Members through the years:
Jean Albert (February 1946 - September 1956)
Guy Bourguignon (February 1946 - December 1969)
Jean Broussolle (March 1952 - December 1972) (Replaced Marc Herrand)
Paul Buissonneau (September 1946 - September 1950)
Jean-Pierre Calvet (September 1956 - 1984) (Replaced Jean Albert)
Gaston M. Cassez (January 1973 - February 1985) (Replaced Jean Broussolle)
Jean Driant (March 1946 - May 1946)
Jo Frachon (February 1946 - February 1985)
Marc Herrand (February 1946 - March 1952)
Mario Hirle (February 1952 - April 1953) (Replaced Gérard Sabbat) (1955, Replaced Jo Frachon occasionally)
Jean-Louis Jaubert (February 1946 - February 1985)
Hubert Lancelot (February 1946 - February 1985)
Fred Mella (February 1946 - February 1985) (10 March 1924 - 16 November 2019)
René Mella (September 1950 - February 1985)
Paul Mery (1984 - February 1985) (Replaced Jean-Piere Calvet)
Gérard Sabbat (February 1946 - February 1985)
Cinq filles à marier
Les Compagnons de la Chanson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maître Jacques le notaire
A cinq filles à marier
A cinq filles à marier
La première est très austère
Elle doit avoir quarante ans
C'est l'image de sa mère
Elle mène tout tambour battant
Et que diable l'emporte
Maître Jacques le notaire
Maître Jacques le notaire
A cinq filles à marier
A cinq filles à marier
La deuxième comme son père
A de la barbe au menton
Le nez comme une pomme de terre
Les pieds plats et le dos rond
C'est dommage mais qu'importe
Et que le diable l'emporte
Maître Jacques le notaire
Maître Jacques le notaire
A cinq filles à marier
A cinq filles à marier
La troisième sans aucun doute
Ne manque pas de qualités
Mais toujours elle vous déroute
Car elle a un oeil en biais
C'est dommage mais qu'importe
Et que diable l'emporte
Maître Jacques le notaire
Maître Jacques le notaire
A cinq filles à marier
A cinq filles à marier
La quatrième est sauvage
Bien que jolie comme un coeur
Elle fuit à mon passage
A croire que je lui fais peur
C'est dommage mais qu'importe
Et que le diable l'emporte
Maître Jacques le notaire
Maître Jacques le notaire
A cinq filles à marier
A cinq filles à marier
J'ai épousé la dernière
Qui ressemble à une fée
Mais elle est pas trop légère
Elle ne pense qu'à me tromper
C'est dommage mais qu'importe
Et que le diable l'emporte
La morale de cette histoire
La morale de cette histoire
Est fort simple à deviner
Est fort simple à deviner
N'allez pas chez le notaire
Pour vouloir vous marier
Et consulter père et mère
Avant de vous déclarer
C'est dommage mais tant pis
Car la vie est faite ainsi
Les Compagnons De La Chanson's song "Cinq filles à marier" is a witty and playful critique of the challenges of finding the right partner in love and marriage. The song features a notary called Maître Jacques who has five daughters that are all ready to be married off. Each verse of the song introduces one of the daughters and their flaws, highlighting that each one is either too strict (the first), too much like their father (the second), too unpredictable (the third), too timid (the fourth) or too unfaithful (the fifth). The repetition of the line "C'est dommage mais qu'importe, et que diable l'emporte" ("It's a pity, but never mind, let the devil take it") gives the song a light and humorous tone.
However, the last verse shifts the tone towards a more serious message, as the singer reveals that he has actually married the last daughter, who is beautiful but unfaithful. The song finishes with the moral message that it is important to consult with parents before marrying and not rush into a hasty decision.
Line by Line Meaning
Maître Jacques le notaire
We introduce Maître Jacques, the notary responsible for the five daughters who are looking for a husband.
Maître Jacques le notaire
Again, a reminder of the presence of Maître Jacques.
A cinq filles à marier
Maître Jacques has five daughters whom he wants to get married to someone.
A cinq filles à marier
Reaffirming the number of daughters available for marriage.
La première est très austère
The first daughter, being forty years old, takes after her mother's stern and serious character. She manages everything in a very rigid and swift manner.
Elle doit avoir quarante ans
The first daughter being described is around forty years old.
C'est l'image de sa mère
The description of the first daughter is compared to being a reflection of her mother's nature.
Elle mène tout tambour battant
The first daughter has a very authoritative and commanding aura which she employs in order to have control over things.
C'est dommage mais qu'importe
It is a pity, but it doesn't matter in the end.
Et que diable l'emporte
A remark made in order to emphasize that anyone can get married, regardless of shortcomings and imperfections.
La deuxième comme son père
The second daughter is very similar to her father. She has a beard on her chin and wide, flat feet with a hunched back.
A de la barbe au menton
The second daughter is described as having a beard on her chin.
Le nez comme une pomme de terre
The second daughter's nose is akin to a potato's shape.
Les pieds plats et le dos rond
The second daughter has flat and wide feet and is hunched over.
La troisième sans aucun doute
The third daughter is quite remarkable and has undoubtedly some qualities to offer.
Ne manque pas de qualités
The third daughter has a lot of positive traits about her character.
Mais toujours elle vous déroute
The third daughter has a habit of being unpredictable and throwing surprises your way.
Car elle a un oeil en biais
The third daughter has an eye that is slightly lopsided or askew.
La quatrième est sauvage
The fourth daughter is very wild and untamed, though quite attractive.
Bien que jolie comme un coeur
Despite her wild nature, the fourth daughter is charming and pretty.
Elle fuit à mon passage
The fourth daughter tries to get away from the artist whenever he approaches her.
A croire que je lui fais peur
The fourth daughter seems to be scared of the artist, making it hard for him to get her attention.
J'ai épousé la dernière
The singer finally marries the last daughter of Maître Jacques, even though she's unfaithful and deceptive.
Qui ressemble à une fée
The last daughter seems to be spellbinding, and can be compared to a fairy.
Mais elle est pas trop légère
Although the last daughter is captivating, she is not very faithful and loyal to the singer.
Elle ne pense qu'à me tromper
The last daughter is only interested in deceiving and tricking the singer.
La morale de cette histoire
In conclusion of the story, it is time to deliver a moral to the story.
Est fort simple à deviner
The moral of the story is rather easy to understand or infer.
N'allez pas chez le notaire
The moral of the story cautions us to not solely rely on matchmaking services before considering parental involvement.
Pour vouloir vous marier
It is not wise to depend entirely on the matchmaking services of a notary for marriage.
Et consulter père et mère
Consulting the parents of the intended partner is far more important in deciding who to marry.
Avant de vous déclarer
Before officially proposing, it is wise to weigh in the opinion of the parents, and taking their opinions into consideration.
C'est dommage mais tant pis
Often times, things may not work out as planned, and it is a shame that it didn't come out in the desired way.
Car la vie est faite ainsi
This is simply how life is, where one thing leads to another, and it all ends up being a beautiful mess, filled with flawed human beings and unexpected twists and turns.
Writer(s): Charles Aznavour, Pierre Roche
Contributed by Callie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.