During the Second World War, Jacqueline’s father was mobilised, spending five years away from the family. During this time, Jacqueline was brought up by her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her grandmother had a cafe in Armentières, where she used to sing for the passing soldiers.
She auditioned at Conservatoire de Lille, singing songs written by Loulou Gasté “Sainte-Madeleine” and “Mon âme au diable”. Louis Gasté was at that time a well known French composer. At the end of the audition, she was approached by then director of the Radio Lille who was looking for a singer. She took pseudonym Jacqueline Ray and joined the station singing a repertoire based on the songs by Loulou Gasté. In 1945, she moved to Paris and got her first gig in Folies Belleville, where she was introduced to Gasté. She was 16, Gasté was 37. He become her mentor, changing her image and her name.
Line Renaud made her national debut on Radio Luxembourg, singing on a Sunday morning program. After signing a contract with Pathe Marconi, she recorded “Ma Cabane au Canada”, written by Loulou Gasté, which won le Grand Prix du Disque. She also sang with Yves Montand au Theatre de l’Etoile. She did a big tour of Europe and Africa, came back to Paris to star at the ABC and recorded numerous adaptations of the American songs such as "Ma petite folie", "Etoile des neiges" and "Le chien dans la vitrine".
In 1954, whilst performing at Moulin Rouge she met Bob Hope and consequently appeared in 5 episodes of The Bob Hope Show in the US. During this trip, she also sang in Waldorf Astoria (New York) and Cocoanut Grove (Los Angeles), appeared on Johnny Carson, Dinah Shore and Ed Sullivan shows and recorded with Dean Martin the song ‘Relax ay voo’.
In 1959, she started a four year run of ‘Plaisir de Paris’ for Henri Varna and then went on to perform in a Las Vegas show at Dunes from 1963 to 1965. In 1968, she returned to Las Vegas for a number of performances. In France, in 1973 she created an American show which she toured for two years around the country. She then helped Casino de Paris, threatened by closing, by putting on a show called ‘Paris – Line’ with Loulou Gasté, which ran for four years.
In 1980’s, she starred in a TV show ‘Telle est Line’ for Antenne 2 and recorded songs in English and French. At Casino de Paris, she put on a one off show which retraced her forty year career. In 1989, she toured around Japan as part of a festival which marked the bicentennial of French Revolution.
Nous deux
Line Renaud Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nous Deux, sans ce qui fait des autres
On s'est fait pour Nous Deux un monde merveilleux
De printemps et d'oublie, sans argent ni souci
Nous Deux, Nous Deux, l'un contre l'autre
On vit sans ce qui fait des autres
Sans bruit le jour la nuit, on vit pour notre amour
Nous Deux, toujours rien que Nous Deux
On s'est connus un samedi
Un samedi plein de ciel gris
Et plein de monde dans les rues
Y avait des pleurs, y avait des cries
De gens tristes, de gens aigris
Des ennuis à perte de vue
Je t'ai souri, tu m'as sourie
et pour nous tout était fini
Nous Deux, Nous Deux, l'un contre l'autre
Nous Deux, sans ce qui fait des autres
On s'est fait pour Nous Deux un monde merveilleux
De printemps et d'oublie, sans argent ni souci
Nous Deux, Nous Deux, l'un contre l'autre
On vit sans ce qui fait des autres
Sans bruit le jour la nuit, on vit pour notre amour
Nous Deux, toujours rien que Nous Deux
The lyrics to Line Renaud's song Nous Deux convey a sense of escapism, as the singer describes a world that she and her partner have created for themselves, unencumbered by the troubles of the outside world. They live solely for their love for each other, without needing money or material possessions. The repetition of the phrase "Nous Deux" (which means "us two" or "we two" in French) emphasizes the exclusivity of their relationship and their unity against the rest of the world.
The second verse provides some context for how they met, on a gray Saturday surrounded by unhappy crowds. However, their smiles to each other signaled the beginning of their own private world that they've built together.
While the lyrics are relatively simple, they paint a vivid picture of a couple deeply in love and committed to each other. Renaud's delivery is heartfelt and passionate, embodying the intense emotion of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Nous Deux, Nous Deux, l'un contre l'autre
Together, just the two of us, united against the world
Nous Deux, sans ce qui fait des autres
Just the two of us, without the things that distract and divide others
On s'est fait pour Nous Deux un monde merveilleux
We created a wonderful world, meant for just the two of us
De printemps et d'oublie, sans argent ni souci
Filled with springtime and forgetfulness, free from worry and the need for money
Nous Deux, l'un contre l'autre
Just the two of us, side by side
On vit sans ce qui fait des autres
We live without the distractions and burdens that others carry
Sans bruit le jour la nuit, on vit pour notre amour
Silently living day and night, devoted to our love
Nous Deux, toujours rien que Nous Deux
Always just the two of us, nothing more and nothing less
On s'est connus un samedi
We met on a Saturday
Un samedi plein de ciel gris
A Saturday with bleak, gray skies
Et plein de monde dans les rues
With crowds of people in the streets
Y avait des pleurs, y avait des cries
There were tears and cries
De gens tristes, de gens aigris
From sad and bitter people
Des ennuis à perte de vue
An endless sea of troubles
Je t'ai souri, tu m'as sourie
I smiled at you, and you smiled back
et pour nous tout était fini
And from that moment on, our world was complete
Writer(s): Loulou Gaste, Henri Kubnick
Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mehlinda Heartt
on Moulin Rouge
any chance to get the french lyrics she is singing