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
Le Chasseur
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On avançait dans les marais
Couverts de brume
J'avais mon fusil dans les mains
Un passereau prenait au loin
De l'altitude
Les chiens pressés marchaient devant
Dans les roseaux
Par dessus l'étang
Soudain j'ai vu
Passer les oies sauvages
Elles s'en allaient
Vers le midi
La Méditerranée
Un vol de perdreaux
Par-dessus les champs
Montait dans les nuages
La forêt chantait
Le soleil brillait
Au bout des marécages
Avec mon fusil dans les mains
Au fond de moi je me sentais
Un peu coupable
Alors je suis parti tout seul
J'ai emmené mon épagneul
En promenade
Je regardais
Le bleu du ciel
Et j'étais bien
Par dessus l'étang
Soudain j'ai vu
Passer des oies sauvages
Elles s'en allaient
Vers le midi
La Méditerranée
Un vol de perdreaux
Par dessus les champs
Montait dans les nuages
La forêt chantait
Le soleil brillait
Au bout des marécages
Et tous ces oiseaux
Qui étaient si bien
Là-haut dans les nuages
J'aurais bien aimé les accompagner
Au bout de leur voyage
Oui, tous ces oiseaux
Qui étaient si bien
Là-haut dans les nuages
J'aurais bien aimer les accompagner
Au bout de leur voyage
The song "Le Chasseur" by Michel Delpech describes a hunting excursion that starts at 5am in the misty marshes. The singer is carrying a gun and his dogs are eagerly marching ahead of him. As they walk through the reeds, a bird takes flight in the distance. Soon after, he sees a flock of wild geese flying over the lake, heading towards the Mediterranean.
Despite the beauty of nature around him, the singer becomes overwhelmed with guilt about his hunting expedition. He decides to leave his dogs and gun behind and take a solitary walk with his spaniel. As he looks up at the sky, he sees more birds flying away towards their destinations. The singer wishes he could join them on their journey, feeling a deep connection to the creatures of the sky.
Line by Line Meaning
Il était cinq heures du matin
It was five in the morning.
On avançait dans les marais
We were advancing in the marshes.
Couverts de brume
Covered in mist.
J'avais mon fusil dans les mains
I had my rifle in my hands.
Un passereau prenait au loin
A sparrow was taking off in the distance.
De l'altitude
Gaining altitude.
Les chiens pressés marchaient devant
The eager dogs were walking ahead.
Dans les roseaux
In the reeds.
Par dessus l'étang
Over the pond.
Soudain j'ai vu
Suddenly I saw
Passer les oies sauvages
Wild geese flying by.
Elles s'en allaient
They were flying away.
Vers le midi
Towards noon.
La Méditerranée
The Mediterranean.
Un vol de perdreaux
A covey of partridges.
Par-dessus les champs
Over the fields.
Montait dans les nuages
Rising into the clouds.
La forêt chantait
The forest was singing.
Le soleil brillait
The sun was shining.
Au bout des marécages
At the end of the marshes.
Avec mon fusil dans les mains
With my rifle in my hands.
Au fond de moi je me sentais
Deep down I felt.
Un peu coupable
A little guilty.
Alors je suis parti tout seul
So I left alone.
J'ai emmené mon épagneul
I took my spaniel.
En promenade
For a walk.
Je regardais
I was looking.
Le bleu du ciel
The blue sky.
Et j'étais bien
And I felt good.
Et tous ces oiseaux
And all these birds.
Qui étaient si bien
Who were so well.
Là-haut dans les nuages
Up there in the clouds.
J'aurais bien aimé les accompagner
I would have liked to accompany them.
Au bout de leur voyage
To the end of their journey.
Oui, tous ces oiseaux
Yes, all these birds.
Qui étaient si bien
Who were so well.
Là-haut dans les nuages
Up there in the clouds.
J'aurais bien aimer les accompagner
I would have really liked to accompany them.
Au bout de leur voyage
To the end of their journey.
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: MICHEL DELPECH, MICHEL ALBERT LOUIS PELAY, JEAN-MICHEL FRANCK RIVAT, PIERRE MORLANE JEAN, GILLES JEROME
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@murielbessiere198
Moi,je viens de perdre mon papa hier, et il aimait la chasse . Il partait dans la brume tôt le matin . Je t aime mon papa chéri ! Pars en paix et repose en paix . Va vers la lumiere .
@michelthuries62
Que ton père repose en paix
@hardechois9845
De tout cœur avec vous , ne pas oublier nos anciens qui nous tant appris ❤
@forzarcl6271
❤
@jeremieboucher3564
Toutes mes condoléances Muriel
@esx_dropp6292
Il est fier de toi d'où il est ❤
@michelvansteenberge571
C'est ma chanson préférée, je travail en forêt et souvent je pense à cette chanson. Je chasse aussi et combien de fois j'ai baissé mon arme et épargné le gibier en pensant à cette chanson
@michelez715
Heard this song for the first time just a few days ago, July 2023, and was so thrilled because apart from loving the music, for one of the few times, as a native English speaker, I understood the words easily, because the singer's diction was so clear. It wasn't that my French had suddenly improved, but that the lyrics were so simple and beautiful, and clearly sung.
@Spitfirator
Congrats ! I hope it has encouraged you to improve you French !
@corinnefoulon3631
A mon père disparu en décembre 2019..amoureux de la nature...
Merci papa de m'avoir appris à regarder la nature dans toute sa splendeur...
Reposes en paix