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.

Glória
Jacques Brel Lyrics

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Gloria!
Toute la terre connaît déjà
Ta triste mine, ta triste armure
Mais le monde entier t'appellera
Le Triste Chevalier à la triste figure

Gloria!
Va Chevalier, va

Va-t-en chevaliérer
Va-t-en chevaliérer à pleins bras
Mais je sais que la nuit, couché dessous mon foie
Je me souviendrai de tout ça

Gloria!
Les géants tremblent déjà
Va-t-en réduire en confiture
Tous les moulins à bras de La Mancha
Par ta triste mine, par ta triste armure

Gloria!
Va Chevalier va
Oui, va-t-en pourfendre
Va-t-en défendre qui tu veux
Mais je ne serai plus là à sacrer les gâteux
Mais je ne serai plus là pour voir ça

Gloria!
Toute la terre connaît déjà
Ta triste mine, ta triste armure
Mais le monde entier t'appellera

Le Triste Chevalier à la triste figure
Gloria!

Overall Meaning

In the song "Gloria" by Jacques Brel, the lyrics describe a tragic knight who is known throughout the world for his sad appearance and armor. Despite his reputation, the world still calls him the "Triste Chevalier" or Sad Knight. The lyrics continue to encourage the knight to go out and fight, to reduce windmills in La Mancha to jam and to defend whoever he wants, but ultimately the singer reveals that they will not be there to see it.

The lyrics of "Gloria" are said to be inspired by the famous novel "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. The reference to windmills in La Mancha is a direct allusion to the novel, as the singer, Don Quixote, attacks windmills thinking they were giants. Brel's use of the word "confiture" or jam also supports this connection because Don Quixote believed the blades of the windmills were giant arms.

In addition to its connection to "Don Quixote," "Gloria" is also interpreted as a commentary on the futility of war. Although the lyrics encourage the knight to fight, the repetition of his sad appearance and the singer's resigned tone in the final line creates a melancholic mood that suggests the futility of violence.

Line by Line Meaning

Gloria!
The singer is calling out to someone named Gloria.

Toute la terre connaît déjà Ta triste mine, ta triste armure Mais le monde entier t'appellera Le Triste Chevalier à la triste figure
The entire world already knows Gloria's sad face and armor, and will call them the 'sad knight with the sad figure'.

Va Chevalier, va Va-t-en chevaliérer Va-t-en chevaliérer à pleins bras Mais je sais que la nuit, couché dessous mon foie Je me souviendrai de tout ça
The singer urges Gloria to go and fight as a knight, but notes that they will remember them and their actions while laying under their liver at night.

Les géants tremblent déjà Va-t-en réduire en confiture Tous les moulins à bras de La Mancha Par ta triste mine, par ta triste armure
Even the giants are afraid of Gloria, who will reduce all the manual labor in La Mancha to a pulp with their sad face and armor.

Va Chevalier va Oui, va-t-en pourfendre Va-t-en défendre qui tu veux Mais je ne serai plus là à sacrer les gâteux Mais je ne serai plus là pour voir ça
The artist encourages Gloria to go and fight for whoever they want, but notes that they won't be there to celebrate the victory.

Toute la terre connaît déjà Ta triste mine, ta triste armure Mais le monde entier t'appellera Le Triste Chevalier à la triste figure Gloria!
The final repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that the whole world knows Gloria's sad appearance and persona, and will remember them as the 'sad knight with the sad figure'.

Contributed by Christian W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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