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.

Madame Je
Michel Sardou Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Madame je reviens
Au bord de votre lit
La tête dans les mains
Madame je reviens
Au soir de votre vie
Des larmes plein les mains
Madame je reviens

Madame je reviens
Et je n'ai pas de fleurs
J'ai perdu en chemin
Votre goût du bonheur
Madame je reviens
Heureux en quelque sorte
De frapper à ta porte
De me sentir meilleur

Madame je reviens
Sans demander pardon
Je n'en ai pas besoin
Madame je reviens
Pour oublier mon nom
Et vivre auprès du tien
Madame je reviens

Madame je reviens
Je resterai dans l'ombre
Au recoin le plus sombre
Que tu voudras donner
Madame je reviens
Heureux en quelque sorte
De frapper à ta porte
Et de me retrouver

Madame je reviens
Au bord de votre lit
La tête dans les mains
Madame je reviens
Au soir de votre vie
Des larmes plein les mains
Madame je reviens

Madame je reviens
Et je n'ai pas de fleurs
J'ai perdu en chemin
Votre goût du bonheur
Madame je reviens
Me jeter à vos pieds
Madame je reviens

Et je n'ai pas de fleurs
Madame je reviens

Overall Meaning

The song "Madame Je reviens" by Michel Sardou is a poignant tribute to a dying loved one. The singer, addressing his beloved as "Madame," expresses his regret for not having been there for her during her life and his desire to make up for it in her final moments. He admits to having lost sight of happiness along the way and seeks solace in her presence. He promises to remain in the shadows, to be a comfort and support to her, and to forget his own name in the process. Despite his past shortcomings, he returns without asking for forgiveness, secure in the knowledge that his love for her is enough.

This song is a moving example of Sardou's gift for storytelling and emotional expression. Through his lyrics, he captures the raw feelings of grief, regret, and love that accompany the loss of a cherished person. The use of the second-person pronoun "Madame" adds a layer of formality and respect to the relationship, emphasizing the singer's deference to his loved one.

Line by Line Meaning

Madame je reviens
I am returning, Madame

Au bord de votre lit
To be by your bedside

La tête dans les mains
With my head in my hands

Au soir de votre vie
At the end of your life

Des larmes plein les mains
Tears filling my hands

Et je n'ai pas de fleurs
And I do not have flowers

J'ai perdu en chemin
I have lost my way

Votre goût du bonheur
Your taste for happiness

Heureux en quelque sorte
Happy in some way

De frapper à ta porte
To knock at your door

De me sentir meilleur
To feel better about myself