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.
Interdit Aux Bébés
Michel Sardou Lyrics
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La première fois qu'je suis sorti de mon parc en bois
A la découverte de l'appartement,
Mon premier univers d'enfant.
J'ai d'abord marché à pied
Sur quatre pieds, les yeux rivés
Sur un cheval mécanique
Et comme tout se passait bien,
J'ai voulu m'avancer plus loin
Mais quand j'ai pris l'escalier,
Une voix très forte a crié
"Pas dans l'escalier, interdit aux bébés!"
"Pas sur le palier, interdit aux bébés!"
"Sors de la cuisine, interdit aux bébés!"
"Touche pas la télé, interdit aux bébés!"
Et comme tout c'qui brille, c'est pas pour les bébés,
Mais dites-moi ce qui reste aux bébés?
On a beau nous adorer,
Nous chouchouter, nous dorloter,
On n'a pas une heure à soi.
On est sans arrêt surveillé
Et quand on nous laisse enfin,
Il faut dormir jusqu'au lendemain
Mais si jamais dans la nuit
On pousse un cri, c'est reparti
"On ne peut pas rêver, interdit aux bébés!"
"On ne peut pas s'lever, interdit aux bébés!"
"On ne peut pas boire seul, interdit aux bébés!"
"On ne peut rien manger, interdit aux bébés!"
Et comme tout c'qui est bon, c'est pas pour les bébés,
Mais dites-moi ce qui reste aux bébés?
"Pas dans l'escalier, interdit aux bébés!"
"Pas sur le palier, interdit aux bébés!"
"Sors de la cuisine, interdit aux bébés!"
"Touche pas la télé, interdit aux bébés!"
Et comme tout c'qui brille, c'est pas pour les bébés,
Mais dites-moi ce qui reste aux bébés?
The song "Interdit Aux Bébés" by Michel Sardou tells the story of a child's first experiences outside of their playpen or crib. The child discovers a new world beyond the confinements of their bedroom and attempts to explore the rest of the house. As the child tries to climb the stairs, touch the TV or even taste food, they face constant reprimands from adults who prohibit them from doing anything outside of their prescribed activities.
The lyrics express the frustration and limited agency of a child, who is constantly monitored and restricted in their actions. The repetition of the phrase "interdit aux bébés" (prohibited for babies) represents the strict rules and limitations imposed on children, regardless of their interests or desires.
The lyrics seem to be a commentary on the power dynamics between adults and children, and the autonomy that is often missing from the lives of the latter. Sardou highlights the small pleasures of childhood that are often denied to children, and the intense frustration that comes with being constantly monitored and forbidden from doing anything outside of a narrow set of activities.
Overall, the song captures the sense of powerlessness that children feel when their agency is constantly curtailed, and the tension between the desires and limitations of children and their caretakers.
Line by Line Meaning
J'vais vous raconter c'qui m'est arrivé
I'm going to tell you what happened to me
La première fois qu'je suis sorti de mon parc en bois
The first time I left my wooden pen
A la découverte de l'appartement,
Discovering the apartment
Mon premier univers d'enfant.
My first child universe.
J'ai d'abord marché à pied
I first walked on foot
Sur quatre pieds, les yeux rivés
On four legs, eyes riveted
Sur un cheval mécanique
On a mechanical horse
Qui était dans ma chambre à coucher,
That was in my bedroom
Et comme tout se passait bien,
And everything was going well,
J'ai voulu m'avancer plus loin
I wanted to go further
Mais quand j'ai pris l'escalier,
But when I took the stairs,
Une voix très forte a crié
A very loud voice cried out
"Pas dans l'escalier, interdit aux bébés!"
"No stairway, forbidden to babies!"
"Pas sur le palier, interdit aux bébés!"
"No landing, forbidden to babies!"
"Sors de la cuisine, interdit aux bébés!"
"Get out of the kitchen, forbidden to babies!"
"Touche pas la télé, interdit aux bébés!"
"Don't touch the TV, forbidden to babies!"
Et comme tout c'qui brille, c'est pas pour les bébés,
And like everything shiny, it's not for babies,
Mais dites-moi ce qui reste aux bébés?
But tell me, what's left for babies?
On a beau nous adorer,
We are loved,
Nous chouchouter, nous dorloter,
Pampered and cosseted,
On n'a pas une heure à soi.
We don't have a moment to ourselves.
On est sans arrêt surveillé
We're constantly monitored
Et quand on nous laisse enfin,
And when we're finally left alone,
Il faut dormir jusqu'au lendemain
We have to sleep until the next day
Mais si jamais dans la nuit
But if we cry out in the night
On pousse un cri, c'est reparti
It starts all over again
"On ne peut pas rêver, interdit aux bébés!"
"No dreaming, forbidden to babies!"
"On ne peut pas s'lever, interdit aux bébés!"
"No getting up, forbidden to babies!"
"On ne peut pas boire seul, interdit aux bébés!"
"No drinking alone, forbidden to babies!"
"On ne peut rien manger, interdit aux bébés!"
"Can't eat anything, forbidden to babies!"
Et comme tout c'qui est bon, c'est pas pour les bébés,
And like everything good, it's not for babies,
Mais dites-moi ce qui reste aux bébés?
But tell me, what's left for babies?
"Pas dans l'escalier, interdit aux bébés!"
"No stairway, forbidden to babies!"
"Pas sur le palier, interdit aux bébés!"
"No landing, forbidden to babies!"
"Sors de la cuisine, interdit aux bébés!"
"Get out of the kitchen, forbidden to babies!"
"Touche pas la télé, interdit aux bébés!"
"Don't touch the TV, forbidden to babies!"
Et comme tout c'qui brille, c'est pas pour les bébés,
And like everything shiny, it's not for babies,
Mais dites-moi ce qui reste aux bébés?
But tell me, what's left for babies?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACQUES ABEL JULES REVAUD, MICHEL CHARLES SARDOU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind