Born in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, he grew up in Togo and Algeria where he was influenced by traditional African rhythms. He appeared on the Quebec music scene in the 1980s under the name Jean Leloup, making waves with his provocative lyrics – in his song "1990", he compares the high-tech actions of Desert Storm to the sexual activities of himself and his girlfriend. His 1990 album L'amour est sans pitié was a hit outside of Quebec, licensed in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Japan.
"Jean Leloup" is an important part of Quebec's transforming music scene. Since the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, Quebec has been developing its identity as a Francophone land as well as its individuality from English speaking North America and other French speaking nations. Leloup is a Québécois hero for his contribution to the local art scene and the development of the musical culture. Leloup is the recipient of a Félix Award (the Quebec version of a Grammy Award).
At the end of 2003, Leloup "died" or, rather, Jean Leclerc retired the name. This was, in fact, another piece of elaborate fantasy staging, typical of the wild and eccentric artist. Little was know of what Jean Leclerc was about to do, now that his Leloup persona has been "silenced". In August 2005, he announced his temporary return to the music scene in a collaboration with the Porn Flakes. A first single named "Les Corneilles" has been heard on Montreal's radio stations.
In the months preceding his return, he switched from his guitar to his fountain pen and wrote the philosophic novel, Noir destin que le mien (Le Tour du monde en complet was the original title), published October 5th, 2005 at Leméac Éditions under the pen name "Massoud Al Rachid`".
Under his real name Jean Leclerc, he released a first single, titled "Mexico", in August 2006. His first album, also titled Mexico, was released in September 2006.
He has since returned to his artist name Jean Leloup and has once again retired Leclerc.
Mexico
Jean Leclerc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je suis la mère de ses enfants
Vincent était un moins que rien
Il nous battait comme son chien
Qui jappait au bout du poteau
Qu'il fasse froid, qu′il fasse beau
Je revendique l'assassinat
Vincent était un piège à rats
L'avion s′envole pour le Mexique
Bientôt la plage, les sommeils lourds
Et je perdrai tous ces kilos en trop
Ah! le couple, putain
Ah! le couple
À gauche, à droite, mes enfants
Bien habillés et souriants
Les enfants, on part en vacances
C′est aujourd'hui qu′à nous la chance
Non, papa, papa ne reviendra plus
Papa est allé voir Jésus
Ah! les enfants vous auriez vu le bel endroit de thérapie
C'est maman qui l′a reconduit
Les anges, le Saint-Esprit
C'est moi qui ai tué Vincent
Je suis la mère de ses enfants
Le fusil tombe sur le plancher
Retombe le poids des années
Vite l′école, vite les enfants
L'aéroport, les souliers blancs
Vincent qui plonge l'air étonné
Dans la lasagne gratinée que j′avais préparée
Ah! mes enfants, quel appétit, quand le coup est parti
Je ne regretterai personne
Aucun ami ne m′a aidé
Aucun ami, je vous pardonne
À part peut-être ce plombier
Et puis ce policier, ouin, le policier, j'l′avais baisé
Quand je serai belle à nouveau
Quand j'aurai perdu ces kilos en trop
Je les rappellerai peut-être
J′ai gardé leur numéro
L'avion atterrit au Mexique
Vite les enfants, les souliers blancs
En taxi, nous longerons la mer
Nous prendrons ensuite l′autobus
La longue route pour le Belize, le Salvador et plus encore
J'achèterai une voiture
Et nous trouverons ce village en bord de rive, en bord de plage
Les enfants, vous irez à l'école
Et nous apprendrons l′espagnol
Et je perdrai ces souvenirs
Et je retrouverai ce sourire
Et plus aucune ressemblance entre moi et ces circonstances
Et cette jeune fille que je serai
Et cette grosse sur la photo que l′on voit parfois sur la route
Placardée sur les poteaux
Et que la pluie efface toutes
Et que la pluie efface toutes
Drug addicts and young fellows
South American aeropuertos
Rich whities and dineros
Bienvenido a Mexico
Bienvenido a Mexico
Fat Canadians and French rocker
Cheap Germans, rich surfers
Bienvenido a Mexico
The song "Mexico" by Jean Leclerc is a haunting piece about a woman who confesses to having killed her abusive husband, Vincent. The singer, who is also Vincent's wife and the mother of their children, claims that the murder was premeditated and that she did it because her husband was a "trap for rats" who used to beat them all. Throughout the lyrics, she describes her journey with her children to Mexico. She seems to be escaping her past, hoping to start a new life by shedding her excess weight, learning Spanish, and losing her memories. Despite her confession, she does not express any regret, and instead, she claims that the murder was necessary to escape her abusive past.
The first two stanzas of the song depict a violent and unhappy past. The singer details the abuse she and her children suffered at the hands of Vincent, whom she characterizes as a worthless person who beat them as if they were his dogs. She reveals that she killed Vincent and seems unapologetic about it, claiming that the murder was premeditated. In the following stanza, she and her children are on their way to Mexico, leaving their former life behind. As they travel, she reminisces about their past life, which was troubled and unhappy. She mentions that her husband has gone to see Jesus, meaning that he is dead. She then describes a "beautiful therapy place" that her mother had taken her to when they were young, which she claims to have visited with her husband while they were working on their problems. She later confirms that her husband is dead, indicating that the therapy did not work.
The last stanza of the song shifts to the singer's vision of her future life in Mexico. She imagines herself becoming beautiful again by losing weight and learning Spanish. She wants her children to go to school while she rediscovers her own life. She seems to view Mexico as a place where her burdens will be lifted and where she can start anew. The final lines of the song describe the people she imagines she will encounter there: drug addicts, young men, wealthy whites, and cheap Germans, encapsulating the idea of a place that welcomes everyone, regardless of their backgrounds.
Line by Line Meaning
C′est moi qui ai tué Vincent
I am the one who killed Vincent.
Je suis la mère de ses enfants
I am the mother of his children.
Vincent était un moins que rien
Vincent was nothing.
Il nous battait comme son chien
He beat us like his dog that barked at the end of the post.
Qui jappait au bout du poteau
Which barked at the end of the post.
Qu'il fasse froid, qu′il fasse beau
No matter the weather.
Je revendique l'assassinat
I claim responsibility for the murder.
Vincent était un piège à rats
Vincent was a rat trap.
Le meurtre était prémédité
The murder was premeditated.
L'avion s′envole pour le Mexique
The plane is flying to Mexico.
Bientôt la plage, les sommeils lourds
Soon the beach, heavy sleep.
Et je perdrai tous ces kilos en trop
And I will lose all these extra kilos.
Ah! le couple, putain
Ah! the couple, damn it.
À gauche, à droite, mes enfants
To the left, to the right, my children.
Bien habillés et souriants
Well-dressed and smiling.
Les enfants, on part en vacances
Children, we are going on vacation.
C′est aujourd'hui qu′à nous la chance
Today is our chance.
Non, papa, papa ne reviendra plus
No, dad, dad will not come back.
Papa est allé voir Jésus
Dad went to see Jesus.
Ah! les enfants vous auriez vu le bel endroit de thérapie
Ah! kids, you should have seen the beautiful therapy place.
C'est maman qui l′a reconduit
Mom drove him there.
Les anges, le Saint-Esprit
Angels, the Holy Spirit.
Le fusil tombe sur le plancher
The gun falls on the floor.
Retombe le poids des années
The weight of the years falls back.
Vite l′école, vite les enfants
Quickly to school, quickly children.
L'aéroport, les souliers blancs
The airport, white shoes.
Vincent qui plonge l'air étonné
Vincent dives into the surprised air.
Dans la lasagne gratinée que j′avais préparée
In the gratin lasagna that I had prepared.
Ah! mes enfants, quel appétit, quand le coup est parti
Ah! my children, what appetite, when the shot went off.
Je ne regretterai personne
I will not regret anyone.
Aucun ami ne m′a aidé
No friend helped me.
Aucun ami, je vous pardonne
No friend, I forgive you.
À part peut-être ce plombier
Except maybe that plumber.
Et puis ce policier, ouin, le policier, j'l′avais baisé
And then that policeman, yeah, that policeman, I slept with him.
Quand je serai belle à nouveau
When I am beautiful again.
Quand j'aurai perdu ces kilos en trop
When I have lost these extra kilos.
Je les rappellerai peut-être
Maybe I will call them back.
J′ai gardé leur numéro
I kept their number.
L'avion atterrit au Mexique
The plane lands in Mexico.
Vite les enfants, les souliers blancs
Quickly children, white shoes.
En taxi, nous longerons la mer
By taxi, we will go along the sea.
Nous prendrons ensuite l′autobus
Then we will take the bus.
La longue route pour le Belize, le Salvador et plus encore
The long road to Belize, El Salvador and beyond.
J'achèterai une voiture
I will buy a car.
Et nous trouverons ce village en bord de rive, en bord de plage
And we will find that village by the river, by the beach.
Les enfants, vous irez à l'école
Children, you will go to school.
Et nous apprendrons l′espagnol
And we will learn Spanish.
Et je perdrai ces souvenirs
And I will lose these memories.
Et je retrouverai ce sourire
And I will find that smile.
Et plus aucune ressemblance entre moi et ces circonstances
And no resemblance between me and these circumstances.
Et cette jeune fille que je serai
And the young girl that I will be.
Et cette grosse sur la photo que l′on voit parfois sur la route
And that fat woman in the photo that we sometimes see on the road.
Placardée sur les poteaux
Plastered on the poles.
Et que la pluie efface toutes
And the rain erases them all.
Drug addicts and young fellows
Drug addicts and young men.
South American aeropuertos
South American airports.
Rich whities and dineros
Rich white people and money.
Bienvenido a Mexico
Welcome to Mexico.
Fat Canadians and French rocker
Fat Canadians and a French rocker.
Cheap Germans, rich surfers
Cheap Germans and rich surfers.
Bienvenido a Mexico
Welcome to Mexico.
Writer(s): Jean Leloup
Contributed by Jordyn N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.