On January 26, 1986, French humorist Coluche, who had set up Les Restos du Cœur a few months earlier, invited a number of artists and public figures to appear on television as a promotional move. The band, whose line-up was never the same, was dubbed "Les Enfoirés" in reference to one of Coluche's catchwords. After Coluche died in a motorbike accident (June 19, 1986) his widow, Véronique Colucci, called on those who had participated to continue his actions, and the band was revived for a further television show. The concept has since evolved into an annual concert, bringing together up to forty artists and celebrities from various backgrounds. The funds raised by the concerts and derived records under the name "Enfoirés" are donated to Les Restos du Cœur.
One of the key features of Les Enfoirés is "La Chanson des Enfoirés", a song which became a sort of hymn to the charity, written by Jean-Jacques Goldman, a long-time supporter of the organisation.
Il venait d'avoir 18 ans
Les Enfoirés Lyrics
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Il était beau comme un enfant
Fort comme un homme
C'était l′été évidemment
Et j'ai compté en le voyant
Mes nuits d'automne
Elle mit de l′ordre à mes cheveux
Ça m′a fait rire
Quand il s'est approché de moi
J′aurais donné n'importe quoi
Pour le séduire
Je venait d′avoir 18 ans
C'était le plus bel argument
De ma victoire
Il ne m′a pas parlé d'amour
Je pensait que les mots d'amour
Sont dérisoires
Il m′a dit "j′ai envie de toi"
Il avait vu au cinéma
Le blé en herbes
Au creux d'un lit improvisé
On découvrait émerveillée
Un ciel superbe
Je venait d′avoir 18 ans
Ça me rendait presque insolent
De certitude
Et pendant qu'il se rhabillait
Déjà vaincue, je retrouvais
Ma solitude
J′aurais voulu le retenir
Pourtant, tu m'as laissé partir
Sans faire un geste
Tu m′as dit "c'était pas si mal"
Avec la candeur infernale
De ta jeunesse
T'as mis de l′ordre dan tes cheveux
Un peu plus de noir sur mes yeux
Par habitude
J′avais oublié simplement
Que j'avais deux fois 18 ans
These lyrics are from Les Enfoirés' song "Il venait d'avoir 18 ans," which translates to "He had just turned 18." The song tells a story of a young girl who has just turned 18 and falls in love with a beautiful young man during the summer. The singer recounts how she counted her autumn nights upon seeing him, implying that her infatuation robbed her of sleep. The girl then describes how the man fixed her hair and applied more black makeup around her eyes, which made her laugh. She realizes that she would have given anything to seduce him.
Despite the girl's hopes, the man does not speak of love. She acknowledges that she thought words of love were futile. Instead, the man tells her that he wants her, having seen a similar scenario in a movie called "Le blé en herbes" (The Grass is Green). The two discover a beautiful sky while embracing in an improvised bed. The girl's newfound insolence from turning 18 is shattered when the man quickly dresses and leaves, leaving her feeling defeated and alone.
The singer desires to hold onto the man, but he lets her go without making a single gesture. He nonchalantly comments that it was not so bad, displaying the devil-may-care attitude of his youth. The final lines reveal a twist as the singer realizes that she, too, is 18 years old, displaying a sense of self-discovery and reflecting on the innocence and naivety that comes with youth.
Line by Line Meaning
Il venait d'avoir 18 ans
He had just turned 18
Il était beau comme un enfant
He was as beautiful as a child
Fort comme un homme
Strong as a man
C'était l'été évidemment
It was obviously summer
Et j'ai compté en le voyant
And I counted when I saw him
Mes nuits d'automne
My autumn nights
Elle mit de l'ordre à mes cheveux
She tidied up my hair
Un peu plus de noir sur mes yeux
A bit more black on my eyes
Ça m'a fait rire
It made me laugh
Quand il s'est approché de moi
When he approached me
J'aurais donné n'importe quoi
I would have given anything
Pour le séduire
To seduce him
Je venait d'avoir 18 ans
I had just turned 18
C'était le plus bel argument
It was the strongest argument
De ma victoire
Of my victory
Il ne m'a pas parlé d'amour
He didn't speak to me of love
Je pensait que les mots d'amour
I thought that words of love
Sont dérisoires
Are ridiculous
Il m'a dit 'j'ai envie de toi'
He said 'I want you'
Il avait vu au cinéma
He had seen in the cinema
Le blé en herbes
Grains of wheat
Au creux d'un lit improvisé
In the hollow of an improvised bed
On découvrait émerveillée
We discovered, amazed
Un ciel superbe
A magnificent sky
Je venait d'avoir 18 ans
I had just turned 18
Ça me rendait presque insolent
It made me almost insolent
De certitude
With certainty
Et pendant qu'il se rhabillait
And while he was getting dressed
Déjà vaincue, je retrouvais
Already defeated, I found
Ma solitude
My solitude
J'aurais voulu le retenir
I would have wanted to hold onto him
Pourtant, tu m'as laissé partir
Yet, you let me go
Sans faire un geste
Without making a gesture
Tu m'as dit 'c'était pas si mal'
You said 'it wasn't that bad'
Avec la candeur infernale
With infernal naivety
De ta jeunesse
Of your youth
T'as mis de l'ordre dans tes cheveux
You tidied up your hair
Un peu plus de noir sur mes yeux
A bit more black on my eyes
Par habitude
Out of habit
J'avais oublié simplement
I had simply forgotten
Que j'avais deux fois 18 ans
That I was 18 years old twice
Writer(s): Jean Bouchety, Serge Lebrail, Pascal Auriat, Pascal Sevran
Contributed by Allison K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.