She notably recorded a duet with Claude François called "Quelquefois".
Her song "Solitaire" written by herself in 1981 became her biggest success in France and also around the world thanks to a cover version by Laura Branigan which climbed to 7th place on the USA Billboard Charts.
During the '90s she wrote songs for Herbert Léonard.
In 2005 she received the René Jeanne Award of the French music association, SACEM.
Sans toi
Martine Clémenceau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Parlaient d'amour
Il fallait bien que cela
M'arrive un jour
J'attendais
Je t'espérais
J'espérais
Mais c'est fou
Tu existais
L'aventure, c'était toi
Et je comprends déjà
Sans toi
A quoi sert d'être libre ?
Sans toi
Dis, pourquoi faut-il vivre ?
Tu t'en vas
(Tu t'en vas)
Ma vie part avec toi
Tu reviens
(Tu reviens)
J'ai le ciel dans mes mains
C'est le vide
Le vide autour de moi
Sans toi
Sans toi
Comme il faisait bon
Ce soir dans le jardin
J'aime tes secrets
Et je n'ai peur de rien
Sans toi
A quoi sert d'être libre ?
Sans toi
Dis, pourquoi faut-il vivre ?
Tu t'en vas
(Tu t'en vas)
Ma vie part avec toi
Tu reviens
(Tu reviens)
J'ai le ciel dans mes mains
C'est le vide
Le vide autour de moi
Sans toi
Tu t'en vas
(Tu t'en vas)
Ma vie part avec toi
Tu reviens
(Tu reviens)
J'ai le ciel dans mes mains
C'est le vide
Le vide autour de moi
Sans toi
Sans toi
The lyrics of Martine Clémenceau's song "Sans Toi" express the pain and confusion that come with heartbreak, as the singer mourns the loss of her love. She describes how everything around her seems to speak of love, and as much as she tried to avoid it, she couldn't escape falling in love herself. She waited and hoped for love to come, until she found the one who would take her on an adventure like she had never experienced before. However, now that he's gone, she questions the meaning of life without him. She wonders why she should even bother with freedom if it means living without him, and it seems like everything has become meaningless without him.
The singer seems to struggle with the absence of her lover, and describes how her life literally follows wherever he goes. When he is gone, she feels like her life is empty, but when he returns she feels as though she is holding the world in her hands. She revels in the times when they are together, sharing secrets and feeling fearless, but the memory of him leaving haunts her, and she is left feeling lost and abandoned.
Overall, the song is a bittersweet tribute to the intense emotions that come with love and heartbreak. The singer expresses her vulnerability and desire for love, but also the deep pain that comes with losing it.
Line by Line Meaning
Tout le monde, toutes choses
Parlaient d'amour
Everyone and everything was talking about love
Il fallait bien que cela
M'arrive un jour
It had to happen to me one day
J'attendais
Je t'espérais
I was waiting for you, hoping for you
J'espérais
Je te cherchais
I was hoping for you, searching for you
Mais c'est fou
Tu existais
L'aventure, c'était toi
Et je comprends déjà
But it's crazy, you existed, you were the adventure, and I already understand
Sans toi
A quoi sert d'être libre ?
Sans toi
Dis, pourquoi faut-il vivre ?
Without you, what's the point of being free? Without you, tell me, why do we have to live?
Tu t'en vas
(Tu t'en vas)
Ma vie part avec toi
Tu reviens
(Tu reviens)
J'ai le ciel dans mes mains
C'est le vide
Le vide autour de moi
Sans toi
You leave, my life goes with you, you come back, I have the sky in my hands. It's emptiness, emptiness around me, without you
Comme il faisait bon
Ce soir dans le jardin
J'aime tes secrets
Et je n'ai peur de rien
How nice it was tonight in the garden. I love your secrets and I'm not afraid of anything
Contributed by Wyatt Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jeanclaudewauthy3027
très belle mélodie - belle époque pour la chanson française !Martine a fait d' autres disques de bonne qualité
@EurovisieSongfestival
Thanks for your comment
@jeanpierreechinard3415
Merveilleux. Magic song.
@EurovisieSongfestival
Merci pour votre réponse 🎵👍 ❤
@jeanpierreechinard3415
Très belle chanson.
@EurovisieSongfestival
Merci pour votre réponse
@jeanpierreechinard3415
Merci. Très bon dimanche0
@josecarvalho9388
Quand le français etait Roi a l'eurovision :-) une des plus belles langues du monde!
@EurovisieSongfestival
Merci pour votre réponse
@christophevalere7945
Je ne comprends pas comment cette chanson a pu finir dans les derniers à l'eurovision 1973! C'est une très belle mélodie, bien meilleure que celles qui gagnent justement l'eurovision de nos jours.