Brialy was born in Aumale, French Algeria, where his father was stationed with the French Army. Brialy moved to mainland France with his family in 1942, moved to Paris in 1954, and appeared in his first film in 1955.
He became a star in the late 1950s when he was one of the most prolific actors of the French "nouvelle vague". He made films with such important nouvelle vague filmmakers as Claude Chabrol, Éric Rohmer, Jean-Luc Godard, Louis Malle, François Truffaut, Agnès Varda, and Jacques Rozier; and with other filmmakers such as Roger Vadim, Claude Lelouch and Luis Buñuel.
He was also, himself, a director of a number of films, including Églantine (1971). In his autobiographies, Le Ruisseau des singes (River of Monkeys) (2000) and J'ai oublié de vous dire... (I Forgot to Tell You ...) (2004) he revealed that he was bisexual
De plus en plus de moins en moins
Jean Claude Brialy Lyrics
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Est-ce qu'elle va seulement me reconnaître
Du rêve à la réalité il y a une marge
Ouais, tout est possible
Elle peut aussi bien me trouver impossible
Avec les photographies sait-on jamais
Avec elle, tout est possible
On se verra de moins en moins si je ne lui dis rien
et cela me fera de plus en plus mal
Avec lui tout serait possible
Malgré que ce ne soit jamais bien la première fois
Ce serait sûrement pas mal, et puis de mieux en mieux
Après quoi ça irait de plus en plus mal
Mais si elle me trouve impossible
Encore que ce serait bien la première fois
J'aurais tant de chagrin, chaque jour un peu plus
Mon amour lui serait parfaitement égal
Avec lui c'est impossible
On se quitterait jamais bien la première fois
J'aurais tant de chagrin
Et puis de moins en moins
Jusqu'à ce que ça me soit complètement égal
Il m'suffirait de la voir pour savoir
Il lui suffirait de me voir, pour m'avoir
The song De plus en plus de moins en moins by Jean Claude Brialy reflects the feelings of a person who is hopeful about a new love interest. The opening line "Avec elle, tout est possible" or "With her, everything is possible" sets the tone for a hopeful and optimistic outlook for the singer. The following lines in the first stanza express the singer's uncertainty and apprehension about whether this new person will reciprocate their feelings - "Est-ce qu'elle va seulement me reconnaître" or "Will she even recognize me?" The gap between dream and reality is acknowledged as the singer says "Du rêve à la réalité il y a une marge" or "There is a margin between dream and reality."
The second stanza reveals that the singer wants to make a good first impression and hopes that their initial meeting will be wonderful. They fear that if they don't confess their feelings soon, they will see each other "de moins en moins" or "less and less," which will only make it harder for them to reveal their true feelings. The third stanza reflects a change in the singer's thoughts, as they begin to consider someone else as a possible love interest. They recognize that the first time with this person may not be perfect but there is an underlying hope that it will get better with time. However, this hope is also overshadowed by the fear of things going wrong, as indicated by the line "Après quoi ça irait de plus en plus mal" or "After which it would get worse and worse."
The final stanza reveals the singer's fear of rejection and being ignored by the new love interest. They acknowledge that even though it may hurt, they would rather be rejected than live with the thought of not having tried. However, the singer is more cautious about the second person, stating that it would never work out between them. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer saying that they would know if they were meant to be together just by seeing each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Avec elle, tout est possible.
Being with her feels like anything is possible.
Est-ce qu'elle va seulement me reconnaître
I wonder if she will even recognize me.
Du rêve à la réalité il y a une marge
There is a gap between dreams and reality.
Ouais, tout est possible
Yeah, anything is possible.
Elle peut aussi bien me trouver impossible
She could easily find me impossible.
Avec les photographies sait-on jamais
It's hard to tell with just photos.
Pour moi ça sera merveilleux la première fois
The first time with her will be wonderful for me.
On se verra de moins en moins si je ne lui dis rien
If I don't speak up, we will see each other less and less.
et cela me fera de plus en plus mal
And that will hurt me more and more.
Malgré que ce ne soit jamais bien la première fois
Even though the first time is never great.
Ce serait sûrement pas mal, et puis de mieux en mieux
It would probably be okay, and then better and better.
Après quoi ça irait de plus en plus mal
After that, it would go downhill more and more.
Mais si elle me trouve impossible
But if she finds me impossible...
Encore que ce serait bien la première fois
Even though it would be the first time for that.
J'aurais tant de chagrin, chaque jour un peu plus
I would be so heartbroken, more and more each day.
Mon amour lui serait parfaitement égal
My love would mean nothing to her.
Avec lui c'est impossible
It's impossible with him.
On se quitterait jamais bien la première fois
We would never really break up the first time.
J'aurais tant de chagrin
I would be so heartbroken.
Et puis de moins en moins
And then less and less.
Jusqu'à ce que ça me soit complètement égal
Until I don't care anymore.
Il m'suffirait de la voir pour savoir
All I need is to see her to know.
Il lui suffirait de me voir, pour m'avoir
All she needs is to see me to have me.
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: SERGE GAINSBOURG, BRUNO RALLE, GUILLAUME SIRON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind