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.
Marin Du Cap
Maxime Le Forestier Lyrics
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Rien à faire.
Quand le Casa, la grappa,
Font la paire,
La seule amarre qui tienne
Est sous les regards qui percent les persiennes
Où les maisons touchent la mer.
Rien à dire.
Quand c'est le coeur du cap-
Tain qui chavire,
Le seul ragot qui traîne,
C'est le vent de la mer qui berce les persiennes
Et parle avant de mourir.
Marin du cap,
Ohé oh,
La radio que tu cap-
Tes est météo.
La seule musique qui tienne,
C'est celle qui, le soir, fait vibrer les persiennes
Et frissonner les rideaux.
Marin du cap,
Tout en haut,
Y'a des tours qui s'échappent
De leurs châteaux.
Le seul château qui tienne,
C'est la crique où la seule voile, c'est la tienne,
Un cinq étoiles au fond de l'eau.
Marin du cap,
Rien ne sert
De courir l'handicap,
Gagner la guerre.
Le seul état qui tienne,
C'est l'état des oiseaux qui vont qui viennent
Se reposer sur la mer.
Marin du cap,
Finalement,
Si les gens rient sous cape,
Tant pis les gens.
Le seul slogan qui vaille,
C'est qu'on peut tout partager, même le travail,
Tout libérer, même le temps.
In "Marin Du Cap," Maxime Le Forestier paints a picture of a sailor who has nothing to do and nowhere to go. The sailor is moored at the Cape, but with the Casa and grappa pairing, he has a rope that can hold. The only thing that matters to him is being under the eyes of those who can see through the shutters of the houses that touch the sea. The sailor is alone, and he has nothing to say. However, when the heart of the captain falters, the sea breeze from the open shutters whispers sweet nothings to console him. In this moment, the sailor recalls that the only good company is the music that vibrates the shutters and sways the curtains.
Later, when the sailor is atop the towers of the castle that escape into the sky, he remembers that the only castle that matters is the inlet where the only sailboat is his own, a five-star conquest at the bottom of the sea. The sailor understands that it is not worthwhile to compete with the birds that have no cares but to rest on the sea. Finally, the sailor accepts that the only valid motto is the one that says that everything can be shared, even work, and everything can be freed, even time.
Line by Line Meaning
Marin du cap,
Addressing a sailor from the cape region, suggesting an idle life with no particular duties or responsibilities.
Rien à faire.
There's nothing to do.
Quand le Casa, la grappa,
When Casa (a type of alcohol) and grappa come together.
Font la paire,
They make a pair.
La seule amarre qui tienne
The only anchor that holds.
Est sous les regards qui percent les persiennes
Is under the watchful gaze of those peering through the shutters, where the houses meet the sea.
Où les maisons touchent la mer.
Where the houses touch the sea.
Marin du cap,
Addressing a sailor from the cape region.
Rien à dire.
There's nothing to say.
Quand c'est le coeur du capitaine qui chavire,
When the captain's heart is in upheaval.
Le seul ragot qui traîne,
The only gossip that circulates.
C'est le vent de la mer qui berce les persiennes
Is the sea wind rocking the shutters.
Et parle avant de mourir.
And speaks before it dies down.
Marin du cap,
Addressing a sailor from the cape region.
Ohé oh,
A nautical shout for attention.
La radio que tu captes est météo.
The only radio you can pick up is the weather forecast.
La seule musique qui tienne,
The only music that matters.
C'est celle qui, le soir, fait vibrer les persiennes
Is the one that makes the shutters vibrate at night.
Et frissonner les rideaux.
And makes the curtains rustle.
Marin du cap,
Addressing a sailor from the cape region.
Tout en haut,
Up top.
Y'a des tours qui s'échappent de leurs châteaux.
There are towers rising from their castles.
Le seul château qui tienne,
The only castle that matters.
C'est la crique où la seule voile, c'est la tienne,
Is the cove where the only sail is yours.
Un cinq étoiles au fond de l'eau.
A five-star hotel at the bottom of the sea.
Marin du cap,
Addressing a sailor from the cape region.
Rien ne sert
There's no point.
De courir l'handicap,
In trying to win against a handicap.
Gagner la guerre.
Winning the war.
Le seul état qui tienne,
The only state that matters.
C'est l'état des oiseaux qui vont qui viennent
Is the state of birds that come and go.
Se reposer sur la mer.
Resting on the sea.
Marin du cap,
Addressing a sailor from the cape region.
Finalement,
In the end.
Si les gens rient sous cape,
If people laugh behind your back.
Tant pis les gens.
Too bad for them.
Le seul slogan qui vaille,
The only worthwhile slogan.
C'est qu'on peut tout partager, même le travail,
Is that we can share everything, even work.
Tout libérer, même le temps.
Free everything, even time.
Contributed by Jordyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.