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.
La Vie En Live
Jacques Dutronc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Le live le live
Et lui il voit sa vie en live
Quand il voit tous ces gens mourir de faim
Il est navré d'avoir tant d'appétit
Quand il voit tous ces gens mendier leur riz
Il se dit qu'un peu de sauce leur ferait du bien
C'est formidable
Ça le détend
Ah le live le live le live
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Le live le live
Et lui il voit sa vie en live
Quand il voit tous ces bébés plein les chariots
Tous ces gens qui fielent sur les routes de l'exil
Il s'en veut de vivre au Trocadéro
Pris de remords il se mord le nombril
Alors il fait son chèque de 30 euros
C'est formidable
Ça le détend
Ah le live le live le live
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Le live le live
Il voit sa vie en live
Quand il voit les vicieux les pédophiles
Tous ces enfants qu'on choisit au hasard
Ou qu'il apprend le crime d'un chauffard
Il se dit que ça pourrait tomber sur sa fille
Alors il fait son chèque de 30 euros
C'est formidable
Ça le détend
Ah le live le live le live
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Le live le live
Il voit sa vie en live
Quand il voit tous ces damnés de la terre
Quand il voit tous ces tremblements de terre
Il se dit qu'il a vraiment de la chance
Et qu'il devrait partir en vacances
Alors il fait son chèque de 1000 euros
C'est formidable
Ça le détend
Ah le live le live le live
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Le live le live
Il voit sa vie en live
Le live le live le live
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Le live le live
Il voit sa vie en live
Le live le live le live
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Le live le live
Il voit sa vie en live
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
Il voit sa vie en live
The lyrics of Jacques Dutronc's "La Vie En Live" depict the mindset of a person who is aware of the inequalities and injustices present in the world but seems rather indifferent towards them. The person's only escape from the reality of a harsh world is the experience of live performance, with live concerts serving as a sort of drug that helps them forget about their privileged life and the problems of others. As the person witnesses people dying of hunger, the sight makes him feel guilty of having such a rich diet, but instead of adopting any concrete measures to help, he simply writes a check to a charity organization to justify himself. Similarly, when he thinks about the plight of refugees, he becomes aware of how lucky he is to live in luxury and be comfortable while others are living through difficult times. The person's conscious seems to be working, but the lyrics suggest a sense of apathy, as all the person can manage to do is write another check and forget about the issue altogether.
From a musical perspective, the chorus of the song repeatedly emphasizes the phrase "le live," which in French means "the live," creating a catchy hook that instills the importance of live performances in the person's life. The refrain seems to be a sort of mantra that the person uses to convince themselves that they are living life to the fullest. Additionally, the song is accompanied by a driving guitar riff, fast-paced drums, and Dutronc's distinctive vocals, all of which combine to create an energetic and upbeat feel.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah le live le live le live
The excitement of a live performance
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
He's crazy about live shows
Le live le live
Live performances are his passion
Et lui il voit sa vie en live
He sees his life through the lens of live shows
Quand il voit tous ces gens mourir de faim
He's saddened by the hunger and poverty he sees
Il est navré d'avoir tant d'appétit
He feels guilty for having a good appetite
Quand il voit tous ces gens mendier leur riz
He wishes he could help those begging for their food
Il se dit qu'un peu de sauce leur ferait du bien
He thinks that a little bit of sauce could really make a difference
Alors il fait son chèque de 30 euros
He donates 30 euros to help
C'est formidable
He thinks it's fantastic
Ça le détend
Donating money relaxes him
Quand il voit tous ces bébés plein les chariots
He's struck by the sight of packed baby carriages of people fleeing their homes
Tous ces gens qui fielent sur les routes de l'exil
He's heartbroken by the refugees fleeing their homes
Il s'en veut de vivre au Trocadéro
His privileged position in Trocadero makes him feel guilty
Pris de remords il se mord le nombril
He's filled with remorse and self-blame
Quand il voit les vicieux les pédophiles
He's repulsed by the sight of pedophiles
Tous ces enfants qu'on choisit au hasard
He's outraged by the random selection of children for abuse
Ou qu'il apprend le crime d'un chauffard
He's angered by the senseless act of a reckless driver
Il se dit que ça pourrait tomber sur sa fille
He fears for his own daughter's safety
Quand il voit tous ces damnés de la terre
He's saddened by the plight of the oppressed
Quand il voit tous ces tremblements de terre
He's concerned by the earthquake's destruction
Il se dit qu'il a vraiment de la chance
He thinks he's very lucky
Et qu'il devrait partir en vacances
And that he should take a vacation
Alors il fait son chèque de 1000 euros
He donates 1000 euros to help
C'est formidable
He thinks it's fantastic
Ça le détend
Donating money relaxes him
C'est fou ce qu'il aime le live
He's crazy about live shows
Il voit sa vie en live
He sees his life through the lens of live shows
Le live le live le live
Live performances are his passion
Contributed by Thomas A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MrClauberC
Grande artista! 😊🇧🇷♥️🇫🇷👏👏👏
@hidoinealain
Il a surpris Françoise avec cette chanson. Elle l'adore. Musicalement, elle est magnifique, et c'est une curiosité, parce que Jacques est un compositeur guitariste. Or, l'arrangement piano est magnifique. On voit là son grand talent de compositeur. Il faut savoir qu'il a composé 99% de ses chansons, et qu'il a écrit les paroles de quelques-unes. Tout en collaborant activant à celles signées Lanzmann.
@epteloru
Bonjour Alain, C'est vrai que Jacques est guitariste de formation mais son père était pianiste, je ne crois pas que Pierre Dutronc lui ai enseigné formellement le piano mais Jacques était en "immersion pianistique" durant son enfance et son adolescence, ça a surement influencé sa manière de composer. Dans le Live au casino le pianiste y est pour beaucoup dans la réussite de cette chanson je pense que c'est Bernard Arcadio qui joue le piano et Erdal Kizilcay qui joue les synthes-violons.
@supertchoupi
C’est vrai, dans un interview , Françoise l’explique et même son père aimait beaucoup cette chanson(père de Jacques)
@danielle9509
Quelle magnifique chanson d'amour, trop méconnue me semble t-il, et chantée par un Jacques Dutronc au sommet de sa beauté et de son charme à l'aube de la cinquantaine !
@mariemarseille4078
Au sommet de sa séduction..j adore Dutronc et toutes ses chansons ❤️❤️❤️❤️
@marcpages4410
Une des plus belles chansons que je connaisse !!!
@philippedubocage
tout simplement sublime !
@deketelaere
Dans mon top 10 de ses chansons En fait je les aimes toutes J'adore Dutronc <3
@noraozer2800
What a voice wow 👏🏽👏🏽