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 Hommes Cavalent
Michel Sardou Lyrics
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Qu'elles soient la providence,
Qu'elles nous laissent un parfum
De leur adolescence
Sur l'écorce des arbres,
Sur les murs des lycées,
Sur les socles de marbre,
Leurs prénoms sont gravés.
Qu'elles atténuent le feu
De nos premières blessures
En posant sur nos yeux
Un rouge à lèvres pur,
Qu'elles nous laissent, en partant,
Une haine de l'amour
Qu'elles effacent en souriant
Quand elles reviennent un jour.
Les hommes cavalent
Après une jupe et des yeux pâles
Comme derrière un chariot d'étoiles,
Avec leurs idées d'idéal.
Les hommes cavalent
Après des jambes et des sandales
Sur des musiques sentimentales,
Pour un bien qui leur fait du mal.
Qu'elles soient l'horizon vrai,
Les plus belles espérances,
Le triangle parfait,
Les douleurs de l'enfance,
Après les amours fauves,
Les amours débutantes,
Un blue jean qui se sauve,
Un adieu qui nous plante.
Les hommes cavalent
Après une jupe et des yeux pâles
Comme derrière un chariot d'étoiles,
Avec leurs idées d'idéal.
Les hommes cavalent
Après des jambes et des sandales,
Sur des musiques sentimentales,
Pour un bien qui leur fait du mal.
Les hommes cavalent.
The song "Les Hommes Cavalent" by Michel Sardou is about the pursuit of love and the memories that come along with it. The first verse talks about how women leave a lasting impression on men, like a destiny or a Providence, and how even after they have gone, their presence can still be felt through the small things they leave behind. The next verse speaks about how women can ease the pain of first love by leaving a pure lipstick mark and how they can also leave a bitter taste of love behind, but somehow manage to erase it later with a smile.
The chorus repeats the phrase "les hommes cavalent" which means "men gallop" or "men run" in French. This phrase emphasizes the way men pursue love like a wild horse chasing a distant goal. The lyrics suggest that men often pursue women who they believe embody their ideals and expectations, but this pursuit can be painful and lead to disappointment.
The second verse speaks about the different experiences that women can bring into a man's life. They can represent hope, form a perfect triangle but also remind them of their childhood pains. The lyrics suggest that even when love is lost, the memories of these women linger and continue to impact the men who have loved them.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the fragility of love and how it can be both beautiful and painful. The lyrics highlight how women leave a trace of themselves in men's lives even after they have gone, and how the pursuit of love can lead to both joy and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Qu'elles ressemblent au destin,
Just like fate, let women influence the trajectory of our lives
Qu'elles soient la providence,
Let them be our guiding light,
Qu'elles nous laissent un parfum De leur adolescence
Let their youthful energy linger even after they're gone,
Sur l'écorce des arbres, Sur les murs des lycées, Sur les socles de marbre, Leurs prénoms sont gravés.
Their names are etched everywhere, a reminder of their impact
Qu'elles atténuent le feu De nos premières blessures
May they soothe our earliest hurts
En posant sur nos yeux Un rouge à lèvres pur,
By applying pure lipstick on our eyes
Qu'elles nous laissent, en partant, Une haine de l'amour
When they leave, let them leave us with a bitterness for love
Qu'elles effacent en souriant Quand elles reviennent un jour.
But let them erase that bitterness with a smile when they return someday.
Les hommes cavalent Après une jupe et des yeux pâles Comme derrière un chariot d'étoiles, Avec leurs idées d'idéal.
Men chase after a skirt and pale eyes, searching for an elusive ideal
Les hommes cavalent Après des jambes et des sandales Sur des musiques sentimentales, Pour un bien qui leur fait du mal.
They chase after legs and sandals, to the tune of sentimental music, for a good that ultimately harms them.
Qu'elles soient l'horizon vrai, Les plus belles espérances, Le triangle parfait, Les douleurs de l'enfance,
Women may represent our true horizon, our greatest aspirations, the perfect triangle, and the pains of growing up.
Après les amours fauves, Les amours débutantes, Un blue jean qui se sauve, Un adieu qui nous plante.
After wild loves and fledgling romances, there's the blue jeans that slipped away and a final farewell that cuts deep.
Les hommes cavalent Après une jupe et des yeux pâles Comme derrière un chariot d'étoiles, Avec leurs idées d'idéal. Les hommes cavalent Après des jambes et des sandales, Sur des musiques sentimentales, Pour un bien qui leur fait du mal.
And yet men keep on chasing after skirts, pale eyes, legs, sandals, and sentimental music, all for a good that ultimately does them harm.
Les hommes cavalent.
Men keep on chasing after women.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DIDIER RENE HENRI BARBELIVIEN, MICHEL CHARLES SARDOU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind