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.
J'Ai 2000 Ans
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mon front sans ride est un abus
Quand je suis sorti de ma mère
J'avais déjà beaucoup vécu
Et pour mon âme aux tempes grises
Mathusalem est un gamin
Je vais prier dans des églises
Que j'ai connues temples romains
Faut pas se fier aux apparences:
J'ai l'air de sortir de l'enfance
Sur mes papiers, j'ai vingt-cinq ans
Ce sont des faux: j'ai 2000 ans
J'ai prié toutes les idoles
Du roi des Juifs au veau païen
J'ai prêché la bonne parole
Et je me suis lavé les mains
J'ai fait la guerre dans tous les camps
J'ai soutenu tous les drapeaux
J'ai bu la paix à tous les sangs
Je suis un lâche et un héros
Faut pas se fier aux apparences:
J'ai l'air de sortir de l'enfance
Sur mes papiers, j'ai vingt-cinq ans
Ce sont des faux: j'ai 2000 ans
J'ai pleuré mes amours d'enfance
De Cléopâtre à Walewska
Perdu cent fois mon innocence
Mais je l'ai retrouvée cent fois
J'ai souvent craché sur mon sort
Prié pour que tout soit fini
Mais chaque fois que je suis mort
C'était en hurlant à la vie
Faut pas se fier aux apparences:
J'ai l'air de sortir de l'enfance
Sur mes papiers, j'ai vingt-cinq ans
Mais ce sont des faux: j'ai 2000 ans
The lyrics of Michel Sardou's song "J'ai 2000 Ans" convey a profound message about the timeless nature of the human experience. The singer begins by stating that his age is not reflected in the condition of his arteries or the wrinkles on his forehead. He suggests that he has lived a lot even before being born, implying a deep sense of wisdom and experience within him.
The next lines reveal that despite his outward appearance, the singer has seen and experienced far more than what meets the eye. He describes himself as having "gray temples," comparing himself to Methuselah (Mathusalem in French), who is known for living an incredibly long life in biblical lore. The singer tells us that he frequents churches that he considers to be ancient Roman temples, highlighting his connection to history and the passage of time.
The chorus emphasizes the theme of appearances being deceiving. The singer states that although his papers show him to be twenty-five years old, they are false. Instead, he claims to be two thousand years old. This suggests that his experiences and perspective transcend the limitations of time and age.
The second verse expands on the singer's diverse experiences. He tells us that he has prayed to various idols, from the Jewish king to pagan gods. He claims to have preached the good word and washed his hands, alluding to Pontius Pilate's act of washing his hands in the story of Jesus' crucifixion. The singer goes on to admit that he has fought in wars, supported different causes, and embraced both peace and violence. He claims to be both a coward and a hero, showcasing the complexity of his character and the contradictions within him.
In the final verse, the singer reflects on his lost loves and the repeated loss and rediscovery of his innocence. He speaks of spitting on his fate and praying for it to end, yet whenever he has faced death, it has been with a shout of defiance, affirming his fierce desire for life.
Overall, "J'ai 2000 Ans" is a song that explores the depth and richness of human experience, challenging the notion that appearances and age define one's true essence. It suggests that wisdom and depth come from the accumulation of experiences and the ability to transcend the limitations of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Je n'ai pas l'âge de mes artères
I am not as old as my body suggests
Mon front sans ride est un abus
My wrinkle-free forehead is deceptive
Quand je suis sorti de ma mère
When I was born
J'avais déjà beaucoup vécu
I had already lived a lot
Et pour mon âme aux tempes grises
And for my graying soul
Mathusalem est un gamin
Methuselah is just a child
Je vais prier dans des églises
I go to pray in churches
Que j'ai connues temples romains
That I knew as Roman temples
Faut pas se fier aux apparences:
Do not trust appearances
J'ai l'air de sortir de l'enfance
I appear to be coming out of childhood
Sur mes papiers, j'ai vingt-cinq ans
On my documents, I am twenty-five years old
Ce sont des faux: j'ai 2000 ans
Those are fake: I am 2000 years old
J'ai prié toutes les idoles
I have prayed to all the idols
Du roi des Juifs au veau païen
From the king of the Jews to the pagan calf
J'ai prêché la bonne parole
I have preached the good word
Et je me suis lavé les mains
And I have washed my hands
J'ai fait la guerre dans tous les camps
I have fought in all the camps
J'ai soutenu tous les drapeaux
I have supported all the flags
J'ai bu la paix à tous les sangs
I have drunk peace from all bloods
Je suis un lâche et un héros
I am a coward and a hero
J'ai pleuré mes amours d'enfance
I have cried for my childhood loves
De Cléopâtre à Walewska
From Cleopatra to Walewska
Perdu cent fois mon innocence
Lost my innocence a hundred times
Mais je l'ai retrouvée cent fois
But I have found it a hundred times
J'ai souvent craché sur mon sort
I have often cursed my fate
Prié pour que tout soit fini
Prayed for everything to be over
Mais chaque fois que je suis mort
But each time I died
C'était en hurlant à la vie
It was while screaming at life
Faut pas se fier aux apparences:
Do not trust appearances
J'ai l'air de sortir de l'enfance
I appear to be coming out of childhood
Sur mes papiers, j'ai vingt-cinq ans
On my documents, I am twenty-five years old
Mais ce sont des faux: j'ai 2000 ans
But those are fake: I am 2000 years old
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Claude Lemesle, Jacques Revaud, Michel Sardou
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind