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
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chante quand même sa chanson
Et près de l'homme que l'on porte en terre
On va chanter pour son pardon
Ce n'est pas toujours quand tout est rose
Que l'on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la gue…rre on chante
Quand l'étranger traverse à nos frontières
Ceux qui du Nord jusqu'au Midi
Refusaient de se rendre ou de se taire
Apprenaient le chant du Maquis
C'est aussi pour garder l'espérance
Que l'on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Et toi qui pleure comme un malheureux
Tout ça parce qu'elle est partie
Pour t'en remettre, je crois que le mieux
C'est que tu chantes toi aussi
On se sent toujours un peu moins triste quand on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Même pendant la guerre on chante
The song "Même pendant la guerre on chante" by Michel Delpech is a testament to the power of music, even in the darkest times. The first verse describes a street musician singing his song despite the winter cold, and the second verse alludes to the resistance movements during World War II, where singing in secret helped to keep up hope and spirits. The final verse offers a personal message of solace to someone who is mourning a lost love, suggesting that singing can help ease the pain.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "Even during the war we sing" (Même pendant la guerre on chante), emphasizing how important singing and music are in uniting people and giving them strength to keep going, even in difficult times.
The concept of using music as a form of resistance or hope during wartime was not new when Michel Delpech wrote this song in 1966. During World War II, songs like "La Marseillaise" became powerful symbols of resistance for the French people, and jazz music was banned by the Nazi regime because of its association with freedom and rebellion.
Interestingly, "Même pendant la guerre on chante" was re-recorded by Delpech in 2004, with updated lyrics that referenced the ongoing war in Iraq. In this version, he sings: "Even during the war in Iraq we sing, even during the winter in Iraq we sing."
Overall, the song is a call to keep on singing and finding hope and solace in music, even when the world around us is bleak and grim.
Line by Line Meaning
Le musicien des rues malgré l'hiver
The street musician continues to sing his song despite the cold winter
Chante quand même sa chanson
He continues to sing his song nonetheless
Et près de l'homme que l'on porte en terre
And near the man being laid to rest
On va chanter pour son pardon
We will sing for his forgiveness
Ce n'est pas toujours quand tout est rose
It's not always when everything is perfect
Que l'on chante
That we sing
Quand l'étranger traverse à nos frontières
When the stranger crosses our borders
Ceux qui du Nord jusqu'au Midi
Those from the North to the South
Refusaient de se rendre ou de se taire
Who refused to surrender or be silent
Apprenaient le chant du Maquis
Learned the song of the Resistance
C'est aussi pour garder l'espérance
It is also to maintain hope
Que l'on chante
That we sing
Et toi qui pleure comme un malheureux
And you who cry like a miserable one
Tout ça parce qu'elle est partie
All of that because she left
Pour t'en remettre, je crois que le mieux
To recover, I think the best thing
C'est que tu chantes toi aussi
Is for you to sing too
On se sent toujours un peu moins triste quand on chante
We always feel a little less sad when we sing
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Even during war, we sing
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Even during war, we sing
Même pendant la gue…rre on chante
Even during war, we sing
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Even during war, we sing
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Even during war, we sing
Même pendant la guerre on chante
Even during war, we sing
Contributed by James W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chantal Brault
Il avait tout Michel, le physique et la voix, on ne peut pas l'oublier.
Monique DV
Superbe interprétation de cette magnifique chanson ! Merci Michel !!
X-or Jador
Très beau duo
Brigitte Peters
Wunderschön das Lied 🌹 groß artig 👍👍👍🏻 vielen Dank Mireille Mathieu 💞👍
Brigitte Peters
Vielen Dank 🌹👍
Hamid Meziane
Sublime le duo.
Françoise Fouine
le physique, la voix, et la gentillesse, c"était Michel,
Paolina20
Dieu qu’il était beau 😍 adieu Michel
Pierre Lagrene
Une merveille
Annick Jean
Super c'est beau ❤❤❤