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

L'amour en wagon lit
Michel Delpech Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Il y a en qui aime s'aimer sur un lit
D'autres sur les bords du chemin
Il y en a qui prйfиre la mousse de bois
Moi ce que j'aime c'est le train.

Moi j'aime l'amour en wagon-lit
Entre Nice et Paris
C'est bon quand le train roule dans la nuit

L'amour en wagon-lit

Faire gentiment les choses sans se presser
Au rythme du train qui dйmarre
S'aventurer puis enfin s'abandonner
Quand le train siffle dans le soir.

Moi j'aime l'amour en wagon-lit
Entre Nice et Paris
C'est bon quand le train roule dans la nuit
L'amour en wagon-lit

Je t'embrasserai entre Frйjus et Toulon
En Avignon j'irai plus loin
A Saint-Vallier je te ferai le bйbй
A Fontainebleau nous dormirons

Moi j'aime l'amour en wagon-lit
Entre Nice et Paris
C'est bon quand le train roule dans la nuit
L'amour en wagon-lit

Moi j'aime l'amour en wagon-lit
Entre Nice et Paris

C'est bon quand le train roule dans la nuit
L'amour en wagon-lit

Overall Meaning

The song "L'amour en wagon-lit" by Michel Delpech is a classic French love ballad that speaks of the singer's preference for making love in a train. The first stanza of the song describes how some people prefer to make love on a bed, while others choose to do so on the roadside. However, the singer's preference is to make love while traveling on a train, particularly between Nice and Paris. He finds it pleasurable when the train is moving in the night, creating a rhythmic and sensual ambiance.

The second stanza continues to describe making love on a train with a focus on taking things slowly and enjoying the journey. As the train moves, the singer progressively explores and abandons himself to pleasure. The final stanza speaks of specific places along the journey, suggesting that the singer has journeyed on this route before and knows it intimately. He even suggests having a baby and sleeping in Fontainebleau. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the singer's preference for making love in a train, particularly in a wagon-lit.

Overall, the song is a romantic ode to trains and how the movement of the train creates a perfect ambiance for lovemaking. Furthermore, it suggests that the singer has intimate knowledge and fond memories associated with traveling between Nice and Paris.

Line by Line Meaning

Il y a en qui aime s'aimer sur un lit
There are those who like to love on a bed

D'autres sur les bords du chemin
Others on the side of the road

Il y en a qui prйfиre la mousse de bois
There are those who prefer the moss of the woods

Moi ce que j'aime c'est le train.
As for me, what I like is the train.

Faire gentiment les choses sans se presser
Gently doing things without rushing

Au rythme du train qui dйmarre
To the rhythm of the train that starts

S'aventurer puis enfin s'abandonner
Venturing then finally surrendering

Quand le train siffle dans le soir.
When the train whistles in the evening.

Je t'embrasserai entre Frйjus et Toulon
I'll kiss you between Frejus and Toulon

En Avignon j'irai plus loin
In Avignon, I'll go further

A Saint-Vallier je te ferai le bйbй
In Saint-Vallier, I'll make the baby with you