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.
La Défensive
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Plus de vingt ans, main dans la main
Mais derrière ce bonheur qui tient
Je vais te dire c'qui nous arrive
On s'habitue et ca m'ennuie
Au bout du lit, il y a ton corps
Moi j'ai un livre et toi tu dors
Je te sens sur la défensive
On n'se parle plus et ca m'ennuie
Tes yeux sont ouverts dans le noir
Je n'sais plus où va ton regard
On te croirait sur le départ
Cette envie de voir l'autre rive
Peut-être que c'est moi qui t'ennuie
Tu joues très bien l'indifférence
Tu ne me dis pas ta souffrance
Fais-moi la guerre, pas le silence
Je te sens sur la défensive
Dis-moi où j'en suis dans ta vie
Sommes-nous heureux?
Question fatale
Bien sûr que non, nous sommes heureux
Tu sais très bien qu'à la finale
On vit ensemble mais plus à deux
C'était si fort, la première fois
Quel nom portait ce jardin-là?
Tu t'souviens pas de la première fois?
Si l'on tentait la récidive?
On oublie tout et ca m'ennuie
Pourquoi me viennent ces idées-là?
Je t'aime, tu m'aimes, ca va de soi
Autrement nous n'serions plus là
Je vais te dire c'qui nous arrive
On n'se voit plus et ca m'ennuie
Au bout du lit, il y a ton corps
Je ferme le livre et toi tu dors
Je prends ta main, je t'aime encore
Ne sois plus sur la défensive
Si l'on rejouait la première nuit?
Si l'on rejouait la première nuit?
The lyrics to Michel Sardou's song La Défensive explore the concept of love and its progression over time. The opening lines suggest that everything is going well between the singer and their partner - they love each other and have been together for over twenty years. However, despite the appearance of happiness, the singer reveals that they are bored with the routine of their relationship. They describe laying in bed with their partner, reading a book while their partner sleeps, feeling their eyes on them in the darkness. The singer senses their partner's defensiveness and silence, and becomes frustrated with their inability to communicate. They ask their partner if they are still happy together, and while the partner answers yes, the singer knows that their relationship has changed.
The singer reminisces about the intensity of passion in the beginning of their relationship, and wonders if they could recapture that feeling. They ask their partner if they remember the name of a garden they visited together, and suggest trying to relive that moment. The song ends with the singer taking their partner's hand and professing their love once more, asking them to let down their guard and be open to reigniting the passion in their relationship.
Overall, the lyrics of La Défensive depict the struggle that can occur in long-term relationships to maintain the excitement and intimacy that was present in the beginning. The singer longs for a return to the intensity and passion of the early days, and is frustrated with their partner's defensiveness and reluctance to communicate.
Line by Line Meaning
Je t'aime, tu m'aimes : tout va très bien.
We love each other and everything seems fine.
Plus de vingt ans main dans la main,
We've been together for more than twenty years,
Mais derrière ce bonheur qui tient,
But there's something behind this happiness,
Je vais te dire c'qui nous arrive :
I'm going to tell you what's happening to us:
On s'habitue et ca m'ennuie.
We're getting used to each other and it bores me.
Au bout du lit, il y a ton corps.
At the end of the bed, there's your body.
Moi j'ai un livre et toi tu dors.
I have a book and you're sleeping.
J'allume une cigarette encore.
I light up another cigarette.
Je te sens sur la défensive.
I feel like you're being defensive.
On n'se parle plus et ca m'ennuie.
We don't talk anymore and it bores me.
Tes yeux sont ouverts dans le noir.
Your eyes are open in the dark.
Je n'sais plus où va ton regard.
I don't know where your gaze is wandering.
On te croirait sur le départ,
It looks like you're about to leave.
Cette envie de voir l'autre rive.
This desire to see the other side.
Peut-etre que c'est moi qui t'ennuie.
Maybe it's me who's boring you.
Tu joues très bien l'indifférence.
You're very good at acting indifferent.
Tu ne me dis pas ta souffrance.
You don't tell me about your pain.
Fais-moi la guerre, pas le silence.
Fight with me, don't give me the silent treatment.
Je te sens sur la défensive.
I feel like you're being defensive.
Dis-moi où j'en suis dans ta vie.
Tell me where I stand in your life.
Sommes-nous heureux ?
Are we happy?
Question fatale.
That's a fatal question.
Bien sûr que non nous sommes heureux.
Of course, we're happy.
Tu sais très bien qu'à la finale,
But you know that in the end,
On vit ensemble mais plus à deux.
We're living together but not as a couple anymore.
C'était si fort, la première fois.
It was so strong, the first time.
Quel nom portait ce jardin-là ?
What was the name of that garden?
Tu t'souviens pas de la première fois ?
Don't you remember the first time?
Si l'on tentait la récidive ?
What if we tried again?
On oublie tout et ca m'ennuie.
We forget everything and it bores me.
Pourquoi me viennent ces idées-là ?
Why do these ideas come to me?
Je t'aime, tu m'aimes : ca va de soi,
We love each other, it goes without saying,
Autrement nous n'serions plus là .
Otherwise, we wouldn't still be here.
Je vais te dire c'qui nous arrive :
I'm going to tell you what's happening to us:
On n'se voit plus et ca m'ennuie.
We don't see each other anymore and it bores me.
Au bout du lit, il y a ton corps.
At the end of the bed, there's your body.
Je ferme le livre et toi tu dors.
I close the book and you're sleeping.
Je prends ta main, je t'aime encore.
I take your hand, I still love you.
Ne sois plus sur la défensive.
Don't be defensive anymore.
Si l'on rejouait la première nuit,
What if we replayed the first night?
Si l'on rejouait la première nuit ?
What if we replayed the first night?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jean-Loup Dabadie, Jacques Revaud, Michel Sardou
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind