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.
Pense A L'Italie
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La fontaine où joue Marcello,
La dolce vita qu'est la vie...
Les draps blancs, les dessous dentelles
Tendus au-dessus des ruelles
Comm's'ils voulaient nous dire leur nuit.
La louve allaitant les jumeaux,
Le ciel de Michel Angelo,
Pense à l'Italie !
Vois les escaliers de Toscane
Où s'entremêlent comme des lianes
Les terrasses aux jardins fleuris,
Bois le chianti qu'on te propose,
Aime de l'amour que durent les roses,
Aime comm'on aime en Italie
Et au lointain les voix brisées
De ces chanteurs de variétés
Qu'au pont le public applaudi,
Pense à l'Italie !
Pense à l'Italie,
Pleure à Capri, danse à Florence
Dans la foule et dans la folie,
Oublie ta vie et suis ta chance.
Pense à l'Italie,
A l'Italie de ton enfance,
Tes péchés n'ont pas d'importance,
Combien Venise en a commis ?
Le bassin des nouveaux mariés
Qui jurent s'aimer l'éternité
En jetant une pièce dans l'eau.
Les cathédrales et les églises,
La tour penchée, la tour de Pise,
Les bijoux de Codoniato.
Dans cette lumière qu'on n'oublie pas,
La musique de Nino Rota
N'en a jamais, jamais fini,
Pense à l'Italie !
Pense à l'Italie,
Pleure à Capri, danse à Florence
Dans la foule et dans la folie,
Oublie ta vie et suis ta chance.
Pense à l'Italie,
A l'Italie de ton enfance,
Tes péchés n'ont pas d'importance,
Combien Venise en a commis ?
Mais un Piémontais, un Sicilien,
Ce n'est pas le même Italien,
Ce n'est pas la même Italie !
Pense à l'Italie,
Pleure à Capri, danse à Florence
Dans la foule et dans la folie,
Oublie ta vie et suis ta chance.
Pense à l'Italie,
A l'Italie de ton enfance,
Tes péchés n'ont pas d'importance,
Combien Venise en a commis ?
The song "Pense A L'Italie" by Michel Sardou reflects on the beauty and charm of Italy, evoking vivid imagery of the country's landmarks and cultural traditions. The lyrics describe various iconic elements of Italian life such as the girls around the braziers, Marcello's fountain, the white sheets and lace underwear stretched above the alleys, the she-wolf nursing the twins, Michel Angelo's sky, and Rossini's Cinderella. All of these elements create a picture of a passionate, vibrant, and seductive country.
The song emphasizes that Italy is not just a place but a feeling that touches deeply the soul of those who visit or have an Italian origin. The song invites people to immerse themselves in the Italian culture, to feel the magic and beauty of the place, and to live fully in the moment. It encourages people to dance in the streets of Florence, to cry on the shores of Capri, and to follow their dreams in the lively chaos of Italian life.
Overall, "Pense A L'Italie" is a nostalgic and romantic ode to Italy that celebrates the emotional and spiritual connection people have with the country. It reminds us to appreciate the beauty of life, love, culture, and the memories that warm our hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
Les filles autour des braseros,
La fontaine où joue Marcello,
La dolce vita qu'est la vie...
The girls around the braziers, the fountain where Marcello plays, the sweet life that is life...
Les draps blancs, les dessous dentelles
Tendus au-dessus des ruelles
Comm's'ils voulaient nous dire leur nuit.
The white sheets, the lace underwear stretched above the alleys, as if they wanted to tell us about their night.
La louve allaitant les jumeaux,
Le ciel de Michel Angelo,
La Cendrillon de Rossini,
Pense à l'Italie !
The she-wolf nursing the twins, Michelangelo's sky, Rossini's Cinderella, think about Italy!
Vois les escaliers de Toscane
Où s'entremêlent comme des lianes
Les terrasses aux jardins fleuris,
See the stairs of Tuscany, where terraces with blooming gardens intertwine like vines,
Bois le chianti qu'on te propose,
Aime de l'amour que durent les roses,
Aime comm'on aime en Italie
Drink the Chianti offered to you, love the love that lasts as long as the roses, love like they love in Italy.
Et au lointain les voix brisées
De ces chanteurs de variétés
Qu'au pont le public applaudi,
Pense à l'Italie !
And in the distance, the broken voices of those variety singers applauded by the public on the bridge, think about Italy!
Pense à l'Italie,
Pleure à Capri, danse à Florence
Dans la foule et dans la folie,
Oublie ta vie et suis ta chance.
Think about Italy, cry in Capri, dance in Florence, in the crowd and in the madness, forget your life and follow your chance.
Pense à l'Italie,
A l'Italie de ton enfance,
Tes péchés n'ont pas d'importance,
Combien Venise en a commis ?
Think about Italy, about the Italy of your childhood, your sins do not matter, how many sins has Venice committed?
Le bassin des nouveaux mariés
Qui jurent s'aimer l'éternité
En jetant une pièce dans l'eau.
The basin of the newlyweds who swear to love each other for eternity by throwing a coin into the water.
Les cathédrales et les églises,
La tour penchée, la tour de Pise,
Les bijoux de Codoniato.
The cathedrals and churches, the leaning tower, the tower of Pisa, the jewels of Codoniato.
Dans cette lumière qu'on n'oublie pas,
La musique de Nino Rota
N'en a jamais, jamais fini,
Pense à l'Italie !
In this unforgettable light, Nino Rota's music never, ever ends, think about Italy!
Mais un Piémontais, un Sicilien,
Ce n'est pas le même Italien,
Ce n'est pas la même Italie !
But a Piedmontese, a Sicilian, they are not the same Italian, it's not the same Italy!
Contributed by Penelope N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.