Her career began accidentally in 1959 when she replaced her sister at the last minute in a French radio talent contest Naissance d'une étoile and won. Director Louis Malle then cast the young starlet in the film he was shooting at the time, Liberté, a project he finally abandonded, making Laforêt's first appearance on screen opposite actor Alain Delon in René Clément's 1960 drama Plein Soleil.
After this film she became very popular and interpreted many roles in the 1960s. She married director Jean-Gabriel Albicocco, who cast her in some of his own works, including La Fille aux Yeux d'Or (The Girl with the Golden Eyes), based on the Balzac story, which would become her nickname.
In her second film, Saint Tropez Blues, accompanied by a young Jacques Higelin at the guitar, she sang the title song and immediately started releasing singles, her first hit being 1963's Les Vendanges de l'Amour. Her songs offered a more mature, poetic, tender alternative to the light, teenage yé-yé tunes charting in France at the time. Her melodies borrowed more from exotic folk music, especially South American and Eastern European, than from contemporary American and British pop acts. Laforêt worked with many important French composers,musicians and lyricists, such as André Popp and Pierre Cour, who provided her with a panoply of colorful, sophisticated orchestral arrangements, featuring dozens of musical instruments and creating a variety of sounds, sometimes almost Medieval, Rennaissance or Baroque, other times quite modern and innovative.
At the end of the 1960s, Marie had become a rather unique figure in the French pop scene. Her music stood out, perhaps too much for her new label CBS Records, which expected of her more upbeat, simpler songs. She was interested in making more personal records, but finally gave in. Although her most financially successful singles (Viens, Viens, a cover of a British hit, and Il a neigé sur Yesterday, a ballad about the break-up of the Beatles) were released in the 1970s, Marie progressively lost interest in her singing career, moving to Geneva, Switzerland in 1978, where she opened an art gallery and abandoned music more or less altogether.
In the 1980s, Marie concentrated on her acting career, appearing in a few French and Italian films. Some music singles were eventually released, but were not popular. She made a comeback, however, in 1993 with an album (her last) for which she wrote the lyrics. In the 1990s, she again continued to work as an actress, both on screen and on stage. She has performed in a number of plays in Paris over the years, acclaimed by audiences and critics alike. In September 2005 she took the stage of Les Bouffes Parisiens for a two-weeks sold-out concerts, her first (and last) concerts since 1972. Laforêt moved to Geneva in 1978 and obtained Swiss citizenship.
Records
Marie Laforêt, the folk singer
Laforêt has been fond of folk music ever since she began recording in the early 1960s. She helped popularize the Bob Dylan song "Blowin' in the Wind" in France with her 1963 interpretation. On the B-side of the same EP she sings the classic American folk ballad "House of the Rising Sun". Other folk recordings include: "Viens sur la montagne", a 1964 French adaptation of the African-American spiritual "Go Tell It on the Mountain", recorded by American folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary the previous year, "Coule doux" (Hush-a-Bye), another Peter, Paul and Mary song, 1966's "Sur les chemins des Andes", a French version of the traditional Peruvian song "El Cóndor Pasa", and "La voix du silence", a 1966 cover of American duo Simon and Garfunkel's first hit, "The Sound of Silence".
Marie Laforêt, the rocker
She also recorded some rock songs in the 1960s, her most famous being "Marie-douceur, Marie-colère", a 1966 cover of the Rolling Stones hit "Paint It Black". Another popular recording was 1965's girl group-style "A demain, my darling", known by English-speakers as "The Sha La La Song" written by Marianne Faithfull on her debut eponymous album.
Marie Laforêt, the pop singer
Some of her most memorable pop songs are those written or arranged by French composer André Popp, such as "Entre toi et moi", "L'amour en fleurs", "Les noces de campagne", "Mon amour, mon ami", and "Manchester et Liverpool". The melody of the latter song gained fame in the former Soviet Union as the background music to the Vremya television news programme's weather forecast in the 1970s.[7]
Other important records
The quiet, bittersweet and minimally arranged ballad "Je voudrais tant que tu comprennes" (1966), composed by Francis Lai, is a Marie Laforêt favorite. Homage was paid to the song in the 1980s when French pop superstar Mylène Farmer added it to her own concert repertoire.
The 1973 hit "Viens, viens" was a cover version of a German song "Rain, Rain, Rain" performed by Simon Butterfly.
Marie's 1977 hit "Il a neigé sur Yesterday", perhaps her most well-known recording, was penned by musician Jean-Claude Petit, and lyricist Michel Jourdan, (famous for his work with Dalida, Nana Mouskouri, Michel Fugain and Mike Brant) and who had written the words for earlier Laforêt songs, such as "Les vendanges de l'amour" and "L'orage".
Viens
Marie Laforêt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Viens, viens, pas pour moi mon père
Viens, viens, reviens pour ma mère
Viens, viens, elle meurt de toi
Viens, viens, que tout recommence
Viens, viens, sans toi l'existence
Viens, viens, n'est qu'un long silence
Je sais bien qu'elle est jolie cette fille
Que pour elle tu en oublies ta famille
Je ne suis pas venue te juger
Mais pour te ramener
Il paraît que son amour tient ton âme
Crois-tu que ça vaut l'amour de ta femme
Qui a su partager ton destin
Sans te lâcher la main
Viens, viens, Maman en septembre
Viens, viens, a repeint la chambre
Viens, viens, comme avant ensemble
Viens, viens, vous y dormirez
Viens, viens, c'est une prière
Viens, viens, pas pour moi mon père
Viens, viens, reviens pour ma mère
Viens, viens, elle meurt de toi
Sais-tu que Jean est rentré à l'école
Il sait déjà l'alphabet, il est drôle
Et quand il fait semblant de fumer
C'est vraiment ton portrait
Viens, viens, c'est une prière
Viens, viens, tu souris mon père
Viens, viens, tu verras ma mère
Viens, viens, est plus belle qu'avant
Qu'avant, qu'avant, qu'avant, qu'avant
Viens, viens, ne dis rien mon père
Viens, viens, embrasse-moi mon père
Viens, viens, tu es tout mon père
Oui, viens, viens la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Viens, viens...
The song "Viens" by Marie Laforêt is a plea to her father to come back to her mother and reunite their family. She implores him to return for her mother's sake, who is dying without him. The first verse says "Viens, viens, c'est une prière" (Come, come, it's a prayer), emphasizing the urgency of the situation. She clarifies that she doesn't want him to come back for her, but for her mother.
The second verse continues this plea for her father to return, describing life as just "un long silence" (a long silence) without him, and asking him to come back as "tout recommence" (everything restarts). Laforêt then acknowledges her father's new love interest, but reminds him of the commitment he made to his wife, who has been there for him through thick and thin.
In the final verse, Laforêt provides updates on her family's life without her father, saying that her son Jean has started school and that her mother has repainted the room they used to share. She ends the song with a plea for her father to come home, saying "Viens, viens, tu es tout mon père" (Come, come, you are everything to me, my father).
Overall, "Viens" is a poignant and emotional song about the importance of family and the consequences of neglecting those relationships. It was released in 1963 and became a hit in France, cementing Marie Laforêt's place as a prominent chanteuse in the 1960s.
Line by Line Meaning
Viens, viens, c'est une prière
Come, come, this is a prayer
Viens, viens, pas pour moi mon père
Come, come, not for me, my father
Viens, viens, reviens pour ma mère
Come, come, come back for my mother
Viens, viens, elle meurt de toi
Come, come, she's dying without you
Viens, viens, que tout recommence
Come, come, let everything start again
Viens, viens, sans toi l'existence
Come, come, without you, existence
Viens, viens, n'est qu'un long silence
Come, come, is just a long silence
Viens, viens, qui n'en finit pas
Come, come, that never ends
Je sais bien qu'elle est jolie cette fille
I know very well that this girl is pretty
Que pour elle tu en oublies ta famille
That for her, you forget your family
Je ne suis pas venue te juger
I didn't come to judge you
Mais pour te ramener
But to bring you back
Il paraît que son amour tient ton âme
It seems that her love holds your soul
Crois-tu que ça vaut l'amour de ta femme
Do you think it's worth more than your wife's love?
Qui a su partager ton destin
Who knew how to share your destiny
Sans te lâcher la main
Without letting go of your hand
Viens, viens, Maman en septembre
Come, come, Mom in September
Viens, viens, a repeint la chambre
Come, come, she painted the room
Viens, viens, comme avant ensemble
Come, come, together like before
Viens, viens, vous y dormirez
Come, come, you will sleep there
Sais-tu que Jean est rentré à l'école
Do you know that Jean has started school?
Il sait déjà l'alphabet, il est drôle
He already knows the alphabet, he's funny
Et quand il fait semblant de fumer
And when he pretends to smoke
C'est vraiment ton portrait
He looks just like you
Viens, viens, tu souris mon père
Come, come, you're smiling, my father
Viens, viens, tu verras ma mère
Come, come, you'll see my mother
Viens, viens, est plus belle qu'avant
Come, come, she's more beautiful than before
Qu'avant, qu'avant, qu'avant, qu'avant
Than before, than before, than before
Viens, viens, ne dis rien mon père
Come, come, don't say anything, my father
Viens, viens, embrasse-moi mon père
Come, come, hug me, my father
Viens, viens, tu es tout mon père
Come, come, you're everything to me, my father
Oui, viens, viens la la la
Yes, come, come la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Come, come la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Come, come la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Come, come la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Come, come la la la la la la
Viens, viens, la la la la la la
Come, come la la la la la la
Viens, viens...
Come, come...
Writer(s): Joss Baselli
Contributed by Elizabeth S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dunhill An
viens, viens, c'est une prière
viens, viens, pas pour moi mon père
viens, viens, reviens pour ma mère
viens, viens, elle meurt de toi
viens, viens, que tout recommence
viens, viens, sans toi l'existence
viens, viens, n'est qu'un long silence
viens, viens, qui n'en finit pas.
je sais bien qu'elle est jolie cette fille
que pour elle tu en oublies ta famille
je ne suis pas venue te juger
mais pour te ramener
il parait que son amour tient ton âme
crois-tu que ça vaut l'amour de ta femme
qui a su partager ton destin
sans te lâcher la main.
viens, viens, maman en septembre
viens, viens, a repeint la chambre
viens, viens, comme avant ensemble
viens, viens, vous y dormirez
viens, viens, c'est une prière
viens, viens, pas pour moi mon père
viens, viens, reviens pour ma mère
viens, viens, elle meurt de toi
sais-tu que jean est rentré à l'école
il sait déjà l'alphabet, il est drôle
quand il fait semblant de fumer
c'est vraiment ton portrait
viens, viens, c'est une prière
viens, viens, tu souris mon père
viens, viens, tu verras ma mère
viens, viens, est plus belle qu'avant
qu'avant, qu'avant, qu'avant, qu'avant
viens, viens, ne dis rien mon père
viens, viens, embrasse moi mon père.
viens, viens, tu es beau mon père
viens, viens, laaa lala
viens,viens, lalalalaalala
Noelle James
Tu nous manques ta voix ta beauté ta fragilité ,reposes en paix , Madame Marie Laforêt, je pense sans me tromper que tu manques aux Français et une très grande partie du Monde. Bises
Ali Bzn
Noëlle elle nous manque même à nous les Algériens. On l'écoutait beaucoup j'avais tous ses disques.. qu'elle repose en paix inch'Allah
HATRAF Boudjellel
elle nous manque beaucoup une voix unique au monde
Andre Foucher
Vous avez raison Noëlle...🎉
Nicole Amiri
Bonjour je n'aurai pas écrit mieux nous l'aimons très beau votre message ❤❤❤
Samsung Salma
Et à nous les vieux marocains. Repose en paix, petite Marie. Tu portais bien ton nom! Heureusement que tu n'as pas eu le destin de Marie Trintignant. ❤
François Jean
Cette chanson est tout simplement merveilleuse d'émotions. Elle est intemporelle...
Елена Волкова
Наипрекраснейший голос!!!Пусть Господь успокоит такую прекрасную душу!!!Земля ей пухом...
polina kl
Да!!!
Philippe st
toi aussi ta raison