After the very famous song Mon amant de Saint-Jean (my lover from Saint-Jean), in 1942, Lucienne Delyle became the most popular French female singer of 1950s.
Born in Paris, she was a fully educated pharmacist. First she sung as an amateur singer, until 1939, when she was heard and immediately engaged by Jacques Canetti, the artistic director of Radio Cité. In 1940 she married the jazzman Aimé Barelli (1917-1995), who guided her career ever since. With him she had a daughter, Minouche Barelli (1947-2004). After the immense success of the song "Mon amant de Saint-Jean" (My Lover From Saint-Jean), in 1942, Lucienne Delyle became the most popular French female singer in France. She was most popular during the 1950s. In 1953, Bruno Coquatrix invited her and young Gilbert Bécaud to be the stars for the gala opening concert at the „Olympia". Delyle's career declined rapidly in the end of the 1950s, due to the progress of the leukemia she suffered from. In 1960 she gave the last series of concerts on the stage of „Bobino". She died in Monte Carlo, in 1962.
T'aurais Pas Du
Lucienne Delyle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
L' jour où tu m′as connue
Me suivre dans la rue
D'ailleurs, ça n' se fait plus
T′aurais pas dû
T′aurais pas dû
Mais puisque c'était fait
Tu m′as dit qu' tu m′aimais
T'aurais pas dû
Et l'on s′est pris
On s′est repris
Au point d'aller faire un p′tit tour du côté d' la mairie
T′aurais pas dû
Car quand l' maire t′a demandé
"Voulez-vous l'épouser?"
C'est "Oui" qu′ t′as répondu
T'aurais pas dû
T′aurais pas dû
Continuer à m'aimer
L′ jour où tu m'as trouvée
Avec le grand barbu
Complètement nus
T′étais ému
Alors t'as pardonné
Lorsque je t'ai juré
Que j′ recommencerais plus
T′aurais pas dû
J'ai recommencé
Tu m′as repincée
Mais là, j' t′ai dit "C'est pas l′ barbu
Ça devrait pas compter"
T'étais déçu
T'as dit "Va, continue"
Puis "Tu n′ m′intéresses plus"
Et j' suis retournée chez l′ barbu
T'aurais pas dû
T′aurais pas dû
Acheter un revolver
On t'a regardé de travers
Et puis, ça coûte très cher!
T′aurais pas dû
T'aurais pas dû
Les armes, c'est défendu
Puis, comme tu m′as pendue
C′était d' l′argent d' perdu
T′aurais pas dû
Désemparé
Désespéré
Chez l' commissaire tu es allé
T′ constituer prisonnier
On t'a pas cru
On a coffré l' barbu
Et depuis qu′ tu m′as plus
Tu t' sens un peu perdu
Oh ben, t′aurais pas dû!
The song "T'aurais Pas Dû" by Lucienne Delyle talks about a relationship gone wrong due to one person's mistakes. The singer addresses her former lover, telling him that he should not have followed her when they met on the street. She tells him that it is no longer socially acceptable to do so. However, despite this, he continued the relationship and professed his love for her. They even went as far as to consider marriage. However, the singer reveals that she cheated on him with another man, and he forgave her. This led to a cycle of infidelity and forgiveness, culminating in the man buying a gun and attempting to seek revenge on the other man. In the end, he is arrested, and the singer expresses regret for the unfortunate chain of events.
The song showcases the theme of regret and its consequences. The lyrics suggest that the series of events that led to the man's downfall could have been avoided if he had made different choices. However, the singer acknowledges that hindsight is always 20/20, and one cannot change the past. Additionally, the song comments on the societal norms of the time, particularly around relationships and acceptable behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
T′aurais pas dû
You shouldn't have
L' jour où tu m′as connue
The day you met me
Me suivre dans la rue
Follow me down the street
D'ailleurs, ça n' se fait plus
Besides, that's not done anymore
Mais puisque c'était fait
But since it was done
T′as pensé qu' ça durerait
You thought it would last
Tu m′as dit qu' tu m′aimais
You told me you loved me
Et l'on s′est pris
And we got caught up
On s′est repris
We regained our composure
Au point d'aller faire un p′tit tour du côté d' la mairie
To the point of going for a little walk by the town hall
Car quand l' maire t′a demandé
Because when the mayor asked you
"Voulez-vous l'épouser?"
"Do you want to marry her?"
C'est "Oui" qu′ t′as répondu
You answered "Yes"
Continuer à m'aimer
To continue to love me
L′ jour où tu m'as trouvée
The day you found me
Avec le grand barbu
With the big bearded man
Complètement nus
Completely naked
T′étais ému
You were emotional
Alors t'as pardonné
So you forgave me
Lorsque je t'ai juré
When I swore to you
Que j′ recommencerais plus
That I wouldn't do it again
J'ai recommencé
I did it again
Tu m′as repincée
You caught me again
Mais là, j' t′ai dit "C'est pas l′ barbu
But then I told you "It's not the bearded man
Ça devrait pas compter"
It shouldn't count"
T'étais déçu
You were disappointed
T'as dit "Va, continue"
You said "Go ahead, continue"
Puis "Tu n′ m′intéresses plus"
Then "I'm not interested in you anymore"
Et j' suis retournée chez l′ barbu
And I went back to the bearded man
Acheter un revolver
Buying a gun
On t'a regardé de travers
People looked at you with suspicion
Et puis, ça coûte très cher!
And besides, it's very expensive!
Les armes, c'est défendu
Guns are forbidden
Puis, comme tu m′as pendue
Then, since you hanged me
C′était d' l′argent d' perdu
It was money wasted
Désemparé
Helpless
Désespéré
Desperate
Chez l' commissaire tu es allé
You went to the police station
T′ constituer prisonnier
To turn yourself in
On t'a pas cru
They didn't believe you
On a coffré l' barbu
They locked up the bearded man
Et depuis qu′ tu m′as plus
And since you're not with me anymore
Tu t' sens un peu perdu
You feel a little lost
Oh ben, t′aurais pas dû!
Oh well, you shouldn't have!
Contributed by Adalyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.