French chanteuse Juliette Gréco (b.1927) was one of the stars of the bohemi… Read Full Bio ↴French chanteuse Juliette Gréco (b.1927) was one of the stars of the bohemian "in" crowd of post-war France. Born to a Corsican father in Montpellier and a mother active in the Résistance, in the Hérault département of southern France. Involved also she was caught but not deported for her young age. She was raised by her maternal grandparents. She moved to Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris in 1946 after her mother left the country for Indochina with the French Navy.

A famous description of Juliette Gréco is that her voice "encompasses millions of poems". She was the muse of many of the writers and artists working in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Boris Vian. Some of these artists would write songs for her to sing. She fell in love with and almost married Miles Davis when he visited Paris in 1949.

Juliette Gréco died in September 2020.

Sur Les Quais Du Vieux Paris
Juliette Gréco Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quand doucement tu te penches
En murmurant : "C'est dimanche,
Si nous allions en banlieue faire un tour
Sous le ciel bleu des beaux jours ? "
Mille projets nous attirent,
Mais, dans un même sourire,
Nous refaisons le trajet simple et doux
De nos premiers rendez-vous...

Sur les quais du vieux Paris,
Le long de la Seine
Le bonheur sourit,
Sur les quais du vieux Paris,
L'amour se promène
En cherchant un nid.
Vieux bouquiniste,
Belle fleuriste
Comme on vous aime,
Vivant poème !
Sur les quais du vieux Paris,
De l'amour bohème
C'est le paradis...

Tous les vieux ponts nous connaissent,
Témoins des folles promesses,
Qu'au fil de l'eau leur écho va conter
Aux gais moineaux effrontés...
Et, dans tes bras qui m'enchaînent,
En écoutant les sirènes,

Je laisse battre, éperdu de bonheur,
Mon cœur auprès de ton cœur...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Juliette Gréco's song Sur Les Quais Du Vieux Paris tell the story of two lovers who decide to spend a Sunday together. The man suggests they leave the city and head to the suburbs, but the woman suggests they revisit the places where they had their first few dates. The pair wanders along the old quays of Paris, under the bright blue sky of a beautiful day, enjoying every moment of being together. The song paints a picture of the city with its old bridges, bookstores, and flower sellers, and emphasizes the romantic and bohemian atmosphere of the place.

The lyrics of the song reflect the romantic atmosphere of Paris, the city of love. The phrase "sur les quais du vieux Paris" translates to "on the docks of old Paris," which is where the two lovers are walking. The song captures the spirit of the city, with its ambiance, history, and culture. The lyrics suggest that the two lovers are enjoying moments of nostalgia and their love for each other, drifting into the past and dreaming about the future.

One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by Jean Dréjac, a prolific French songwriter who wrote more than 200 songs, including some of the most famous in the French chanson repertoire. The song was originally recorded by Charles Trenet in 1953, but it was made famous by Juliette Gréco in the 1960s, who performed the song in several concerts around the world. Another interesting fact is that the song inspired many films, books, and works of art, including the 1957 movie Les Amants de Montparnasse, which takes the song's title as its subtitle. The song remains popular today, and it is often played in French cafes and restaurants around the world.

Chords (if known): D7, Gmaj7, Cmaj7, A7, D7, Gmaj7, Cmaj7, A7 (Ad lib)

Line by Line Meaning

Quand doucement tu te penches
When you lean in gently

En murmurant : "C'est dimanche,
Whispering, "It's Sunday,

Si nous allions en banlieue faire un tour
Shall we take a trip to the suburbs?

Sous le ciel bleu des beaux jours ? "
Under the blue sky of beautiful days?"

Mille projets nous attirent,
A thousand plans attract us,

Mais, dans un même sourire,
But in the same smile,

Nous refaisons le trajet simple et doux
We redo the simple and sweet journey

De nos premiers rendez-vous...
Of our first meetings...

Sur les quais du vieux Paris,
On the banks of old Paris,

Le long de la Seine
Along the Seine