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.
Cinq Ans Passés
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans le plus grand silence
On est là face à face
A s'écouter penser
A s'écouter penser
Le lit paraît immense
Un rien d'adolescence
Pourrait nous rapprocher
Au fond rien n'a changé
Et rien n'est à refaire
A force d'habitude
Nos corps sont épuisés
On a fait l'amour en quelque sorte
Chacun pour soi de son côté
On fait l'amour aux années mortes
Et l'on se rejoint sans crier
Puis l'on s'éloigne l'un de l'autre
Et le spectacle est terminé
Après cinq ans passés
Dans un confort paisible
Est-il donc impossible
D'encore se retrouver
Après cinq ans passés
A force d'interludes
A bout d'inhabitudes
Nos coeurs se sont gelés
Au fond c'est un peu moi
C'est un peu de ma faute
J'étais toujours absent
J'étais toujours parti
On fait l'amour en quelque sorte
Chacun pour soi de son côté
On fait l'amour aux années mortes
Et l'on se rejoint sans crier
Puis l'on s'éloigne l'un de l'autre
Et le spectacle est terminé
Puis l'on s'éloigne l'un de l'autre
Et le spectacle est terminé
The song "Cinq Ans Passés" by Michel Sardou paints a picture of a couple who are facing each other after five years of living together in silence. The opening lines, "After five years of silence, we are now here facing each other, listening to our thoughts" set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer wonders if anything has actually changed between the two of them, but as they look at their surroundings - particularly the bed - the singer feels that there is still something between them that could bring them closer.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the couple's relationship has become more of a habit than a passion. They are both physically and emotionally exhausted, and even when they make love they do so in a perfunctory manner, almost going through the motions. The line "We make love in some way, each on our own side" highlights the emotional distance they've created between themselves.
The following verse deepens the emotional distance between the two as the singer blames himself for his absence and his constant leaving. He recognizes his fault in their relationship and the fact that he hasn't been emotionally present might have contributed to how they now find themselves after five years together. The final chorus emphasizes this - "We make love in some way, each on our side. We make love to dead years, and then we come back to each other without saying anything. Then we move away from each other, and the show is over."
Overall, "Cinq Ans Passés" explores the relationship between two individuals that has lost its passion and has fallen into the routine of everyday life. The song highlights the importance of communication and emotional presence in relationships and how the absence of these things can lead to a sense of emptiness and a lack of connection between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
Après cinq ans passés
After five years have passed
Dans le plus grand silence
In the greatest silence
On est là face à face
We are here face to face
A s'écouter penser
Listening to our own thoughts
Le lit paraît immense
The bed seems immense
Un rien d'adolescence
A little bit of adolescence
Pourrait nous rapprocher
Could bring us closer together
Au fond rien n'a changé
Deep down, nothing has changed
Et rien n'est à refaire
And there is nothing to be done
A force d'habitude
Out of habit
Nos corps sont épuisés
Our bodies are exhausted
On a fait l'amour en quelque sorte
We made love in a way
Chacun pour soi de son côté
Each on our own side
On fait l'amour aux années mortes
We make love in the dead years
Et l'on se rejoint sans crier
And we come together without shouting
Puis l'on s'éloigne l'un de l'autre
Then we drift away from each other
Et le spectacle est terminé
And the show is over
Dans un confort paisible
In peaceful comfort
Est-il donc impossible
Is it really impossible
D'encore se retrouver
To meet again
A force d'interludes
Through a series of interludes
A bout d'inhabitudes
Running out of habits
Nos coeurs se sont gelés
Our hearts have frozen over
Au fond c'est un peu moi
Deep down, it's a little bit my fault
C'est un peu de ma faute
It's a bit my fault
J'étais toujours absent
I was always absent
J'étais toujours parti
I was always gone
Puis l'on s'éloigne l'un de l'autre
Then we drift away from each other
Et le spectacle est terminé
And the show is over
Puis l'on s'éloigne l'un de l'autre
Then we drift away from each other
Et le spectacle est terminé
And the show is over
Contributed by Julia V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.