Michel Sardou (born January 26, 1947) is a French singer.

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.

Le Paraguay N'Est Plus Ce Qu'Il Etait
Michel Sardou Lyrics

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Le Paraguay n'est plus ce qu'il était,
Moi non plus.
On ne va pas regretter
Les occasions manquées
Ni les slows pour danser,
Y'en a plus.
Ceux qui restaient,
Ou la mort ou l'amour les a eus.

On a vu s'éloigner
Sur des eaux agitées
Les derniers grands voiliers.
Y'en a plus.

Les Japonais,
La bataille de Midway,
Les fakirs de Bombay,
Les romans d'Hemingway,
Les chansons en français,
Même le curé de Camaret,
Botticelli,
Les vierges d'ltalie,
Les amours d'Ophélie,
Les grands feux d'hérésie,
Le retour d'un Messie
Et l'adieu d'un ami aussi.

Le Paraguay n'est plus ce qu'il était,
Nous non plus.
Faut pas pleurer pour ça,
Les eaux du Niagara,
Nos amours d'autrefois
Disparues.

Les minarets,
Les secrets du Tibet,
Les Bourgeois de Calais,
Les saunas finlandais,
L'Amérique aux Anglais
Et puis tous les films de Bogey,
Les origines,
La punition divine,
Les marins de Messine,
Les seins de Messaline,
Le convoi des Sabines,
Les soldats vainqueurs à Bouvines.

La nostalgie,
Toutes les mélancolies,
Le réveil de l'Asie,
Boulogne aux travestis,
Faut vivre avec sa vie,
La musique en Californie.

Les Japonais,
La bataille de Midway,
Les fakirs de Bombay,
Les romans d'Hemingway,
Les chansons en français,
Même le curé de Camaret,
Botticelli,
Les vierges Italie,
Les amours d'Ophélie,
Les grands feux d'hérésie,
Le retour d'un Messie
Et l'adieu d'un ami aussi.

Les minarets,
Les secrets du Tibet,
Les Bourgeois de Calais,
Les saunas finlandais,
L'Amérique aux Anglais
Et puis tous les films de Bogey,
Les origines,
La punition divine,
Les marins de Messine,
Les seins de Messaline,

Le convoi des Sabines,
Les soldats vainqueurs à Bouvines.

Overall Meaning

The song "Le Paraguay n'est plus ce qu'il était" by Michel Sardou is a reflection on the changing times and the nostalgia for the past. At the heart of the song lies the idea that things are not what they used to be, and the memories of the good old times bring a sense of loss and melancholy. The lyrics evoke a range of images and references, from the battle of Midway to the films of Bogey, from the romances of Ophelia to the paintings of Botticelli. Through these allusions, the song creates a tapestry of cultural memories and personal experiences, which are woven into a larger narrative of change and transformation.

In the opening lines, Sardou sets the tone for the song by saying that the Paraguay is not what it used to be, and neither is he. The repetition of the phrase "y'en a plus" (there is no more) signals a sense of loss and finality. The people, places, and things that once occupied a central place in memory are now gone, replaced by new realities. The chorus of the song advises the listener not to cry or regret the past, but to accept the changes and move on.

The song also references a range of cultural and historical events, from the Battle of Midway - a key naval battle during World War II - to the boulevards of Calais, the famed seaport in northern France. The use of these cultural references suggests that the sense of loss and nostalgia felt by Sardou is not just personal, but also shared by a larger community. Through this technique, Sardou creates a sense of collective memory and cultural identity, which binds his listeners together.

Le Paraguay N'Est Plus Ce Qu'Il EtaitMichel Sardou Lyrics

Le Paraguay N'Est Plus Ce Qu'Il Etait
Michel Sardou Lyrics