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

Corcovado
Michel Delpech Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Um cantinho e um violão
Este amor, uma canção
Pra fazer feliz a quem se ama

Muita calma pra pensar
E ter tempo pra sonhar

Da janela vê-se o Corcovado

O Redentor que lindo

Quero a vida sempre assim com você perto de mim
Até o apagar da velha chama

E eu que era triste
Descrente deste mundo
Ao encontrar você eu conheci
O que é felicidade meu amor

O que é felicidade, o que é felicidade

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Michel Delpech's song "Corcovado" speak of a beautiful and serene love. The opening lines, "Um cantinho e um violão, Este amor, uma canção, Pra fazer feliz a quem se ama," translate to "A cozy corner with a guitar, This love, a song, To make the person one loves happy." These words convey the idea of finding joy and contentment in simple pleasures, such as being together with loved ones and sharing music.

The song continues by expressing the importance of calmness, reflection, and dreaming. The lines, "Muita calma pra pensar, E ter tempo pra sonhar," which mean "Plenty of calmness to think, And time to dream," emphasize the need to slow down, contemplate, and indulge in our dreams. The imagery of watching the Corcovado mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue from a window adds a touch of romanticism and showcases the serene beauty of the surroundings.

The chorus reveals a transformation in the singer's state of being. They state, "E eu que era triste, Descrente deste mundo, Ao encontrar você eu conheci, O que é felicidade meu amor," which translates to "And I, who was sad, Disbelieving in this world, Upon finding you, I discovered What happiness is, my love." It implies that the singer was once disillusioned and unhappy, but meeting their loved one brought them a newfound sense of joy and happiness.

In summary, "Corcovado" by Michel Delpech is a song about finding happiness in love, appreciating the simplicity of life's pleasures, and the transformative power of a meaningful connection.

Line by Line Meaning

Um cantinho e um violão
A small corner and a guitar

Este amor, uma canção
This love, a song

Pra fazer feliz a quem se ama
To make happy the one you love

Muita calma pra pensar
Plenty of calmness to think

E ter tempo pra sonhar
And have time to dream

Da janela vê-se o Corcovado
From the window, one can see the Corcovado

O Redentor que lindo
The Redeemer, how beautiful

Quero a vida sempre assim com você perto de mim
I want life always like this with you close to me

Até o apagar da velha chama
Until the old flame dies

E eu que era triste
And I who was sad

Descrente deste mundo
Doubting in this world