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.
Les amants de cœur
Jacques Brel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ils s'aiment s'aiment pour toujours
Ils s'aiment tout au long du jour
Ils s'aiment s'aiment s'aiment tant
Qu'on dirait des anges d'amour
Des anges fous se protégeant
Quand se retrouvent en courant
Les amants
Les amants
Ils s'aiment s'aiment à la folie
S'effeuillant à l'ombre des feux
Se découvrant comme deux fruits
Puis se trouvant n'être plus deux
Se dénouant comme velours
Se reprenant au petit jour
Et s'endormant les plus heureux
Les amants,les amants de coeur
Les amants
Ils s'aiment s'aiment en tremblant
Le coeur mouillé le coeur battant
Chaque seconde est une peur
Qui croque le coeur entre ses dents
Ils savent trop de rendez-vous
Où n'vinrent que des facteurs
Pour n'avoir pas peur du loup
Les amants,les amants de coeur
Les amants
Ils s'aiment s'aiment en pleurant
Chaque jour un peu moins amants
Quand ils ont bu tout leur mystère
Deviennent comme soeur et frère
Brûlent leurs ailes d'inquiétude
Redeviennent deux habitudes
Alors changent de partenaire
Les amants, les amants de coeur
Les amants
Qui s'aiment s'aiment en riant
Qui s'aiment s'aiment pour toujours
Qui s'aiment tout au long du jour
Qui s'aiment s'aiment s'aiment tant
Qu'on dirait des anges d'amour
Des anges fous se protégeant
Quand ils se retrouv'nt en courant
Les amants, les amants de coeur
Les amants
The lyrics of Jacques Brel's song "Les amants de cœur" describe the passion of two lovers who cannot get enough of each other. The song portrays the intensity of the couple's feelings, which are so strong that they are compared to those of "angels of love," who protect each other like "mad angels." The lovers spend every moment together, laughing and enjoying the pleasure of each other's company. They are described as two fruits stripping down to their cores, becoming one with each other, before being reborn anew the next morning.
As the song progresses, the tone and the lyrics depict the complexities of the lovers' relationship. Although they have a deep understanding of each other and share many intimate moments, their fear of being discovered as lovers causes them to be cautious and secretive. They worry about missing their rendezvous, forcing them to endure the endless waiting of postal carriers or other similar figureheads of authority. Despite their love and devotion, the lovers become consumed with fear as the realization sets in that their relationship does not have a future. They are left with only memories, and they miss each other but with each passing day, they become just a little less in love than they were before.
Overall, "Les amants de cœur" captures the raw passion and fear that are part of a tumultuous relationship. The song speaks to the highs and lows of love, as well as to the heartbreak that sometimes accompanies the end of a passionate romance.
Line by Line Meaning
Ils s'aiment, s'aiment en riant
They love each other, laughing together
Ils s'aiment, s'aiment pour toujours
They love each other, loving forever
Ils s'aiment tout au long du jour
They love each other all day long
Ils s'aiment, s'aiment, s'aiment tant
They love each other, loving so much
Qu'on dirait des anges d'amour
That they look like love angels
Des anges fous se protégeant
Crazy angels protecting each other
Quand se retrouvent en courant
When they reunite by running to each other
Les amants
Les amants de cœur
Les amants
The lovers, the lovers of the heart, the lovers
Ils s'aiment, s'aiment à la folie
They love each other, madly
S'effeuillant à l'ombre des feux
Getting undressed in the shadow of fire
Se découvrant comme deux fruits
Discovering each other like two fruits
Puis se trouvant n'être plus deux
Then finding out they are no longer two
Se dénouant comme velours
Untying like velvet
Se reprenant au petit jour
Taking each other again at dawn
Et s'endormant les plus heureux
And falling asleep at their happiest
Ils s'aiment, s'aiment en tremblant
They love each other, trembling
Le cœur mouillé, le cœur battant
Their hearts wet, their hearts beating
Chaque seconde est une peur
Every second is a fear
Qui croque le cœur entre ses dents
That bites the heart between its teeth
Ils savent trop de rendez-vous
They know too many rendezvous
Où ne vinrent que des facteurs
Where only delivery men came
Pour n'avoir pas peur du loup
To not be afraid of the wolf
Ils s'aiment, s'aiment en pleurant
They love each other, crying
Chaque jour un peu moins amants
Every day a little less lovers
Quand ils ont bu tout leur mystère
When they have drunk all their mystery
Deviennent comme sœur et frère
They become like sister and brother
Brûlent leurs ailes d'inquiétude
Burning their wings with worry
Redeviennent deux habitudes
Becoming two habits again
Alors changent de partenaire
Then they change partners
Qui s'aiment, s'aiment en riant
Those who love each other, laugh together
Qui s'aiment, s'aiment pour toujours
Those who love each other, love forever
Qui s'aiment tout au long du jour
Those who love each other all day long
Qui s'aiment, s'aiment, s'aiment tant
Those who love each other, love so much
Qu'on dirait des anges d'amour
That they look like love angels
Des anges fous se protégeant
Crazy angels protecting each other
Quand ils se retrouvent en courant
When they reunite by running to each other
Les amants
Les amants de cœur
Les amants
The lovers, the lovers of the heart, the lovers
Lyrics © SEMI
Written by: ROD MC KUEN, Jacques BREL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michelesanchez6586
Je découvre cette magnifique chanson aujourd'hui. Mon dieu quelle est belle 😘
@vivienpandart
+1
@SangMarocain
Liege
@nabilsumath4442
Ils aiment toujours dans le SILENCE des bienfaits d'une clémente SOLITUDE ! L'AMOUR EST PRÉSENT pour effacer les mauvais moments d'une personne qui regrette d'être malhonnête ... Mes les beaux souvenirs des AMI ES RESTENT RÉUNIES À JAMAIS .
@celestecoeur
C'est merveilleux
@prandichristel4826
Chanson vraiment magnifique et vrai 💞
@ahmedfrederic3907
Publié pour la première fois dans un coffret de 14 Disques Velours bleu en 1982
@renatocpjr5192
Eterno, Brel...!
@patriciavillalobos9317
Ahhh, il connaissait tant l'amour.
@sylvievanneste9440
merci !!!!