After having worked with the group of Vigon, Lemons, he created the group King Set in 1966 with his friend and guitarist Alain Goldstein. Two radio successes make known his voice and his talent for the rhythm: an original composition, Apesanteur (Weightlessness), in 1967, and Jezebel in 1968. His solo career began slowly with a 45t at the end of 1968 under the name of Michel Kingset, the following in 1970 under his own name. He has to wait until 1974 to find a large audience with two simultaneous "tubes": Say to me and Super Nana.
Le Lafontaine
Michel Jonasz Lyrics
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à la brasserie Le Lafontaine
tous les jours de toutes les semaines
comme tout l’monde
J’commence à huit heures précise
au bureau de l’Entreprise
et le temps qui s’éternise
De chez moi on voit l’périphérique
mais c’est pas l’périphérique
c’est l’Amazone
c’est l’eau du fleuve magnifique
c’est la forêt d’Amérique
j’imagine et c’est l’Amazone
j’imagine et c’est lala lalalalalalalalalalala
l’Amazone
j’imagine et c’est lala lalalalalalalalalalala
l’Amazone
Une belote en fin d’semaine
à la brasserie Le Lafontaine
c’est pas vraiment la vie d’bohème
c’est comme tout l’monde
Un jour j’la ferai ma valise
mais pourquoi j’la fais pas ma valise
c’est la vie qui m’paralyse
comme pour tout l’monde
De chez moi on voit l’périphérique
mais c’est pas l’périphérique
c’est l’Amazone
c’est l’eau du fleuve magnifique
c’est la forêt d’Amérique
j’imagine et c’est l’Amazone
j’imagine et c’est lala lalalalalalalalalalala
l’Amazone
j’imagine et c’est lala lalalalalalalalalalala
l’Amazone l’Amazone l’Amazone
The lyrics to Michel Jonasz's "Le Lafontaine" describe the monotony of everyday life and the desire for adventure and change. The singer starts every morning with a coffee at the Brasserie Le Lafontaine, just like everyone else. He works at the Enterprise and the time seems to drag on, yet again, just like everyone else's workday. However, the singer also has a vivid imagination, being able to see the magnificent Amazon river and forest in place of the mundane view of the ring road outside his window.
The theme of escapism is present throughout the song - the belote game on weekends at the Brasserie is not the bohemian life that the singer desires, and he speaks of wanting to pack his bags and leave, yet is held back by the paralyzing nature of everyday life. The juxtaposition of the monotony of everyday life and the magnificence of the Amazon serves to highlight the singer's desire for something more, something to break free from the chains of the routine.
The song also raises questions about the essence of life and people's expectations - is it to accept the inescapability of routine and stagnation, or to take risks and seek something greater? Overall, "Le Lafontaine" delivers a poignant message about the human desire for adventure and the struggle to break free from the chains of everyday life.
Line by Line Meaning
Le matin j’prends mon café crème
I start my day with a cup of cream coffee
à la brasserie Le Lafontaine
at the Le Lafontaine brewery
tous les jours de toutes les semaines
every day of every week
comme tout l’monde
like everyone else
J’commence à huit heures précise
I start at eight o'clock sharp
au bureau de l’Entreprise
at the Enterprise office
et le temps qui s’éternise
And time stretches on
comme pour tout l’monde
like for everyone else
De chez moi on voit l’périphérique
From my home, I can see the ring road
mais c’est pas l’périphérique
But it's not the ring road
c’est l’Amazone
It’s the Amazon river
c’est l’eau du fleuve magnifique
It’s the water of the magnificent river
c’est la forêt d’Amérique
It’s the forest of America
j’imagine et c’est l’Amazone
I imagine and it’s the Amazon
j’imagine et c’est lala lalalalalalalalalalala
I imagine and it’s lala lalalalalalalalalalala
l’Amazone
The Amazon
Une belote en fin d’semaine
A belote game at the end of the week
à la brasserie Le Lafontaine
At the Le Lafontaine brewery
c’est pas vraiment la vie d’bohème
It’s not really the bohemian life
c’est comme tout l’monde
It’s like everyone else
Un jour j’la ferai ma valise
One day I’ll pack my bags
mais pourquoi j’la fais pas ma valise
But why don't I pack my bags
c’est la vie qui m’paralyse
Life is what paralyzes me
comme pour tout l’monde
like for everyone else
De chez moi on voit l’périphérique
From my home, I can see the ring road
mais c’est pas l’périphérique
But it's not the ring road
c’est l’Amazone
It’s the Amazon river
c’est l’eau du fleuve magnifique
It’s the water of the magnificent river
c’est la forêt d’Amérique
It’s the forest of America
j’imagine et c’est l’Amazone
I imagine and it’s the Amazon
j’imagine et c’est lala lalalalalalalalalalala
I imagine and it’s lala lalalalalalalalalalala
l’Amazone l’Amazone l’Amazone
The Amazon, the Amazon, the Amazon
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: MICHEL JONASZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind