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
C'est à Paris
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans la rue Saint Denis
Que me vint l'appétit
Comme un chat pour l'hirondelle
L'amour, ma femme aujourd'hui
Comme à Paris
C'est à Paris
Que son corps ennemi
Me sembla soudain cruel
Et me tient à sa merci
Comme à Paris
De Clichy à Odéon
J'ai tant et tant jeté de ponts
Pour enjamber nos vies
Comme à Paris
Rue d'Ouessant, de Saigon
Le corps parcouru de frissons
Par les chemins maudits
J'atteins Paris
C'est à Paris
Que je suis chaque nuit
Étranger à l'oubli
Dans ma mémoire infidèle
La vraie passion de ma vie
Dort à Paris
De Clichy à Odéon
J'ai tant et tant jeté de ponts
Pour enjamber nos vies
Comme à Paris
Rue d'Ouessant, de Saigon
Le corps parcouru de frissons
Par les chemins maudits
J'atteins Paris
C'est à Paris
Dans la rue Saint Denis
Que me vint l'appétit
Comme un chat pour l'hirondelle
La vraie passion de ma vie
Dort à Paris
De Clichy à Odéon
J'ai tant et tant jeté de ponts
Pour enjamber ma vie
Comme à Paris
Rue d'Ouessant, de Saigon
Le corps parcouru de frissons
Par les chemins maudits
J'atteins Paris
In Michel Delpech's song "C'est à Paris", the singer reflects on his experiences in Paris, particularly in the Rue Saint Denis, where he first felt the desire for love. He compares this feeling to that of a cat chasing after a swallow, implying that his desire for love was overwhelming and irresistible. However, despite his love for the city, he also acknowledges the pain and jealousy he has experienced, describing his lover's body as an "enemy" that holds him at its mercy. This contrasts with the idea that Paris is a place of passion and romance, as it highlights a sense of vulnerability and powerlessness.
The song also explores the idea of bridging the gap between two lives through the image of bridges being thrown over the river Seine. Delpech describes how he has thrown so many bridges between Clichy and Odéon to try and connect his life with that of his lover. However, this has resulted in him traveling down "damned paths" that have left his body trembling with fear. By using the imagery of bridges, Delpech suggests that the journey towards love can be difficult and treacherous, like crossing a river.
Overall, "C'est à Paris" portrays Paris as a city of contrasts, where love and desire can be both all-consuming and painful, and where bridges must be crossed to overcome the distances between people.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est à Paris
Paris is the place where everything happens
Dans la rue Saint Denis
It was on Rue Saint Denis that I felt the first stirrings of appetite
Que me vint l'appétit
That's where I found my desire
Comme un chat pour l'hirondelle
Pursuing it endlessly, like a cat after a swallow
L'amour, ma femme aujourd'hui
My love, my wife today
Sevré de jalousie
I am devoid of jealousy
Que son corps ennemi
Her body, once my enemy
Me sembla soudain cruel
Seemed suddenly cruel to me
Et me tient à sa merci
And holds me at her mercy
De Clichy à Odéon
From Clichy to Odéon
J'ai tant et tant jeté de ponts
I have built so many bridges
Pour enjamber nos vies
To span our lives
Rue d'Ouessant, de Saigon
In the streets of Ouessant, in Saigon
Le corps parcouru de frissons
My body shivering with excitement
Par les chemins maudits
Along the cursed paths
J'atteins Paris
I reach Paris
Que je suis chaque nuit
I am there every night
Étranger à l'oubli
A stranger to oblivion
Dans ma mémoire infidèle
In my unfaithful memory
La vraie passion de ma vie
The true passion of my life
Dort à Paris
Sleeps in Paris
Pour enjamber ma vie
To span my life
Writer(s): Jean Louis Bergheaud, Denis Clavaizolle
Contributed by Katherine L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.