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 Colonel
Jacques Brel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Puisque se lève le jour
Faire battre tous les tambours
Pour éveiller tous les pandoures?
Colonel, faut-il
Faire sonner tous les clairons
Pour rassembler les escadrons?
Colonel, Colonel, nous attendons
Le Colonel s'ennuie
Il effeuille une fleur
Et rêve à son amie
Qui lui a pris son cœur
Son amie est si douce et belle
Dans sa robe au soleil
Que chaque jour passé près d'elle
Se meuble de merveilles
Colonel, faut-il
Puisque voilà notre ennemi
Faire tirer notre artillerie
Disposer notre infanterie?
Colonel, faut-il
Charger tous comme des fous
Ou partir à pas de loup?
Colonel, Colonel, dites-le nous
Le Colonel s'ennuie
Il effeuille une fleur
Et rêve à son amie
Qui lui a pris son cœur
Ses baisers doux comme velours
Tendrement ont conduit
A l'état-major de l'amour
Le Colonel ravi
Colonel, faut-il
Puisque vous êtes blessé
Faut-il donc nous occuper
De vous trouver un abbé?
Colonel, faut-il
Puisqu'est mort l'apothicaire
Chercher le vétérinaire?
Colonel, Colonel, que faut-il faire?
Le Colonel s'ennuie
Il effeuille une fleur
Et rêve à son amie
Qui lui a pris son cœur
Il la voit et lui tend les bras
Il la voit et l'appelle
Et c'est en lui parlant tout bas
Qu'il entre dans le ciel
Ce Colonel qui meurt
Et qui meurt de chagrin
Blessé d'une fille dans le cœur
Ce colonel loin de sa belle
C'est mon cœur loin du tien
C'est mon cœur loin du tien
The song "Le Colonel" by Jacques Brel is a poignant ballad that describes the ennui and longing of a colonel who is deeply enamored with his beautiful lover, and who is torn between his love and his duties as a military commander. Through the verses, the colonel is asked whether he needs to gather his soldiers and prepare for battle with the enemy, as the dawn breaks, and his answer is always hesitant and uncertain, as he is constantly drawn back to thoughts of his beloved. The first few lines ask whether all the drums and trumpets should be sounded to rally the troops, and whether they should charge into battle, or sneak up quietly like wolves.
As the song progresses, the colonel is described as feeling bored and listless, and his only solace is in the memory of his lover, who is always on his mind. He imagines her gentle and beautiful as she basks in the sunshine, and he becomes lost in reverie. As he drifts off, he thinks of their tender kisses, and how they led him to the state of love's battleground that is the headquarters of his heart. The chorus repeats, asking the colonel if he should act decisively and send his artillery and infantry to attack the enemy, or if he should wait and plan an ambush in the night.
The final verses tell of the colonel's deep pain and heartbreak as he contemplates the futility of his position. He is wounded both in his soul and in his body, and he is comforted by thoughts of seeing his lover again. As he dies, he realizes that he can finally be reunited with her, and he enters the great beyond with gratitude and relief, leaving behind the emptiness and confusion of his former life.
Line by Line Meaning
Colonel, faut-il
Colonel, do we have to
Puisque se lève le jour
Since the day is dawning
Faire battre tous les tambours
Beat all the drums
Pour éveiller tous les pandoures?
To wake up all the soldiers?
Colonel, faut-il
Colonel, do we have to
Faire sonner tous les clairons
Blow all the bugles
Pour rassembler les escadrons?
To gather the squadrons?
Colonel, Colonel, nous attendons
Colonel, Colonel, we are waiting
Le Colonel s'ennuie
The Colonel is bored
Il effeuille une fleur
He's plucking a flower
Et rêve à son amie
And dreaming of his beloved
Qui lui a pris son cœur
Who stole his heart
Son amie est si douce et belle
His sweetheart is so sweet and beautiful
Dans sa robe au soleil
In her sunlit dress
Que chaque jour passé près d'elle
That every day spent with her
Se meuble de merveilles
Is full of wonders
Colonel, faut-il
Colonel, do we have to
Puisque voilà notre ennemi
Since our enemy is here
Faire tirer notre artillerie
Fire our artillery
Disposer notre infanterie?
Deploy our infantry?
Colonel, faut-il
Colonel, do we have to
Charger tous comme des fous
Charge like madmen
Ou partir à pas de loup?
Or sneak away?
Colonel, Colonel, dites-le nous
Colonel, Colonel, tell us
Le Colonel s'ennuie
The Colonel is bored
Il effeuille une fleur
He's plucking a flower
Et rêve à son amie
And dreaming of his beloved
Qui lui a pris son cœur
Who stole his heart
Ses baisers doux comme velours
Her kisses soft as velvet
Tendrement ont conduit
Gently led him
A l'état-major de l'amour
To the headquarters of love
Le Colonel ravi
The Colonel delighted
Colonel, faut-il
Colonel, do we have to
Puisque vous êtes blessé
Since you are injured
Faut-il donc nous occuper
Should we take care of you
De vous trouver un abbé?
Find you a priest?
Colonel, faut-il
Colonel, do we have to
Puisqu'est mort l'apothicaire
Since the apothecary is dead
Chercher le vétérinaire?
Look for the veterinarian?
Colonel, Colonel, que faut-il faire?
Colonel, Colonel, what should we do?
Le Colonel s'ennuie
The Colonel is bored
Il effeuille une fleur
He's plucking a flower
Et rêve à son amie
And dreaming of his beloved
Qui lui a pris son cœur
Who stole his heart
Il la voit et lui tend les bras
He sees her and opens his arms
Il la voit et l'appelle
He sees her and calls her
Et c'est en lui parlant tout bas
And while whispering to her
Qu'il entre dans le ciel
He enters heaven
Ce Colonel qui meurt
This dying Colonel
Et qui meurt de chagrin
Who dies of heartbreak
Blessé d'une fille dans le cœur
Injured by a girl in his heart
Ce colonel loin de sa belle
This Colonel far from his beloved
C'est mon cœur loin du tien
It's my heart far from yours
C'est mon cœur loin du tien
It's my heart far from yours
Contributed by Michael V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mary M. Brandes
on La Valse à Mille Temps
I love Jacques Brel songs.