He was bor… Read Full Bio ↴Michel Sardou (born January 26, 1947) is a French singer.
He was born in Paris, the son of Fernand Sardou and Jackie Rollin (Jackie Sardou). Contrary to what has been written at the beginning of his career, he is not the grandson of the dramatist Victorien Sardou.
He is known for songs dealing with various social and political issues, such as the rights of women in Islamic countries, clerical celibacy and colonialism. Another sometimes controversial theme found in some of his songs ("Les Ricains," for example) is respect and support for the culture and foreign policies of the United States. Another notable fact about his career is that he has focused his full attention on his homeland, ignoring the prospect of an international audience, although his 1981 single "Les lacs du Connemara" did manage to become a big international hit. A number of his hit songs were written in collaboration with Jacques Revaux, a few others (most notably "En chantant") with Italian singer Toto Cutugno.
Even in the 21st century, Michel Sardou remains immensely popular in France, selling out 18 consecutive dates at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in 2001, while his 2004 album "Du plaisir" went straight to the no. 1 spot on the French album charts.
He has been married three times, first to a French dancer, then to Babette (the mother of his children) and lastly to an lifelong friend who edits the French version of Vogue.
He is currently (2023) at the center of a controversy over a song he wrote fifty years ago: the lakes of Connemara. Juliette Armanet, a French pop starlet answering a question about a song that would made her leave a party and it was LES LACS DU CONNEMARA. Sardou, an idol of the French right, in spite of himself, is stuck between the left which finds him corny and the right which does not support that one attacks its institutions. Music is a strong force and nobody fights harder than those who LOVE certain songs. Amazingly this song has nothing to do with politics.
à l'italienne
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Une chanson d'homme, une chanson triste
Avec une voix à l'italienne
Une voix brisée, presque inhumaine
Qui jaillirait des profondeurs
Qui nous enflamme l'âme et le cœur
Nous n'aurons connu qu'un seul hiver
Chacun peut partir où il veut
Nous avons brûlé la dernière heure
Adieu mon corps, adieu mon cœur
Bonjour les jours qui sonnent creux
Nous n'avons à craindre aucun remords
Adieu ma vie, adieu ma mort
La fin du monde est dans tes yeux
C'est joli, l'artiste
Mais c'est un peu triste
Pour une chanson d'amour
Dis-nous les mots tendres
Qu'une femme veut entendre
Dans certains lieux, à certaines heures
À quoi bon parler de nos victoires?
De nos promesses dérisoires
Que chacun s'en aille où il veut
À quoi bon sortir les vieux sourires?
Les mots usés qui font mentir
La fin du monde est dans nos yeux
Nous n'aurons connu qu'un seul hiver
The lyrics of Michel Sardou's song A L'Italienne revolve around the idea of the artist being asked to sing a sad song with an Italian-sounding voice. The first verse talks about the desired qualities in the artist's voice – a broken, almost inhumane quality that can ignite the soul and heart. The second verse expresses the idea that everyone can go where they want, accompanied by the realization that this is the last hour for them. The third verse talks about the end of the world being in someone's eyes.
The fourth verse asks the artist to sing words of tenderness that a woman wants to hear, but the chorus suggests that it is pointless to talk about victories and promises, and that the end of the world is present in everyone's eyes. The final verse repeats the idea that they have only known one winter, and it is time for goodbyes to life and death.
Overall, the lyrics evoke a sense of longing, sadness and despair that is complemented by the melancholic tune of the song. The idea of the end of the world being in one's eyes is a recurring theme throughout the song and can be interpreted as the inevitability of fate, regardless of where one goes.
Line by Line Meaning
Chante-nous une chanson, l'artiste
Please perform a song for us, the artist.
Une chanson d'homme, une chanson triste
A song of a man, a song of sadness.
Avec une voix à l'italienne
With an Italian-style voice.
Une voix brisée, presque inhumaine
A broken, almost inhuman voice.
Qui jaillirait des profondeurs
That would erupt from the depths.
Qui nous enflamme l'âme et le cœur
That inflames our soul and heart.
Nous n'aurons connu qu'un seul hiver
We will have only experienced one winter.
Adieu mon ciel, adieu ma terre
Farewell my sky, farewell my land.
Chacun peut partir où il veut
Each can go where they want.
Nous avons brûlé la dernière heure
We have burned the last hour.
Adieu mon corps, adieu mon cœur
Farewell my body, farewell my heart.
Bonjour les jours qui sonnent creux
Hello to the empty days.
Nous n'avons à craindre aucun remords
We have no remorse to fear.
Adieu ma vie, adieu ma mort
Farewell my life, farewell my death.
La fin du monde est dans tes yeux
The end of the world is in your eyes.
C'est joli, l'artiste
That's nice, artist.
Mais c'est un peu triste
But it's a bit sad.
Pour une chanson d'amour
For a love song.
Dis-nous les mots tendres
Tell us the tender words.
Qu'une femme veut entendre
That a woman wants to hear.
Dans certains lieux, à certaines heures
In certain places, at certain times.
À quoi bon parler de nos victoires?
What's the point of talking about our victories?
De nos promesses dérisoires
Of our ridiculous promises.
Que chacun s'en aille où il veut
Let each go where they want.
À quoi bon sortir les vieux sourires?
What's the point of bringing out old smiles?
Les mots usés qui font mentir
The worn-out words that make us false.
La fin du monde est dans nos yeux
The end of the world is in our eyes.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jacques Revaud, Jean Bourtayre, Michel Sardou, Pierre Delanoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind