Michel Fugain is a French singer-songwriter who began his songwriting caree… Read Full Bio ↴Michel Fugain is a French singer-songwriter who began his songwriting career for others (like Hugues Aufray or Dalida) in the early 1960s and released his first record in 1966. He reached the peak of his popularity with his musical troupe "Big Bazar" in the early 1970s, with a string of major hits including "Une Belle Histoire" and "Fais Comme l'Oiseau", and had never ceased to record since then.

La Corde Au Cou
Michel Fugain Lyrics

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Adieu la belle,
Tu n'es pas celle
Qui me mettra la corde au cou,
D'autres m'attendent un peu partout

Et je fais
Lai la lai la lai
A bientôt

Lai la lai la lai
Je t'aime un peu plus que beaucoup,
Mais trop peu pour la corde au cou !

Je n'habite nulle part, je fais ce qui me plaît
Et j'aime avant tout ma liberté,
Je me couche où l'herbe est verte, une fille à mon cou,
Et je me fiance un peu partout
En passant

Et je fais
Lai la lai la lai
A bientôt
Lai la lai la lai
Je t'aime un peu plus que beaucoup,
Mais trop peu pour la corde au cou !

La jolie fillette qu'hier j'avais dans mes bras
M'a fait des trésors de souvenirs,
Mais elle m'a parlé de famille et de bague au doigt,
Il est grand temps pour moi de partir
En courant

Et je fais
Lai la lai la lai
A bientôt
Lai la lai la lai
Je t'aime un peu plus que beaucoup,
Mais trop peu pour la corde au cou !

Adieu la belle,
Tu n'es pas celle
Qui me mettra la corde au cou,
D'autres m'attendent un peu partout

Et je fais
Lai la lai la lai
A bientôt
Lai la lai la lai
Je t'aime un peu plus que beaucoup,
Mais trop peu pour la corde au cou !

Et je fais
Lai la lai la lai

A bientôt
Lai la lai la lai

Overall Meaning

The song "La Corde au Cou" by Michel Fugain is a declaration of independence from a man who refuses to settle down and commit to one woman. The lyrics suggest that the singer values his freedom above all else and is not willing to sacrifice it for a single relationship. He speaks directly to a woman who may have expected him to marry her, telling her that he loves her, but not enough to put a "rope around his neck." He asserts that he has no fixed abode and does whatever he likes, including sleeping with different women, and getting engaged to them as he goes.

The singer's attitude towards relationships in the song is unconventional and seems to be a reaction to the societal expectation of marriage and settling down. He cherishes his freedom and independence, refusing to be tied down to one woman. The reference to the "rope around his neck" indicates the perceived shackles of marriage and commitment that the singer wishes to avoid. The song's cheerful melody and upbeat tempo are ironically at odds with the theme of commitment issues.

Line by Line Meaning

Adieu la belle,
Farewell, my beauty,

Tu n'es pas celle
You are not the one

Qui me mettra la corde au cou,
Who will tie the knot with me,

D'autres m'attendent un peu partout
Others are waiting for me everywhere

Et je fais
And I do

Lai la lai la lai
Lai la lai la lai

A bientôt
See you soon

Je t'aime un peu plus que beaucoup,
I love you a little more than a lot,

Mais trop peu pour la corde au cou !
But not enough to tie the knot!

Je n'habite nulle part, je fais ce qui me plaît
I don't live anywhere, I do what I please

Et j'aime avant tout ma liberté,
And above all, I love my freedom,