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.
Noces de Mon Père
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je vais évoquer le premier mariage de mes parents.
Or de ce mariage, j'ai un souvenir, c'est un poème de
Mon père, qu'il avait lu à la fin du repas de noces, car
N'ayant pas le plus petit sou pour offrir un cadeau à ma mère, il lui fit
L'offrande de quelques vers de circonstance, les voici.
Date qui marquera dans mon calendrier.
Après le déjeuner, la coutume s'impose,
Il faut que le marié vous dise quelque chose,
Et comme le marié aujourd'hui c'est moi,
Je dois donc vous parIer, mais voilà, vous dire quoi?
Chanter une chanson? Vous connaissez ma voix.
Dire "Je ferai mieux une prochaine fois."
Non, tout ça, mes amis, n'irait pas un tel jour.
Ce qui je vous dirai sera simple et court.
C'est d'abord à Maman que je lève mon verre.
La copine d'antan devient une belle-mère!
Et d'une bagatelle ou d'un simple béguin,
Tu vois belle-maman que tout finit très bien!
Puis à mes deux témoins, témoins de tant de choses,
Je dis un grand merci et encore autre chose,
Vous fûtes les témoins de mes frasques passées
Encore témoins le jour où cela doit cesser.
Un jour un écailler qui s'y connaissait bien
Me montra celle dont j'ai la main.
Je peux dire aujourd'hui, puisque ma joie déferle,
Que grâce à l'écailler j'ai découvert la perle!
Ceux que j'ai tant aimés sans les voir sont tous là.
Ma mère à mes côtés me bénit de sa voix.
Je lève donc mon verre et je trinque avec eux.
Sardounette est heureuse, on le voit dans ses yeux.
Dors tranquille, Maman, la paix soit dans ton âme
J'ai retrouvé ton cœur dans celui de ma femme!"
The lyrics of Michel Sardou's song Les Noces De Mon Père describe the poet's memories of his parents' wedding, particularly his father's poetic tribute to his mother at the end of the wedding reception. The poet reflects on the fact that his father, having no money to buy a gift for his bride, presented her with a few verses of circumstance, which the poet recites. The poem is a simple and heartfelt expression of gratitude and love for his new wife, as well as a tribute to his mother, who had become his stepmother. The poet also thanks his two witnesses, who had been with him through good times and bad, and recalls the day he met his wife, thanks to a knowledgeable fishmonger who introduced him to his "pearl." The song ends with a touching tribute to his mother, who has since passed away, but whose spirit lives on in his wife's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Un mot pour terminer
This is the end of what I had to say
Je vais évoquer le premier mariage de mes parents.
I will talk about my parents' first marriage
Or de ce mariage, j'ai un souvenir, c'est un poème de
From that marriage, I have a memory of a poem
Mon père, qu'il avait lu à la fin du repas de noces, car
My father had read at the end of the wedding feast because
N'ayant pas le plus petit sou pour offrir un cadeau à ma mère, il lui fit
Since he didn't have any money to offer a gift to my mother, he gave her
L'offrande de quelques vers de circonstance, les voici.
The offering of a few occasion verses, here they are
"Ce matin 7 juillet je me suis marié,
"This morning of July 7th, I got married
Date qui marquera dans mon calendrier.
A date that will mark in my calendar
Après le déjeuner, la coutume s'impose,
After lunch, custom requires
Il faut que le marié vous dise quelque chose,
That the groom says something to you
Et comme le marié aujourd'hui c'est moi,
And since I'm the groom today
Je dois donc vous parIer, mais voilà, vous dire quoi?
I must speak to you, but what should I say?
Chanter une chanson? Vous connaissez ma voix.
Sing a song? You know my voice.
Dire "Je ferai mieux une prochaine fois."
Say "I'll do better next time."
Non, tout ça, mes amis, n'irait pas un tel jour.
No, my friends, all that wouldn't do for such a day.
Ce qui je vous dirai sera simple et court.
What I will tell you will be simple and short.
C'est d'abord à Maman que je lève mon verre.
First, I raise my glass to Mom.
La copine d'antan devient une belle-mère!
The old girlfriend becomes a stepmother!
Et d'une bagatelle ou d'un simple béguin,
And with a bagatelle or a simple crush
Tu vois belle-maman que tout finit très bien!
You see, stepmom, everything turns out well!
Puis à mes deux témoins, témoins de tant de choses,
Then to my two witnesses, witnesses of so many things,
Je dis un grand merci et encore autre chose,
I say a big thank you and something else,
Vous fûtes les témoins de mes frasques passées
You were the witnesses of my past pranks
Encore témoins le jour où cela doit cesser.
Still witnesses on the day when it should stop.
Un jour un écailler qui s'y connaissait bien
One day, a fishmonger who knew his stuff
Me montra celle dont j'ai la main.
Showed me the one I hold dear.
Je peux dire aujourd'hui, puisque ma joie déferle,
And today, I can say, since my joy overwhelms me,
Que grâce à l'écailler j'ai découvert la perle!
That thanks to the fishmonger, I discovered a pearl!
Ceux que j'ai tant aimés sans les voir sont tous là.
Those I loved so much without seeing them are all here.
Ma mère à mes côtés me bénit de sa voix.
My mother beside me blesses me with her voice.
Je lève donc mon verre et je trinque avec eux.
So, I raise my glass and toast with them.
Sardounette est heureuse, on le voit dans ses yeux.
Little Sardou is happy, you can see it in his eyes.
Dors tranquille, Maman, la paix soit dans ton âme
Sleep peacefully, Mom, may peace be in your soul
J'ai retrouvé ton cœur dans celui de ma femme!"
I found your heart in that of my wife's!"
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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