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.
Mélissa
Julien Clerc Lyrics
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Vit toujours dévêtue
Dites jamais que je vous ai dit ça
Ou Mélissa me tue
Le matin derrière ses canisses alors
Qu'elle est moitié-nue
Sur les murs devant chez Mélissa
Y a tout plein d'inconnus
"Descendez, ça, c'est défendu!
Oh, c'est indécent!"
Elle crie mais bien entendu
Personne ne descend
Sous la soie de sa jupe fendue
En zoom en gros-plans
Tout un tas d'individus
Filment, Noirs et Blancs
Mélissa, métisse d'Ibiza
A des seins tout pointus
Dites jamais que je vous ai dit ça
Ou Mélissa me tue
"Descendez, ça c'est défendu
Mater chez les gens!"
Elle crie mais bien entendu
Y a jamais d'agent
Elle crie, c'est du temps perdu
Personne ne l'entend
La police c'est tous des vendus
Dix ans qu'elle attend
Mélissa, métisse d'Ibiza
A toujours sa vertu
Dites jamais que je vous ai dit ça
Ou Mélissa me tue
Oh, matez ma métisse
Oh, ma métisse est nue
Oh, matez ma métisse
Oh, ma métisse est nue
Mélissa, métisse d'Ibiza
Vit toujours dévêtue
Dites jamais que je vous ai dit ça
Je vous ai jamais vu
Le matin derrière ses canisses
Alors je vends des longues-vues
Mais si jamais Mélissa sait ça
Là, c'est moi qui vous tue
Oh, matez ma métisse (Melissa)
Oh, ma métisse est nue (Melissa, Melissa)
Oh, matez ma métisse (ah la la la)
Oh, ma métisse est nue (oh wow wow wow)
Oh, matez ma métisse (Melissa, Melissa)
Oh, ma métisse est nue (oh wow wow)
Oh, matez ma métisse
Oh, ma métisse est nue (oh yeah yeah yeah)
Oh, matez ma métisse (Melissa)
Oh, ma métisse est nue (Melissa)
Oh oh oh oh
Ma métisse est nue
The song "Mélissa" by Julien Clerc tells the story of a woman named Melissa who lives in Ibiza and is always naked. The lyrics describe how Melissa is frequently seen behind her canopies in the mornings, half naked, while unknown people are filming her. Melissa is a mixed-race woman with pointed breasts and always maintains her virtue. Despite her constant cries asking people to leave and respect her privacy, no one listens to her. The police never intervene, as they are all corrupted, and Melissa has been waiting for ten years for someone to help her out.
The song is a critique of society's obsession with voyeurism and the exploitation of women's bodies for the pleasure of others. Melissa is constantly objectified and disrespected, and no one intervenes to help her. The lyrics suggest that Melissa has been forced into this lifestyle against her will, as she is always asking people to leave.
Overall, "Mélissa" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that challenges the objectification of women and serves as a warning against the dangers of voyeurism and exploitation.
Line by Line Meaning
Mélissa, métisse d'Ibiza
Introduces the main character of the song, a mixed-race woman from Ibiza named Mélissa
Vit toujours dévêtue
Mélissa always lives undressed
Dites jamais que je vous ai dit ça
Don't ever tell anyone I said this
Ou Mélissa me tue
Or Mélissa will kill me
Le matin derrière ses canisses alors
In the morning, behind her blinds
Qu'elle est moitié-nue
When she is half-naked
Sur les murs devant chez Mélissa
On the walls outside Mélissa's place
Y a tout plein d'inconnus
There are lots of strangers
"Descendez, ça, c'est défendu!
That's forbidden!
Oh, c'est indécent!"
Oh, it's indecent!
Elle crie mais bien entendu
She yells, but of course
Personne ne descend
Nobody comes down
Sous la soie de sa jupe fendue
Under the silk of her slit skirt
En zoom en gros-plans
In zoom with close-ups
Tout un tas d'individus
A bunch of individuals
Filment, Noirs et Blancs
Film her, black and white
A des seins tout pointus
Mélissa has pointy breasts
"Mater chez les gens!"
"Peeping at people!"
Y a jamais d'agent
The police are never around
Elle crie, c'est du temps perdu
She yells, it's wasted time
Personne ne l'entend
Nobody hears her
La police c'est tous des vendus
The police are all corrupt
Dix ans qu'elle attend
She's been waiting for ten years
A toujours sa vertu
She always has her virtue
Je vous ai jamais vu
I've never seen you
Alors je vends des longues-vues
So I'm selling binoculars
Mais si jamais Mélissa sait ça
But if Mélissa ever finds out
Là, c'est moi qui vous tue
Then it's me she'll kill
Oh, matez ma métisse
Oh, look at my mixed-race girl
Oh, ma métisse est nue
Oh, my mixed-race girl is naked
oh wow wow wow
Exclamation of admiration or amazement
oh yeah yeah yeah
Exclamation of affirmation or enthusiasm
Oh oh oh oh
Exclamation of various emotions (e.g. excitement, anticipation, surprise)
Ma métisse est nue
My mixed-race girl is naked
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Julien Clerc, David McNeil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind