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.
Qu'est-ce que tu crois ?
Julien Clerc Lyrics
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Qu'est ce que tu crois
Sauf quelques fois la nuit
Sauf quelques fois encore j'oublie
Que je te cherche doucement malgré moi
Qu'est ce que tu crois
Et tant bien que mal tout va très bien sans toi
Qu'est ce que tu crois
Sauf ton absence partout
Dans l'air où tout reste sur ma peau
Et le silence qui se souvient de nous
Rien ne vient
Rien qui ne soit rien
Et c'est tout ce rien de toi qui me tient chaud
Rien ne passe
Rien ne prend ta place
Et que faire de tout ce rien entre mes bras
Tant bien que mal tout va très bien sans toi
Qu'est ce que tu crois
Sauf quelques fois l'été
Quand le soir tombe tu sais l'été
Alors plus rien ne se laisse oublier
The lyrics to Julien Clerc & Carla Bruni's song Qu'est ce que tu crois talk about the idea of moving on from a past lover, but still holding on to their memory. The first verse states that everything is going well without the lover, but there are still moments when the singer forgets that they are trying to move on from them. The chorus asks "what do you think?", implying that the lover may still be under the impression that the singer is holding on to them. The verse then goes on to say that despite the singer moving on, their presence is still felt in the air and in the silence, and that the memories continue to keep them warm.
The second verse delves deeper into the feelings of the singer, stating that they have nothing left of the lover except for their absence, which can be felt everywhere. The singer mentions the silence that reminds them of their past relationship, and how they cannot escape these memories. The bridge of the song talks about the idea of "nothingness", but how even this nothingness - the absence of the lover - can still hold warmth and significance to the singer.
Overall, the song explores the concept of moving on, but acknowledges that it can be difficult to completely forget about someone who was once a significant part of one's life. Despite the singer's best efforts to move on, the memories and feelings associated with their past lover continue to linger.
Line by Line Meaning
Tant bien que mal tout va très bien sans toi
Even though it's difficult, everything is going great without you
Qu'est ce que tu crois
What do you believe?
Sauf quelques fois la nuit
Except for a few nights
Sauf quelques fois encore j'oublie
Except for a few times when I still forget
Que je te cherche doucement malgré moi
That I'm still gently looking for you, despite myself
Et tant bien que mal tout va très bien sans toi
And even though it's difficult, everything goes great without you
Il ne me reste rien, plus rien de toi
Nothing remains of you, absolutely nothing
Sauf ton absence partout
Except for your absence everywhere
Dans l'air où tout reste sur ma peau
In the air where everything remains on my skin
Et le silence qui se souvient de nous
And the silence that remembers us
Rien ne vient
Nothing comes
Rien qui ne soit rien
Nothing that isn't nothing
Et c'est tout ce rien de toi qui me tient chaud
And it's all this nothingness of you that keeps me warm
Rien ne passe
Nothing passes
Rien ne prend ta place
Nothing takes your place
Et que faire de tout ce rien entre mes bras
And what to do with all this nothingness held in my arms
Sauf quelques fois l'été
Except for a few times in summer
Quand le soir tombe tu sais l'été
When the evening falls, you know, in summer
Alors plus rien ne se laisse oublier
Then nothing allows itself to be forgotten anymore
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CARLA BRUNI TEDESCHI, DAVID MCNEIL, HOAGY CARMICHAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind