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 Villes De Solitude
Michel Sardou Lyrics
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Moi le passant bien protégé
Par deux mille ans de servitude
Et quelques clous sur la chaussée
Dans les villes de grande solitude
De nouvel-an en nouveaux nés
Quand j'ai bu plus que d'habitude
L'envie d'éclater une banque
De me crucifier le caissier
D'emporter tout l'or qui me manque
Et de disparaître en fumée
Mais dans les villes de grande solitude
Tous les héros se sont pollués
Aux cheminées du crépuscule
Et leurs torrents se sont calmés
Alors je fonce comme une bête
Sur le premier sens interdit
Aucun feu rouge ne m'arrête
Je me sens bien dans ma folie
J'ai envie de violer des femmes
De les forcer à m'admirer
Envie de boire toutes leurs larmes
Et de disparaître en fumée
Mais dans les villes de grande solitude
Quand l'alcool s'est évaporé
Je replonge dans la multitude
Qui défile au pas cadencé
J'ai peur d'avoir brisé des vitres
D'avoir réveillé les voisins
Mais je suis rassuré très vite
C'est vrai que je ne casse rien
C'est vrai que je ne casse rien
C'est vrai que je ne casse rien
Dans les villes de grande solitude
Dans les villes de grande solitude
C'est vrai, c'est vrai que je ne casse rien
Dans les villes, dans les villes de grande solitude
C'est vrai que je ne casse rien
C'est vrai, c'est vrai que je ne casse rien
Dans les villes, dans les villes de grande solitude
Dans les villes de grande solitude
The song "Les Villes De Solitude" by Michel Sardou is a commentary on the emptiness and loneliness that can be found in modern cities. The first verse begins by painting a picture of the singer as a well-protected passerby, who is shielded from the harsh realities of the city by a long history of servitude and a few nails in the road. The second verse describes the singer's feelings of hunger and aggression when they drink more than usual, leading them to contemplate bank robbery and violence against women. However, the chorus reminds us that even the bravest heroes have become corrupted by the same darkness that the singer is experiencing.
The third verse continues this theme, with the singer declaring that they feel alive and free when they flout the law and rush headlong into danger. They express a desire to rape and control women, but ultimately admit that their actions have caused no real harm. The final verse sees the singer reflecting on their actions once the alcohol has worn off, feeling guilty and ashamed for their previous behavior. However, in the end, they return to the crowds of people marching in lockstep through the lonely streets, unwilling or unable to break free from the cycle of isolation and despair.
Overall, "Les Villes De Solitude" is a bleak but honest portrayal of modern urban life, highlighting the emptiness, aggression, and despair that can arise when we're cut off from each other and the wider world.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans les villes de grande solitude
Michel Sardou is talking about the cities that are very lonely and deserted, where he feels alone.
Moi le passant bien protégé
He is one of those who is walking through such cities and feels safe despite the solitude.
Par deux mille ans de servitude
He compares his sense of security to the fact that these cities have witnessed 2000 years of human history and evolution.
Et quelques clous sur la chaussée
His confidence might come from the fact that even the roads are not in good shape and hence, he feels no one would bother to come here and harm his security.
De nouvel-an en nouveaux nés
He talks about the continuous cycle of life in these cities, from the birth of new people to the celebration of New Year's Eve every year.
Quand j'ai bu plus que d'habitude
Michel Sardou reveals that he drinks more than he used to in these lonely cities.
Me vient la faim d'un carnassier
When he is drunk, he feels the hunger of a predator, the hunger to inflict harm and dominate.
L'envie d'éclater une banque
His sense of domination leads to thoughts of robbing a bank.
De me crucifier le caissier
He even goes to the extent of crucifying the cashier for his own benefit.
D'emporter tout l'or qui me manque
He thinks that if he has all the gold he lacks, he could fulfil all his wishes and gain instant gratification.
Et de disparaître en fumée
He would then vanish, escaping from the real world and not having to face the consequences of his actions.
Tous les héros se sont pollués
Michel Sardou then realizes that such actions have destroyed many so-called heroes in these lonely cities.
Aux cheminées du crépuscule
He uses the metaphor of the chimneys of the dusk to represent the end of such heroes.
Et leurs torrents se sont calmés
The forceful way of life of these heroes has finally come to an end, and their energy has dried up.
Alors je fonce comme une bête
Nevertheless, when he is drunk and feeling like a predator, he feels unstoppable and goes headfirst like an animal.
Sur le premier sens interdit
He breaks all the rules, goes against the law, and drives in the opposite direction.
Aucun feu rouge ne m'arrête
He is unstoppable, and not even the traffic lights can stop him.
Je me sens bien dans ma folie
Michel Sardou is happy in his madness and feels a sense of power and control.
J'ai envie de violer des femmes
His delusional thinking and the feeling of being dominant reaches the extent of wanting to rape women.
De les forcer à m'admirer
He also wants to force them to admire him, which shows his distorted thinking.
Envie de boire toutes leurs larmes
The reasoning for his desire to dominate others is unclear, but he also wants to drink their tears.
Quand l'alcool s'est évaporé
After he gets sober, he realizes the extremity of his thoughts and actions.
Je replonge dans la multitude
He then falls back into the crowd and withdraws from his dangerous fantasies.
Qui défile au pas cadencé
He talks about the masses who march in an orderly, uniformed manner down the street.
J'ai peur d'avoir brisé des vitres
After the drunken stupor, he starts worrying about being a nuisance and causing harm.
D'avoir réveillé les voisins
He fears having disturbed the peace of the neighbourhood and annoying his neighbours.
Mais je suis rassuré très vite
He feels relieved quickly, having realized that he has not caused any harm to anyone.
C'est vrai que je ne casse rien
He finally realizes that he has caused no damage to the world despite the crazy antics of his mind.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Pierre Delanoe, Jacques Revaud, Michel Sardou
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind