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
Les Aveux
Michel Delpech Lyrics
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Ses rêves bleus sont un peu gris, son épée d'or est en fer blanc
Je suis fatigué d'être celui-là
Je n'ai plus la force de tricher un jour de plus avec toi
Ou je te perdrai ou tu m'aimeras
Mais ce soir je ferme les yeux et ce soir je t'ouvre les yeux
Pour me faire aimer de toi, je t'ai raconté n'importe quoi
J'ai toujours été plus gentil que moi
Certains soirs, les roses m'ennuient et ce soir les roses m'ennuient
Il est fatigué, le prince charmant, il est fatigué, son beau cheval blanc
Ses rêves bleus sont un peu gris, son épée d'or est en fer blanc
Je ne parle pas avec les oiseaux
Mais je parle avec les hommes et c'est parfois le chant le plus beau
Mon coeur n'écrit pas un roman-photo
Certains soirs, le rôle m'ennuie et ce soir, le rôle m'ennuie
J'étais prisonnier, je suis délivré
De la prison de coton que j'habitais depuis des années
J'ai tout fabriqué, je me suis trompé
Mais je t'aime, pardonne-moi, si tu m'aimes alors aime-moi !
Il est fatigué, le prince charmant, il est fatigué, son beau cheval blanc
Ses rêves bleus sont un peu gris, son épée d'or est en fer blanc.
The lyrics of Michel Delpech's song Les Aveux tell the story of a tired prince charming who is exhausted from pretending to be someone he's not to try and gain the love of his companion. He reflects on how he's invented a life and ideas to make himself more appealing to her, and how he's been dishonest with her, but now he can't continue living a lie. He contemplates whether he will lose her or if she will return his love. He admits that he's tired of playing his role and being gentle all the time. He finally makes a confession and asks for forgiveness, hoping that if she loves him, she will continue loving him.
The lyrics are full of metaphors and symbols that add layers of meaning to the song. The prince charming symbolizes the image that we create of ourselves to be loved, while the white horse represents the pure and perfect life that we envision for ourselves. The grey dreams and the golden sword that turns into a white sword are metaphors for the lost hope and the false strength that he fancied he had in his life. The roses represent love and the realization that it is both beautiful and boring at times. The prison of cotton refers to his soft and comfortable life that he had built to protect himself, but now he realizes that it's suffocating him.
Line by Line Meaning
Il est fatigué, le prince charmant, il est fatigué, son beau cheval blanc
The symbol of perfection has grown weary, his standards have lowered, and his reality is not as idyllic as it once seemed.
Ses rêves bleus sont un peu gris, son épée d'or est en fer blanc
His once vivid and optimistic dreams have faded and he is no longer the valiant hero he once imagined himself to be.
Je suis fatigué d'être celui-là
I am tired of pretending to be someone I am not.
Je n'ai plus la force de tricher un jour de plus avec toi
I am exhausted from deceiving you and I cannot keep up this facade any longer.
Ou je te perdrai ou tu m'aimeras
Either I will lose you or you will finally reciprocate my feelings.
Mais ce soir je ferme les yeux et ce soir je t'ouvre les yeux
Tonight, I will confront the truth and be honest with myself and you about our relationship.
J'ai tout inventé, ma vie, mes idées
I have fabricated my entire life and altered my beliefs to impress you.
Pour me faire aimer de toi, je t'ai raconté n'importe quoi
I have lied to you to win your love, telling you whatever I thought you wanted to hear.
J'ai toujours été plus gentil que moi
I have put on a facade of kindness and concealed my true intentions and desires.
Certains soirs, les roses m'ennuient et ce soir les roses m'ennuient
Occasionally, I grow tired of the superficiality and the charade I have created, and tonight I am tired of it all.
Je ne parle pas avec les oiseaux
I do not communicate through fanciful means, like birds or fairy tales.
Mais je parle avec les hommes et c'est parfois le chant le plus beau
Instead, I communicate with honesty and directness and sometimes that can be more beautiful than a whimsical tale.
Mon coeur n'écrit pas un roman-photo
My heart does not speak in cliches or overly sentimental phrases.
Certains soirs, le rôle m'ennuie et ce soir, le rôle m'ennuie
Some nights, I am discontent with the person I have pretended to be, and tonight is one of those nights.
J'étais prisonnier, je suis délivré
I was trapped in a false persona, but now I am free to be myself.
De la prison de coton que j'habitais depuis des années
I have been living in a figurative cotton prison for years, suffocating under the pressure to maintain a façade.
J'ai tout fabriqué, je me suis trompé
I have constructed a false reality, but I now realize my mistake.
Mais je t'aime, pardonne-moi, si tu m'aimes alors aime-moi !
But I love you, please forgive me, and if you feel the same, then love me for who I truly am.
Il est fatigué, le prince charmant, il est fatigué, son beau cheval blanc
The perfect image projected in the song is no longer sustainable, and the one trying to maintain it is tired.
Ses rêves bleus sont un peu gris, son épée d'or est en fer blanc.
The dreams and ideals have faded, and the once-sharp mentality is now dull and tarnished.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEAN MICHEL DELPECH, GUY JACQUES SKORNIK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gilberte Seneca
Quel chanteur !!!! il n'y en a plus beaucoup de pareil aujourd'hui, au moins on comprend ce qu'il dit il raconte, son histoire..... Incroyable Grand Monsieur Bravo il restera dans nos mémoires ......
JC
Quel talent ! 👍👍
Christophe Margot
Je suis fier de t'avoir rendu hommage sur Europe 1 en évoquant le superbe reportage hommage diffusé sur France 3. Michel, tu as suivi mon adolescence et je ne t'ai jamais oublié jusqu'à ton départ. Tu me manqueras ! Quelle simplicité, quelle gentillesse et quel talent !
magicsenna34
Nous sommes le Vendredi 3 Mai 2019 et j'ai toujours le même cafard quand je pense au regretté Michel Delpech; il me manque tellement.. 😢😯❤
jean claude Hebert
Tellement belle et tellement triste . Et quelle voix! Un pur diamant
JC
Merci Michel !
👍👍👍
🙏🙏🙏
Fabrice Guay
Merci Mr Delpech ! Juste merveilleux .
everlybross
enfin ma chanson préférée de michel Delpech .merci Marc . c'est bizarre , mais de tous les extraits de ses chansons que l'on a entendus aujourd'hui , celle ci a été oublié .pourtant qu'elle est belle . je trouve que chaque mot est extrêmement bien choisi et aide à raconter un récit sans rime facile ou gratuite .et puis quelle voix .bravo michel .
SPIETH DOMINICK
C'est pour moi, une de ces plus belles chansons, j'aime aussi quand il chante : Ce lundi là! Quelle belle voix !
Jean-marc Figuereo
Entièrement d accord avec toi.une merveille cette chanson