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.
Grand' mère
Jacques Brel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Grand-mère et sa poitrine
Grand-mère et ses usines
Et ses vingt secrétaires
Faut voir mère-grand
Diriger ses affaires
Elle vend des courants d'air
Faut voir grand-mère
Quand elle compte son magot
Ça fait des tas de zéros
Pointés comme son derrière
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-père court après la bonne
En lui disant
Que l'argent ne fait pas le bonheur
Comment voulez-vous
Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes
Et nos petits épargnants
Aient le sens des valeurs?
Faut voir grand-mère
C'est une tramontane
Qui fume le Havane
Et fait trembler la Terre
Faut voir grand-mère
Cerclée de généraux
Être culotte de peau
Et gagner leur guéguerre
Faut voir grand-mère
Dressée sous son chapeau
C'est Waterloo
Où serait pas venu Blücher
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-père court après la bonne
En lui disant
Que l'armée elle bat l'beurre
Comment voulez-vous
Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes
Et que nos chers pioupious
Aient le sens des valeurs?
Faut voir grand-mère
S'assurer sur la mort
Un p'tit coup d'presbytère
Un p'tit coup de r'mords
Faut voir grand-mère
Et ses ligues de vertu
Ses anciens combattants
Ses anciens combattus
Faut voir grand-mère
Quand elle se croit pécheresse
Un grand verre de grand-messe
Et un doigt de couvent
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-père court après la bonne
En lui disant
Que les curés sont farceurs
Comment voulez-vous
Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes
Et nos petits incroyants
Aient le sens des valeurs?
Mais il faut voir grand-père
Dans les bistrots bavards
Où claquent les billards
Et les chopes de bière
Faut voir père-grand
Caresser les roseaux
Effeuiller les étangs
Et pleurer du Rimbaud
Faut voir grand-père
Dimanche finissant
Honteux et regrettant
D'avoir trompé grand-mère
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-mère se tape la bonne
En lui disant
Que les hommes sont menteurs
Comment voulez-vous
Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes
Et notre belle jeunesse
Aient le sens des valeurs?
The song "Grand' mère" by Jacques Brel is a scathing critique of older generations who have lost sight of what truly matters in life. Brel describes grandmothers who are obsessed with their wealth and status, and who care more about their possessions than their own families. He points out how they use their power and money to control other people's lives, even as they themselves pursue meaningless pleasures and indulge in hypocrisy.
The chorus of the song laments how this type of behavior is setting a bad example for younger generations to follow, and how it is contributing to a society that is increasingly empty and superficial. The last verse of the song is particularly powerful, as Brel condemns the infidelity and lies that have come to define many older couples' relationships. He suggests that until these people are able to find meaning and purpose in their lives beyond mere material wealth, they will continue to perpetuate a cycle of selfishness and misery.
Overall, "Grand' mère" is a poignant reminder of the importance of living a life that is guided by love, empathy, and a concern for others. Through his lyrics, Brel reminds us that it is never too late to change our ways and start living with integrity and purpose, no matter how old or set in our ways we may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Faut voir grand-mère
One must see grandmother in her magnificence.
Grand-mère et sa poitrine
Grandmother and her wealth.
Grand-mère et ses usines
Grandmother and her industries.
Et ses vingt secrétaires
And her twenty secretaries.
Faut voir mère-grand
One must see Granny.
Diriger ses affaires
She manages her businesses.
Elle vend des courants d'air
She is selling empty promises.
Déguisés en coups de vent
Disguised as favorable opportunities.
Faut voir grand-mère
One must see grandmother.
Quand elle compte son magot
When she counts her wealth.
Ça fait des tas de zéros
It amounts to a lot of zeroes.
Pointés comme son derrière
Laid out like her behind.
Mais pendant c'temps-là
But, in the meantime,
Grand-père court après la bonne
Grandfather chases the maid.
En lui disant que l'argent
Telling her that money
Ne fait pas le bonheur
Does not bring happiness.
Comment voulez-vous bonnes gens
How can, good people,
Que nos bonnes bonnes
Our good maids,
Et nos petits épargnants
And our little savers
Aient le sens des valeurs?
Have any values?
Faut voir grand-mère
One must see grandmother.
C'est une tramontane
She is a strong wind.
Qui fume le Havane
Smoking a Havana cigar.
Et fait trembler la Terre
And shakes the Earth.
Faut voir grand-mère
One must see grandmother.
Cerclée de généraux
Surrounded by generals.
Être culotte de peau
Wearing tight pants.
Et gagner leur guéguerre
And winning their little wars.
Faut voir grand-mère
One must see grandmother.
Dressée sous son chapeau
Standing up under her hat.
C'est Waterloo
It is Waterloo.
Où serait pas venu Blücher
Where Blücher would not have come.
Faut voir grand-père
One must see grandfather.
Dans les bistrots bavards
In the chatty bistros.
Où claquent les billards
Where pool balls clack.
Et les chopes de bière
And beer mugs are lifted.
Faut voir père-grand
One must see Father- Grand.
Caresser les roseaux
Caressing the reeds.
Effeuiller les étangs
Plucking the ponds.
Et pleurer du Rimbaud
And crying about Rimbaud.
Faut voir grand-père
One must see grandfather.
Dimanche finissant
Finishing Sunday.
Honteux et regrettant
Ashamed and regretful.
D'avoir trompé grand-mère
Of having cheated on grandmother.
Mais pendant c'temps-là
But in the meantime,
Grand-mère se tape la bonne
Grandmother is messing around with the maid.
En lui disant que les hommes
Telling her that men
Sont menteurs
Are liars.
Comment voulez-vous bonnes gens
How can, good people,
Que nos bonnes bonnes
Our good maids,
Et notre belle jeunesse
And our beautiful youth
Aient le sens des valeurs?
Have any values?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jacques Brel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cohen francois michel
Faut voir grand-mère
Grand-mère et sa poitrine
Grand-mère et ses usines
Et ses vingt secrétaires
Faut voir mère-grand
Diriger ses affaires
Elle vend des courants d'air
Déguisés en coups de vent
Faut voir grand-mère
Quand elle compte son magot
Ça fait des tas de zéros
Pointés comme son derrière
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-père court après la bonne
En lui disant que l'argent
Ne fait pas le bonheur
Comment voulez-vous bonnes gens
Que nos bonnes bonnes
Et nos petits épargnants
Aient le sens des valeurs
Faut voir grand-mère
C'est une tramontane
Qui fume le Havane
Et fait trembler la Terre
Faut voir grand-mère
Cerclée de généraux
Être culotte de peau
Et gagner leur guèguerre
Faut voir grand-mère
Dressée sous son chapeau
C'est Waterloo
Où s'rait pas venu Blucher
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-père court après la bonne
En lui disant que l'armée
Elle bat l'beure
Comment voulez-vous bonnes gens
Que nos bonnes bonnes
Et nos chers piou-pious
Aient le sens des valeurs
Faut voir grand-mère
S'assure sur la mort
Un p'tit coup d'presbytère
Un p'tit coup de r'mords
Faut voir grand-mère
Et ses ligues de vertu
Ses anciens combattants
Ses anciens combattus
Faut voir grand-mère
Quand elle se croit pécheresse
Un grand verre de grand-messe
Et un doigt de couvent
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-père court après la bonne
En lui disant que les curés
Sont farceurs
Comment voulez-vous bonnes gens
Que nos bonnes bonnes
Et nos petits incroyants
Aient le sens des valeurs
Mais il faut voir grand-père
Dans les bistrots bavards
Où claquent les billards
Et les chopes de bière
Faut voir père-grand
Caresser les roseaux
Effeuiller les étangs
Et pleurer du Rimbaud
Faut voir grand-père
Dimanche finissant
Honteux et regretant
D'avoir trompé grand-mère
Mais pendant c'temps-là
Grand-mère se tape la bonne
En lui disant que les hommes
Sont menteurs
Comment voulez-vous bonnes gens
Que nos bonnes bonnes
Et notre belle jeunesse
Aient le sens des valeurs
Sara Biriz
Merci beaucoup 🙏🏻
A El
Waaaaaaaaw