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

J'Ai Eté Fou D'Aimer
Michel Delpech Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
Mais je m'en fous
Mкme si j'ai йtй un fou

Je suis encore amoureux
Si j'avais йcoutй les ragots j'aurai eu quelques doutes

Mais j'ai fait tout mon possible pour leur barrer la route
Car l'amour n'y voit rien
Et l'amour nous tient
Et il faut du temps а un fou qui rкve
Pour savoir ce que tout le monde sait

J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
Mais je m'en fous
Mкme si j'ai йtй un fou

Je suis encore amoureux
J'imagine ton visage
Tu remplis presque tout l'espace devant moi
Et je vois tes yeux
Tes mensonges et tes jolis jeux
Oh oui
Je voudrais кtre un vieil homme qui n'a plus ces tourments
Je voudrais кtre un bйbй sur les genoux de sa maman
Je voudrais кtre comme un train qui siffle oщ qu'il aille
Qui suit toujours ses rails
Sans mes souvenirs obsйdants

J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
Mais je m'en fous
Mкme si j'ai йtй un fou

Je suis encore amoureux
Oh oui, je le suis
J'aurai pu ouvrir les yeux
J'aurai pu voir dans ton jeu
J'aurai pu en avoir marre
J'aurai pu te dire au revoir
Mais

J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer
J'ai йtй fou d'aimer

Mais je m'en fous
Mкme si j'ai йtй un fou

Overall Meaning

The song "J'ai Eté Fou D'Aimer," by Michel Delpech, is a contemplative portrayal of the singer's irrational love for someone. The song begins with the singer acknowledging that he was crazy to love like he did, but he doesn't care about that. The singer is still in love with the person and even though he had doubts about their relationship, he chose to ignore what others were saying and pursue his love. He explains that love is blind, and it takes time for a dreamer to come to terms with what others have already known.

The second verse is a visualization of the object of the singer's love, where he can imagine the person's face occupying almost all his thoughts. He longs to be a person unaffected by love, like a baby or an old man, but his memories keep him obsessed. In the subsequent lines, the singer acknowledges that he could have seen through the person's lies, been tired, and even bid them farewell, but he didn't because he was crazy in love, and even now, he remains in love. This song speaks to the feeling of being helpless and caught up in the passion of love, even when it may not be entirely rational.

J'Ai Eté Fou D'AimerMichel Delpech Lyrics

J'Ai Eté Fou D'Aimer
Michel Delpech Lyrics