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
Une Destinée
Michel Delpech Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tu soulèves un capot et d’un coup d’œil, tu vois la tuile
Les clients te paient un’bière, quand tu as le temps
Mais à six heures et quart on se quitte au standard et tu t’en vas tout seul
Seul, seul et tu vas trainer quelque part
Et tu vas te faire un ciné seul
Des fois tu rencontres un copain mais ça n’va pas plus loin
Ell’vend des raviolis du corned beef et du quinquina
Et là dans ce sous-sol de prisunie un jour tu iras
Tu croiras venir ach’ter des boit’s de bière
Et tu la trouveras mais il faut jusque-là que tu restes tout seul
Seul, seul et tu iras trainer quelque part
Tu iras te faire un ciné seul
Et si tu rencontres un copain, vous irez peut-être au café seuls
Et puis ton copain s’en ira et tu rentreras te coucher seul
Et puis ça n’ira pas plus loin.
The lyrics in Michel Delpech's "Une Destinée" tell the story of a man who goes through his day-to-day life feeling alone, despite being surrounded by people. He spends his days working as a mechanic, getting his hands dirty and fixing engines. However, even at work, he feels disconnected from his co-workers and customers. They may offer him a beer or engage in small talk, but it is clear that he is not truly connecting with anyone.
After work, the man is left to his own devices. He spends his evenings wandering the city, going to movies by himself and occasionally running into acquaintances, but never forming any meaningful connections. The lyrics take a dark turn as the man is warned that his destiny involves ending up in a basement with a woman who sells canned foods and tonic water. The implication is that he will end up alone there, with no one to rely on except himself.
The theme of loneliness and isolation pervades this song. The man is disconnected from the people around him and has no close relationships. Even in his free time, he does not find solace in the company of others. The song suggests that this is not just a temporary state, but rather a fate that is inescapable. The bleak portrayal of his future in the basement underscores the ultimate sadness of the man's situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Tu es tout’la journée sur des moteurs, les mains dans l’huile
You spend all day working on engines, getting your hands dirty
Tu soulèves un capot et d’un coup d’œil, tu vois la tuile
You lift up a hood and with one glance, you see a big problem
Les clients te paient un’bière, quand tu as le temps
Customers offer you a beer when you have a spare moment
Mais à six heures et quart on se quitte au standard et tu t’en vas tout seul
But at 6:15, you clock out and leave alone
Seul, seul et tu vas trainer quelque part
Alone, alone and you wander somewhere
Et tu vas te faire un ciné seul
And you go see a movie by yourself
Des fois tu rencontres un copain mais ça n’va pas plus loin
Sometimes you run into a friend, but it doesn't go any further than that
Ell’vend des raviolis du corned beef et du quinquina
She sells ravioli, corned beef, and quinquina
Et là dans ce sous-sol de prisunie un jour tu iras
And someday you'll end up in that basement prison
Tu croiras venir ach’ter des boit’s de bière
You'll think you're just there to buy some beer cans
Et tu la trouveras mais il faut jusque-là que tu restes tout seul
And you'll find her there, but until then, you'll have to stay alone
Tu iras te faire un ciné seul
You'll go see a movie by yourself
Et si tu rencontres un copain, vous irez peut-être au café seuls
And if you run into a friend, you might go to a café alone together
Et puis ton copain s’en ira et tu rentreras te coucher seul
And then your friend will leave and you'll go back to sleep alone
Et puis ça n’ira pas plus loin.
And it won't go any further than that.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Retroplay80 Vintage Football Club
Merci à Michel Delpech pour toutes ces chansons qui ont jalonnées ma vie...
joe irving
A toi Michel en ce 31 décembre 2013. Heureux d'avoir pu te croiser un jour. Fan de toi pour toujours .... Laurent