Jean-Jacques Goldman is a French singer-songwriter who started his career singing as a back up singer before starting in a rock band Taï Phong before starting his solo career. A number of years later he founded the trio Fredericks - Goldman - Jones, with the British Michael Jones and American Carole Fredericks.
Extremely popular in French-speaking countries, he is a well-known songwriter, composing a number of albums for Céline Dion. He has also collaborated with Johnny Hallyday, Patricia Kaas, Garou, Marc Lavoine, Khaled (Aïcha), Lorie and Florent Pagny
He is also well known in France for getting involved in the homeless charity "Les Restos du Coeur" for which he wrote the main anthem.
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
Jean-Jacques Goldman Lyrics
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Les évidences, déteintes au soleil
Fané, le rouge sang des enfers
L'Eden, un peu moins pur, un peu moins clair
Souillé, taché, le blanc des étendards
Brûlé le vert, entêtant de l'espoir
La sérénité des gens qui croient
Ce repos d'âme que donnait la foi
Organisés, les chemins bien fléchés
Largués, les idoles et grands timoniers
Les slogans qu'on hurle à pleins poumons
Sans l'ombre, l'ombre d'une hésitation
Télévisées, les plus belles histoires
Ternis, les gentils, troublants, les méchants
Les diables ne sont plus vraiment noirs
Ni les blancs absolument innocents
Oubliées, oubliées
Délavées, nos sages années, programmées
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
Scénarisées, les histoires d'amour
Tous les "jamais", les "jurés", les "toujours"
Longue et semée d'embûches est la route
Du sacré sondage et du taux d'écoute
Psychiatrisée, l'amitié des romans
Celle des serments, des frères de sang
Les belles haines qui brûlaient le cœur
Contrôlées à travers un pacemaker
Oubliées, oubliées
Délavées, nos sages années, programmées
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
Oubliées, oubliées
Délavées, nos sages années, programmées
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
Décolorés, les messages du ciel, programmées
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
Les évidences, déteintes au soleil, prisonnier
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
Souillé, le blanc des étendards, enfermé
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
Brûlé le vert, entêtant de l'espoir, programmées
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
The lyrics to Jean-Jacques Goldman's song "Entre gris clair et gris foncé" explore the notion of disillusionment with the world around us. The opening lines describe how the messages from the sky have lost their color and the certainties we once held so dear have been washed out by the sun. Even the vivid red of hell has faded, and the purity of Eden is no longer so clear. The white of flags has been stained and the green of hope has been burnt, leaving only the serenity of those who still believe in the comforts provided by faith. The image that emerges is one of a world that has lost its vibrancy, where everything is shades of grey, and the things we once relied on have lost their potency.
As the lyrics progress, Goldman touches on a range of different themes, from the loss of ideology to the commercialization of love. The roads we travel now feel carefully plotted out, orchestrated by powerful elites who pull the strings. The idols we once worshiped have been forgotten, replaced by slogans that lack any real conviction. Even our favorite stories are tarnished, the heroes and villains reduced to shades of grey. Friendship has been medicalized, and the love that once burned in our hearts has become just another commodity, something to be analyzed and quantified.
Overall, the song offers a bleak view of the world that is becoming increasingly mechanical and colorless. It's a world where everything is programmed, and nothing is truly alive. The lyrics suggest that we have lost touch with our authentic selves, that we have become tools in a larger machine, and that we need to find a way to break free from the prison of our own making.
Line by Line Meaning
Décolorés, les messages du ciel
The messages from the heavens have lost their vibrant colors
Les évidences, déteintes au soleil
Even obvious things have faded under the harsh light of reality
Fané, le rouge sang des enfers
The vivid red of hell has lost its impact and intensity
L'Eden, un peu moins pur, un peu moins clair
Even paradise has lost some of its purity and clarity
Souillé, taché, le blanc des étendards
The white of flags has become stained and soiled
Brûlé le vert, entêtant de l'espoir
The green of hope has been burned and made overwhelming
La sérénité des gens qui croient
The calmness of those who believe
Ce repos d'âme que donnait la foi
The peace of mind that faith once provided
Organisés, les chemins bien fléchés
Paths are now well-organized and clearly marked
Largués, les idoles et grands timoniers
Idols and leaders have been abandoned and left behind
Les slogans qu'on hurle à pleins poumons
Slogans are shouted with conviction and force
Sans l'ombre, l'ombre d'une hésitation
Without the slightest hint of doubt or hesitation
Télévisées, les plus belles histoires
The most beautiful stories are now on TV
Ternis, les gentils, troublants, les méchants
Good guys are no longer pure and the bad guys are complex
Les diables ne sont plus vraiment noirs
Devils are no longer purely evil
Ni les blancs absolument innocents
Nor are the good guys completely innocent
Oubliées, oubliées
Forgotten, forgotten
Délavées, nos sages années, programmées
Our wise years have been washed out and programmed
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
In between light gray and dark gray
Scénarisées, les histoires d'amour
Love stories are now scripted
Tous les "jamais", les "jurés", les "toujours"
All the "nevers", "forevers", and "promises"
Longue et semée d'embûches est la route
The road is long and filled with obstacles
Du sacré sondage et du taux d'écoute
Dictated by sacred ratings and audience numbers
Psychiatrisée, l'amitié des romans
Friendship in novels is now a subject for psychiatrists
Celle des serments, des frères de sang
Even blood brothers and sworn oaths are not to be trusted
Les belles haines qui brûlaient le cœur
The beautiful hatreds that once burned within our hearts
Contrôlées à travers un pacemaker
Controlled through a pacemaker
Décolorés, les messages du ciel, programmées
The messages from the heavens have lost their vibrant colors and have been programmed
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
In between light gray and dark gray
Les évidences, déteintes au soleil, prisonnier
Even obvious things have faded under the harsh light of reality and are now imprisoned
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
In between light gray and dark gray
Souillé, le blanc des étendards, enfermé
The white of flags has become stained and soiled, and is now trapped
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
In between light gray and dark gray
Brûlé le vert, entêtant de l'espoir, programmées
The green of hope has been burned and made overwhelming, and has been programmed
Entre gris clair et gris foncé
In between light gray and dark gray
Lyrics © JRG MUSICALES
Written by: Jean-Jacques Goldman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind