Chevalier was born in Paris. He made his name as a star of musical comedy, appearing in public as a singer and dancer at an early age before working in four menial jobs as a teenager. In 1909, he became the partner of the biggest female star in France at the time, Fréhel. Although their relationship was brief, she secured him his first major engagement, as a mimic and a singer in l'Alcazar in Marseille, for which he received critical acclaim by French theatre critics. In 1917, he discovered jazz and ragtime and went to London, where he found new success at the Palace Theatre.
After this, he toured the United States, where he met the American composers George Gershwin and Irving Berlin and brought Dédé to Broadway in 1922. He also developed an interest in acting, and had success in the operetta Dédé. When talkies arrived, he went to Hollywood in 1928, where he played his first American role in Innocents of Paris. In 1930, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his roles in The Love Parade (1929) and The Big Pond (1930), which secured his first big American hit, Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight.
In 1957, he appeared in Love in the Afternoon, which was his first Hollywood film in more than 20 years. In the early 1960s, he made eight films, including Can-Can in 1960 and Fanny the following year. In 1970 he made his final contribution to the film industry where he sang the title song of the Disney film The Aristocats. He died in Paris, on January 1, 1972, aged 83.
He was born in Paris, France in 1888. His father was a house painter. His mother was of Belgian descent. Maurice made his name as a star of musical comedy, appearing in public as a singer and dancer at an early age.
It was in 1901 that he first began in show business at the age of 13. He was singing at a cafe for free when a well-known member of the theatre saw him and suggested that he try out for a local musical. He did so, and got the part. Chevalier got a name as an imitator and singer. His act in l' Alcazar in Marseille was so succesful he made a triumphant rearrival in Paris.
In 1909 he became the partner of the biggest female star in France at the time, Fréhel. However, due to her alcohol and drug addiction their liason ended in 1911. Chevalier then started a relationship with the 23 year old Mistinguett at the Folies Bergére; they would eventually play out a very public romance.
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World War I
Chevalier fulfilled his army service in 1913 and therefore couldn't escape the draft when in 1914 World War I broke out. He was shot in the back in the first weeks of combat and taken as war prisoner in Germany for two years. In 1916 he managed to escape due to Minstinguett's numerous relations.
In 1917 he became a star in le Casino de Paris and played before a public of English soldiers and Americans. He discovered jazz and ragtime and started thinking about touring in the United States. In prison camp he studied English and therefore had a certain advantage, compared with other French artists. He went to London where he met a new succes, even if he still sang in French.
Hollywood
After the war Chevalier went back to Paris and created several famous songs who are still known this day, such as "Valentine" (1924). He played in a few pictures and made a huge impression in the operette, "Dédé". Here he met the American composers George Gerschwin and Irving Berlin and brought "Dédé" to Broadway in 1922. It was not a succes due to a mental breakdown. A sad Chevalier returned to France where he tried to commit suicide in 1924, because of this failure. The same year he met Yvonne Vallée, a young dancer, who became his wife in 1927.
When sound made it's entree in the film world, Chevalier returned to Hollywood in 1928 and this time he became very succesful. He signed a contract with Paramount and played his first American role in "Innocents of Paris". In 1930 Chevalier was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, for two roles: The Love Parade and The Big Pond. He collaborated much with film director Ernst Lubitsch.
In 1934 he played in the operette La Veuve Joyeuse, one of his most well known films. He became one of the several big stars in Hollywood, very rare for French artists in these days. In 1935 he signed for MGM and returned to France later that year.
In 1937 he divorced from his wife and married with the dancer Nita Raya. He encountered several other succesful performances such as his revue "Paris en Joie" in the Casino de Paris. A year later he performed in "Amours de Paris]]. His songs remained big hits, such as "Prosper" (1935), "Ma Pomme" (1936) and "Ça fait d'excellents français" (1939)
World War II
During World War I Chevalier kept performing for audiences, even German militaries. He admired Henri Pètain, who led the collaborating Vichy regime during the war. (It must be stated that many Frenchmen at that time admired Pétain for his victories in World War I.) He moved to Cannes where he and his jewish wife, Nita Raya, lived and from where he kept giving several performances.
In 1941 he performed a new revue in the Casino de Paris: "Bonjour Paris", which was another smash succes. Songs like "Ça sent si bon la France" and "La Chanson du maçon" became other new hits. The nazis asked Chevalier if he wanted to perform in Berlin and sing for the collaborating radio station Radio-Paris. He refused, but did give several performances in front of prisoners of war in Germany where he succeded in liberating 10 people in exchange.
In 1942 he returned to Bocca, near Cannes, but returned to the French capital city in september. In 1944 when the Allied forces freed France, Chevalier was accused of collaboration. Even though these claims were disputed and he was formally acquitted of these charges, the English speaking press remained very hostile and even refused to give him a visa for several years.
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After the War
In his own country, however, he was still very popular. In 1946 he divorced from Nita Raya and starting writing his memoires, who would be further completed over the years. He started to paint and collect things and acted in Le Silence est d' Or (1946) by René Clair. He still toured throughout the United States and other parts of the world and returned to France in 1948.
In 1949 he performed in Stockholm on a communist benefit against nuclear arms. (In 1944 he had already participated to a communist defilé in Paris). Anti-communist witch hunts in the US made him therefore persona non grata in this country during the early fifties.
In 1952 he bought a large proporty in Marnes-La-Coquette, Paris and named it "La Louque", as a hommage to his mother's nickname. He started a new relationship in 1952 with Janie Michels, a young divorced mother with three children. Being a painter herself she encouraged Chevalier's artistic hobby.
In 1954 Chevalier was welcomed back in the United States. His American success reappeared thanks to the film Ariane (1957) with Audrey Hepburn and Gary Cooper, by Billy Wilder. He rediscovered his popularity with new audiences, appearing in the movie musical, Gigi (1958) with Leslie Caron and Hermione Gingold, with whom he shared the song "I Remember It Well", and several Walt Disney films. The great success of Gigi prompted Hollywood to give him an Honorary Academy Award that same year for his lifetime achievements in the field of entertainment.
After this he continued to perform in public and met celebrities such as Brigitte Bardot and Dwight Eisenhower.
Final Years
Chevalier continued to work up until very old age with impressive energy and enthusiasm. In the early sixties he toured thru the United States and between 1960 and 1963 he made eight films. When he returned to France he was invited by president Charles de Gaulle for a meal.
In 1965, at the age of 77 he made another world tour and visited again the US and other countries like South Africa. In 1967 he toured in Latin America, again the US, Europe and Canada.
In 1968, on October 1st, he announced his official farewell tour. Tired but nonetheless still able to entertain people he stopped twenty days later.
In 1970, he sang the title song of the Disney film The Aristocats. During a tour in the US he decided to stay there. However in December 1971 he got ill and had to be brought to the hospital.
Maurice Chevalier died on January 1, 1972, aged 83, and was interred in the cemetery of Marnes la Coquette in Hauts-de-Seine, France.
Ca sent si bon la France
Maurice Chevalier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On meurt d'envie de retour dans le train
Le nez au carreau d'ouvrir la portière,
Et d'embrasser tout comme do bon pain.
Ce vieux clocher dans le soleil couchant
Ça sent si bon la France !
Ces grands blés mûrs emplis de fleurs des champs,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Ça sent si bon la France !
A chaque gare un murmure,
En passant vous saisit :
"Paris direct, en voiture"
Oh ça sent bon le pays !
On arrive enfin, fini le voyage.
Un vieux copain vient vous sauter au cou.
Il a l'air heureux, on l'est davantage,
Car en sortant tout vous en fiche un coup.
Le long des rues ces refrains de chez nous,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Sur un trottoir ce clochard aux yeux doux,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Ces gens qui passent en dehors des clous,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Les moineaux qui vous effleurent,
La gouaille des titis,
"Paris Midi,
Dernière heure."
Oh ça sent bon le pays !
Et tout doucement, la vie recommence,
On s'était promis de tout avaler.
Mais les rêves bleus, les projets immenses,
Pour quelques jours on les laisse filer.
Cette brunette aux yeux de paradis,
Oh ça sent si bon la France !
Le PMU qui ferme avant midi "Oh là, oh là là !"
Ça sent si bon la France !
Le petit bar où l'on vous fait crédit.
Oh ça sent si bon la France !
see'est samedi faut plus s'en faire, repos jusqu'à lundi !
Belote et re-, dix de der.
Ça sent bon le pays !
Quel pays ?
Mais ça sent bon notre pays, mais oui !
The lyrics to Maurice Chevalier's song, "Ça sent si bon la France" (It smells so good of France), describe the emotions one feels when returning to France after traveling the world. The singer describes the desire to open the train door and embrace everything, much like one embraces fresh bread. The sight of a charming French village with fields of ripe crops, a church tower against the setting sun, and stray dogs running around, invokes a sense of nostalgia - it smells so good of France. The song continues to mention the appeal of Paris and the feeling of realizing the arrival in one's home country. The sights, sounds, and people that were once familiar but have now become nostalgic are experienced anew, and the simple pleasures of life - like the local PMU bar or playing the game "Belote" with friends - are appreciated. The singer concludes the song by emphasizing that despite being filled with big dreams and plans, coming back to France always stirs up something familiar, reminding the traveler of what is important - the smell of their country.
The song "Ça sent si bon la France" is a timeless classic and remains a popular song today. Its enduring popularity is because it captures the essence of the French way of life, nostalgia, and the pleasures of coming home.
Line by Line Meaning
Quand on a roulé sur la terre entière,
After traveling all around the world,
On meurt d'envie de retour dans le train
We die to return to the train,
Le nez au carreau d'ouvrir la portière,
With our nose on the window to open the door,
Et d'embrasser tout comme du bon pain.
And to embrace everything like good bread.
Ce vieux clocher dans le soleil couchant
This old bell tower in the setting sun,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Smells so good like France!
Ces grands blés mûrs emplis de fleurs des champs,
These large ripe wheat fields filled with wild flowers,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Smells so good like France!
Ce jardinet où l'on voit "Chien méchant"
This little garden where we see "Mean dog",
Ça sent si bon la France !
Smells so good like France!
A chaque gare un murmure,
At every station a murmur,
En passant vous saisit :
As you pass it seizes you:
"Paris direct, en voiture"
"Direct to Paris, by car"
Oh ça sent bon le pays !
Oh, it smells good like home!
On arrive enfin, fini le voyage.
We finally arrive, the journey is over.
Un vieux copain vient vous sauter au cou.
An old friend comes and jumps on you.
Il a l'air heureux, on l'est davantage,
He seems happy, we are even more.
Car en sortant tout vous en fiche un coup.
Because when you get out, everything hits you.
Le long des rues ces refrains de chez nous,
Along the streets those refrains from home,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Smells so good like France!
Sur un trottoir ce clochard aux yeux doux,
On a sidewalk, that beggar with tender eyes,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Smells so good like France!
Ces gens qui passent en dehors des clous,
These people who cross the street outside the lines,
Ça sent si bon la France !
Smells so good like France!
Les moineaux qui vous effleurent,
The sparrows that brush against you,
La gouaille des titis,
The cheekiness of the little guys,
"Paris Midi, Dernière heure."
"Paris noon, last hour."
Oh ça sent bon le pays !
Oh, it smells good like home!
Et tout doucement, la vie recommence,
And slowly, life begins again,
On s'était promis de tout avaler.
We promised ourselves to take everything in.
Mais les rêves bleus, les projets immenses,
But the blue dreams, the huge plans,
Pour quelques jours on les laisse filer.
For a few days, we let them go.
Cette brunette aux yeux de paradis,
This brown-haired girl with heavenly eyes,
Oh ça sent si bon la France !
Oh, it smells so good like France!
Le PMU qui ferme avant midi "Oh là, oh là là !"
The PMU that closes before noon "Oh my, oh my my!"
Ça sent si bon la France !
Smells so good like France!
Le petit bar où l'on vous fait crédit.
The little bar where they give you credit.
Oh ça sent si bon la France !
Oh, it smells so good like France!
C'est samedi faut plus s'en faire, repos jusqu'à lundi !
It's Saturday, there's nothing to do, rest till Monday!
Belote et re-, dix de der.
Belote and re-, last ten.
Ça sent bon le pays !
Smells good like home!
Quel pays ?
What country?
Mais ça sent bon notre pays, mais oui !
But it smells good like our country, yes!
Lyrics © EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING FRANCE, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JACQUES LARUE, LOUIGUY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-sq3zm1nj8t
1:10 tristesse vive les années 60 .cordialité dans tous les villages de France. Super chanson de Maurice chevalier. 😅
@0311christiane
si Maurice Chevalier voyait dans quel état est la France aujourd'hui, il en mourrait deux fois
@poyloos4834
He saw France occupied during ww2. I think he’d live.
@guillaumeportail9536
@@poyloos4834 Faut pas déconner il dirait toujours qu'on vit dans un pays libre en paix et heureux
@turkish_style8904
C est sur
@turkish_style8904
https://youtu.be/Gd5NLpGdA6M
@samythekay
Le chagrin et la pitié.
@turkish_style8904
La France est dans un déclin total et sur bien des aspects que les énumérer tout serais comme une longue corde de potences
@turkish_style8904
Passer de grandes nations a poubelles du Monde en si peu de temps.c est historique
@chrismorello1067
Maurice Chevalier, c'est donc lui qui a chanter le générique des aristochats :)