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.
S'Il Te Faut
Jacques Brel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
S'il te faut des trains pour fuir vers l'aventure
Et de blancs navires qui puissent t'emmener
Chercher le soleil à mettre dans tes yeux
Chercher des chansons que tu puisses chanter
Alors
Et des lendemains pour pouvoir espérer
Retrouver l'espoir qui t'a glissé des mains
Retrouver la main que ta main a quittée
Alors
S'il te faut des mots prononcés par des vieux
Pour te justifier tous tes renoncements
Si la poésie pour toi n'est plus qu'un jeu
Si toute ta vie n'est qu'un vieillissement
Alors
S'il te faut l'ennui pour te sembler profond
Et le bruit des villes pour saouler tes remords
Et puis, des faiblesses pour te paraître bon
Et puis, des colères pour te paraître fort
Alors
Alors, tu n'as rien compris
The song "S'il Te Faut" by Jacques Brel speaks of a person who is lost and searching for something, perhaps meaning or purpose in life. The chorus starts with "If you need" and proceeds to list different things that the person might need in order to find what they are searching for. The verses continue to describe different scenarios that the person might find themselves in and the things that they might need to get them through those situations.
The lyrics are structured in a way that highlights the person's desperation and confusion. The repetition of "Si(te) faut" creates a sense of urgency and longing. Each verse builds on the previous one, painting a picture of someone who is increasingly lost and in need of guidance. The final line of the chorus, "Alors, tu n'as rien compris" (Then you haven't understood anything), is a stark reminder that despite all of the things they may try, they still haven't found what they're looking for.
The song ultimately speaks to the human condition and the struggle to find meaning in life. It is a poignant reminder that even when we think we have everything we need, we can still feel lost and directionless.
Line by Line Meaning
Tu n'as rien compris
You haven't understood anything
S'il te faut des trains pour fuir vers l'aventure
If you need trains to escape towards adventure
Et de blancs navires qui puissent t'emmener
And white ships which can take you away
Chercher le soleil à mettre dans tes yeux
Seek the sun to put in your eyes
Chercher des chansons que tu puisses chanter
Find songs that you can sing
S'il te faut l'aurore pour croire au lendemain
If you need the dawn to believe in tomorrow
Et des lendemains pour pouvoir espérer
And tomorrows to be able to hope
Retrouver l'espoir qui t'a glissé des mains
Regain the hope that slipped out of your hands
Retrouver la main que ta main a quittée
Regain the hand that your hand left
S'il te faut des mots prononcés par des vieux
If you need words spoken by old people
Pour te justifier tous tes renoncements
To justify all of your renunciations
Si la poésie pour toi n'est plus qu'un jeu
If poetry is nothing more than a game to you
Si toute ta vie n'est qu'un vieillissement
If your whole life is just aging
S'il te faut l'ennui pour te sembler profond
If you need boredom to seem profound to you
Et le bruit des villes pour saouler tes remords
And the noise of cities to drown your remorse
Et puis, des faiblesses pour te paraître bon
And then, weaknesses to make you seem good
Et puis, des colères pour te paraître fort
And then, anger to make you seem strong
Alors
So
Alors, tu n'as rien compris
So, you haven't understood anything
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACQUES ROMAIN G. BREL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gérard Jouvancourt
Brel, Ferrat, Brassens...toute une époque! Des grands Messieurs, des Seigneurs de la Poesie, des hommes simples à la recherche de la vérité et de l'humain !
ely ejoty
Brel, Brassens et même Ferrat qui se sont souvent érigés contre l'ordre établi ne peuvent être considérés comme des hommes simples, surtout pas Brel qui est un personnage très complexe.
Quant à "seigneurs de la poésie" préférons parler de "seigneurs de la chanson", parce que chanson et poésie ça n'est ni le même art ni le même public.
Et le "public poésie" s'il accepte de laisser un strapontin à Brassens et surtout à Ferré ainsi qu'à quelques autres plutôt hors showbiz : Jacques Bertin, Jean Vasca, Gilles Elbaz....., pour ce qui est de Brel se montre beaucoup plus critique et souvent sévère, quant à Ferrat, s'ils apprécient le chanteur, le poète...... ils ne l'évoquent pas.
Francis Doxi-Cohen
@Roland Gerard La Verite. Bien sur si vous l'ignorez...
Gérard Jouvancourt
@Roland Gerard La vérité est différente pour chacun, mais il y a une vérité universelle: l'amour de son prochain, le refus d'une civilisation matérielle et artificielle, les sentiments vrais, la joie, la capacité de profiter du moment. Euere heureux et rendre des autres heureux....
Roland Gerard
Quelle vérité?
Alban Etienne
Un grand monsieur ! Qui a vécu sa vie à 💯 % à tous les niveaux, et très intelligent! Ce qui l’a peut-être rongé 😥❣️
Pierre Degré
Moi je l’ai découvert vraiment à mes 30 ans dans un moment ou j’étais pas bien ..... il ne m’a jamais quitté et il ne me quittera jamais pour moi cet homme cet artiste est le plus grand ses textes son un recueil énorme.
Domi Bonbon
Chanteur inoubliable
Murelle VENDRAMIN
A 12/13 ans.... 😁
Murelle VENDRAMIN
Moi avant. A son décès là bas