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.

Je T'aime
Jacques Brel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Je t'aime

Pour l'aurore légère qu'un oiseau fait frémir
En la battant de l'aile et ressemble à ton rire
Je t'aime
Pour le jour qui se lève et dentelle le bois
Au point de la lumière et ressemble à ta joie
Je t'aime
Pour le jour qui revient d'une nuit sans amour
Et ressemble déjà, ressemble à ton retour
Je t'aime
Pour la porte qui s'ouvre, pour le cri qui jaillit
Ensemble de deux cœurs et ressemble à ce cri
Je t'aime

Je t'aime
Je t'aime

Overall Meaning

In "Je T'Aime," Jacques Brel conveys his love to someone by showing what his beloved represents through poetic descriptions of nature. He uses metaphors to compare his lover to the natural elements that he sees around him, such as dew on the petals of flowers, raindrops on a pond, and the delicate break of dawn. By doing so, he reveals how deeply he is in love with his partner by revealing the nature of his beloved, which in turn inspires his love even further.

As the song progresses, Brel continues to describe various aspects of nature that reflect his feelings for his beloved, such as the way the birds chirp when the sun rises, among other things. He then concludes, indicating the deepest feelings for his partner, that when he hears the opening of the door, and the cry that erupts from both their hearts, he knows that his love is true.

Overall, "Je T’Aime" is a beautiful and touching love song that highlights the beauty of nature and its power to represent one’s love for another. Brel uses a beautifully crafted weave of lyrics to convey the message that, despite being expressed through metaphoric descriptions of nature, his love is true and unconditional.

Line by Line Meaning

Pour la rosée qui tremble au calice des fleurs De n'être pas aimée et ressemble à ton cœur Je t'aime
For the dew that trembles on the flowers' cups Because it's not loved and resembles your heart I love you

Pour le doigt de la pluie au clavecin de l'étang Jouant page de lune et ressemble à ton chant Je t'aime
For the finger of the rain on the pond's harpsichord Playing moon's page and resembling your song I love you

Pour l'aube qui balance sur le fil d'horizon Lumineuse et fragile et ressemble à ton front Je t'aime
For the dawn that balances on the horizon's line Luminous and fragile and resembles your forehead I love you

Pour l'aurore légère qu'un oiseau fait frémir En la battant de l'aile et ressemble à ton rire Je t'aime
For the light dawn that a bird makes shiver By flapping its wings and resembling your laughter I love you

Pour le jour qui se lève et dentelle le bois Au point de la lumière et ressemble à ta joie Je t'aime
For the day that rises and laces the wood At the brightness point and resembles your joy I love you

Pour le jour qui revient d'une nuit sans amour Et ressemble déjà, ressemble à ton retour Je t'aime
For the day that comes back from a loveless night And already resembles, resembles your return I love you

Pour la porte qui s'ouvre, pour le cri qui jaillit Ensemble de deux cœurs et ressemble à ce cri Je t’aime
For the door that opens, for the cry that springs Together of two hearts and resembles that cry I love you

Je t’aime Je t’aime Je t’aime
I love you I love you I love you

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: LLOYD OLIVER WILLIS, PAUL AINSWORTH BARTLEY, SLY DUNBAR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01Je T'aime

Jacques Brel

02La Valse A Mille Temps3:47

03La Tendresse2:37

04Ne me quitte pas3:46

05La Dame Patronnesse2:37

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Pour la rosée qui tremble au calice des fleurs
De n'être pas aimée et ressemble à ton cœur
Je t'aime
Pour le doigt de la pluie au clavecin de l'étang
Jouant page de lune et ressemble à ton chant
Je t'aime
Pour l'aube qui balance sur le fil d'horizon
Lumineuse et fragile et ressemble à ton front
Je t'aime

Pour l'aurore légère qu'un oiseau fait frémir
En la battant de l'aile et ressemble à ton rire
Je t'aime
Pour le jour qui se lève et dentelle le bois
Au point de la lumière et ressemble à ta joie
Je t'aime
Pour le jour qui revient d'une nuit sans amour
Et ressemble déjà, ressemble à ton retour
Je t'aime
Pour la porte qui s'ouvre, pour le cri qui jaillit
Ensemble de deux cœurs et ressemble à ce cri
Je t’aime
Je t’aime
Je t’aime