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.
On A Déjà Donné
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Par des malentendus, par des absurdités
Aux amateurs de feu, aux amateurs de sang
Qui pour en punir deux en tueraient bien deux cent
À tous ces combattants battus de père en fils
Cocus, vengés, contents un matin d'armistice
Depuis le temps qu'on plie lorsque vous ordonnez
À ceux qui ont raison héréditairement
Qui sont de la maison mais pas du bâtiment
À ceux qui sont en place parce que papa y était
Qui sont d'une autre race qui ont vu Dieu de près
J'oppose la folie, la fantaisie, le vent
J'oppose le génie d'un tout petit enfant
À ceux qui n'ont rien fait que l'effort d'être nés
Je dis "allez en paix, on a déjà donné"
On a déjà donné tant de fois
Par amour, par pitié, pour la croix
On a donné tant de fois pour rien
En se disant "c'est pour demain"
À celles qui sourient quand le chat n'est pas là
Qui tout haut disent "oui" et pensent "non" tout bas
À celles qui nous trompent sans tromper l'ennui
Mais qui l'emporteront quand même au paradis
J'oppose, cœur ouvert, cœur battu, cœur battant
Mes mauvaises manières et mes bons sentiments
À celles qui se donnent sans s'abandonner
Je dis que, nous les hommes, on a déjà donné
Et pourtant quand l'amour vient frapper
On lui ouvre, on se jette à ses pieds
On se dit "ça y est, c'est ce matin"
Mais c'est toujours, toujours pour demain
The first stanza of Michel Sardou's song, On A Déjà Donné, speaks to the current political and social climate where people are quick to judge and punish without fully understanding the situation or circumstances. Sardou highlights the absurdity of those who are eager to punish by referencing their desire to kill hundreds of innocent people to punish only a few. He calls for an end to the cycle of violence and hate, stating that "enough is enough, we have already given" - meaning that society has given so much already, and it is time for things to change for the better.
The second stanza of the song speaks to the various forms of social class and hierarchy that exist within society, including those who are born into power and privilege versus those who are not. He opposes those who hold onto power through inheritance or lineage to those who find power through innovation and creativity. Sardou emphasizes that it is time for those in power to realize that they have already taken so much from society and that society needs to move forward to make things better for everyone.
The final stanza of the song speaks to the contradictions of love. While people often believe that love will solve everything, Sardou highlights that it is not always the solution. The repeating line, "C'est toujours, toujours pour demain" (It's always, always for tomorrow) emphasizes the idea that while people hope for change and a better future, it is always just out of reach.
Overall, Sardou's song speaks to the need for society to let go of old patterns and beliefs to create a better world for everyone.
Line by Line Meaning
À tous ces poings tendus, à tous ces yeux cloués
To those who extend their fists, and those whose eyes are pinned
Par des malentendus, par des absurdités
Due to misunderstandings, and nonsensical ways
Aux amateurs de feu, aux amateurs de sang
To those who enjoy fire and those who enjoy bloodshed
Qui pour en punir deux en tueraient bien deux cent
Who, to punish two, wouldn't mind killing two hundred
À tous ces combattants battus de père en fils
To all the fighters defeated from father to son
Cocus, vengés, contents un matin d'armistice
Cheated on, avenged, happy on a morning of peace
Depuis le temps qu'on plie lorsque vous ordonnez
Since the time we yield when you command
Aujourd'hui ça suffit, on a déjà donné
Today it's enough, we have already given
À ceux qui ont raison héréditairement
To those who are right by inheritance
Qui sont de la maison mais pas du bâtiment
Who are from the family, but not of the building
À ceux qui sont en place parce que papa y était
To those who are in place because daddy was there
Qui sont d'une autre race qui ont vu Dieu de près
Who are of another race that has seen God up close
J'oppose la folie, la fantaisie, le vent
I oppose madness, fantasy, the wind
J'oppose le génie d'un tout petit enfant
I stand up the genius of a very small child
À ceux qui n'ont rien fait que l'effort d'être nés
To those who have done nothing but the effort of being born
Je dis "allez en paix, on a déjà donné"
I say "go in peace, we have already given"
On a déjà donné tant de fois
We have already given so many times
Par amour, par pitié, pour la croix
Out of love, out of pity, for the cross
On a donné tant de fois pour rien
We have given so many times for nothing
En se disant "c'est pour demain"
Telling ourselves "it's for tomorrow"
À celles qui sourient quand le chat n'est pas là
To those who smile when the cat is away
Qui tout haut disent "oui" et pensent "non" tout bas
Who say "yes" out loud, but think "no" inside
À celles qui nous trompent sans tromper l'ennui
To those who deceive us without deceiving boredom
Mais qui l'emporteront quand même au paradis
But who will still go to heaven
J'oppose, cœur ouvert, cœur battu, cœur battant
I oppose, heart open, heart beating, heart pounding
Mes mauvaises manières et mes bons sentiments
My bad manners and my good feelings
À celles qui se donnent sans s'abandonner
To those who give themselves without surrendering
Je dis que, nous les hommes, on a déjà donné
I say that we, men, have already given
Et pourtant quand l'amour vient frapper
And yet when love comes knocking
On lui ouvre, on se jette à ses pieds
We open up, we throw ourselves at its feet
On se dit "ça y est, c'est ce matin"
We say "there it is, it's this morning"
Mais c'est toujours, toujours pour demain
But it's always, always for tomorrow
Lyrics © PREMIERE MUSIC GROUP, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, SCHUBERT MUSIC PUBLISHING INC.
Written by: Mort Schuman, Michel Sardou, Claude Lemesle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind