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.
Mathilde
Jacques Brel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
D'aller prier pour mon salut
Mathilde est revenue
Bougnat, tu peux garder ton vin
Ce soir, je boirai mon chagrin
Mathilde est revenue
Vaudrait p't-être mieux changer nos draps
Mathilde est revenue
Mes amis, ne me laissez pas
Ce soir je repars au combat
Maudite Mathilde, puisque te v'là
Mon cœur, mon cœur, ne t'emballe pas
Fais comme si tu ne savais pas
Que la Mathilde est revenue
Mon cœur, arrête de répéter
Qu'elle est plus belle qu'avant l'été
La Mathilde qui est revenue
Mon cœur, arrête de bringuebaler
Souviens-toi qu'elle t'a déchiré
La Mathilde qui est revenue
Mes amis, ne me laissez pas, non
Dites-moi, dites-moi qu'il ne faut pas
Maudite Mathilde, puisque te v'là
Et vous mes mains, restez tranquilles
C'est un chien qui nous revient de la ville
Mathilde est revenue
Et vous mes mains, ne frappez pas
Tout ça ne vous regarde pas
Mathilde est revenue
Et vous mes mains, ne tremblez plus
Souvenez-vous quand j'vous pleurais dessus
Mathilde est revenue
Vous mes mains, ne vous ouvrez pas
Vous mes bras, ne vous tendez pas
Sacrée Mathilde, puisque te v'là
Ma mère, arrête tes prières
Ton Jacques retourne en enfer
Mathilde m'est revenue
Bougnat, apporte-nous du vin
Celui des noces et des festins
Mathilde m'est revenue
Toi, la servante, toi, la Maria
Va tendre mon grand lit de draps
Mathilde m'est revenue
Amis, ne comptez plus sur moi
Je crache au ciel encore une fois
Ma belle Mathilde, puisque te v'là, te v'là
The lyrics to Jacques Brel's song "Mathilde" tell the story of a man who is haunted by the return of his former lover, Mathilde. The song opens with him telling his mother that it is time for her to pray for his salvation because Mathilde has returned. He tells the Bougnat that he can keep his wine, as he plans on drowning his sorrows in his own way because Mathilde has returned. He even tells the Maria, the servant, that they should change the sheets, anticipating Mathilde's presence in his bed once again.
As the song progresses, the man's inner turmoil grows. He pleads with his heart to remain calm and not be swayed by Mathilde's return. He tells his friends not to leave him because he is going back to battle with "cursed Mathilde" now that she has returned. He even warns his hands not to react violently to her return because it is none of their concern.
The song is a powerful portrayal of the emotional impact that a former lover can have on a person's life. The man is filled with conflicting emotions of love, anger, and fear as he faces the return of Mathilde. He knows that she will bring him nothing but pain, yet he cannot resist the pull that she has over him.
Overall, "Mathilde" is a haunting song that explores the complicated nature of love and the lingering effects that a toxic relationship can have on a person.
Line by Line Meaning
Ma mère, voici le temps venu D'aller prier pour mon salut Mathilde est revenue
Jacques is telling his mother that the time has come for her to pray for his salvation, as Mathilde has returned
Bougnat, tu peux garder ton vin Ce soir je boirai mon chagrin Mathilde est revenue
Jacques tells the bartender to keep his wine, as he will instead drown his sorrows in response to Mathilde's return
Toi la servante, toi la Maria Vaudrait peut-être mieux changer nos draps Mathilde est revenue
Jacques suggests to his servant, Maria, that it might be best to change their sheets now that Mathilde has returned
Mes amis, ne me laissez pas Ce soir je repars au combat Maudite Mathilde, puisque te v'là
Jacques pleads with his friends to not leave him, as he feels like he's going to battle now that Mathilde has returned
Mon cœur, mon cœur ne t'emballe pas Fais comme si tu ne savais pas Que la Mathilde est revenue
Jacques tells his heart to calm down and pretend like it doesn't know that Mathilde has returned
Mon cœur, arrête de répéter Qu'elle est plus belle qu'avant l'été La Mathilde qui est revenue
Jacques tells his heart to stop repeating that Mathilde is more beautiful than she was before the summer, now that she has returned
Mon cœur, arrête de bringuebaler Souviens-toi qu'elle t'a déchiré La Mathilde qui est revenue
Jacques tells his heart to stop beating so erratically and to remember that Mathilde had hurt him before
Mes amis, ne me laissez pas, non Dites-moi, dites-moi qu'il ne faut pas Maudite Mathilde puisque te v'là
Jacques pleads with his friends to not leave him and to tell him that he shouldn't care about Mathilde's return
Et vous mes mains, restez tranquilles C'est un chien qui nous revient de la ville Mathilde est revenue
Jacques tells his hands to stay calm and describes Mathilde's return as that of a dog coming back from the city
Et vous mes mains, ne frappez pas Tout ça ne vous regarde pas Mathilde est revenue
Jacques tells his hands to not strike out, as Mathilde's return is none of their concern
Et vous mes mains, ne tremblez plus Souvenez-vous quand j'vous pleurais dessus Mathilde est revenue
Jacques tells his hands to stop shaking and to remember the times when he had cried to them about Mathilde
Vous mes mains, ne vous ouvrez pas Vous mes bras, ne vous tendez pas Sacrée Mathilde puisque te v'là
Jacques tells his hands to not open up and his arms to not stretch out, sarcastically referring to Mathilde as sacred
Ma mère, arrête tes prières Ton Jacques retourne en enfer Mathilde m'est revenue
Jacques tells his mother to stop praying, as he feels like he's going back to hell now that Mathilde has returned
Bougnat, apporte-nous du vin Celui des noces et des festins Mathilde m'est revenue
Jacques asks the bartender to bring them the best wine as a response to Mathilde's return
Toi la servante, toi la Maria Va tendre mon grand lit de draps Mathilde m'est revenue
Jacques instructs Maria, his servant, to prepare his large bed with fresh sheets now that Mathilde has returned
Amis, ne comptez plus sur moi Je crache au ciel encore une fois Ma belle Mathilde puisque te v'là, te v'là!
Jacques tells his friends to not rely on him anymore and expresses his frustration once more regarding Mathilde's return
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Jacques Brel, Gerard Jouannest
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
fany fan fan
Jacques Brel en concert et en interview, plus vivant que jamais
La fondation Jacques Brel ressort en version restaurée le concert de Knokke en 1963, les adieux à L'Olympia en 1966, et l'interview de 1971
Jacques Brel sur scène (Alain Marouani)
Plus de 40 ans après sa mort (le 9 octobre 1978), Jacques Brel reste avec Trenet et Brassens "la" référence de la chanson française. Une fougue sans égale, une passion sans limites, et un talent hors normes. La sortie en version audio restaurée et vidéo HD de deux de ses concerts les plus mythiques, ainsi qu'une interview culte, nous rappellent l’aura inégalée de cet artiste phare dans le patrimoine francophone.
Le concert dans la salle de ses débuts
Le Casino de Knokke-le-Zoute en Belgique occupe une place toute particulière dans la carrière de Jacques Brel. Le 22 juillet 1953, il y débute lors d’un concours de chant, pour lequel il finit vingt-septième et avant-dernier… tout le monde ne peut pas être visionnaire…
Par la suite, le chanteur s’y produit fidèlement chaque année comme pour conjurer ce mauvais départ. Le 23 juillet 1963, soit dix ans quasiment jour pour jour après ces débuts peu prometteurs, il livre une prestation enflammée et montre une fois de plus son engagement total, et sa passion sans retenue pour la scène. C’est la toute première fois qu’il chante Mathilde en concert. Ses grands succès sont ovationnés, tel Quand on a que l’amour.
Nawel Ouerghemi
Quand on n'a que l'amour
À s'offrir en partage
Au jour du grand voyage
Qu'est notre grand amour
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Mon amour toi et moi
Pour qu'éclatent de joie
Chaque heure et chaque jour
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour vivre nos promesses
Sans nulle autre richesse
Que d'y croire toujours
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour meubler de merveilles
Et couvrir de soleil
La laideur des faubourgs
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour unique raison
Pour unique chanson
Et unique secours
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour habiller matin
Pauvres et malandrins
De manteaux de velours
Quand on n'a que l'amour
À offrir en prière
Pour les maux de la terre
En simple troubadour
Quand on n'a que l'amour
À offrir à ceux-là
Dont l'unique combat
Est de chercher le jour
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour tracer un chemin
Et forcer le destin
À chaque carrefour
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour parler aux canons
Et rien qu'une chanson
Pour convaincre un tambour
Alors, sans avoir rien
Que la force d'aimer
Nous aurons dans nos mains
Amis, le monde entier
NasserTone
OH GOD watching the great Jacques Brel in the Greatest Quality!! Thanks for your efforts in editing these old videos & bringing them back to life again! I'm ordering many copies to add to my collection now!!! You really made my day!! made my whole year!!! I saw it has English + Arabic Subtitles (Which is my language)... Sending you love from the other side of the world... A great fan of Brel the legend from UAE, Dubai! ❤️❤️❤️
NasserTone
Please we need more of this! I wish one day to see all his videos, songs, & interviews in such great quality with subtitles too 😍😍❤️
Mariette Warris
One of the greatest souls ever to have walked this earth; his talent, his voice, his entire being absorbed by the song to hit us deep inside!
mel dru
Un chanteur magnifique parti bien trop tôt. On ne t'oublie pas ❤️
Ava Daily
Sad
jean michel aujard
Quel chanteur ! Cette chanson vous transmets un message d espoir et d amour avec une force , une rage d aimer sans retenue , cet homme était l amour incarné des humains que son âme pure repose en paix
Claude Fara Musique
Belle éloge, il n'y a rien à rajouter, bravo, amitiés, Claude
Ivan Ива́н Хвгоролский
"Alors, sans avoir rien que la force d'aimer,
Nous aurons dans nos mains, Ami, le monde entier".
Magnifique chanson. Chaque mot est parfaitement ciselé.
Pat
La beauté de Jacques dans ses chansons, probablement savoir se donner totalement. Merci pour ce chemin de vie.
almostblue
quelle force de la nature! même la façon dont il joue de la guitare me fait pleurer de beauté.
bisous d'Italie