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 ....
CAROLINA
Joe Dassin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer que tu viendrais
Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer qu'on s'aimerait
Elle est si jolie, si fragile
Qu'on a presque peur, presque peur d'y toucher
Elle est le bonheur impossible à rêver
Elle ressemble un peu à ma chance
J'ai presque peur, presque peur d'y penser
Et plus je la vois plus je pense à rêver
Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer que tu viendrais
Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer qu'on s'aimerait
Elle a le regard de l'enfance
Mais elle a aussi les pouvoirs de la fée
C'est la beauté qui commence à rêver
Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer que tu viendrais
Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer qu'on s'aimerait
Je me suis fait prendre au piège
Oh, mais j'aime ma prison
Et c'est si bon de perdre la raison
Un matin, le printemps se donne
Je sais bien, je sais bien qu'il va s'en aller
Mais j'ai tellement mieux que l'automne à rêver
Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer que tu viendrais
Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer qu'on s'aimerait
The song Carolina by Joe Dassin is a love song that speaks of the singer's disbelief that someone as beautiful and fragile as Carolina has come into his life. The singer compares Carolina to his chance, in that she is something that he almost cannot believe is happening to him. The song describes her as having both the innocence of a child and also the powers of a fairy.
The song also speaks to the singer's feelings of being trapped once he has fallen in love with Carolina. He describes it as a prison, but it is one that he loves being in. The lyrics suggest that he is willing to lose his senses for her and that her presence in his life is worth it.
Overall, the song is a beautiful ode to falling in love unexpectedly and completely. It speaks to the wonder of being with someone who seems too good to be true, and the joy that can come from having your expectations exceeded in that way.
Line by Line Meaning
Carolina
Expressing the feeling of love towards someone named Carolina
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer que tu viendrais
Could not have imagined that Carolina would come into their life
Je n'aurais jamais pu imaginer qu'on s'aimerait
Could not have imagined that they would fall in love with Carolina
Elle est si jolie, si fragile
Carolina is very pretty and delicate
Qu'on a presque peur, presque peur d'y toucher
One feels scared to even touch Carolina because of her fragility
Elle est le bonheur impossible à rêver
Carolina seems like an unattainable source of happiness
Elle ressemble un peu à ma chance
Carolina seems like a stroke of luck
J'ai presque peur, presque peur d'y penser
The thought of having Carolina in one's life is almost too good to be true
Et plus je la vois plus je pense à rêver
The more they see Carolina, the more they daydream about her
Elle a le regard de l'enfance
Carolina has an innocent look in her eyes
Mais elle a aussi les pouvoirs de la fée
But Carolina also has magical powers.
C'est la beauté qui commence à rêver
Carolina is so beautiful that it inspires dreams in others
Je me suis fait prendre au piège
They feel trapped in their love for Carolina
Oh, mais j'aime ma prison
Despite feeling trapped, they still love being in love with Carolina
Et c'est si bon de perdre la raison
Losing oneself in love with Carolina is an amazing feeling
Un matin, le printemps se donne
One morning, spring arrives
Je sais bien, je sais bien qu'il va s'en aller
However, they know that spring is temporary and will leave soon
Mais j'ai tellement mieux que l'automne à rêver
Despite knowing that spring will end, they are happy to have something better than autumn (presumably love with Carolina) to dream about
Contributed by Isabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.