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
Et je ris en ce miroir
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J' prends conscience de cette tête que je trimbale
On s' connaît tellement que j'y faisais plus trop gaffe
Elle vaquait sans chercher à me plaire
J'en ai vu d' toutes les couleurs
Et me v'là avec l'œil terne
Et mes cheveux où et quand ils m'ont quitté
Et c' menton que j' croyais volontaire
Qu'est-ce qui m' fait le fuir?
Du coup je joue des maxillaires
Et je ris en ce miroir
Je ris de m' voir si bête
De tant mériter ma tête
Et je dis à ce miroir
Ce miroir convexe
"Tu n' me vexes pas"
Et puis j'étale la mousse, histoire de brouiller les pistes
Mais cette crème ne m' fait plus voir que ma bouche
Cette gourmande qui a connu bien assez d' filles
Pour rester fidèle à une seule
Et je ris en ce miroir
Et je ris en ce miroir
Je pourrais même me tordre
Dans la peau d'un Harrison Ford
Et je ris en ce miroir
Je ris de m' voir si bête
De tant mériter ma tête
Et je dis à ce miroir
Ce miroir convexe
"Tu n' me vexes pas"
Et je ris
Et je ris
Et je ris.
The song "Et je ris en ce miroir" by Michel Delpech talks about the singer looking at himself in the mirror while getting ready to shave. In an instant, he realizes how careless he has been towards his own appearance, and he criticizes himself for not paying enough attention to how he looks. He further states that he has gone through different phases, and now he has a worn-out look with dull eyes and hair that has abandoned him. The singer talks about his once believed prominent chin that he thought made him look good, but now he wonders what made it disappear.
As the song progresses, Michel Delpech’s protagonist tries to ignore his appearance issues by covering them with shaving foam, but it does not help, and he can only focus on his mouth. He reveals that even though his mouth has experienced many kisses from different women, it has remained loyal to only one. Despite all these insecurities, the singer laughs at himself through the mirror, stating how foolish he feels for deserving the face he has. He even jokes that he could be a better-looking man, like Harrison Ford. The last lines of the song repeat the phrase, "Et je ris" (And I laugh), emphasizing the irony of the situation.
The song depicts a reflection on the singer's life, showing how he has let go of himself and how he is aware of it. The music is mellow, and Michel Delpech’s voice is soothing, making the song sound sad and relatable. The use of the mirror as a symbol is significant because it becomes a metaphor for how we judge ourselves and how, in some cases, we can be overly critical. We pay extra attention to our flaws, and we forget the good qualities we have. The song resonates with people who have insecurities, making it universally appealing.
Line by Line Meaning
Je m'apprête à me raser, et d'un seul coup dans la glace
As I prepare to shave, I suddenly catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror
J' prends conscience de cette tête que je trimbale
I become aware of the head I'm carrying around
On s' connaît tellement que j'y faisais plus trop gaffe
We are so familiar that I didn't pay much attention to it anymore
Elle vaquait sans chercher à me plaire
It was just there, without trying to please me
J'en ai vu d' toutes les couleurs
I've seen it all
Et me v'là avec l'œil terne
And here I am with dull eyes
Et mes cheveux où et quand ils m'ont quitté
And my hair, when and where did it leave me?
Pour quel bac à douche à Cuba ou à Vincennes
For what shower drain in Cuba or Vincennes?
Et c' menton que j' croyais volontaire
And that chin I thought was strong-willed
Qu'est-ce qui m' fait le fuir?
What is it that's making it disappear?
Du coup je joue des maxillaires
So I'm moving my jaw around
Et je ris en ce miroir
And I laugh in this mirror
Je ris de m' voir si bête
I'm laughing at how stupid I look
De tant mériter ma tête
For deserving this head of mine so much
Et je dis à ce miroir
And I say to this mirror
Ce miroir convexe
This convex mirror
"Tu n' me vexes pas"
"You don't offend me"
Et puis j'étale la mousse, histoire de brouiller les pistes
And then I spread the foam, trying to confuse the situation
Mais cette crème ne m' fait plus voir que ma bouche
But this cream only makes me see my mouth
Cette gourmande qui a connu bien assez d' filles
This sensual mouth that has had enough girls in its life
Pour rester fidèle à une seule
To remain faithful to just one
Je pourrais même me tordre
I could even twist myself
Dans la peau d'un Harrison Ford
Into the skin of a Harrison Ford
Et je ris
And I laugh
Et je ris
And I laugh
Et je ris.
And I laugh.
Writer(s): jean baptiste brimont, francis bassett
Contributed by Nora L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.