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 Voyage
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un mistral à faire naviguer
Une charrette le voyage
Je suis parti un jour de colère
Un dimanche où il y avait des amis
Et courais, courais, moi, après
Le voyage
Quand je ne suis pas au voyage
C’est que je prépare un voyage
Ou que je reviens de voyage
J’en ai fini avec mon enfance
Il fait beau et mon courrier jaunit
Poste restante le voyage
Je fais la course avec le soleil
Et je vais le rattraper un jour
Et l’accompagner dans le ciel
(Refrain)
Marie, des fois faut que je m’arrête
J’aime bien, j’aime bien comme toi
Le lit, l’assiette, le voyage
Mais au matin, c’est pas une fille
Qui pourrait me choisir un chemin
Je ne suis jamais où je suis
(Refrain)
The song "Le Voyage" by Michel Delpech talks about a person's love for travel and movement. The first two lines of the song state that the singer had the desire to navigate a mistral wind and lead a journey from a young age, creating a sense of wanderlust that followed them throughout their life. The lyrics also talk about a feeling of restlessness and a need to constantly be on the move. The singer mentions leaving on a Sunday in anger and chasing after something, possibly a feeling of freedom or a new adventure. The chorus repeats the phrase "Le Voyage," emphasizing the theme of travel and the singer's affinity for it. The second verse talks about the passage of time and the idea of leaving childhood behind. The singer mentions his mail being held at a "Poste restante," a service provided by post offices where mail can be held for pick-up by the recipient, further emphasizing the transient and mobile lifestyle of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Quand je suis né, j’avais dans la tête
When I was born, I had in my head
Un mistral à faire naviguer
A mistral wind to navigate
Une charrette le voyage
A cart for the journey
Je suis parti un jour de colère
I left one day in anger
Un dimanche où il y avait des amis
A Sunday when there were friends
Et courais, courais, moi, après
And I ran, ran, after myself
Le voyage
The journey
Moi je suis du voyage
I am from the journey
Quand je ne suis pas au voyage
When I'm not on a journey
C’est que je prépare un voyage
It's because I'm preparing a journey
Ou que je reviens de voyage
Or I'm coming back from a journey
J’en ai fini avec mon enfance
I'm done with my childhood
Il fait beau et mon courrier jaunit
It's sunny and my mail is yellowing
Poste restante le voyage
General delivery, the journey
Je fais la course avec le soleil
I race with the sun
Et je vais le rattraper un jour
And I will catch up with it one day
Et l’accompagner dans le ciel
And accompany it in the sky
(Refrain)
(Chorus)
Marie, des fois faut que je m’arrête
Marie, sometimes I have to stop
J’aime bien, j’aime bien comme toi
I really like, I really like like you
Le lit, l’assiette, le voyage
The bed, the plate, the journey
Mais au matin, c’est pas une fille
But in the morning, it's not a girl
Qui pourrait me choisir un chemin
Who could choose a path for me
Je ne suis jamais où je suis
I am never where I am
(Refrain)
(Chorus)
Contributed by Carter E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.