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.
My Foolish Heart
Jean Sablon Lyrics
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Beware my foolish heart
How white the ever constant moon
Take care my foolish heart
There's a line between love and fascination
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
For they both have the very same sensation
Her lips are much too close to mine
Beware my foolish heart
But should our eager lips combine
Then let the fire start
For this time it isn't fascination
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love, this time it's love
My foolish heart
Jean Sablon's hauntingly beautiful song, "My Foolish Heart," contemplates the delicate balance between love and fascination. The verse "The night is like a lovely tune, Beware my foolish heart" sets the tone by connecting the beauty of the night with the uncertainty of falling in love. The constant and persistent moon serves as a metaphor for love's hold on the heart.
Sablon goes on to explore the fine line that exists between love and fascination, suggesting that the two can often seem interchangeable. The chorus introduces the idea that it's hard to distinguish between the two sensations, for they both captivate with the magic of a kiss. The singer urges restraint, warning that although "her lips are much too close to mine," lovers should "beware my foolish heart" and take care not to confuse mere fascination with the depth of real love.
The final verse of the song brings a sense of resolution, which suggests that this time, the singer has found true love rather than just fascination. Instead of merely warning against being foolish, the singer encourages a letting go, "Then let the fire start." By contrasting love with mere fascination, Sablon nails the universal truth that to be in love is to simultaneously be vulnerable and yet so close to perfection.
Line by Line Meaning
The night is like a lovely tune
The night is wonderful and musical
Beware my foolish heart
Be careful, my heart is foolish and naive
How white the ever constant moon
The moon is a beautiful, consistent white
Take care my foolish heart
Take care of me, because I am foolish and naive
There's a line between love and fascination
It's difficult to distinguish between love and infatuation
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
It's a difficult concept to understand, with many names for the same feeling
For they both have the very same sensation
Love and infatuation feel the same way
When you're locked in the magic of a kiss
When you're kissing someone you're attracted to
Her lips are much too close to mine
She is too close to me, which makes me vulnerable
But should our eager lips combine
But if we kiss passionately
Then let the fire start
Then let love ignite
For this time it isn't fascination
This time, it's not just infatuation
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's not a fleeting fantasy
It's love, this time it's love
It's real love
My foolish heart
I am foolish but in love
Lyrics © PATTI WASHINGTON MUSIC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: NED WASHINGTON, VICTOR YOUNG, VICTOR POPULAR YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind