Higelin's entertainment career began at age 14, when he left school to work as a stunt double. While playing a number of small roles in various motion pictures, Higelin was taught to play the guitar by Henri Crolla, an Italian film composer. By the early sixties, Higelin was attending the René Simon drama school, where he won the François Perier award.
For two years starting in 1961, Higelin served in the French military. Upon returning to France, he resumed his cinematic career, but increasingly began to focus on music over film. By the end of the decade, he was also very active in the artistic underground in Paris, and he began to channel his music towards radical militancy. He began attracting popular attention through his live concerts, typically held in smaller venues, and released his first solo album, in 1971. By the middle of the 1970s, Higelin had become one of France's most successful musicians, and he continued to be influential.
Le berceau de la vie
Jacques Higelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tournent les machines
Qui s'encrassent et se détraquent
Se calaminent
Et souvent tombent en panne
Vingt-quatre heures sur vingt-quatre
Mon cœur bat
Mon cœur bat
Surtout ne t'inquiète pas
Car le tien continuera de battre
Comme le cœur de mes frères
D'amour et de colère
A travers le mien
O bébé
La mort est toujours proche
La mort est toujours là
J'ai l'cerveau qui résonne
Comme une vieille cloche félée
baby bébé
La mort est toujours proche
La mort est toujours là
J'comprends pas c'qu'on m'reproche
Ni qui je suis ni c'que j'fous là
Mais bébé la mort
la mort est le berceau de la vie
laisse moi te..
Rouler une galoche
à la santé de l'amour fou
Pour compenser toutes ces taloches
Que la vie a filé
A mon papa
Garde le feeling au bout des doigts
Au bout des seins
Au creux des hanches
Et laisse le monter sur mes planches
Surtout ne le retiens pas
Loin des nostalgies résignées
Fais voir ta grâce et ta beauté
Dignes et jolies
Dignes et jolies
S'éclater sur le bois de mes planches
Frapper du pied claquer de doigts
Chanter la folie la jouissance
L'amour de la vie
Digne et jolie
Jusq'uà c'que mon cœur flanche
Oh bébé
la mort est toujours proche
Bébé baby
La mort est le berceau de la vie
In "Le berceau de la vie," Jacques Higelin uses vivid imagery to comment on the relentless march of time, the fragility of life, and the beauty of love, all while highlighting the inevitability of death. The song opens with the image of machines that constantly work to serve various purposes but eventually fail or break down due to wear and tear. Higelin compares these machines to the human heart, which beats continuously, but someday inevitably stops. He reassures his baby that, even when his heart stops, hers will go on beating, just like those of his brothers in love and anger that his heart carries within itself.
Higelin's musings on life's impermanence and the inevitability of death continue in the second verse, as he brings forth the image of a "vieille cloche félée" (an old cracked bell) rattling around in his head. He struggles to understand who he is and what he's doing in life, feeling lost and confused. Nonetheless, he encourages his baby not to fear death, for it is the cradle of life. In the next section, he urges his baby to enjoy life while she can, to find joy and beauty in her own being, and to share it with the world through her dancing, singing, and loving.
Overall, "Le berceau de la vie" is a poignant song that captures the fleeting nature of life and the importance of living fully and loving deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
Vingt-quatre heures sur vingt-quatre
The machines keep running round the clock
Tournent les machines
The machines keep turning
Qui s'encrassent et se détraquent
They get clogged and break down
Se calaminent
They get dirty
Et souvent tombent en panne
And often breakdown
Vingt-quatre heures sur vingt-quatre
Running 24/7
Mon cœur bat
My heart beats
Et quand il tombera en panne
And when it fails
Surtout ne t'inquiète pas
Don't you worry
Car le tien continuera de battre
Yours will still go on beating
Comme le cœur de mes frères
Like the hearts of my brothers
D'amour et de colère
Full of love and anger
A travers le mien
Through mine
O bébé
Oh baby
La mort est toujours proche
Death is always near
La mort est toujours là
Death is always here
J'ai l'cerveau qui résonne
My brain is ringing
Comme une vieille cloche félée
Like an old, cracked bell
baby bébé
baby, baby
J'comprends pas c'qu'on m'reproche
I don't understand what I'm being blamed for
Ni qui je suis ni c'que j'fous là
Or who I am, or what I'm doing here
Mais bébé la mort
But baby, death
la mort est le berceau de la vie
Death is the cradle of life
laisse moi te..
Let me roll a joint for you
Rouler une galoche
Roll a joint
à la santé de l'amour fou
To the health of crazy love
Pour compenser toutes ces taloches
To make up for all the blows
Que la vie a filé
That life has given
A mon papa
To my dad
Garde le feeling au bout des doigts
Keep the feeling at your fingertips
Au bout des seins
At the tips of your breasts
Au creux des hanches
In the curve of your hips
Et laisse le monter sur mes planches
And let it rise up on my stage
Surtout ne le retiens pas
Don't hold it back
Loin des nostalgies résignées
Far from resigned nostalgia
Fais voir ta grâce et ta beauté
Show your grace and beauty
Dignes et jolies
Dignified and lovely
Dignes et jolies
Dignified and lovely
S'éclater sur le bois de mes planches
Let loose on my wooden stage
Frapper du pied claquer de doigts
Stamp your feet and snap your fingers
Chanter la folie la jouissance
Sing about madness and pleasure
L'amour de la vie
The love of life
Digne et jolie
Dignified and lovely
Jusq'uà c'que mon cœur flanche
Until my heart gives out
Oh bébé
Oh baby
la mort est toujours proche
Death is always near
Bébé baby
Baby, baby
La mort est le berceau de la vie
Death is the cradle of life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Higelin Jacques
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gigi pégeault
Merci d'avoir été. Mon frère, mon père..? Sans toi, je ne serais pas tout à fait moi. <3
Catherine Belkhodja
Merci Jacques pour cette belle leçon de vie
Entre dedans dehors est la porte de jade ...
Charlie Brown
Bon voyage dans d'autres mondes...et répands-y la beauté, la sensibilité, et l'amour de la vie, comme tu sais si bien le faire!
patrick beteille
Grand Monsieur illuminé de sa propre lumière ... Inoubliable
Constantin Jack
Love you Jacques
Au Pays de Madame Souricette
50 ans bercée par la tienne..
Je t'aime.
Nathalie Cartagena
Mon Jacquot... Comme tu me manques.........
Sterenn A'nne
Tu manques Jacques ...
Marianne Carpreau
Bye Jacques. 😢
Alain Roze
..."La mort !... Est Le BERCEAU DE LA VIE..."...