Michel Delpech (Jean-Michel Delpech, Courbevoie, January 26, 1946 - Paris,… Read Full Bio ↴Michel Delpech (Jean-Michel Delpech, Courbevoie, January 26, 1946 - Paris, January 2, 2016) was a French chansonnier, novelist and actor.

Born in a Parisian suburb in a wealthy family, he had a happy childhood. His father owned a small business. In high school, influenced by the great chansonniers of his time Luis Mariano, Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud, he formed with classmates a band.

Studying at the Petit Conservatoire de Mireille, where Yves Duteil and Françoise Hardy had been discovered, he made his first single, Anatole in 1963. He meets Roland Vincent who becomes his regular composer. Michels first hit Chez Laurette the following year is from the musical he plays in 'Copains-Clopant' . In 1966 appears his album Inventaire 66, while he is opening act for Leny Escudero. As Jacques Brel, in 1967, provides a series of farewell performances in the Parisian music theater Olympia, Delpech is the support act. Johnny Stark, the impresario of Mireille Mathieu, decides to accompany him. Michel is touring as a supporting act along with Mireille, to the US and the USSR.
In 1968 he won the French Grand Prix du Disque with "Il ya des jours où on ferait mieux de rester au lit".

In 1969 he composed the song hippie Wight is Wight in French about the British Isle of Wight Festival that summer. It became a huge hit in France, Sandie Shaw covered it the following year. In 1970 he regrets the break-up of The Beatles in the song Et Paul chantait Yesterday, brings the album Un coup de pied dans la montagne and he breaks up with Johnny Stark.
In 1971 Delpech scored a European hit with Pour un flirt; even in Britain it reached the charts. Further chansons by him were Que Marianne était jolie (1972) and Les divorcés (1974), Le Chasseur (1974) and Le Loir-et-Cher (1977).

The following years Delpech devoted primarily to composing and writing lyrics. He had a comeback in 1983 with the single Animaux, animaux and his successful album Loin d'ici in 1985, followed in 1989 by J'étais un ange. In 1992 with Roland Vincent he made the album Les Voix du Brésil. Delpech then took a five year sabbatical.

From 1997 Delpech was particularly productive. J'étais un ange is the title of an album in 2000 that heralds a tour with musician friends such as Alain Chamfort, Charlélie Couture, Claude Nougaro, Marc Lavoine and Pierre Richard providing inspiration for the album Comme vous (2004) and Live -album Ce lundi-là au Bataclan (2004).

In 2006 he even released an album consisting of five CDs Delpech inventaires followed by Michel Delpech & ... Delpech with repertoire old and new and of musical contemporaries like Bénabar, Francis Cabrel, Alain Souchon, Cali, Laurent Voulzy, Julien Clerc and Clarika. In 2008 appeared a live DVD, Live au Grand Rex, which is widely acclaimed as an excellent live recording.

Delpech fought three years against throat cancer. On January 2, 2016 Delpech died in Paris

Album
Michel Delpech Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Voici mon album
Mon curriculum
Mon mémorandum
Voici mon album
Voici le sérum
De ma vérité
Voici mon album
Mon ultimatum

Et son postscriptum
Voici mon album
Voici mon opium
Et ma vérité

Voici mon album
Et pas mon pensum
Ni mon muséum
Voici mon album
Juste un premier tome
De ma vérité
Voici mon album
Mon postulatum
Mon capharnaüm
Voici mon album

Voici mon factum
Et ma vérité

Overall Meaning

The Michel Delpech song "Album" is a reflection on the artist's life and work, encapsulated in the form of an album. The song explores the idea that an album captures a person's experiences, memories, and emotions, in the same way that a photo album might capture a series of snapshots of a person's life. The song begins with the line "Voici mon album" which roughly translates to "Here is my album," and sets the theme for the song as a whole.

Delpech then goes on to describe the contents of his album in a variety of different ways, including "Mon curriculum, Mon mémorandum," which can be interpreted as his resume or a summary of his experiences in life. The line "Voici le sérum De ma vérité" roughly translates to "Here is the serum of my truth," suggesting that the album is a reflection of Delpech's inner self and his true feelings and emotions.

Later in the song, Delpech describes the album as his "opium" or his addiction and concludes by saying "Voici mon factum Et ma vérité," or "Here is my verdict and my truth." Overall, the song is a meditation on the power of music to capture the essence of a person's life, experiences, and emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

Voici mon album
Here is my album, a collection of my works and experiences

Mon curriculum
My life’s journey and personal achievements

Mon mémorandum
My important notes and reflections

Voici le sérum
Here is the truth serum of my life

De ma vérité
Containing my personal truths and perspectives

Mon ultimatum
The ultimate expression of my views and principles

Et son postscriptum
Including additional information and reflections after the fact

Voici mon opium
Here is my release, my way of escaping reality through my works

Et pas mon pensum
Not a tedious chore like a school assignment

Ni mon muséum
Not a sterile collection of artifacts, but rather something personal

Juste un premier tome
Just the first part of my story, my first step in sharing my life