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

Comme On S'Traite
Michel Delpech Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Comme on s' traite !
Hou la la ! Comme on s' traite !
C'est peu de dire, on s' traite
On n'ose même plus se demander l'heure

Comme on s' traite !
Hou la la ! Comme on s' traite !
Même entre amis, qu'on s'invite ou qu'on s' fête

C'est à peine si on regarde nos fleurs

Comme on s' traite !
Hou la la ! Comme on s' traite !
À coups d' Klaxon, de formules incorrectes
On s'acharne à blesser nos p'tits cœurs

On s' traite même dans les salons
Toi, touche-moi pas, tu me salis !
Eh ben alors, casse-toi, pauvre con !
Tout ça n'est pas joli, joli

J' te prends la place et puis j' te traite
Je fais c' que j' veux, j' te connais pas !
T'es pas heureux ? Ben va t' faire mettre !
C'est pas d' la haine, c'est du rata

Comme on s' traite !
Hou la la ! Comme on s' traite !
C'est peu de dire, on s' traite
On peut même plus se demander l'heure

Comme on s' traite !
Hou la la ! Comme on s' traite !

Ah ! Le venin qu'on se jette
Alors qu'il nous faudrait des douceurs

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Michel Delpech's song Comme On S'Traite reflect on the harsh and unkind ways in which people treat each other. The repetition of "Comme on s' traite!" throughout the song emphasizes this notion, with the singer expressing surprise at how badly people treat each other, even among friends. The lines "c'est à peine si on regarde nos fleurs" (we barely even look at our flowers) illustrate how we fail to appreciate the small things in life because we are too busy being unkind towards one another.

The second verse goes on to describe how we even mistreat each other in social situations where politeness is expected. With lines like "tout ça n'est pas joli, joli" (none of this is pretty, pretty), the song emphasizes that this behavior is not desirable, and yet it continues to persist. The lyrics suggest that people feel entitled to mistreat others because they are either unhappy or simply because they can.

Overall, the song serves as a commentary on the harsh nature of human interactions. It highlights the need for kindness and compassion, and the importance of taking a step back to appreciate the beauty in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Comme on s' traite !
How we treat each other!

Hou la la ! Comme on s' traite !
Wow! How we treat each other!

C'est peu de dire, on s' traite
It's an understatement to say we treat each other poorly

On n'ose même plus se demander l'heure
We don't even dare to ask each other the time anymore

Même entre amis, qu'on s'invite ou qu'on s' fête
Even among friends, whether we invite each other or celebrate

C'est à peine si on regarde nos fleurs
We hardly even notice each other's accomplishments

À coups d' Klaxon, de formules incorrectes
With honking and rude remarks

On s'acharne à blesser nos p'tits cœurs
We persist in hurting each other's hearts

On s' traite même dans les salons
We even treat each other poorly in our social gatherings

Toi, touche-moi pas, tu me salis !
Don't touch me or you'll taint me!

Eh ben alors, casse-toi, pauvre con !
Well then, get lost, you poor idiot!