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'aimerais savoir
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Le regard d'un aigle
Je ne suis qu'un homme
Aux yeux d'enfant
On veut si fort
Et on est si faible
Est-ce qu'on se donne
Est-ce qu'on se vend
Est-ce que le môme que j'étais fait la grimace
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
Est-ce que mon clone aurait fait mieux à ma place
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
J'aimerais pouvoir
Embellir le monde
Mais j'ai la gomme
Pas les couleurs
Mettre la honte et la haine à l'ombre
Faudrait que je commence par mon cœur
Est-ce que le môme que j'étais fait la grimace
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
Est-ce que mon clone aurait fait mieux à ma place
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
Toute la vie on meurt d'envie
D'accomplir nos rêves d'ado
Et on rame
De toute notre âme
Exilé d'El Dorado
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
Est-ce que le môme que j'étais fait la grimace
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
Est-ce que mon clone aurait fait mieux à ma place
J'aimerais bien voir
J'aimerais savoir
The lyrics of Michel Sardou's song "J'aimerais savoir" delve into themes of self-reflection, ambition, and the longing for self-improvement. The singer expresses a desire to have the vision and strength of an eagle, lamenting their own limitations as a human with childlike eyes. The song explores the tension between one's desires and their own weaknesses.
The singer questions whether the younger version of themselves would have made a face (grimace) at their current circumstances. They wonder if they could observe their own actions from a different perspective and see if their clone would have done better in their place. This reflects a deep yearning to understand their own potential and the choices that have brought them to their present situation.
The desire to make the world a better place is another prominent theme in the song. The singer expresses a longing to erase shame and hatred and suggests that it should start from within their own heart. However, they acknowledge their limitations, only possessing an eraser but lacking the colors to beautify the world. This highlights the frustration of wanting to make a positive impact but feeling powerless to do so.
Overall, "J'aimerais savoir" captures the human desire for self-improvement, introspection, and the longing for a greater sense of purpose. The lyrics invite listeners to reflect on their own ambitions, shortcomings, and the choices that shape their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
J'aimerais avoir
I wish to possess
Le regard d'un aigle
The vision of an eagle
Je ne suis qu'un homme
I am just a man
Aux yeux d'enfant
In the eyes of a child
On veut si fort
We desire so strongly
Et on est si faible
Yet we are so weak
Est-ce qu'on se donne
Do we give ourselves
Est-ce qu'on se vend
Or do we sell ourselves
Est-ce que le môme que j'étais fait la grimace
Does the kid I used to be make a face
J'aimerais bien voir
I would love to see
J'aimerais savoir
I would love to know
Est-ce que mon clone aurait fait mieux à ma place
Would my clone have done better in my place
J'aimerais pouvoir
I would like to be able to
Embellir le monde
Make the world more beautiful
Mais j'ai la gomme
But I have the eraser
Pas les couleurs
Not the colors
Mettre la honte et la haine à l'ombre
Put shame and hatred in the shade
Faudrait que je commence par mon cœur
I would have to start with my heart
Toute la vie on meurt d'envie
All our lives we die of longing
D'accomplir nos rêves d'ado
To fulfill our teenage dreams
Et on rame
And we struggle
De toute notre âme
With all our soul
Exilé d'El Dorado
Exiled from El Dorado
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Claude Lemesle, Pierre Billon, Jean Mora
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind