His father was a UNESCO employee and his mother is from Guadeloupe. Many of the chansons he sings were written by Étienne Roda-Gil, a long time collaborator. His brother, Gérard Leclerc, is a political commentator on France 2.
For a time he was involved with French actress Miou-Miou, who in 1978 bore him a daughter, Jeanne Herry. Like her father, Jeanne has pursued a career in show business, albeit as an actress and comedian rather than as a singer.
Julien Clerc owes his fame in France to his leading role in the 1969 French language adaptation of the musical Hair. Since then he has sung a great many popular songs, and is generally considered one of the greatest francophone musicians of his generation. In 2003, he was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees after transferring the rights to his hugely popular song, Partir, to the UN.
Elle A Au Fond Des Yeux
Julien Clerc Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Des oiseaux migrateurs
Qui ne veulent plus quitter
Leurs forêts enchantées,
Des moissons de musiques
Cueillies par des mésanges
Et des lapins magiques
Qui volent des oranges.
Elle a au fond des yeux
Des miroirs bariolés
Qui ont des airs de lacs
De sang et d’eau mêlés
Et des enfants perdus
Qui se sont retrouvés
Pour un grand bal masqué
Où rien n’est interdit.
Tout ce que je vous dis
Elle l’a au fond des yeux.
Tout ce que je vous dis
Elle l’a au fond des yeux.
Elle a au fond des veux,
En cadeau partagé,
Le silence et la paix
D’un grand fleuve soumis,
Dix armées en déroute
Que ne blesse aucun doute
Et des ressuscités
Aux plaies cicatrisées.
Elle a au fond des yeux
Un horizon de feu
Où s’embrasent les cœurs
Des marins oubliés,
Une échelle de rêve
Sur laquelle se tient
Un homme abandonné
Qui me ressemble bien, bien, bien.
The song "Elle A Au Fond Des Yeux" by Julien Clerc is a poetic and romantic tribute to the woman he loves. In the lyrics, he describes the depth and beauty of her eyes, comparing them to the migratory birds, magical rabbits, and colorful mirrors. Her eyes fascinate him, woven with the harvest of music, lost children reunited in a grand masked ball, armies defeated by doubtless victory, and the healed wounds of the resurrected. Her eyes hold the gift of peace, like a great river, and the dream ladder where he stands, feeling abandoned but found in her presence. It is a sweet and tender song that reminisces the unique nature of being in love and being in awe of one's beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Elle a au fond des yeux
She has deep in her eyes
Des oiseaux migrateurs
Migratory birds
Qui ne veulent plus quitter
That do not want to leave anymore
Leurs forêts enchantées,
Their enchanted forests,
Des moissons de musiques
Harvests of music
Cueillies par des mésanges
Harvested by sparrows
Et des lapins magiques
And magical rabbits
Qui volent des oranges.
Who steal oranges.
Des miroirs bariolés
Multicolored mirrors
Qui ont des airs de lacs
That seem like lakes
De sang et d’eau mêlés
Mixed with blood and water
Et des enfants perdus
And lost children
Qui se sont retrouvés
Who have found each other
Pour un grand bal masqué
For a big masked ball
Où rien n’est interdit.
Where nothing is forbidden.
Tout ce que je vous dis
Everything I tell you
Elle l’a au fond des yeux.
She has it deep in her eyes.
En cadeau partagé,
As a shared gift,
Le silence et la paix
The silence and peace
D’un grand fleuve soumis,
Of a great submissive river,
Dix armées en déroute
Ten defeated armies
Que ne blesse aucun doute
Not harmed by any doubt
Et des ressuscités
And the resurrected
Aux plaies cicatrisées.
With healed wounds.
Un horizon de feu
A fiery horizon
Où s’embrasent les cœurs
Where hearts ignite
Des marins oubliés,
Of forgotten sailors,
Une échelle de rêve
A dream ladder
Sur laquelle se tient
On which stands
Un homme abandonné
An abandoned man
Qui me ressemble bien, bien, bien.
Who resembles me a lot, a lot, a lot.
Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.