Jean Sablon (Nogent-sur-Marne 25 March 1906 – 24 February 1994 at Cannes) w… Read Full Bio ↴Jean Sablon (Nogent-sur-Marne 25 March 1906 – 24 February 1994 at Cannes) was a popular French singer and actor.

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.

Sur Le Pont D'Avignon
Jean Sablon Lyrics

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Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse, on y danse
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y dans tous en rond
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse, on y danse
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse tous en rond

Les belles dames font comme ça
Les messieurs font comme ça
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse, on y danse
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse tous en rond
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse, on y danse
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse tous en rond
Toutes les dames font comme ça
Les messieurs font comme ça
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse, on y danse
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse tous en rond
Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse, on y danse

Sur le pont d'Avignon
On y danse tous en rond

Overall Meaning

The song Sur Le Pont D'Avignon, or On the Bridge of Avignon in English, is a traditional French folk song that is believed to have originated in the 15th century. The song describes the scene of people dancing in a circle on the bridge of Avignon, a famous and historical bridge in the city of Avignon in southern France. The first two lines in each verse state that "on y danse, on y danse" which translates to "there we dance, there we dance" and reinforces the idea that the bridge of Avignon was a popular spot for dancing.

The lyrics go on to describe how both the beautiful ladies and the gentlemen dance on the bridge, and how they move in unison to the music. The repetition of the line "on y danse tous en rond," which means "we all dance in a circle," adds to the festive atmosphere of the song. The lyrics also suggest that the dances performed on the bridge of Avignon were well-known and had a set pattern, as both the ladies and gentlemen are described as doing specific movements.

Overall, the song Sur Le Pont D'Avignon portrays a joyful and lively scene of people enjoying themselves through dance on a historical bridge in France. It has become a popular and well-known song internationally, and is often used for children's music and dance classes.

Line by Line Meaning