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.

Un Jour En Mer
Michel Fugain Lyrics

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Tout seul, au milieu de l'eau,

Seul sur son bateau,
On regarde loin, loin devant,
Loin, loin devant,
Le vent ne souffle pas un mot,
Mais on le sent qui pousse dans le dos.

Un jour en mer,
Un jour coupé de la terre,
Un jour à l'envers de tout
Un jour en mer,
Un jour enfin solitaire,
Un jour à l'envers, c'est tout.

Tout seul, seul sur l'océan,
On prend pas de gants,
On vit la vie tout, tout de go,
Tout, tout de go,
Et go, le skipper et l'eau
Jouent en duel et se battent en duo.

Un jour en mer,
Un jour coupé de la terre,
Un jour à l'envers de tout,
Un jour en mer,
Un jour enfin solitaire,
Un jour à l'envers, c'est tout.
Avec l'horizon pour seul point de mire,
Mettre les voiles et partir

Un jour en mer,
Un jour coupé de la terre,
Un jour à l'envers de tout,
Un jour en mer,

Un jour enfin solitaire,
Un jour à l'envers, c'est tout.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Michel Fugain's "Un Jour En Mer" describe the experience of being alone at sea, on a boat, where the wind is the only voice whispering in your ears. The first verse sets the scene for the listener, with Fugain painting a picture of one person standing in the middle of the sea, on his boat, looking further ahead, where the horizon meets the blue sky. The silence of the moment is shattered by the wind, which gently pushes from behind. The second verse describes how in the middle of the vast ocean, one can take life as it comes, with no caution or worry. The person becomes comfortable existing in the present moment, where the only challenge seems to be the duel between the skipper and the water.

Further, the chorus talks about how the experiences in the sea are "à l'envers de tout," meaning they are the opposite of one's everyday life. This element of contrast seems to be a fundamental theme in the song. One is cut off from civilization, with only the horizon as a reference point. However, Fugain doesn't present this isolation as something to fear or dread. Instead, he writes that being alone at sea is "enfin solitaire," which translates to "finally solitary." In this solitude, there is a sense of freedom, a sensation that is central to the lyrics of the song.

In summary, Michel Fugain's "Un Jour en Mer" is a song about the transformative experience of being alone at sea. It portrays the isolation and freedom one can experience in the vastness of the ocean. The lyrics focus on living in the present moment, taking life as it comes, and allowing oneself to feel free and disconnected from society.

Line by Line Meaning

Tout seul, au milieu de l'eau,
All alone, in the middle of the water

Seul sur son bateau,
Alone on his boat

On regarde loin, loin devant,
We look far, far ahead

Loin, loin devant,
Far, far ahead

Le vent ne souffle pas un mot,
The wind doesn't say a word

Mais on le sent qui pousse dans le dos.
But we feel it pushing us from behind

Un jour en mer,
A day at sea

Un jour coupé de la terre,
A day cut off from land

Un jour à l'envers de tout
A day upside down

Un jour enfin solitaire,
A day finally alone

Un jour à l'envers, c'est tout.
A day upside down, that's it.