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.
Les Gens Sont Fous Les Temps Sont Flous
Jacques Dutronc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ça les prend, comme ça d'un coup
Ils ont besoin d'un petit chouchou
D'un ermite ou, d'un grand bijou
D'un truc en plastique, en caoutchouc
Une petite chose, pour faire joujou
Et qui flambe vite comme amadou
Les gens sont fous, les temps sont flous
Les temps sont flous, les gens sont fous
Yo-yo, hula-hop et scoubidou
Porte-clef et porte-choux
Portefeuille et feuille de chou
C'est une manie, un tour-lou-rou
Une folie, quand le toutou
Ce petit chien, qui fait "magoo"
Les temps sont flous, les gens sont fous
Les gens sont fous, les temps sont flous
D'un petit truc qui vaut des clous
Ils en font, d'un vrai Pérou
Des ports-clefs, des pas-bijoux
Ça n'ouvre que les verrous
Pas besoin de leur faire une interview
Les gens sont fous, les temps sont flous
Les temps sont flous, les gens sont fous
Ils sont là comme des toutous de Paris à Tombouctou
Quand il s'agit de faire joujou avec des binioux
Des scoubidous, des porte-clefs, des loups-garous
Andalous, ou bien hindous
En zoulou, des petits piou-pious
Ils s'amusent à pousse-caillou
Au tire-sous, au manitou
Les porte-clefs, les scoubidous
Font qu'ils en tombent à genoux
Les gens sont fous, les temps sont flous
Les temps sont flous, les gens sont fous
Les gens sont fous, les temps sont flous
The lyrics of Jacques Dutronc's song Les Gens Sont Fous Les Temps Sont Flous discuss the idea that people are consumed by material possessions and the need for the latest trendy items, even if they don't really need them. They are willing to give away all their money just to have a moment of pleasure or amusement. The list of examples in the lyrics includes everything from yo-yos and hula-hoops to plastic trinkets and key chains. These items may bring temporary joy, but they are quickly discarded, just like everything else in this fast-moving consumer society.
The chorus repeats the line "Les gens sont fous les temps sont flous" (People are crazy, times are blurry), emphasizing the idea that people are losing their grip on reality as they become more and more obsessed with material goods. The tone of the song is sarcastic and critical, highlighting the absurdity of the situation. It seems that no matter what people do, they cannot escape the cycle of consumption that has taken over their lives.
In this way, the song can be seen as a commentary on the consumerist culture of the 1960s, but also as relevant in contemporary society. The lyrics encourage listeners to think about their own consumption patterns and how they contribute to a wider cycle of materialism and waste.
Line by Line Meaning
Les gens prennent tout, les temps sans sous
People take everything, even when times are tough
Ça les prend, comme ça d'un coup
It takes them over suddenly and completely
Ils ont besoin d'un petit chouchou
They need a little something to spoil themselves
D'un ermite ou, d'un grand bijou
Whether it's a hermit or a big piece of jewelry
D'un truc en plastique, en caoutchouc
Or a plastic, rubber thing
Une petite chose, pour faire joujou
Something small to play with
Et qui flambe vite comme amadou
That burns out quickly like tinder
Yo-yo, hula-hop et scoubidou
Yo-yos, hula hoops, and scoubidous
Porte-clef et porte-choux
Keychains and cabbage carriers
Portefeuille et feuille de chou
Wallets and cabbage leaves
C'est une manie, un tour-lou-rou
It's a craze, a whirlwind
Une folie, quand le toutou
A madness, when even the dog
Ce petit chien, qui fait "magoo"
This little dog that does "magoo"
D'un petit truc qui vaut des clous
From a little thing that's worth nothing
Ils en font, d'un vrai Pérou
They make it like it's the next big thing
Des ports-clefs, des pas-bijoux
Keychains, not even jewelry
Ça n'ouvre que les verrous
It only opens locks
Pas besoin de leur faire une interview
No need to interview them
Ils sont là comme des toutous de Paris à Tombouctou
They're there like lap dogs from Paris to Timbuktu
Quand il s'agit de faire joujou avec des binioux
When it comes to playing with trinkets
Des scoubidous, des porte-clefs, des loups-garous
Scoubidous, keychains, werewolves
Andalous, ou bien hindous
Andalusian or Hindu
En zoulou, des petits piou-pious
In Zulu, little chirping birds
Ils s'amusent à pousse-caillou
They have fun playing with pebbles
Au tire-sous, au manitou
At coin pushing games, at fortune telling
Les porte-clefs, les scoubidous
The keychains, the scoubidous
Font qu'ils en tombent à genoux
Make them fall to their knees
Les gens sont fous, les temps sont flous
People are crazy, times are fuzzy
Les temps sont flous, les gens sont fous
Times are fuzzy, people are crazy
Les gens sont fous, les temps sont flous
People are crazy, times are fuzzy
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jacques Dutronc, Jacques Lanzmann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind