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
Jeanne La Louve
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y avait rien qui m' rendait vraiment
Inquiet, triste
Mais j'avais cette envie qui m' tenait
De m'enfuir de partout où j'étais
Comme un vice
J'avais rencontré Jeanne sur un job
Que j' faisais seulement pour fuir la mode
On allait s' promener près des lacs
Et moi, j' lui racontais mes tracas
Mes galères
Elle m'écoutait m' débattre dans mes fantômes
Elle qui voulait juste être comme tout l' monde
Pas plus chère
Et j' retournais seul en moi-même
Ça servait pas à grand-chose qu'on m'aime
Elle comprenait
C'était mon amour, j' le savais pas
Maintenant qu' c'est si loin, j' la voudrais là
Sa chaleur de louve
J' lui en voulais presque d'être gentille
Parce qu'elle était sûrement la plus belle fille
De toutes mes fautes
Je l'embrassais, l'âme tout retenue
Comme si j' voulais garder mon absolue
Pour une autre
Alors qu' j'aurais dû tout lui donner
À genoux avec mon sale orgueil traîné
Loin derrière moi
C'était mon amour, j' le savais pas
Maintenant qu' c'est si loin, j' la voudrais là
Sa chaleur de louve
J' voudrais sa douceur familière
Son bonheur tout simple et sincère
Son cœur infini sur ma peine
Qu'est-ce qu'elle peut devenir à l'heure même?
Depuis, je jette mon dévolu
Sur ces années où j' n'ai pas eu
Le moindre signe
Et j' ressasse des tours du monde
Pour faire paraître la route moins longue
Moins mesquine
J'avais rencontré Jeanne sur un job
Que j' faisais seulement pour fuir la mode
De l'artiste maudit
C'était mon amour, j' le savais pas
Maintenant qu' c'est si loin, j' la voudrais là
Sa chaleur de louve
C'était elle, j' le savais pas
Maintenant qu' c'est si loin, j' la voudrais là
Sa chaleur de louve
In Michel Delpech's song "Jeanne la louve," the singer reflects on a past love with regret and longing. He wrestles with his own insecurities and inability to fully commit to Jeanne, despite her kindness and warmth towards him. The song has a nostalgic quality to it, as the singer looks back on his youth and the missed opportunities of his past.
The opening lines suggest a sense of restlessness and dissatisfaction in the singer's life, with nothing truly captivating him. However, he had a desire to escape and found temporary solace in a job that he didn't really care for. It was during this time that he met Jeanne, and the two of them would often take walks by the lakes. The singer would confide in her about his problems and struggles, and she would listen patiently, despite her own desire for a simple and ordinary life.
The singer was unable to fully appreciate Jeanne's love and kindness towards him, as he was too consumed by his own self-doubt and pride. He seems to regret not being more vulnerable and open with her, wishing now that she was still with him. The phrase "sa chaleur de louve" (her warmth of a wolf) is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the sense of comfort and security that he felt in her presence. In the end, the singer is left to cope with the memories of his lost love, trying to make sense of the choices he made in his youth.
Line by Line Meaning
À l'époque il était encore temps
At that time, there was still time left
Y avait rien qui m' rendait vraiment
There was nothing that really made me happy
Inquiet, triste
Anxious, sad
Mais j'avais cette envie qui m' tenait
But I had this feeling that kept me going
De m'enfuir de partout où j'étais
To run away from everywhere I was
Comme un vice
Like an addiction
J'avais rencontré Jeanne sur un job
I met Jeanne on a job
Que j' faisais seulement pour fuir la mode
That I only did to escape the fashion world
De l'artiste maudit
Of the cursed artist
On allait s' promener près des lacs
We used to go for walks near the lakes
Et moi, j' lui racontais mes tracas
And I would tell her about my troubles
Mes galères
My hardships
Elle m'écoutait m' débattre dans mes fantômes
She listened to me struggle with my ghosts
Elle qui voulait juste être comme tout l' monde
She who just wanted to be like everyone else
Pas plus chère
No more expensive
Et j' retournais seul en moi-même
And I would go back inside myself alone
Ça servait pas à grand-chose qu'on m'aime
It didn't do much good for people to love me
Elle comprenait
She understood
C'était mon amour, j' le savais pas
She was my love, but I didn't know it
Maintenant qu' c'est si loin, j' la voudrais là
Now that it's so far away, I want her back
Sa chaleur de louve
Her warmth of a wolf
J' lui en voulais presque d'être gentille
I almost resented her for being kind
Parce qu'elle était sûrement la plus belle fille
Because she was probably the most beautiful girl
De toutes mes fautes
Of all my mistakes
Je l'embrassais, l'âme tout retenue
I kissed her, holding back my soul
Comme si j' voulais garder mon absolue
As if I wanted to keep my absolute self
Pour une autre
For someone else
Alors qu' j'aurais dû tout lui donner
While I should have given her everything
À genoux avec mon sale orgueil traîné
On my knees with my dirty pride dragged behind me
Loin derrière moi
Far behind me
J' voudrais sa douceur familière
I want her familiar tenderness
Son bonheur tout simple et sincère
Her simple and sincere happiness
Son cœur infini sur ma peine
Her infinite heart on my pain
Qu'est-ce qu'elle peut devenir à l'heure même?
What could she become at this very moment?
Depuis, je jette mon dévolu
Since then, I set my sights
Sur ces années où j' n'ai pas eu
On those years where I didn't have
Le moindre signe
The slightest sign
Et j' ressasse des tours du monde
And I dwell on trips around the world
Pour faire paraître la route moins longue
To make the road seem less long
Moins mesquine
Less petty
C'était mon amour, j' le savais pas
She was my love, but I didn't know it
Maintenant qu' c'est si loin, j' la voudrais là
Now that it's so far away, I want her back
Sa chaleur de louve
Her warmth of a wolf
C'était elle, j' le savais pas
It was her, but I didn't know it
Maintenant qu' c'est si loin, j' la voudrais là
Now that it's so far away, I want her back
Sa chaleur de louve
Her warmth of a wolf
Writer(s): FRANCIS PIERRE BASSET, JEAN BAPTISTE BRIMONT
Contributed by Wyatt H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.