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 ....
La Demoiselle De Déshonneur
Joe Dassin Lyrics
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Le long de l'église
Y a bien des curés qui prient dans la rue
Elle avait vingt ans
De loyaux services
Vingt ans de grande vie
Et de p'tite vertu
J'allais à confesse
Tous les mercredi à sept heures et quart
J'étais le dernier
À parler de fesses
Et si j'y pensais c'était par hasard
Ma demoiselle de déshonneur
Mon premier amour
D'un quart d'heure
Ce mercredi-là
J'étais en avance
J'avais déserté le cours de français
Et j'allais me r'faire
Une bonne conscience
Quand j'ai entendu "tu viens, mon biquet?"
Un coup d'œil devant
Un coup d'œil derrière
J'étais l'seul biquet à cent lieues autour
Alors j'ai suivi
En f'sant ma prière
J'voulais faire l'apôtre
Et j'ai fait l'amour
Ma demoiselle de déshonneur
Mon premier amour
D'un quart d'heure
Ma demoiselle de déshonneur
Mon premier amour
D'un quart d'heure
Et c'est là, bêtement
Dans cette chambre obscure
Dans cette chambre sans joie
Sans fleurs aux rideaux
C'est là qu'j'ai reçu
La première blessure
Laissé mon enfance au porte-manteaux
On peut rêver mieux
Pour sa grande première
De couchers d'soleils ou de champs d'muguet
Moi j'n'ai récolté
Que trois "Notre-Père"
Deux minutes de r'mords
Un zéro d'français
Ma demoiselle de déshonneur
Mon premier amour
D'un quart d'heure
Ma demoiselle de déshonneur
Mon premier amour
D'un quart d'heure
The song "La Demoiselle De Déshonneur" by Joe Dassin tells the story of a young woman who works as a prostitute, and a young man who is a regular churchgoer. The woman has served twenty years in the profession but maintains a sense of honesty and integrity. The man, despite attending confession every Wednesday, is tempted by the woman's beauty and eventually loses his virginity to her. He describes the encounter as his "first wound," as it marks the end of his childhood and innocence.
The lyrics are rich in imagery, contrasting the religious setting of the church with the immorality of the woman's trade. The man's initial hesitation and guilt make his decision to pursue the woman all the more significant, as he risks his reputation and spiritual well-being. The final lines acknowledge that while the encounter was short-lived and ultimately regrettable, it left a lasting impression on the man's life.
Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of youth, desire, and the loss of innocence. It highlights the conflicting societal expectations placed upon young people and the difficult choices they face when trying to navigate their way into adulthood.
Line by Line Meaning
Elle faisait le trottoir le long de l'église
She was walking on the sidewalk along the church
Y'a bien des curés qui prient dans la rue
There are many priests who pray on the street
Elle avait vingt ans de loyaux services
She had twenty years of loyal services
Vingt ans de grande vie et de p'tites vertus
Twenty years of great life and little virtues
Moi en ce temps-là j'allais à confesse
At that time, I used to go to confession
Tous les mercredi à sept heures et quart
Every Wednesday at seven fifteen
J'étais le dernier à parler de fesses
I was the last to talk about buttocks
Et si j'y pensais c'était par hasard
And if I thought about it, it was by chance
Ma demoiselle de déshonneur
My lady of dishonor
Mon premier amour d'un quart d'heure
My first love for a quarter of an hour
Ce mercredi-là j'étais en avance
That Wednesday, I was early
J'avais déserté le cours de français
I had skipped French class
Et j'allais me refaire une bonne conscience
And I was going to get a good conscience
Quand j'ai entendu "Tu viens mon biquet"
When I heard "You coming, my little goat?"
Un coup d'œil devant, un coup d'œil derrière
A look ahead, a look behind
J'étais l'seul biquet à cent lieues autour
I was the only little goat around for a hundred leagues
Alors j'ai suivi en faisant ma prière
So I followed while saying my prayer
J'voulais faire l'apôtre et j'ai fais l'amour
I wanted to act like an apostle, but I made love
Et c'est là bêtement dans cette chambre obscure
And it was there, stupidly, in that dark room
Dans cette chambre sans joie, sans fleurs aux rideaux
In that joyless room, with no flowers on the curtains
C'est là que j'ai reçu la première blessure
That's where I received my first wound
Laissé mon enfance au porte-manteau
Left my childhood at the coat rack
On peut rêver mieux pour sa grande première
One can dream of better for their first time
De couchers de soleil ou de champs de muguets
Of sunsets or fields of lilies of the valley
Moi je n'ai récolté que trois Notre-Père
I only got three Our Fathers
Deux minutes de remords, un zéro en français
Two minutes of remorse, a zero in French
Ma demoiselle de déshonneur
My lady of dishonor
Mon premier amour d'un quart d'heure
My first love for a quarter of an hour
Lyrics © MUSIC 18
Written by: Claude Lemesle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind