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.
Les Deux Ecoles
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qui, dans les rois de France
N'a vu que des tyrans
Aux règnes désastreux
Et celui qui faisait
Du vieil Anatole France
Un suppôt de Satan
Parce qu'il était sans dieu
Et j'ai tout oublié
La nuit des carmagnoles
La fin des Assemblées
Les dieux de l'Acropole
Et les saints baptisés
J'étais des deux écoles
Et ça n'a rien changé
Dans le Lot-et-Garonne
On bouffait du curé
On priait la Madone
Le dimanche en Vendée
Des cailloux de Provence
Aux châteaux d'Aquitaine
On chantait la Durance
On pleurait la Lorraine
Dans le Rhône et l'Essonne
On chassait les abbés
On plantait en Argonne
Des croix de Saint-André
Des sommets du Jura
Aux jardins de Touraine
On pleurait la Savoie
On chantait la Lorraine
Je veux que mes enfants
S'instruisent à mon école
S'ils ressemblent à quelqu'un
Autant que ce soit moi
Après ils s'en iront
Adorer leurs idoles
Et vivre leur destin
Où bon leur semblera
Cette sacrée République
Qui dit oui, qui dit non
Fille aînée de l'Église
Et de la Convention
Elle serait bien heureuse
Que ses maîtres la laissent
Libre de faire l'amour
Et d'aller à la messe
Dans le Lot-et-Garonne
On bouffait du curé
On priait la Madone
Le dimanche en Vendée
Des cailloux de Provence
Aux châteaux d'Aquitaine
On chantait la Durance
On pleurait la Lorraine
Dans le Rhône et l'Essonne
On chassait les abbés
On plantait en Argonne
Des croix de Saint-André
Des sommets du Jura
Aux jardins de Touraine
On pleurait la Savoie
On chantait la Lorraine
Dans le Lot-et-Garonne
On bouffait du curé
On priait la Madone
Le dimanche en Vendée
Des cailloux de Provence
Aux châteaux d'Aquitaine
On chantait la Durance
On pleurait la Lorraine
Dans le Rhône et l'Essonne
On chassait les abbés
On plantait en Argonne
Des croix de Saint-André
Des sommets du Jura
Aux jardins de Touraine
On pleurait la Savoie
On chantait la Lorraine
Dans le Lot-et-Garonne
On bouffait du curé
On priait la Madone
Le dimanche en Vendée
Des cailloux de Provence
Aux châteaux d'Aquitaine
On chantait la Durance
On pleurait la Lorraine
Michel Sardou's Les Deux Ecoles is a song that expresses the experience of being a student in two different schools in France, each with a distinct philosophy and perspective. The song speaks of the poet's experience in both schools, and how neither of them had a lasting impact on him. In the first verse, he speaks of his experience with a teacher who viewed the kings of France as tyrants with disastrous reigns while also viewing Anatole France, a writer who did not believe in God, as a supporter of Satan. However, the poet notes that he has forgotten the lessons taught in both schools.
The song goes on to speak of the different regions of France and how they view religion and politics. In some regions, such as the Lot-et-Garonne and Vendée, people viewed Catholicism with great reverence and devotion. In other regions like the Rhône and Essonne, people were staunchly anti-clerical and rebellious towards the church. However, despite the regional differences in perspective and beliefs, the poet notes that he has experienced and learned from all of them, and that none of them has changed him.
Towards the end of the song, the poet speaks of his desire for his own children to attend the same school and learn from him. He expresses his hope that they will be free to create their destinies and live a life of love and faith, however they see fit. The song is a reflection on the complexities of education and cultural identity in France, a country with a vibrant history and diverse regional perspectives.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai eu l'instituteur
I had the schoolmaster
Qui, dans les rois de France
Who, in the kings of France
N'a vu que des tyrans
Only saw tyrants
Aux règnes désastreux
In disastrous reigns
Et celui qui faisait
And the one who made
Du vieil Anatole France
Of the old Anatole France
Un suppôt de Satan
A henchman of Satan
Parce qu'il était sans dieu
Because he was without God
J'ai fait les deux écoles
I did both schools
Et j'ai tout oublié
And I forgot everything
La nuit des carmagnoles
The night of the Carmagnole
La fin des Assemblées
The end of the Assemblies
Les dieux de l'Acropole
The gods of the Acropolis
Et les saints baptisés
And the baptized saints
J'étais des deux écoles
I belonged to both schools
Et ça n'a rien changé
And it changed nothing
Dans le Lot-et-Garonne
In Lot-et-Garonne
On bouffait du curé
We ate the priest
On priait la Madone
We prayed to the Madonna
Le dimanche en Vendée
On Sundays in Vendée
Des cailloux de Provence
From the stones of Provence
Aux châteaux d'Aquitaine
To the castles of Aquitaine
On chantait la Durance
We sang of the Durance
On pleurait la Lorraine
We wept for Lorraine
Dans le Rhône et l'Essonne
In Rhône and Essonne
On chassait les abbés
We chased the abbots
On plantait en Argonne
We planted in Argonne
Des croix de Saint-André
The crosses of Saint-André
Des sommets du Jura
From the summits of the Jura
Aux jardins de Touraine
To the gardens of Touraine
On pleurait la Savoie
We wept for Savoie
On chantait la Lorraine
We sang of Lorraine
Je veux que mes enfants
I want my children
S'instruisent à mon école
To be educated in my school
S'ils ressemblent à quelqu'un
If they resemble anyone
Autant que ce soit moi
May it be me
Après ils s'en iront
Afterwards they will go
Adorer leurs idoles
To worship their idols
Et vivre leur destin
And live their destiny
Où bon leur semblera
Wherever seems good to them
Cette sacrée République
This sacred Republic
Qui dit oui, qui dit non
Who says yes, who says no
Fille aînée de l'Église
Eldest daughter of the Church
Et de la Convention
And of the Convention
Elle serait bien heureuse
She would be very happy
Que ses maîtres la laissent
If her masters let her
Libre de faire l'amour
Free to make love
Et d'aller à la messe
And go to mass
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jacques Revaud, Michel Sardou, Pierre Delanoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind