Between 1963 and 1964, Dutronc was the guitarist for a group called El Toro et les Cyclones who recorded several EPs. During this time he could frequently be seen on stage at the Golf Drouot as backing guitarist for stars like Eddy Mitchell. He then went and did his obligatory military service. After his return he landed a job as assistant at Vogue Records to Artistic Director Jacques Wolfsohn. In this capacity he arranged songs (there is no indication that he wrote the lyrics for any of these songs) for several lesser known artists like Zou Zou and CLeo. In 1966 (or maybe the end of 1965), he was teamed with writer Jacques Lanzmann, then director at Lui magazine, to create songs for artists who were arranged to be the next big thing. Benjamin was the first of these singers. But his first EP did horribly and he was unceremoniously booted from Vogue. One day after hearing the demos that Dutronc had made of a song, Wolfsohn declared that Jacques should do the record for release. "Et moi, et moi, et moi" was unleashed on the world in 1966 and overnight one of France's biggest stars was born.
With Lanzmann in charge of the lyrics and Dutronc taking care of the music, the two created some of the most lasting songs in French pop history. There is almost no French person alive who does not know "Et moi, et moi, et moi", "Les Playboys", and "Le cactus". Other great songs include "Mini, mini, mini", "Le responsable", "J'ai un tigre dans ma guitare", and "L'opportuniste". The music on most of these songs is a British garage sound and Dutronc has often been compared to Ray Davies of The Kinks, and that comparison works musically as well. What really set Dutronc apart from the other singers of the time was his parody. His songs are not celebrating the "youth generation" but mocking it. Dutronc's biggest hit was the beautiful "Il est cinq heures, Paris s'eveille", with the classical flute player Roger Bourdin (not as some had thought Jean-Pierre Rampal) performing an essential part. In this song, Dutronc manages to paint a remarkably correct picture of the French capital in the early morning hours in the late 1960's.
Dutronc's "La fille du père Noël" and David Bowie's "Jean Genie" share a riff likely derived from the Yardbirds' accelerated version of Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man." The Belgian singer Arno recorded a medley of the Dutronc and Bowie songs ("Jean Baltazaarr") with the American singer Beverly Jo Scott that makes clear their similarities.
In 1973, Dutronc began a second career as an actor in the film Antoine et Sébastien, directed by Jean-Marie Périer, a career that would afterward occupy the greater share of his attention. Directors for whom he has worked include Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Lelouch and Maurice Pialat. He has also returned to recording in recent years.
Also in 1973, "Et moi, et moi, et moi" was adapted with English lyrics by Ray Dorset, leader of Mungo Jerry. "Alright Alright Alright" became a UK No. 3 hit for the group.
Interestingly, the early Dutronc songs usually had a classic late-sixties freakbeat backing (provided by session musicians) that has managed to win Jacques Dutronc a new audience in the hip retro clubs of the UK and USA in the late 1990s, and this continues today. (Ironically, most of the people who will be dancing to the likes of "Le Cactus" will have no idea what the words actually mean). Because of this, he is celebrated in the 1997 Cornershop song "Brimful of Asha" thus: "Jacques Dutronc and the Bolan Boogie/The Heavy Hitters and the Chichi music."
He currently lives in the town of Monticello on the island of Corsica.
Comment Elles Dorment
Jacques Dutronc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tout dépend du garçon
Chacun a sa façon de faire fondre les glaçons
Moi, je suis
Le polisson du polochon
Martine dort dans ses cheveux
Et moi, quand je le veux
Christine dort en pyjama
Et moi je n'peux jama
Lui faire mon cinéma
Les filles ne dorment jamais de la même façon
Tout dépend du garçon
Chacun a sa façon de faire fondre les glaçons
Moi, je suis
Le polisson du polochon
Liliane écrit en dormant
Un genre nouveau roman
Du temps qu'emporte le vent
Viviane dort emmitouflée
En tenant bien serrée
Une toute petite poupée
Les filles ne dorment jamais de la même façon
Tout dépend du garçon
Chacun a sa façon de faire fondre les glaçons
Moi, je suis
Le polisson du polochon
Marie dort aux somnifères
Et je reste comme un frère
Sur son sommier en fer
Annie dort en disant "yes"
Et quand je la caresse
Elle enlève ses boules Quiès
Les filles ne dorment jamais de la même façon
Tout dépend du garçon
Chacun a sa façon de faire fondre les glaçons
Moi, je suis
Le polisson
Du polochon
The song "Comment Elles Dorment" by Jacques Dutronc is a witty and playful ode to the different ways in which women sleep, and how each woman's sleeping style is influenced by the man she is with. The lyrics tap into the idea that sleeping with someone is an intimate act that reveals a lot about a person's vulnerability, preferences, and personality. Each verse describes a different woman and her sleeping habits, and how the singer navigates those habits to get closer to her.
The opening verse sets the tone for the song, with Dutronc singing, "Les filles ne dorment jamais de la même façon" ("Girls never sleep in the same way"). He goes on to explain that everything depends on the man she is with, and each man has his way of "melting the ice" (i.e., getting closer to her). The singer, in this case, is "the jester of the pillow" ("Le polisson du polochon"), which highlights his playful, mischievous nature.
The subsequent verses describe different women with different sleeping habits. Martine sleeps with her hair down, and the singer ties it up in a knot. Christine wears pajamas, and the singer can't enact his fantasy when she is so dressed. Liliane sleeps with her pen and paper, and the singer imagines her writing a novel while she is asleep. Viviane is wrapped up in a blanket, holding a small doll, and the singer imagines her as a little girl. Marie takes sleeping pills, and the singer respects her as if she were his sister. Annie wears earplugs, and the singer manages to get her to remove them with his caresses.
The song suggests that sleeping with someone is a revealing experience that can teach us a lot about that person's personality, preferences, and quirks. It also highlights the playful, mischievous nature of courtship and how much fun it can be to explore and discover someone else's secrets.
Line by Line Meaning
Les filles ne dorment jamais de la même façon
Girls never sleep the same way
Tout dépend du garçon
It all depends on the boy
Chacun a sa façon de faire fondre les glaçons
Each one has their own way of melting ice
Moi, je suis
Le polisson du polochon
As for me, I'm the little rascal of the pillow
Martine dort dans ses cheveux
Martine sleeps in her hair
Et moi, quand je le veux
Je lui fais un petit nœud
And when I want to, I tie it in a little knot
Christine dort en pyjama
Christine sleeps in her pajamas
Et moi je n'peux jama
Lui faire mon cinéma
And I can never put on a show for her
Liliane écrit en dormant
Un genre nouveau roman
Liliane writes a new kind of novel while sleeping
Du temps qu'emporte le vent
Viviane dort emmitouflée
As time flies by, Viviane sleeps bundled up
En tenant bien serrée
Une toute petite poupée
Holding on tightly to a little doll
Marie dort aux somnifères
Et je reste comme un frère
Sur son sommier en fer
Marie sleeps with sleeping pills and I stay like a brother on her iron bed
Annie dort en disant "yes"
Et quand je la caresse
Elle enlève ses boules Quiès
Annie sleeps saying "yes" and when I touch her, she takes out her earplugs
Les filles ne dorment jamais de la même façon
Tout dépend du garçon
Chacun a sa façon de faire fondre les glaçons
Moi, je suis
Le polisson
Du polochon
Girls never sleep the same way, it all depends on the boy. Each one has their own way of melting ice. As for me, I'm the little rascal of the pillow
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Anne Segalen, Jacques Dutronc, Jacques Lanzmann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind