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

Le Fleuve Qui Coule En Silence
Michel Delpech Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ta voix sur le magnétophone
Quelqu'un a du me l'effacer
C'était mon dernier souvenir
De toi je n'ai rien pu garder

Tu n'es plus là, hélas, hélas, plus là, hélas, hélas
Tu es pour moi le fleuve qui coule en silence
Tu t'en vas de plus en plus vers l'océan lointain

L'hiver fera tomber la neige
Tes traits vont devenir plus flous
Tu vois, si tu devais mourir
Moi seul n'en saurais rien du tout.
Tu n'es plus là, plus là,

Tu es pour moi le fleuve qui coule en silence
Tu t'en vas de plus en plus vers l'océan lointain
Tu es pour moi le fleuve qui coule en silence
Tu t'en vas de plus en plus vers l'océan lointain
Tu es pour moi le fleuve qui coule en silence
Tu t'en vas de plus en plus vers l'océan lointain

Tu es pour moi le fleuve qui coule en silence
Tu t'en vas de plus en plus vers l'océan lointain

Overall Meaning

In Michel Delpech's song Le Fleuve Qui Coule En Silence, the singer is expressing his grief and loss over someone he loved who is no longer there. Specifically, he laments the loss of a recording of this person's voice on a tape recorder that someone accidentally erased. He says that without this recording, he has nothing left to remember this person by. He then goes on to metaphorically compare this person to a river, which is flowing towards a distant ocean, becoming more and more distant from him. He says that as time passes, this person will become more and more forgotten, like a river that flows quietly and is eventually swallowed up by the sea. The lyrics suggest a deep sense of nostalgia, melancholy, and regret over a person who is no longer present in the singer's life.

One interesting fact about this song is that it was released in 1970 and became a major hit in France, reaching number two on the charts. It was written by Michel Delpech himself, along with lyricist Roland Vincent. The song was one of Delpech's most popular, and is considered a classic of French chanson. It has been covered by many other artists, and has been featured in several films and TV shows.

Another interesting fact about the song is that it reflects the personal experiences of Michel Delpech, who lost his father when he was just 15 years old. Delpech's own grief and sense of loss is reflected in the lyrics of the song, which evoke a deep and poignant emotion. Despite the sadness of the song, however, it is also hopeful and uplifting, suggesting that even though we may lose loved ones, their memories can continue to guide us and inspire us in our lives.

Chords: G C G D Am D G C G D Am D G C G D Am D G C G D Am D

Line by Line Meaning

Ta voix sur le magnétophone
Your voice on the tape recorder

Quelqu'un a du me l'effacer
Someone must have erased it

C'était mon dernier souvenir
It was my last memory

De toi je n'ai rien pu garder
I couldn't keep anything of you

Tu n'es plus là, hélas, hélas, plus là, hélas, hélas
You're not here anymore, alas, alas, not here anymore, alas, alas