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.

Qu
Jacques Brel Lyrics

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Qu'avons-nous fait bonnes gens, dites-moi,
De la bonté du monde?
On l'aurait cachée au fond d'un bois
Que ça ne m'étonnerait guère
On l'aurait enfouie dix pieds sous terre
Que ça ne m'étonnerait pas
Et c'est dommage de ne plus voir
A chaque soir, chaque matin

Sur les routes, sur les trottoirs
Une foule de petits Saint-Martin

Qu'avons-nous fait bonnes gens, dites-moi,
De tout l'amour du monde?
On l'aurait vendu pour je ne sais quoi
Que ça ne m'étonnerait guère
On l'aurait vendu pour faire la guerre
Que ça ne m'étonnerait pas
Mais c'est dommage de ne plus voir
Les amoureux qui ont vingt ans
Se conter mille et une histoires
Ne brûlent plus les feux de la Saint-Jean

Mais nous retrouverons, bonnes gens, croyez-moi,
Toutes ces joies profondes
On les retrouverait au fond de soi
Que ça ne m'étonnerait guère
On les retrouverait sous la poussière
Que ça ne m'étonnerait pas
Et c'est tant mieux
On pourra voir
Enfin d'autres que les fous
Chanter l'amour, chanter l'espoir
Et les chanter avec des mots à vous
Qu'attendons-nous bonnes gens, dites-moi,
Pour retrouver ces choses

Qu'attendons-nous bonnes gens?
Dites-le-moi

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jacques Brel's song "Qu'avons-nous Fait Bonnes Gens" convey a sense of loss and disappointment in humanity. Brel wonders what has happened to the kindness and love in the world, imagining that they have been hidden away or sold off for war. He mourns the loss of Saint-Martins - a reference to the Christian legend of Saint Martin of Tours who famously cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar - who would have once filled the streets, but now can no longer be found. He also laments the absence of young lovers burning fires on the night of Saint John's Eve, a traditional European celebration of summer solstice.

Despite this sense of despair, Brel concludes the song with a glimmer of hope. He believes that these deep joys and values can still be found within people, even if they have been buried beneath the dust. He calls on the listeners to take action and reclaim these things, in order to sing of love and hope with their own words. The song, therefore, can be seen as a call to action to rediscover and promote kindness, love, and generosity among humanity.

Line by Line Meaning

Qu'avons-nous fait bonnes gens, dites-moi, De la bonté du monde?
What have we done, good people, tell me, to the kindness of the world?

On l'aurait cachée au fond d'un bois Que ça ne m'étonnerait guère On l'aurait enfouie dix pieds sous terre Que ça ne m'étonnerait pas
It would not surprise me if kindness was hidden deep in the woods or buried ten feet underground.

Et c'est dommage de ne plus voir A chaque soir, chaque matin Sur les routes, sur les trottoirs Une foule de petits Saint-Martin
It is a shame that we no longer see, every evening and every morning, a crowd of small Saint Martins on the roads and sidewalks.

Qu'avons-nous fait bonnes gens, dites-moi, De tout l'amour du monde?
What have we done, good people, tell me, to all the love in the world?

On l'aurait vendu pour je ne sais quoi Que ça ne m'étonnerait guère On l'aurait vendu pour faire la guerre Que ça ne m'étonnerait pas
It would not surprise me if love was sold for who knows what or used to make war.

Mais c'est dommage de ne plus voir Les amoureux qui ont vingt ans Se conter mille et une histoires Ne brûlent plus les feux de la Saint-Jean
But it is a shame that we no longer see young lovers sharing countless stories and not lighting the fires of Saint John's Eve.

Mais nous retrouverons, bonnes gens, croyez-moi, Toutes ces joies profondes On les retrouverait au fond de soi Que ça ne m'étonnerait guère On les retrouverait sous la poussière Que ça ne m'étonnerait pas
But we will find again, good people, believe me, all these deep joys. It would not surprise me if they were found within ourselves or under the dust.

Et c'est tant mieux On pourra voir Enfin d'autres que les fous Chanter l'amour, chanter l'espoir Et les chanter avec des mots à vous
And it's all the better. We will finally see others, not just the crazy ones, singing about love, singing about hope, and singing with your own words.

Qu'attendons-nous bonnes gens, dites-moi, Pour retrouver ces choses Qu'attendons-nous bonnes gens? Dites-le-moi
What are we waiting for, good people, tell me, to find these things again? What are we waiting for, good people? Tell me.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACQUES ROMAIN G. BREL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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