Dassin was born in New York City to Jules Dassin (Yiddish actor and film noir director) and Béatrice Launer. He began his childhood first in New York and Los Angeles, California. However after his father became a victim of the anti-communist policies of Senator Joseph McCarthy, he and his family moved from place to place across Europe.
After studying at Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland, Dassin moved back to the United States to go to college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan after doing very well on his bachelor's exam. After college, he moved back again to France where, while working at a radio station, a record label convinced him to begin to record his songs.
By the early 1970s, Dassin's songs topped the charts in France and he became well known. Probably as a recognition of his parents' left leanings, Dassin's records were officially released in the USSR. However, the political views of his parents were not well known to the general public in the USSR, and Dassin's popularity in the USSR should be connected to his talent only. He was also a talented polyglot, recording songs in German, Spanish, Italian and Greek, as well as French and English.
He died of a heart attack during a vacation to Tahiti on August 20, 1980. He is buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.
Songs:Les Champs-Élysées ,L'été indien ,Ça va pas changer le Monde ,Et si tu n'existais pas, Salut ....
A Ti
Joe Dassin Lyrics
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A tus mentiras y a tu gran verdad, tu verdad
A ti, a lo que fuiste y lo que serás, a tus secretos y tu intimidad
A tu pasado soñador, a tu presente junto a mi
A la vida, al amor, a la noche, al calor, a ese niño, que es tuyo y mío
A ese sol que vendrá y nos reflejará, a esa flor que seremos tu y yo
A mis silencios, a mi ingratitud
A mis traiciones, a mi mal humor que es amor
A mí, al tiempo que pase buscándote
A las virtudes que siempre enseñe
A los defectos que oculte, a mis locuras, a mi fe
A la vida, al amor, a la noche, al calor, a ese niño, que es tuyo y mío
A ese sol que vendrá y nos reflejará, a esa flor que seremos tu y yo
Tu y yo que somos algo mas, que tu y yo
Somos pasado, somos por pasar
Sobre esta tierra que nos enseño como amar
Tu y yo, que somos dos y somos un millón
Somos reproche, somos el perdón
Somos la guerra, somos paz, por ti, por mí, por los demás
A ti, a tu belleza tan particular, a esa manera tuya de mirar
A tus mentiras y a tu gran verdad, tu verdad
A ti, a lo que fuiste y lo que serás, a tus secretos y tu intimidad.
The song "A Tí" by Joe Dassin is a tribute to the love of the singer's life. It is a declaration of love and appreciation for everything that makes this person unique and special. The lyrics are very poetic and emotional, as they describe the singer's feelings towards his lover in great detail. He mentions her beauty, her way of looking at the world, her secrets, her past, and her present, all of which are an integral part of who she is.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of life, love, and the connection between the two lovers. It also refers to the child they share, and the bright future they hope to build together. The final verse speaks to the duality of the relationship - they are both past and future, they are both flawed and perfect, they are both war and peace. The singer acknowledges that they are not just two individuals, but "a million" different things that make their bond so special.
Overall, "A Tí" is a beautiful and heartfelt song that celebrates the power of love and the complexity of human relationships. It speaks to the universal experience of falling in love with someone who is both flawed and perfect, and the endless possibilities that come with building a life together.
Line by Line Meaning
A ti, a tu belleza tan particular, a esa manera tuya de mirar
I appreciate your unique beauty and the way you look at things
A tus mentiras y a tu gran verdad, tu verdad
I acknowledge both your lies and your great truth, the truth that is yours
A ti, a lo que fuiste y lo que serás, a tus secretos y tu intimidad
I recognize your past and future, your secrets and your personal life
A tu pasado soñador, a tu presente junto a mi
I appreciate your once-dreamy past and our present together
A la vida, al amor, a la noche, al calor, a ese niño, que es tuyo y mío
I celebrate life, love, night, warmth, and that child who is ours
A ese sol que vendrá y nos reflejará, a esa flor que seremos tu y yo
I look forward to the future sun that will reflect on us and to us becoming like that flower
A mí, a mi locura, que eres solo tu
I confess that my madness is solely caused by you
A mis silencios, a mi ingratitud
I admit to my silence and my ingratitude
A mis traiciones, a mi mal humor que es amor
I confess to my betrayals and my love that sometimes comes out as bad mood
A mí, al tiempo que pase buscándote
I acknowledge the time I spend searching for you
A las virtudes que siempre enseñe
I acknowledge the virtues I always try to teach
A los defectos que oculte, a mis locuras, a mi fe
I admit to the flaws I hide, my madness, and my faith
Tu y yo que somos algo mas, que tu y yo
You and I are something more than just you and me
Somos pasado, somos por pasar
We are the past and also the future
Sobre esta tierra que nos enseño como amar
On this earth, we learned how to love
Tu y yo, que somos dos y somos un millón
You and I are two but also a million things
Somos reproche, somos el perdón
We can criticize each other but also forgive one another
Somos la guerra, somos paz, por ti, por mí, por los demás
We can be at war or in peace, for you, for me, and for others
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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