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.
Mademoiselle Chang
Michel Berger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Elle cherche à perdre la mémoire.
Loin de la mousson et du ciel bleu noir,
Dans un monde qui n'a rien à voir,
Déracinée par le hasard...
Mademoiselle Chang,
Tout ce qu'elle demande,
Ce qu'elle fait là.
Mademoiselle Chang,
Si vous savez etre tendre,
Elle se rapproche de vous.
Sans que vos yeux demandent,
Les siens se font plus doux.
Elle vous dit dans sa langue
Les mots qu'on dit partout.
L'amour, elle l'appelle solena,
Mais l'amour l'a oublié là.
Mademoiselle Chang,
Mademoiselle Chang.
Loin elle sait cacher derrière son regard
Toutes ses joies et tout ses désespoirs.
Loin, son incorrigible espérance,
Son sourire, c'est sa force immense,
Son sourire, c'est son arme blanche.
Mademoiselle Chang,
Tout ce qu'elle demande,
C'est de pouvoir comprendre
Ce qu'elle fait là.
Mademoiselle Chang,
Si vous savez etre tendre,
Elle se rapproche de vous.
Sans que vos yeux demandent,
Les siens se font plus doux.
Elle vous dit dans sa langue
Les mots qu'on dit partout.
L'amour, elle l'appelle solena,
Mais l'amour l'a oublié là.
Mademoiselle Chang,
Mademoiselle Chang.
Si vous savez etre tendre,
Elle se met dans vos bras.
Elle vous montre sa chambre
Et elle vous dit tout bas
Quelques mots dans sa langue
Que vous'n comprenez pas.
Mademoiselle Chang,
Mademoiselle Chang,
Mademoiselle Chang, ...
The lyrics of Michel Berger's song Mademoiselle Chang describe a woman who is far away from her origins and her history, trying to forget her past. She finds herself in a world that has nothing to do with what she's used to and feels uprooted by chance. The song's title character is a mysterious Asian woman who is seeking to comprehend why she is where she is, and why she's disconnected from her identity. She calls love "solena," but love has forgotten her.
The song's poignant and enigmatic lyrics offer insight into themes of displacement, isolation, and searching for identity. Mademoiselle Chang, a symbol of those who may feel lost in their cultural origin, identity, or sense of self, is looking for someone who can be tender with her and help her understand why she's where she is. She hides her emotions behind a façade of smiles and hopefulness, with the hope that someone will see past her outward calmness, communicate with her, and perhaps give her a new sense of belonging.
In summary, Mademoiselle Chang is a melancholic and thought-provoking song that delves into themes of displacement, isolation, and search for identity. Michel Berger's lyrics paint a picture of a woman who has no sense of belonging, and seeks kindness and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
Loin de ses origines, de son histoire,
Far from her origins and her story,
Elle cherche à perdre la mémoire.
She tries to forget her past.
Loin de la mousson et du ciel bleu noir,
Far from the monsoon and the dark blue sky,
Dans un monde qui n'a rien à voir,
In a world that has nothing to do with her,
Déracinée par le hasard...
Uprooted by fate...
Tout ce qu'elle demande,
All she asks for
C'est de pouvoir comprendre
Is to be able to understand
Ce qu'elle fait là.
What she's doing here.
Si vous savez etre tendre,
If you know how to be gentle,
Elle se rapproche de vous.
She'll get closer to you.
Sans que vos yeux demandent,
Without asking your eyes,
Les siens se font plus doux.
Hers will become softer.
Elle vous dit dans sa langue
She'll tell you in her language
Les mots qu'on dit partout.
Words spoken everywhere.
L'amour, elle l'appelle solena,
She calls love solena,
Mais l'amour l'a oublié là.
But love forgot her there.
Loin elle sait cacher derrière son regard
Far away she knows how to hide behind her gaze
Toutes ses joies et tout ses désespoirs.
All of her joys and all of her despair.
Son sourire, c'est sa force immense,
Her smile is her immense strength,
Son sourire, c'est son arme blanche.
Her smile is her sharp weapon.
Si vous savez etre tendre,
If you know how to be gentle,
Elle se met dans vos bras.
She'll get in your arms.
Elle vous montre sa chambre
She shows you her room
Et elle vous dit tout bas
And she whispers to you
Quelques mots dans sa langue
A few words in her language
Que vous'n comprenez pas.
That you don't understand.
Mademoiselle Chang,
Miss Chang,
Mademoiselle Chang.
Miss Chang.
Mademoiselle Chang, ...
Miss Chang...
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michel Berger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nadirtasrienadire7675
Excellent chanteur, mélodiste, compositeur... Un immense talent Français comme on en a si peu de nos jours.
@AliTaouil-vr1uf
Oui
@faizahamza7001
Cette chanson il a vraiment vécu mademoiselle chang etait une dame qui travaillait pour lui elle n avait pas de papiers en France et grâce à lui et France gall elle a eu un travail et des papiers il avait connu elle était sans rien dommage qu il n y a pas d artiste au bon coeur comme ça
@michelrouma4861
Bien vrai ! Outre leur talent indéniable , Michel et Berger et France Gall. , notre petite Babou étaient des artistes au coeur d’or , d’une générosité exemplaire
Et engagés pour des causes nobles
Bien loin du nombrilisme actuel
Merci pour votre information sur l’origine de cette belle chanson
@faizahamza7001
@@michelrouma4861 derien
@jaimerincezloeil1876
c'était une autre époque 😑
@jaimerincezloeil1876
et le 1er décembre 81, je partait faire mon service militaire pour 2 ans, sans revenir en France 😔
@jean-paulxavier2906
Service militaire où ?
@miamiman5
Je suis un homme heureux pour avoir redécouvert cette chanson. Je pleure de joie.
@Franck.Morris.
Quel artiste quel musicien quel homme quelle histoire d amour avec France tt simplement!!!! Un génie de la musique qui dure et durera à tt jamais même en 2023….!!!
Avec France et Pauline tu es au paradis blanc…… reposez en paix ….