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.
Parce Que C'Etait Lui Parce Que C'Etait Moi
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
D'un ami qui n'aime pas la nuit
Qui t'nait ni la bière ni la mer
Qui app'lait la musiqu'du bruit
Il était doux de caractère
Il aimait les plages sous la pluie
C'était tout à fait mon contraire
Parc'que c'était moi
Parc'que c'était lui
Mais qu'est-c'que lui pouvait bien faire
De mes idées de mes colères
Nous n'avions que des différences
On n'avait même pas la mêm' France
Mais on était d'la même enfance
Dans la rue j'prenais sa défense
C'est pas sa mère qui m'a séduit
Je crois qu'elle n'a jamais souri
Parc'que c'était moi
Parc'que c'était lui
Il y a une femme sur cette terre
Ses yeux sont couleur de la mer
Elle est belle jusqu'au bout des doigts
Je la déteste elle sait pourquoi
Parc'que c'était lui
Parc'que c'était moi
Je lui ai donné mes chemises
Quand il perdait les siennes au jeu
Je lui ai donné mon église
Quand il avait perdu son Dieu
Je l'attendais comme un frère
Quand il partait comme on s'enfuit
Pour aller faire je n' sais quelles guerres
Je ne l'attends plus aujourd'hui
Parc'que c'était moi
Parc'que c'était lui
Quand il rentrait il avait froid
Toujours la mêm' blessure au coeur
Il ne reviendra pas cett'fois
Et je connais bien son vainqueur
Il était doux de caractère
Il aimait les plages sous la pluie
C'était tout à fait mon contraire
On était pourtant deux amis
Parc'que c'était moi
Parc'que c'était lui
Il y a une femme sur cette terre
Ses yeux sont couleur de la mer
Elle est belle jusqu'au bout des doigts
Je la déteste elle sait pourquoi
Parc'que c'était lui
Parc'que c'était moi
The lyrics of Parce Que C'Etait Lui Parce Que C'Etait Moi by Michel Sardou tell the story of two friends who are completely different from each other. One is a lover of the night, beer, and the sea, while the other prefers the daylight, is not fond of alcohol, and prefers the sound of silence to noisy music. They come from different parts of France and have different temperaments, yet they are inseparable. The singer explains that they are friends because of who they are - themselves.
The song goes on to describe how, despite their differences, they have an unbreakable bond that stems from their shared childhood experiences. The singer confesses that he hates a woman on this earth because she knows why his friend is not coming back this time. The song portrays the deep bonds that exist between friends, the inexplicable connection that makes people vulnerable and happy at the same time.
Overall, the song is a poignant tribute to friendship and love that endures despite differences in personality, interests, and even politics.
Line by Line Meaning
Mais qu'est-c'que je pouvais bien faire
What could I have possibly done
D'un ami qui n'aime pas la nuit
With a friend who doesn't like the night
Qui t'nait ni la bière ni la mer
Who didn't hold onto beer or the sea
Qui app'lait la musiqu'du bruit
Who called noise music
Il était doux de caractère
He had a gentle character
Il aimait les plages sous la pluie
He loved rainy beaches
C'était tout à fait mon contraire
He was completely opposite to me
On était pourtant deux amis
Yet we were still two friends
Parc'que c'était moi
Because it was me
Parc'que c'était lui
Because it was him
Mais qu'est-c'que lui pouvait bien faire
But what could he have possibly done
De mes idées de mes colères
About my ideas and my anger
Nous n'avions que des différences
We only had differences
On n'avait même pas la mêm' France
We didn't even have the same France
Mais on était d'la même enfance
But we were from the same childhood
Dans la rue j'prenais sa défense
In the street I defended him
C'est pas sa mère qui m'a séduit
It's not his mother who won me over
Je crois qu'elle n'a jamais souri
I believe she never smiled
Il y a une femme sur cette terre
There's a woman on this earth
Ses yeux sont couleur de la mer
Her eyes are the color of the sea
Elle est belle jusqu'au bout des doigts
She's beautiful down to her fingertips
Je la déteste elle sait pourquoi
I hate her, she knows why
Je lui ai donné mes chemises
I gave him my shirts
Quand il perdait les siennes au jeu
When he lost his own in a game
Je lui ai donné mon église
I gave him my church
Quand il avait perdu son Dieu
When he lost his god
Je l'attendais comme un frère
I waited for him like a brother
Quand il partait comme on s'enfuit
When he left like running away
Pour aller faire je n' sais quelles guerres
To go fight in I don't know what wars
Je ne l'attends plus aujourd'hui
I don't wait for him anymore today
Quand il rentrait il avait froid
When he came back he was cold
Toujours la mêm' blessure au coeur
Always with the same injury to his heart
Il ne reviendra pas cett'fois
He won't come back this time
Et je connais bien son vainqueur
And I know well who his conqueror is
Contributed by Josiah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.