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.
Ils Ont Le Pétrole Mais C'Est Tout
Michel Sardou Lyrics
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Mais ils n'ont que ça.
On a le bon vin,
On a le bon pain,
Et caetera.
Ils ont le pétrole
On a les cailloux,
On a les bijoux,
On a les binious.
Ils ont les dollars
Et c'est bien.
On a les man'quins,
Les grands magasins,
Le Paradis Latin.
Ils ont les barils, on a les bidons,
Mais pour boire, où vont-ils ?
Chez Dom Pérignon.
Parc'qu'ils ont le pétrole
Mais ils n'ont pas d'eau,
Pas d'neige en montagne,
Pas d'huitres en Bretagne :
Que des sables chauds.
Pétrole on the rocks, ça n'désaltère pas.
Evian sort des Alpes,
Pas du Sahara.
Ils ont le pétrole
Pour 30 ans.
On a du vin blanc,
Des blés dans les champs
Pour au moins mille ans.
Ils ont le pétrole,
Mais ils n'ont que ça.
On a des idées,
Un gaspy futé
Un Martel à Poitiers.
Ils ont les dollars.
C'est très bien.
Nous, des têtes de lard
De gaulois grognards
Et chauvins.
Cett'chanson s'adresse
A un brav'garçon
Qu'on appelle Altesse
Un ami d'pension.
Quand ton puits s'ra sec... plus d'jus dans l'citron,
Plus personne à la Mecque,
Viens à la maison.
On boira mon vin
De bon cœur.
Tu mangeras mon pain.
J'demand'rai la main
De ta sœur.
Quand ton puits s'ra sec,
Viens à la maison.
On boira cul-sec
En vieux compagnons.
The lyrics of Michel Sardou's song "Ils Ont Le Pétrole Mais C'Est Tout" highlight the contrast between the wealthy oil-rich nations and the simple pleasures and resources that other countries possess. The song starts by emphasizing that while they may have oil, it is the only thing they have. In contrast, the singer mentions the good wine, good bread, and other simple things that their country has to offer.
The song continues by stating that the oil-rich countries may have dollars, but the singer's country has fashion models, grand department stores, and the famous nightclub Paradis Latin. The line "Ils ont les barils, on a les bidons, Mais pour boire, où vont-ils ? Chez Dom Pérignon" implies that while they have the barrels of oil, they still need the singer's country's contribution, represented by Dom Pérignon champagne, to quench their thirst.
The lyrics go on to mention that the oil-rich countries may have oil, but they lack water, snow in the mountains, and oysters in Brittany. They only have hot sand in their desert regions. The line "Pétrole on the rocks, ça n'désaltère pas. Evian sort des Alpes, Pas du Sahara" compares their oil on the rocks (without water) to the popular Evian water brand, which comes from the Alps, not the Sahara Desert.
The song concludes by expressing that while the oil-rich countries may have dollars, the singer's country has ideas, clever people, and historical figures such as Martel in Poitiers. The lyrics also mention the Gauls, known for their stubbornness, and their chauvinistic pride. The song extends an invitation to a person referred to as Altesse (Your Highness) to come to their country when their oil well runs dry. They offer their wine, bread, and even propose asking for the hand of Altesse's sister. It ends by saying that when the oil well runs dry, they can drink together as old companions.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of pride in the simple pleasures and qualities of their country, emphasizing that life is not solely about material wealth and resources.
Line by Line Meaning
Ils ont le pétrole
They have the oil
Mais ils n'ont que ça.
But that's all they have.
On a le bon vin,
We have good wine,
On a le bon pain,
We have good bread,
Et caetera.
And so on.
Ils ont le pétrole
They have the oil
Mais c'est tout.
But that's all.
On a les cailloux,
We have the rocks,
On a les bijoux,
We have the jewels,
On a les binious.
We have the bagpipes.
Ils ont les dollars
They have the dollars
Et c'est bien.
And that's fine.
On a les man'quins,
We have the models,
Les grands magasins,
The department stores,
Le Paradis Latin.
The Latin Paradise.
Ils ont les barils, on a les bidons,
They have barrels, we have cans,
Mais pour boire, où vont-ils ?
But where do they go to drink?
Chez Dom Pérignon.
To Dom Pérignon's.
Parc'qu'ils ont le pétrole
Because they have the oil
Mais ils n'ont pas d'eau,
But they don't have water,
Pas d'neige en montagne,
No snow in the mountains,
Pas d'huitres en Bretagne :
No oysters in Brittany:
Que des sables chauds.
Only hot sands.
Pétrole on the rocks, ça n'désaltère pas.
Oil on the rocks, it doesn't quench thirst.
Evian sort des Alpes,
Evian comes from the Alps,
Pas du Sahara.
Not from the Sahara.
Ils ont le pétrole
They have the oil
Pour 30 ans.
For 30 years.
On a du vin blanc,
We have white wine,
Des blés dans les champs
Wheat in the fields
Pour au moins mille ans.
For at least a thousand years.
Ils ont le pétrole,
They have the oil,
Mais ils n'ont que ça.
But that's all they have.
On a des idées,
We have ideas,
Un gaspy futé
A clever lad
Un Martel à Poitiers.
A Martel in Poitiers.
Ils ont les dollars.
They have the dollars.
C'est très bien.
That's very good.
Nous, des têtes de lard
We, pigheaded people
De gaulois grognards
Grumbling Gauls
Et chauvins.
And chauvinistic.
Cett'chanson s'adresse
This song is addressed
A un brav'garçon
To a brave boy
Qu'on appelle Altesse
Whom we call Highness
Un ami d'pension.
A boarding school friend.
Quand ton puits s'ra sec... plus d'jus dans l'citron,
When your well runs dry... no more juice in the lemon,
Plus personne à la Mecque,
No one left in Mecca,
Viens à la maison.
Come to our house.
On boira mon vin
We'll drink my wine
De bon cœur.
With good-heartedness.
Tu mangeras mon pain.
You'll eat my bread.
J'demand'rai la main
I'll ask for the hand
De ta sœur.
Of your sister.
Quand ton puits s'ra sec,
When your well runs dry,
Viens à la maison.
Come to our house.
On boira cul-sec
We'll drink bottoms up
En vieux compagnons.
As old companions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PIERRE JEAN MAURICE BILLON, MICHEL CHARLES SARDOU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind