Jean-Jacques Goldman was born on 11 October 1951, in Paris. He is one of 4… Read Full Bio ↴Jean-Jacques Goldman was born on 11 October 1951, in Paris. He is one of 4 children. His mother, Ruth Ambrunn, born in Germany and his father, Alter Mojze Goldman, born in Poland were Resistance heroes.

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.

Natacha
Jean-Jacques Goldman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

De mes tristesses me reste un grand manteau
Qui laisse passer le froid
De ces lambeaux de jeunesse un vieux chapeau
Qui ne me protège pas
Je sais mieux choisir un chemin
Me méfier d'une main
Tu vois je ne sais rien
Le temps qui passe ne guérit de rien

Natacha
Toi tu le sais bien

De mille ans de froid, de toundra
De toutes ces Russies qui coulent en toi
De trop d'hivers et d'espoirs et d'ivresse
Au chant des balalaïkas
Tu dis qu'on a peur et qu'on glisse en ses peurs
Comme glissent les nuits de Viatka

Dans chacun de tes baisers Natacha
C'est tout ça qui m'attache à toi

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jean-Jacques Goldman's song "Natacha" depict a somber portrayal of the singer's life and emotions. The first verse describes how all that remains of the singer's sadness is a coat that lets in the cold and an old hat that offers no protection, suggesting a sense of vulnerability and exposure. The following lines reveal the singer's uncertainty about navigating life and their lack of knowledge, contrasting with Natacha's apparently greater understanding. When the singer references "temps qui passe" ("passing time"), they imply that the passage of time has not healed their pain.

The second verse alludes to Natacha's Russian heritage and her personal experience with fear and despair. She notes how easily people succumb to fear, comparing this to the nights in Viatka, a city in Russia. Despite these powerful emotions, the singer finds solace and meaning in Natacha's kisses - these are the only physical link between them, and they signify something much deeper and comforting.

Overall, "Natacha" appears to be a song about finding connection and comfort in a world full of pain and uncertainty. The singer recognizes their own limitations and struggles with life, but sees hope and meaning in their relationship with Natacha. The lyrics are poignant and reflective, and they convey a sense of longing and vulnerability that is characteristic of many of Goldman's songs.

Line by Line Meaning

De mes tristesses me reste un grand manteau
I carry with me a heavy cloak of sorrow and sadness

Qui laisse passer le froid
That does nothing to block out the cold

De ces lambeaux de jeunesse un vieux chapeau
From my youth, all that's left is a worn hat

Qui ne me protège pas
Which provides no shelter or protection

Je sais mieux choisir un chemin,
I have learned to make wiser choices in my life,

Me méfier d'une main
To be cautious of certain hands or people

Tu vois je ne sais rien
Despite this knowledge, there's so much I still don't know

Le temps qui passe ne guérit de rien
And as time goes by, it doesn't ease the pain of what I've been through

Natacha
Natacha,

Toi tu le sais bien
You know this all too well

De mille ans de froid, de toundra
You come from a land of endless winters and tundras