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.

Le Casque D'Or De Mambrino
Jacques Brel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh toi, casque d'or de Mambrino
Que j'espérais depuis toujours
Le ciel t'envoie comme une étoile
À moi la gloire, à moi l'amour

Casque d'or de Mambrino
Je le jure sur ton histoire
Je le jure sur mes victoires

Je serai ta vie, tu seras ma gloire

Je crois entendre le coucou qui chante dans le coucoutier
S'il te dit que c'est de l'or, pourquoi vouloir le contrarier?
Mais enfin, y a pas plus d'or que de beurre en bronche, oh chevalier
Je crois entendre le coucou qui chante dans mon coucoutier

Casque d'or de Mambrino
Je le jure sur ton histoire

Je le jure sur mes victoires
Je serai ta vie, tu seras ma gloire

Overall Meaning

These lyrics are from Jacques Brel's song "Le Casque d'Or de Mambrino," which tells the story of a knight who longs for a golden helmet (Casque d'Or) that he has always dreamed of. The knight believes that the heavens have sent the helmet to him as a sign of glory and love. He swears on the helmet's history and his own victories that he will be its life, and it will be his glory.

The mention of Mambrino in the title refers to a character from old Spanish literature. Mambrino is depicted as a knight who possesses a magical helmet believed to provide protection and bring good luck to its owner. The knight in the song is enamored with the idea of acquiring Mambrino's golden helmet, seeing it as a symbol of prestige and affection.

In the second verse, the knight fantasizes about hearing a cuckoo singing in a cuckoo tree. He equates the cuckoo's affirmation of the helmet being gold with his desire to believe in it as well. However, he acknowledges that there may be doubts surrounding the helmet's authenticity, stating it's as unlikely as finding butter in a bronchi (an archaic term for throat or larynx), suggesting that such a thing is impossible.

The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the knight's determination to commit himself to the helmet's legacy and his own successes. He pledges to be devoted to the helmet and sees it as his source of honor and glory.

Overall, these lyrics explore themes of longing, fantasy, and the pursuit of symbols that represent power and love. The knight's devotion to the idea of the golden helmet reflects a desire for validation and recognition in his life.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh toi, casque d'or de Mambrino
Oh, you, golden helmet of Mambrino

Que j'espérais depuis toujours
That I have hoped for all my life

Le ciel t'envoie comme une étoile
The sky sends you like a star

À moi la gloire, à moi l'amour
Glory is mine, love is mine

Casque d'or de Mambrino
Golden helmet of Mambrino

Je le jure sur ton histoire
I swear on your story

Je le jure sur mes victoires
I swear on my victories

Je serai ta vie, tu seras ma gloire
I will be your life, you will be my glory

Je crois entendre le coucou qui chante dans le coucoutier
I believe I hear the cuckoo singing in the cuckoo clock

S'il te dit que c'est de l'or, pourquoi vouloir le contrarier?
If it tells you it's gold, why contradict it?

Mais enfin, y a pas plus d'or que de beurre en bronche, oh chevalier
But in the end, there's no more gold than butter in the throat, oh knight