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.
Madame L'Existence
Jacques Dutronc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Une démocratie
Je voudrais m'acheter
Le meilleur d'une vie
Je voudrais m'acheter
De la liberté
Et puis un peu
De fraternité
On n'a pas ce genre d'articles
Vous vous trompez de boutique
Ici c'est pas la république
Je voudrais m'acheter
Des petits bonheurs
Je voudrais m'acheter
Des contre-malheurs
Je voudrais m'acheter
Un peu de vérité
Et puis aussi
Quelque chose
Pour rêver
On n'a pas ce genre d'articles
Vous vous trompez de boutique
Ici c'est pas la république
Je voudrais m'acheter
Un morceau d'avenir
Je voudrais m'acheter
Des envies de sourire
Je voudrais m'acheter
Un très très grand amour
Et pouvoir
L'aimer
35 heures tous les jours
On n'a pas ce genre d'articles
Vous vous trompez de boutique
Ici c'est pas la république
Avez-vous quelque chose
Contre la misère?
Contre la misère
On a des cache-misère
Contre la misère
On a de la poudre aux yeux
Et puis encore
Un peu de ciel bleu
Merci merci
Madame l'Existence
Je vais donc changer de boutique
Aller voir si la république
Ne vend pas ce genre d'article
Merci merci
Madame l'Existence
Je vais donc changer de boutique
Et voir si la république
Ne vend pas ce genre d'article
Merci merci
Madame l'Existence
Merci madame
Merci madame.
In Jacques Dutronc's "Madame L'Existence," the singer expresses a desire to purchase various things that are intangible, such as democracy, the best that life has to offer, liberty, fraternity, small joys, protection against misfortune, truth, something to dream about, a piece of the future, reasons to smile, and a very big love that can be enjoyed for 35 hours each day. However, every time they ask the shopkeeper if they have these items available, they are told that they are in the wrong store and are not currently for sale. The shopkeeper responds that they only sell "cache-misère" (something to hide the harsh realities of poverty), "poudre aux yeux" (something to deceive or distract), and a little bit of blue sky to offer a glimmer of hope.
The song can be interpreted as a critique of consumer culture and capitalist society, which values the accumulation of material possessions over the attainment of true happiness and fulfillment. The singer's desire to purchase democracy, liberty, and fraternity implies that these qualities have been commodified and have lost their original meaning, becoming just another item to be bought and sold. Furthermore, the shopkeeper's dismissal of the singer's requests portrays a world where these intangible items are no longer accessible to all members of society, highlighting the inequalities and hierarchies that exist. However, the singer's decision to leave the current store and search for a different one that may sell these items suggests a rejection of this status quo and a hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Je voudrais m'acheter Une démocratie
I wish to purchase democracy, the power of the people to govern themselves
Je voudrais m'acheter Le meilleur d'une vie
I wish to buy the best of life, a fulfilling existence
Je voudrais m'acheter De la liberté
I wish to buy freedom, the ability to act, speak and think without restraint
Et puis un peu De fraternité
And then a bit of fraternity, the bond of friendship and solidarity among people
On n'a pas ce genre d'articles Vous vous trompez de boutique Ici c'est pas la république
We don't sell these kinds of things here, you're in the wrong shop. This is not a democracy, a government by the people for the people
Je voudrais m'acheter Des petits bonheurs
I wish to buy small joys, simple pleasures in life
Je voudrais m'acheter Des contre-malheurs
I wish to buy counter-unhappiness, solutions to problems and difficulties
Je voudrais m'acheter Un peu de vérité
I wish to buy a bit of truth, the state of being in accordance with fact or reality
Et puis aussi Quelque chose Pour rêver
And also something to dream, to imagine and envision possibilities
Je voudrais m'acheter Un morceau d'avenir
I wish to buy a piece of the future, the time yet to come
Je voudrais m'acheter Des envies de sourire
I wish to buy the desire to smile, the feeling of happiness and amusement
Je voudrais m'acheter Un très très grand amour Et pouvoir L'aimer 35 heures tous les jours
I wish to buy a very great love and be able to love it 35 hours every day
Avez-vous quelque chose Contre la misère?
Do you have anything against poverty?
Contre la misère On a des cache-misère
Against poverty, we have cover-ups, ways to mask the problem
Contre la misère On a de la poudre aux yeux Et puis encore Un peu de ciel bleu
Against poverty, we have deception, illusions of relief and a bit of blue sky
Merci merci Madame l'Existence Je vais donc changer de boutique Aller voir si la république Ne vend pas ce genre d'article
Thank you Madame Existence, I will change shops and see if the republic sells these kinds of things
Merci merci Madame l'Existence Merci madame
Thank you, thank you Madame Existence, thank you
Contributed by Jake J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.