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 Pour Et Le Contre
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tu pesais le pour et le contre
T'avais rien contre discuter
T'avais rien contre une rencontre
Même si tu t'es tant de fois
Fait embarquer sur des radeaux
Qui disaient être des trois-mâts
Lui dire "Non" t'aurait coûté trop
Dans un petit bar de quartier
Café froid sur chocolat chaud
Tu l'as laissé se raconter
Il n'essayait pas d'être beau
Il n'essayait pas d'enrober
Tu pesais le pour et le contre
Il te regardait l'écouter
Et te sentait jouer la montre
Et te sentait jouer la montre
Tu t'es laissée faire pour cette fois
Comme chaque fois tu t'es laissée faire
Il aura décidé pour toi
Comme les autres parce que la Terre
Suit sa course et qu'on ne peut pas
La laisser tourner sans chercher
À lui emboîter le pas
Sinon, elle va nous échapper
Sinon, la Terre nous échappera
Et dans ton lit, un peu plus tard
Même quand il a dit qu'il t'aimait
Quand il a dit qu'il attendrait
Que tu ne veuilles plus le décevoir
Tu ne savais pas quoi répondre
Même le jour, dehors, hésitait
Il pesait le pour et le contre
Et puis quand même il se levait
Et puis quand même il se levait
The lyrics of Michel Delpech's "Le Pour Et Le Contre" describe a hesitant, uncertain narrator who is weighing the pros and cons of meeting up with someone who has asked her out for coffee. The apprehension is palpable as the singer recounts past experiences of being led astray by the false promises of would-be lovers. Despite her reservations, the singer ultimately agrees to the meeting, sensing that saying "no" would be too costly.
In the second verse, the singer is sitting with the person in a small neighborhood bar. She finds his conversation unassuming and genuine and feels like he's not trying to impress her. Meanwhile, the singer's thoughts are consumed by her internal debate, wondering if she's making the right decision, and whether or not she'll be let down again.
The final verse takes place after the meeting as the singer reflects on what happened. Feeling pressure to make a decision, she lets the other person decide. Even though he says he loves her, the singer is still unsure and doesn't know what to say. Ultimately, the other person leaves, and the singer is left with her thoughts once again, wondering if she's let another opportunity slip away. The song ends with the ominous line, "And then, anyway, he got up."
Overall, "Le Pour Et Le Contre" is a reflective commentary on the complexities of modern romance, where potential partners need to navigate their emotions through layers of past experiences, expectations, and uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
Il t'a proposé un café
He offered you a coffee
Tu pesais le pour et le contre
You weighed the pros and cons
T'avais rien contre discuter
You had nothing against discussing
T'avais rien contre une rencontre
You had nothing against a meeting
Même si tu t'es tant de fois
Even if you have so many times
Fait embarquer sur des radeaux
Been led astray
Qui disaient être des trois-mâts
That claimed to be three-masted ships
Lui dire "Non" t'aurait coûté trop
Saying "No" would have cost you too much
Dans un petit bar de quartier
In a small neighborhood bar
Café froid sur chocolat chaud
Cold coffee with hot chocolate
Tu l'as laissé se raconter
You let him speak
Il n'essayait pas d'être beau
He wasn't trying to be charming
Il n'essayait pas d'enrober
He wasn't trying to sugarcoat
Tu pesais le pour et le contre
You weighed the pros and cons
Il te regardait l'écouter
He watched you listen to him
Et te sentait jouer la montre
And felt you were stalling
Tu t'es laissée faire pour cette fois
You let it happen this time
Comme chaque fois tu t'es laissée faire
Like every time you let it happen
Il aura décidé pour toi
He will have decided for you
Comme les autres parce que la Terre
Like the others because the Earth
Suit sa course et qu'on ne peut pas
Follows its course and we can't
La laisser tourner sans chercher
Let it turn without trying
À lui emboîter le pas
To follow its lead
Sinon, elle va nous échapper
Otherwise, it will escape us
Et dans ton lit, un peu plus tard
And in your bed, a little later
Même quand il a dit qu'il t'aimait
Even when he said he loved you
Quand il a dit qu'il attendrait
When he said he would wait
Que tu ne veuilles plus le décevoir
That you no longer want to disappoint him
Tu ne savais pas quoi répondre
You didn't know what to say
Même le jour, dehors, hésitait
Even during the day, outside, you hesitated
Il pesait le pour et le contre
He weighed the pros and cons
Et puis quand même il se levait
And yet he still got up
Et puis quand même il se levait
And yet he still got up
Contributed by Joseph J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Monique Dalvecchio
Jolie chanson, tout en douceur, quel plaisir, merci et bisous Françoise.
Patricia Lelievre
Magnifique cette chanson , je ne la connaissais pas. Merci.
Frédérique Que
Encore une belle occasion pour faire connaître une autre jolie chanson de notre Michel,merci ma Françoise,bisous! ❤️
Françoise Fouine
oui Frédé encore une si jolie chanson, peu connue,
HODEL Odette
elle est belle cette chanson ,j'AIME et tes belles photos aussi, un ensemble parfait !! encore un grand merci puisque je ne connaissais pas et que tu envoie le beau partage !!;Merci; ,merci -- gros Bisous ****Ode
aandredanyel
balade tranquille dans les sentiments
Françoise Fouine
merci de ton passage et bisous Dédé,,