In 1965, Le Forestier formed a duo (Cat et Maxime) with his sister Catherine. Playing at cabaret venues on Paris' Left Bank, the pair met and formed a friendship with Georges Moustaki. They were amongst the first artists to cover a number of songs by Moustaki - including Ma Liberté and Ma Solitude. In 1968, Catherine joined Moustaki as a backing singer. Le Forestier began to focus on songwriting and composed Ballade pour un traître which was recorded and released by the French/Italian singer and actor, Serge Reggiani.
Le Forestier continued as part-time singer/songwriter during his military service (beginning 1969) with a parachute regiment (the inspiration for the song Parachutiste). He recorded two songs: "Cœur de Pierre, Face de Lune", and La Petite Fugue.
His military service ending September 1970, Le Forestier refocused on his musical career. He developed a folksy style which was enormously popular in the 1970s and '80s. His first album Mon Frère, released in 1973, contains several pieces that have entered French folklore, including the title song Mon frère, San Francisco, Comme un arbre and Education sentimentale. He toured extensively, both in France and abroad. In 1976, he toured in 14 cities in the USSR. Recently he has gained particular acclaim for his reworkings of the songs of Georges Brassens.
Je veux quitter ce monde heureux
Maxime Le Forestier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trouver du charme
Au fond du soir pourri qui mène à la mort.
Viens ma dormeuse
Dans la berceuse
Que je te chanterai et que je cherche encore.
Je veux quitter ce monde en regrettant un peu.
Pas de suicide,
Pas de morbide,
Pas l'ombre d'un regret ou d'un désespoir,
Pas l'ombre d'une
Tache à la lune,
D'un mauvais souvenir ou d'un plaisir au noir.
Je veux quitter ce monde en regrettant un peu.
Je veux quitter ce monde, heureux.
Quand la peinture
Sera nature,
Quand on verra fleurir aux murs en chaleur
Tous les délires
Des sans-écrire,
Des affamés de l'âme, des fous de la couleur.
Je veux quitter ce monde en regrettant un peu.
Je veux quitter ce monde, heureux.
Quand, dans ses tripes,
Un pauvre type
Aura enfin trouvé, taillé dans du bois
La chanson belle,
Universelle
Qui l'aura fait content, mais qui sera de moi.
Je veux quitter ce monde en regrettant un peu.
Je veux quitter ce monde, heureux.
Quand ne claironne-
Ra plus personne,
Au nom du bien, du mal, du roi ou de Dieu,
Qu'on pourra faire
Un tour de terre
Sans pleurer, sans vomir, sans se fermer les yeux.
Je veux quitter ce monde en regrettant un peu.
Je veux quitter ce monde, heureux.
Que je te touche,
Que je te couche
Et retrouver l'amour qu'on fait à quinze ans,
Alors ma tendre
Tu vas entendre
Pour la première fois, on peut faire un enfant.
Et puis quitter ce monde en regrettant un peu.
Et puis quitter ce monde, heureux.
The song "Je Veux Quitter Ce Monde Heureux" by Maxime Le Forestier is a poignant expression of the singer's desire to leave this world, but not without first experiencing the beauty and joys of life, and without any regrets or sadness. In the first verse, Le Forestier speaks of finding beauty even in the darkest moments, and invites his lover to join him in a gentle lullaby. The second verse reiterates his commitment to leaving this world on a positive note, without giving in to darkness, regret or despair. He stresses that he wants to leave happy and fulfilled, and not with any dark memories that obscure his life.
The following verses talk about his hope for a better world - without the need for war and control, where people can express themselves freely without fear of oppression. The song is a tribute to the beauty and love in life, and the desire to experience these things without any negative consequences. The final verse is particularly poignant, as Le Forestier talks about the beauty of making love, being in love and bringing new life into the world, and the desire to leave fulfilled and happy.
Line by Line Meaning
Sourire aux larmes, Trouver du charme Au fond du soir pourri qui mène à la mort.
Smiling through tears, finding charm in the rotten evening that leads to death.
Viens ma dormeuse Dans la berceuse Que je te chanterai et que je cherche encore.
Come my sleeper, in the lullaby that I will sing to you and that I am still searching for.
Pas de suicide, Pas de morbide, Pas l'ombre d'un regret ou d'un désespoir, Pas l'ombre d'une Tache à la lune, D'un mauvais souvenir ou d'un plaisir au noir.
No suicide, no morbidity, not even a shadow of regret or despair, not even a shadow of a stain on the moon, of a bad memory or of a pleasure in the dark.
Quand la peinture Sera nature, Quand on verra fleurir aux murs en chaleur Tous les délires Des sans-écrire, Des affamés de l'âme, des fous de la couleur.
When painting will be natural, when we will see all the craziness of those who cannot write or are starving for art, and of those who are color-crazy, bloom on the walls in the heat.
Quand, dans ses tripes, Un pauvre type Aura enfin trouvé, taillé dans du bois La chanson belle, Universelle Qui l'aura fait content, mais qui sera de moi.
When, deep within himself, a poor guy will have finally found, carved in wood, the beautiful, universal song that makes him happy, but which will be mine.
Quand ne claironne- Ra plus personne, Au nom du bien, du mal, du roi ou de Dieu, Qu'on pourra faire Un tour de terre Sans pleurer, sans vomir, sans se fermer les yeux.
When no one will trumpet anymore, in the name of good, evil, king or God, and we will be able to travel the earth without crying, vomiting, or closing our eyes.
Que je te touche, Que je te couche Et retrouver l'amour qu'on fait à quinze ans, Alors ma tendre Tu vas entendre Pour la première fois, on peut faire un enfant.
Let me touch you, let me lie with you and find the love we made at fifteen. Then, my dear, you will hear for the first time, we can make a child.
Contributed by Evan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.