Born in Pertuis, Vaucluse, Torr won her first singing contest at age fifteen, in 1962, winning the first year's On Chante dans mon Quartier contest in Avignon. Michèle was a tall beautiful woman with actress-like expression, and easily wins the audience over by singing the Édith Piaf song Exodus. Mireille Mathieu was runner-up that year with Les cloches de Lisbonne by Maria Candido. Then in 1963, at age sixteen, Michèle won a recording contract with the Mercury label, and opened for Jacques Brel at the Paris Olympia. She released three EPs (four songs each) throughout 1964, which were aimed at radio and juke-box play. Torr's release of Dans mes bras, oublie ta peine in 1964 was a big hit. Further releases of both original French material, and French covers of British and American hits, proved to be hit and miss. This setting the tone for Torr's career throughout the 60's, as she tried to find her niche. The Mercury contract ended in 1972.
Torr had continued to record and release singles during the early and mid 1970s like Une vague bleue, a big hit, but she achieved the biggest successes of her career at the end of the decade with Emmène-moi danser ce soir, La séparation and Discomotion. Through the 1980s she continued to release successful singles and albums and was a regular on television. Her career stalled in the 1990s, with much less new material being released, although compilations of earlier work kept her in the public eye.
On 3 March 2008, she released her album Ces années-là on the Sony BMG Import label.
On 12 November 2012, she released an album of religious songs Chanter c'est Prier on the Sony Music France S.M.A.R.T. label.
As of 2015, She continues to tour worldwide on the French music nostalgia circuit, with almost a concert a month.
Une Petite Française
Michèle Torr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je n'aime pas la nuit
Et dans les magazines
Je ne lis pas ma vie
Je suis une provinciale
Je n'ai pas lu Pascal
J'ai une vie normale
Une petite Française
Née en Provence
Quand elle avait quinze ans
Vint à Paris
Epousa la chanson
Ne changea pas son nom
Et la voilà
Devant vous aujourd'hui
Une petite Française
Née en Provence
Loin de ses jeux d'enfants
S'était enfuie
A-t-elle eu bien raison
De quitter sa maison
Pour se trouver
Devant vous aujourd'hui?
Je n'suis pas une idole
Qu'on aime et qu'on détruit
Je vis mes années folles
Toujours loin de Paris
Et sans avoir de Rolls
Il n'y a pas mieux, je crois
Quand je vois quelques gosses
Qui jouent autour de moi
Une petite Française
Née en Provence
Quand elle avait quinze ans
Vint à Paris
Epousa la chanson
Ne changea pas son nom
Et la voilà
Devant vous aujourd'hui
Une petite Française
Née en Provence
Loin de ses jeux d'enfants
S'était enfuie
A-t-elle eu bien raison
De quitter sa maison
Pour se trouver
Devant vous aujourd'hui?
The song "Une Petite Française" by Michèle Torr celebrates the singer's humble origins as a provincial French girl who dreamed of making it big in the music industry. The lyrics speak to Torr's sense of self-awareness and down-to-earth personality, contrasting her with the glamorous and often contentious world of celebrity.
In the opening stanza, Torr asserts that she is not like Marilyn Monroe, who famously sang about the allure of nightlife in "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Rather, Torr prefers a simpler life, eschewing the glitz and glamour of the media in favor of a quiet existence. She describes herself as a "provinciale," or small-town girl, who has not read Philosopher Blaise Pascal's works. Despite this, she takes pride in her "normal" life, which she considers "almost original."
The chorus reinforces Torr's small-town roots, describing her as a "petite Française" who left her childhood games behind to pursue a career in Paris. She "married" the music and has kept her name, reflecting her authenticity and commitment to her identity. The question of whether she made the right decision to leave her home and travel to Paris lingers over the chorus, suggesting that her path to fame was not always easy and that she faced setbacks and doubts along the way.
Overall, "Une Petite Française" is a celebration of hard work, perseverance, and authenticity in the face of the music industry's often-challenging demands. Torr's lyrics emphasize the importance of staying true to oneself and cherishing one's modest roots, even in the midst of celebrity.
Line by Line Meaning
Je ne suis pas Marilyn
I am not Marilyn Monroe
Je n'aime pas la nuit
I do not like the night
Et dans les magazines
And in magazines
Je ne lis pas ma vie
I do not read my life
Je suis une provinciale
I am a provincial girl
Je n'ai pas lu Pascal
I have not read Pascal
J'ai une vie normale
I have a normal life
C'est presque original
It's almost original
Une petite Française
A little French girl
Née en Provence
Born in Provence
Quand elle avait quinze ans
When she was fifteen years old
Vint à Paris
Came to Paris
Epousa la chanson
Married the song
Ne changea pas son nom
Did not change her name
Et la voilà
And here she is
Devant vous aujourd'hui
In front of you today
Loin de ses jeux d'enfants
Far from her childhood games
S'était enfuie
She had run away
A-t-elle eu bien raison
Did she have good reason
De quitter sa maison
To leave her home
Pour se trouver
To find herself
Je n'suis pas une idole
I am not an idol
Qu'on aime et qu'on détruit
That one loves and destroys
Je vis mes années folles
I live my crazy years
Toujours loin de Paris
Always far from Paris
Et sans avoir de Rolls
And without having a Rolls-Royce
Il n'y a pas mieux, je crois
There's nothing better, I believe
Quand je vois quelques gosses
When I see some kids
Qui jouent autour de moi
Playing around me
Contributed by Carter I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@isabellelevy-banchereau3271
Je ne suis pas Marilyn
Je n'aime pas la nuit
Et dans les magazines
Je ne lis pas
Ma vie
Je suis une provinciale
Je n'ai pas lu Pascal
J'ai une vie normale
C'est presque original
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Quand elle avait 15 ans
Vint à Paris
Épousa la chanson
Ne changea pas
Son nom
Et la voilà
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Loin de ses jeux
D'enfant
S'était enfuie
A-t-elle eu bien raison
De quitter
Sa maison
Pour se trouver
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
Je ne suis pas
Une idole
Qu'on aime
Et qu'on détruit
Je vis mes années
Folles
Toujours loin de Paris
Et sans avoir de Rolls
Il n'y a pas mieux
Je crois
Quand je vois
Quelques gosses
Qui jouent autour
De moi
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Quand elle avait 15 ans
Vint à Paris
Épousa la chanson
Ne changea pas
Son nom
Et la voilà
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Loin de ses jeux
D'enfant
S'était enfuie
A-t-elle eu bien raison
De quitter
Sa maison
Pour se trouver
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
@mikalugg5641
Philippines 🇵🇭
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United States 🇺🇸
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@mikalugg5641
No running in the church!
You need to walk in the church!
No making your loud noise in the church!
You need to be quiet in the church!
No punching your friends in the church!
No kicking your friends in the church!
No hitting your friends in the church!
No fighting with your friends in the church!
No taking your clothes off in front of the friends in the church!
You need to sing your song in the church!
@mikalugg5641
She was not running in her store!
She was walking in her store!
She was not running in her church!
She was walking in her church!
She was not making her loud noise in this church!
She was having to be quiet in this church!
She was having to turn around and she was having to do her work neatly and carefully in the classroom!
She was not looking at her friend's food in the kitchen.
She was not stealing her food from her friends in the kitchen.
She was not dropping her food on the floor!
She was not throwing her food on the floor!
She was not punching her friends in this church!
She was not kicking her friends in this church!
She was not hitting her friends in this church!
She was not fighting with her friends in this church!
She was standing up and she was pushing her chair in the large table in the classroom!
She was pulling her chair out of her large table and she was sitting down on her chair at the large table in the classroom!
She was staying in her seat and she was not getting up off her chair in the classroom!
She was not singing her song in the classroom!
She was singing her song in the church!
@mikalugg5641
Country of the world 🌎
Spain 🇪🇸
Philippines 🇵🇭
Venezuela 🇻🇪
Germany 🇩🇪
United States 🇺🇸
France 🇫🇷
Japan 🇯🇵
Haiti 🇭🇹
Netherlands 🇳🇱
Taiwan 🇹🇼
Malaysia 🇲🇾
Ecuador 🇪🇨
Samoa 🇼🇸
Jordan 🇯🇴
Zambia 🇿🇲
Fiji 🇫🇯
Nigeria 🇳🇬
Australia 🇦🇺
Israel 🇮🇱
Cameroon 🇨🇲
New Zealand 🇳🇿
Bahrain 🇧🇭
Turkey 🇹🇷
Egypt 🇪🇬
@mikalugg5641
Philippines 🇵🇭
Japan 🇯🇵
Taiwan 🇹🇼
Malaysia 🇲🇾
Venezuela 🇻🇪
United States 🇺🇸
Haiti 🇭🇹
Ecuador 🇪🇨
Spain 🇪🇸
Germany 🇩🇪
France 🇫🇷
Netherlands 🇳🇱
Jordan 🇯🇴
Israel 🇮🇱
Bahrain 🇧🇭
Turkey 🇹🇷
Zambia 🇿🇲
Nigeria 🇳🇬
Cameroon 🇨🇲
Egypt 🇪🇬
Samoa 🇼🇸
Fiji 🇫🇯
Australia 🇦🇺
New Zealand 🇳🇿
@mikalugg5641
What did you do in the church?
You ran in your church.
What did you do in the church?
You made your loud noise in the church.
What did you do in the kitchen?
You dropped your food on the floor.
What did you do in the kitchen?
You threw your food on the floor.
What did you do in the kitchen?
You looked at your friend's food in the kitchen.
What did you do in the kitchen?
You went to steal your food from your friends in the kitchen.
What did you do in the church?
You began to punch your friends in the church.
What did you do in the church?
You began to kick your friends in the church.
What did you do in the church?
You began to hit your friends in the church.
What did you do in the church?
You fought with your friends in the church.
What did you do in the church?
You took your clothes off in front of your friends in the church.
What did you do in the classroom?
You began to put your feet up on the big table in the classroom.
What did you do in the classroom?
You did not stay in your seat and you got up off the chair in the classroom.
What did you do in the classroom?
You sang your song in the classroom.
@mikalugg5641
If she would stop running in her church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would walk in her church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would stop making her loud noise in the church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would be quiet in the church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would turn around and if she would do her work neatly and carefully in the classroom, she would be her very nice girl in the classroom.
If she would stop dropping her food on the floor, she would be her very smart girl in the kitchen.
If she would stop throwing her food on the floor, she would be her very smart girl in the kitchen.
If she would stop looking at her friend's food in the kitchen, she would be her very smart girl in the kitchen.
If she would stop stealing her food from her friends in the kitchen, she would be her very smart girl in the kitchen.
If she would stop punching her friends in the church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would stop kicking her friends in the church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would stop hitting her friends in the church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would stop fighting with her friends in the church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
If she would stay in her seat and if she would stop getting up off her chair in the classroom, she would be her very nice girl in the classroom.
If she would sing her song in the church, she would be her very good girl in the church.
@mikalugg5641
America
Venezuela 🇻🇪
United States 🇺🇸
Haiti 🇭🇹
Ecuador 🇪🇨
Europe
Spain 🇪🇸
Germany 🇩🇪
France 🇫🇷
Netherlands 🇳🇱
Asia
Philippines 🇵🇭
Japan 🇯🇵
Taiwan 🇹🇼
Malaysia 🇲🇾
Africa
Cameroon 🇨🇲
Egypt 🇪🇬
Nigeria 🇳🇬
Zambia 🇿🇲
Oceania
Samoa 🇼🇸
Fiji 🇫🇯
Australia 🇦🇺
New Zealand 🇳🇿
Middle East
Bahrain 🇧🇭
Israel 🇮🇱
Jordan 🇯🇴
Turkey 🇹🇷
@mikalugg5641
Country of the world 🌎
1. Ecuador 🇪🇨
2. United States 🇺🇸
3. China 🇨🇳
4. Cameroon 🇨🇲
5. Spain 🇪🇸
6. Egypt 🇪🇬
7. Japan 🇯🇵
8. Nigeria 🇳🇬
9. Belgium 🇧🇪
10. Israel 🇮🇱
11. Venezuela 🇻🇪
12. Netherlands 🇳🇱
13. Canada 🇨🇦
14. Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
15. Philippines 🇵🇭
16. Bahrain 🇧🇭
17. Jordan 🇯🇴
18. Samoa 🇼🇸
19. Palau 🇵🇼
20. Malaysia 🇲🇾
21. New Zealand 🇳🇿
22. France 🇫🇷
23. Germany 🇩🇪
24. Zambia 🇿🇲
25. Australia 🇦🇺
26. Turkey 🇹🇷
27. United Kingdom 🇬🇧
28. Fiji 🇫🇯
29. Taiwan 🇹🇼
30. Senegal 🇸🇳
31. Portugal 🇵🇹
32. Haiti 🇭🇹
33. Micronesia 🇫🇲
34. Tonga 🇹🇴
35. Syria 🇸🇾
@mikalugg5641
America
Venezuela 🇻🇪
United States 🇺🇸
Haiti 🇭🇹
Ecuador 🇪🇨
Europe
Spain 🇪🇸
Germany 🇩🇪
France 🇫🇷
Netherlands 🇳🇱
Asia
Philippines 🇵🇭
Japan 🇯🇵
Taiwan 🇹🇼
Malaysia 🇲🇾
Africa
Cameroon 🇨🇲
Egypt 🇪🇬
Nigeria 🇳🇬
Zambia 🇿🇲
Oceania
Samoa 🇼🇸
Fiji 🇫🇯
Australia 🇦🇺
New Zealand 🇳🇿
Middle East
Bahrain 🇧🇭
Israel 🇮🇱
Jordan 🇯🇴
Turkey 🇹🇷
@mikalugg5641
What will you do in the church?
You will run in your church.
What will you do in the church?
You will make your loud noise in the church.
What will you do in the kitchen?
You will drop your food on the floor.
What will you do in the kitchen?
You will throw your food on the floor.
What will you do in the kitchen?
You will go to steal your food from your friends in the kitchen.
What will you do in the kitchen?
You will see your friend’s food in the kitchen.
What will you do in the church?
You will punch your friends in the church.
What will you do in the church?
You will kick your friends in the church.
What will you do in the church?
You will hit your friends in the church.
What will you do in the church?
You will fight with your friends in the church.
What will you do in the church?
You will take your clothes off in front of the friends in the church.
What will you do in the classroom?
You will put your feet up on the big table in the classroom.
What will you do in the classroom?
You will not stay in your seat and you will get up off the chair in the classroom.
What will you do in the classroom?
You will sing your song in the classroom.
@mikalugg5641
If she ran in her church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she did not walk in her church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she made her loud noise in the church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she did not have to be quiet in the church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she dropped her food on the floor, she had to be her very bad girl in the kitchen.
If she threw her food on the floor, she had to be her very bad girl in the kitchen.
If she looked at her friend's food in the kitchen, she had to be her very bad girl in the kitchen.
If she went to steal her food from the friends in the kitchen, she had to be her very bad girl in the kitchen.
If she began to punch her friends in the church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she began to kick her friends in the church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she began to hit her friends in the church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she fought with her friends in the church, she had to be her very bad girl in the church.
If she did not stay in her seat and if she got up off her chair in the classroom, she had to be her very bad girl in the classroom.
If she sang her song in the classroom, she had to be her very bad girl in the classroom.
@pujol56
Merci Michelle, j'ai eu 60 printemps en 2022, mais j'ai toujours écouter vos belle chansons depuis mon adolescence. Vous êtes formidable. Ma famille et moi-même vous souhaite tout le meilleurs pour 2023. Merci.
@premirralucie5856
Une voix et une émotion magnifiques.
@isabellelevy-banchereau3271
Merci pour ce partage
Une excellente chanson de Michèle Torr
J'aime beaucoup sa voix
Elle sait chanter les émotions et les transmettre
Interprète incontournable
Irremplaçable
@denis-5827
Tres belle chanson .77 et l eurovision 4.
@famillediascaneja589
Merci🌹 beaucoup 💙🤍❤️
@PapillonBlanc1
J'aime beaucoup cette chanson 😍
@jorgelopes9617
❤❤❤❤❤😅😅😅😅
@isabellelevy-banchereau3271
Je ne suis pas Marilyn
Je n'aime pas la nuit
Et dans les magazines
Je ne lis pas
Ma vie
Je suis une provinciale
Je n'ai pas lu Pascal
J'ai une vie normale
C'est presque original
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Quand elle avait 15 ans
Vint à Paris
Épousa la chanson
Ne changea pas
Son nom
Et la voilà
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Loin de ses jeux
D'enfant
S'était enfuie
A-t-elle eu bien raison
De quitter
Sa maison
Pour se trouver
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
Je ne suis pas
Une idole
Qu'on aime
Et qu'on détruit
Je vis mes années
Folles
Toujours loin de Paris
Et sans avoir de Rolls
Il n'y a pas mieux
Je crois
Quand je vois
Quelques gosses
Qui jouent autour
De moi
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Quand elle avait 15 ans
Vint à Paris
Épousa la chanson
Ne changea pas
Son nom
Et la voilà
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
Une petite française
Née en Provence
Loin de ses jeux
D'enfant
S'était enfuie
A-t-elle eu bien raison
De quitter
Sa maison
Pour se trouver
Devant vous
Aujourd'hui
@horizon1460
Quoi ? Une petite française qui va acheté mes biens ?? Waow c’est une bonne nouvelle pour le roi 👑 de France 🇫🇷
@variniacasano2121
🥰💌😇🙌🍀🍀🍀🙏🙏🙏🤍🤍🤍