The son of a composer, with brothers and sisters who had successful careers of their own in musical entertainment, Jean Sablon studied piano at the Lyceé Charlemagne in Paris. He left before graduating to enroll at the Paris Conservatoire in order to concentrate on a vocal career. He started in the cabarets of Paris at the age of 17, and was subsequently accompanied on his first album by the pianist/composer Mireille, whose song Couchés dans le foin became a great success. Later, he partnered the wildly popular Mistinguett at the Casino de Paris and boosted his career considerably. He was the first cabaret singer to use a microphone in his stage act. In the 1920s he spent time in Brazil where his recordings remain extremely popular today.
In 1937 he won the Grand Prix du Disque for the song "Vous qui passez sans me voir," written for him by Charles Trenet and Johnny Hess. That same year, he went to the United States, where he sang on live radio broadcasts for CBS and made several records in the English language. On Broadway, he worked with luminaries such as Cole Porter and George Gershwin. He returned to Paris but with the German occupation of France in World War II, he went back to America for the duration.
Jean Sablon became one of the most widely acclaimed male French singers, considered second only in overall lifetime popularity to Maurice Chevalier. His records sold in the millions around the world and he is frequently referred to as the French equivalent of America's Bing Crosby. During his career, he recorded with some of the world's top musicians, including Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Sablon is credited with arranging Reinhardt's debut in a fashionable cabaret in 1933. He is also recognized for his talents as a lyricist and a composer. Sablon appeared in a number of motion pictures and television films performing as a vocalist or pianist, his last coming in 1984 when he sang "April in Paris" in Mistral's Daughter, the popular American TV miniseries filmed in France.
Jean Sablon died in 1994 and was interred in the Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris.
Je Sais Que Vous Êtes Jolie
Jean Sablon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pour quel motif, vous me suivez chaque soir?
Chaque fois qu'il faut que je sorte
Je vous retrouve à ma porte!"
"Mademoiselle, j'ai tort, pardonnez-moi!
Mais votre grâce a mis mon coeur en émoi
Je sais bien que vous en rirez,
Que jamais vous ne m'aimerez!
Je sais que vous êtes jolie
Que vos grands yeux pleins de douceur
Ont charmé tout mon coeur
Et que c'est pour la vie!
Je sais que c'est une folie
Que, loin de vous, je devrais m'en aller à jamais
Je sais, je sais que vous êtes jolie!"
"Allons, Monsieur, quittez donc votre air fâché!
Votre constance va finir par me toucher
Mais, sachez-le, je suis changeante
Coquette et parfois méchante"
"Ah, taisez vous! Ne gâtez pas mon bonheur,
Ne dites pas que votre amour est trompeur!
Aucun de nous deux n'est parfait
Tous vos défauts, je les connais
Je sais cela! Oui, mais voilà!
Je sais que vous êtes jolie
Que vos grands yeux pleins de douceur
Ont charmé tout mon coeur
Et que c'est pour la vie!
Je sais que c'est une folie
Et que demain, par plaisir, vous me ferez souffrir
Je sais, je sais que vous êtes jolie!"
"Adieu, Monsieur, je m'en vais, oubliez-moi!
Tout est fini, ce mot vous dira pourquoi
De vous mentir, oui, je suis lasse!
Le coeur change et l'amour passe"
"Fini déjà! Hélas, j'aurais dû prévoir
Qu'ils sont menteurs les baisers d'un premier soir
Je devrais dans mon coeur meurtri
N'avoir pour vous que du mépris
Mais devant moi, quand je vous vois...
Je sais que vous êtes jolie
Et je suis prêt à pardonner
Pour ne pas voir briser
La chaîne qui nous lie
Je sais que c'est une folie
Que loin de moi je devrais vous chasser à jamais
Je sais, je sais que vous êtes jolie!"
The song "Je sais que vous êtes jolie" by Jean Sablon is a conversation between a man and a woman. The woman confronts the man asking why he follows her every night. The man admits to being in love with her and that her beauty and grace have captured his heart, although he knows she will never return his feelings. The woman, in turn, admits to being fickle and coquettish, warning him that he will likely be hurt by her. However, the man cannot help himself and declares that he knows she is beautiful, and although he knows it's foolish, he cannot help being in love with her.
This song explores the theme of unrequited love, where one person loves someone who will not love them back. The male character in the song is hopelessly in love with a woman who does not reciprocate that love. It is also a song that illustrates the fragility of feelings and the power of attraction. The two characters recognize that their love is irrational, but they cannot help themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Vraiment, Monsieur, je voudrais enfin savoir
The singer is curious about why the addressee follows her every night.
Pour quel motif, vous me suivez chaque soir?
The singer is asking for the reason behind the addressee's actions of following her every evening.
Chaque fois qu'il faut que je sorte
The singer sees the addressee outside her door whenever she needs to go out.
Je vous retrouve à ma porte!
The artist consistently finds the addressee waiting outside her residence.
Mademoiselle, j'ai tort, pardonnez-moi!
The addressee admits fault and apologizes to the artist.
Mais votre grâce a mis mon coeur en émoi
The addressee's charm has stirred romantic feelings within the singer.
Je sais bien que vous en rirez,
The singer understands that the addressee will find his confession amusing.
Que jamais vous ne m'aimerez!
The artist knows that the addressee will never reciprocate his affection.
Je sais cela! Oui, mais voilà!
The artist acknowledges the truth of his situation but cannot control his feelings.
Je sais que vous êtes jolie
The artist is aware of the addressee's physical beauty.
Que vos grands yeux pleins de douceur
The singer is captivated by the addressee's gentle, charming eyes.
Ont charmé tout mon coeur
The addressee has captured the artist's heart.
Et que c'est pour la vie!
The singer believes his love for the addressee will be everlasting.
Je sais que c'est une folie
The singer is aware that pursuing a romantic relationship with the addressee is irrational.
Que, loin de vous, je devrais m'en aller à jamais
The singer realizes he should distance himself from the addressee and move on with his life.
Je sais, je sais que vous êtes jolie!
The artist cannot help but be mesmerized by the addressee's beauty.
Allons, Monsieur, quittez donc votre air fâché!
The artist advises the addressee to abandon his upset demeanor.
Votre constance va finir par me toucher
The addressee's persistence is starting to affect the singer emotionally.
Mais, sachez-le, je suis changeante
The singer warns the addressee that she can be unpredictable and fickle in her emotions.
Coquette et parfois méchante
The artist can be flirtatious and sometimes even cruel.
Ah, taisez vous! Ne gâtez pas mon bonheur,
The artist requests that the addressee not ruin his happiness.
Ne dites pas que votre amour est trompeur!
The artist does not want to hear that the addressee's love is insincere or disingenuous.
Aucun de nous deux n'est parfait
Both the singer and the addressee are flawed individuals.
Tous vos défauts, je les connais
The artist is aware of the addressee's imperfections.
Je sais cela! Oui, mais voilà!
The singer knows the addressee's flaws but cannot help his attraction to her.
Adieu, Monsieur, je m'en vais, oubliez-moi!
The singer bids farewell to the addressee and requests that he forget about her.
Tout est fini, ce mot vous dira pourquoi
The singer declares that their relationship is over and explains why.
De vous mentir, oui, je suis lasse!
The artist admits to being tired of lying to the addressee about her feelings.
Le coeur change et l'amour passe
The artist's heart has changed and the love between her and the addressee has ended.
Fini déjà! Hélas, j'aurais dû prévoir
The singer laments the end of their relationship and wishes she could have seen it coming.
Qu'ils sont menteurs les baisers d'un premier soir
The singer reflects on the falsehood of the passion that is often present in the beginning stages of a relationship.
Je devrais dans mon coeur meurtri
The artist's heart is hurt by the end of their relationship.
N'avoir pour vous que du mépris
The artist should feel contempt towards the addressee but cannot help his lingering feelings for her.
Mais devant moi, quand je vous vois...
Despite his heartbreak, the artist cannot help but be enamored by the addressee's presence.
Je sais que vous êtes jolie
The addressee's beauty continues to captivate the singer.
Et je suis prêt à pardonner
The artist is willing to forgive the addressee for their past mistakes.
Pour ne pas voir briser
The singer wants to maintain the connection they share and avoid breaking it entirely.
La chaîne qui nous lie
The singer recognizes that there is a bond between him and the addressee.
Je sais que c'est une folie
The singer is foolish to continue pursuing a relationship with the addressee.
Que loin de moi je devrais vous chasser à jamais
The artist knows he should drive the addressee away from his life forever.
Je sais, je sais que vous êtes jolie!
Despite his knowledge of the addressee's effect on him, the artist cannot control his feelings for her.
Contributed by Brayden L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nohaylamujer
The perfect marriage between the most elegant voice and the most elegant guitar.
@TakuCityPop
Absolutely calming and beautiful, lots of love from an Englishman.
@obduliorincon6112
..a simple amazing song as well the photo and artwork paintings sequence..
🇧🇷♥️ 🎤🎶🎶🎼🎼
@BEVER29
Un phrasé presque désinvolte, aucune affectation, toute l'élégance de Sablon en parfait accord avec le léger swing de Django Reinhardt.
@fabienpichon5291
bravo les gars, c'était une grande époque
@Herve1955
Django, un écrin pour la voix de Jean
@BreanneGuilbert
Glorious.
@MrAnderswt
Charming.
@pamelalivanoguzman7646
JOLIE CHANSON....
@JoaoFurtadoCoelho777
Et j'aime bien ça! Thanks.