He died of a heart attack at the age of 45.
Berger first became known to the French public in the 1960s as singer of hit song Salut les copains, after which he became record producer and songwriter for EMI and where he wrote amongst others Les Girafes for Bourvil in 1967. In the early 1970s, he moved to Warner Music where he produced the early albums of Véronique Sanson, and Allah once again in 1989. In 1973, he was responsible for producing the album Message personnel, the title track of which relaunched the career of Françoise Hardy. He also produced the single Je suis moi for Hardy.
Berger started writing for France Gall in 1974, produced all her albums from 1975, and married her on 22 June 1976.
In 1985, he produced Johnny Hallyday's album Rock'n'Roll Attitude and also his stage-show, followed by Le Tour de France 1988 of France Gall in 1987.
In 1978, he composed the musical: Starmania, with lyrics by Luc Plamondon. The musical starred France Gall, Daniel Balavoine, Diane Dufresne, Nanette Workman, Eric Estève and Fabienne Thibeault. It was a big success in France in the 1980s and 1990s. An English version: Tycoon was released in 1991 with lyrics by Tim Rice, but it did not achieve the success the original version had in France.
Partnered by producer Jerome Savary, and by lyricist Luc Plamondon in 1980, he produced the musical La Légende de Jimmy, inspired by the life of James Dean. However, this bombed. Dreams in stone, was conceived as an American musical, co-arranged with Michel Bernholc, recorded in the United States. The show never saw the light of day, but the album was nevertheless released in 1982. The album was a complete flop and is not well-known.
As composer, Berger scored several film projects, which included Mektoub, a 1970 film by Algerian Director Ali Ghalem, Robert Benayoun's Sérieux comme le plaisir in 1975, Jean-Paul Rappeneau's Tout feu, tout flamme in 1982 and Rive droite, rive gauche the 1984 film by Philippe Labro. He is also known for his Orangina advertisement jingle.
Berger was one of a handful of French artists who participated readily and actively in humanitarian acts: in 1985, he worked exclusively for Action Écoles alongside France Gall, Richard Berry and Daniel Balavoine, then later for Ethiopia with Renaud (Chanteurs Sans Frontières) and for Les Restos du cœur with comedian Coluche.
On 2 August 1992, a few weeks after the first album of duets with France Gall came out, Michel Berger died of a heart attack, in the middle of a tennis match. He is buried in the cimetière de Montmartre in Paris. His untimely death came as a shock to many people because he had been one of the most popular French singer-songwriter of the 70's and 80's. Moreover, unlike many pop stars, he came across as a nice and simple man, more interested in music and family life than in rock & roll excesses. As a matter of fact, his marriage with France Gall was remarkably stable.
C'est pour quelqu'un
Michel Berger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pour l'emporter loin de sa folie
Cet homme court après son ombre
Il court après sa vie
Et rien ne lui suffit
Tout ça
C'est pour quelqu'un
Il le fait
Pour quelque chose
Ces mains qui se lèvent
Au milieu d'un rêve
Je vous dis que tout ça
C'est pour quelqu'un
Comme s'il dédiait sa vie
Aux nuages roses et gris
Il sait qui ne l'a pas suivi
Qui n'est pas ici
Tous les palmiers du bord de mer
Et tous les soleils
Il se les est offerts
Toutes les filles qui n'ont pas su lui plaire
Le monde à sa merci
Rien ne lui suffit
Tout ça
C'est pour quelqu'un
Tout ça
Il le fait
Pour quelque chose
Ces gloires inutiles
Sont sommeils fragiles
Je vous dis que tout ça
C'est pour quelqu'un
Croyez, croyez, croyez-moi
C'est pour quelqu'un
Tout ça
C'est pour quelqu'un
Tout ça
Il le fait
Pour quelque chose
Ces mains qui se lèvent
Au milieu d'un rêve
Je vous dis que tout ça
C'est pour quelqu'un
Croyez, croyez, croyez-moi
C'est pour quelqu'un
The lyrics of Michel Berger's song "C'est pour quelqu'un" tell the story of a man who feels unfulfilled despite having everything. He is in search of something that he cannot seem to find, and he is willing to chase after it no matter how far it takes him. The man is described as someone who is constantly running after his shadow, after his own life, and yet nothing seems to satisfy him. The chorus of the song repeats the words "Tout ça, c'est pour quelqu'un" (All this is for someone), implying that everything the man is doing is for someone or something that he cannot name.
The second verse of the song adds more depth to the man's search. He has tried everything, from the palm trees on the beach to all the girls who couldn't please him. He has the world at his mercy, and yet he is still searching. The lines "Comme s'il dédiait sa vie aux nuages roses et gris" (As if he dedicated his life to the pink and gray clouds) suggest that the man is searching for something intangible, something that may not even exist.
The final chorus reinforces the idea that everything the man is doing is for someone or something he believes in, even if nobody else understands it. The song concludes with the line "Croyez-moi, c'est pour quelqu'un" (Believe me, it's for someone).
Line by Line Meaning
C'est moins que rien, le bout du monde
The end of the world is nothing compared to what this person is willing to do.
Pour l'emporter loin de sa folie
They do it to take themselves away from their own madness.
Cet homme court après son ombre
This person is continuously chasing after themselves.
Il court après sa vie
They are chasing after their own life.
Et rien ne lui suffit
They are not satisfied with anything.
Tout ça
All of this
C'est pour quelqu'un
Is for someone
Il le fait
They do it
Pour quelque chose
For a reason
Ces mains qui se lèvent
These hands that reach up
Au milieu d'un rêve
In the midst of a dream
Je vous dis que tout ça
I tell you that all of this
C'est pour quelqu'un
Is for someone
Comme s'il dédiait sa vie
As if they dedicated their life
Aux nuages roses et gris
To the pink and grey clouds
Il sait qui ne l'a pas suivi
They know who did not follow them
Qui n'est pas ici
Who is not here
Tous les palmiers du bord de mer
All the palm trees on the seaside
Et tous les soleils
And all the suns
Il se les est offerts
They gave themselves everything
Toutes les filles qui n'ont pas su lui plaire
All the girls who could not please them
Le monde à sa merci
The world at their mercy
Ces gloires inutiles
These useless glories
Sont sommeils fragiles
Are fragile sleeps
Je vous dis que tout ça
I tell you that all of this
C'est pour quelqu'un
Is for someone
Croyez, croyez, croyez-moi
Believe, believe, believe me
C'est pour quelqu'un
Is for someone
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michel Berger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tartar 45
Pour tout connaître de l’œuvre de Michel Berger il faudrait se procurer l’intégrale de sa discographie et tous les disques de France Gall depuis 1973 sans oublier des chansons composées pour Francoise Hardy et l’album qu’il a écrit pour Johnny Hallyday . On a du mal à réaliser l’étendue du répertoire qu’il a créé pour lui et pour les autres sans oublier que celui ci comporte de nombreux tubes et des chansons moins connues mais superbes . Mille fois bravo à ce génie qui manque encore à la chanson française !!!
Tartar 45
Je ne me lasse pas d’écouter les chansons de Michel Berger . Quel homme talentueux ! Il manque tant à la chanson française.
Martin
Cette personne est un génie de la composition.
Ciará Castex
Une de mes préférées. Qu'ils étaient beaux tous les deux 💖 et quel régal de devait être d'être tranquillement assis a boire un verre juste a coté de ces deux sommités de la chanson française 😻
Romy
C'était magnifique.
Arnaud FAUCHERE
👍🎹🎤👍Merci pour la vidéo.👍🎹🎤👍
Rainbow Rainbow
On vous aime !!! <3<3<3<3 tout les trois ! <3<3<3
Nadine Cornet
Ce quelqu’un un c était Mr Hamburger ?