrates the universality of childhood experiences. It reminds us that every child is unique and has their own kingdom of dreams and imagination that is worth protecting.

Line by Line Meaning

Fils de bourgeois
Whether born into wealth or born to apostles

Ou fils d'apôtres
Whether born into wealth or born to apostles

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont comme les vôtres
Are just like yours

Fils de César
Born to Caesar

Ou fils de rien
Or born to nothing

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont comme le tien
Are just like yours

Le même sourire
The same smile

Les mêmes larmes
The same tears

Les mêmes alarmes
The same fears

Les mêmes soupirs
The same sighs

Fils de César
Born to Caesar

Ou fils de rien
Or born to nothing

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont comme le tien
Are just like yours

Ce n'est qu'après
It's only later

Longtemps après
After a long time

Mais fils de sultan
But a child of a sultan

Fils de fakir
Child of a fakir

Tous les enfants
Every child

Ont un empire
Has an empire

Sous voûtes d'or
Under golden arches

Sous toits de chaumes
Under thatched roofs

Tous les enfants
Every child

Ont un royaume
Has a kingdom

Un coin de vague
A corner of the wave

Une fleur qui tremble
A trembling flower

Un oiseau mort
A dead bird

Qui leur ressemble
That resembles them

Fils de sultan
Child of a sultan

Fils de fakir
Child of a fakir

Tous les enfants
Every child

Ont un empire
Has an empire

Ce n'est qu'après
It's only later

Longtemps après
After a long time

Mais fils de bon fils
But a child of good lineage

Ou fils d'étranger
Or born to a foreign land

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont des sorciers
Are magicians

Fils de l'amour
Child of love

Fils d'amourettes
Child of infatuation

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont des poètes
Are poets

Ils sont bergers
They are shepherds

Ils sont rois mages
They are wise kings

Font des nuages
Make clouds

Pour mieux voler
To better fly

Mais fils de bon fils
But a child of good lineage

Ou fils d'étranger
Or born to a foreign land

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont des sorciers
Are magicians

Ce n'est qu'après
It's only later

Longtemps après
After a long time

Mais fils de bourgeois
But a child of wealth

Ou fils d'apôtres
Or born to apostles

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont comme les vôtres
Are just like yours

Fils de César
Born to Caesar

Ou fils de rien
Or born to nothing

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont comme le tien
Are just like yours

Le même sourire
The same smile

Les mêmes larmes
The same tears

Les mêmes alarmes
The same fears

Les mêmes soupirs
The same sighs

Fils de César
Born to Caesar

Ou fils de rien
Or born to nothing

Tous les enfants
Every child

Sont comme le tien
Are just like yours

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC BLAU, GERARD JOUANNEST, JACQUES ROMAN BREL, MORT SHUMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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