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.
U.F.O.
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que je n'avais pas bu
La moitié d'une bière
Et pas fumé non plus
J'étais tout à fait clair
J'allais bien dans ma peau
J'étais bien dans ma tête
J'écoutais la radio
J'écoutais la radio
Soudain monsieur le commissaire
J'ai vu comme un éclair
Déchirant le brouillard
Sous un oiseau bizarre
Qu'était pas un oiseau
Qu'était pas un avion
Sur ma déposition
Mettez ni plat ni rond
Mais oui j'allais très bien
Je roulais à 120
J'écoutais la radio
L'engin m'a dépassé
Dans un bruit de tonnerre
Et puis s'est arrêté
Suspendus dans les airs
Alors j'ai entendu
Une voix extraordinaire
Me dire ne craignez rien
Nous n'voulons pas la guerre
Nous sommes des terriens de la planète Terre
Nous sommes des amis qui vous voulons du bien
Docteur docteur docteur internez moi ce martien
Je jure sur la tête de ma mère
Que je n'avais pas bu la moitié d'une bière
Et pas fumé non plus
J'étais tout à fait clair
J'allais bien dans ma peau
J'étais bien dans ma tête
Je roulais à 120
Mais oui j'allais très bien
The lyrics of Michel Sardou's U.F.O. are about a man who claims to have had a close encounter with a UFO while driving. He starts by swearing on his mother's life that he was not drunk or high, and he was perfectly clear-headed. He was calmly driving, listening to the radio, when he saw a strange light tearing through the fog. He saw an unusual object that wasn't a bird or a plane and even though he described it as not plat ni rond (not flat, not round), he couldn't identify what it was. His statement to the police is somewhat objective, as he refuses to provide any description that would indicate an understanding of what type of flying object he saw.
Suddenly, the object overtook him with a loud noise and abruptly stopped, hovering in the air. A voice came from the object, claiming to be a friend from earth’s planet, who only wanted peace and promised not to start a war with humans. Sardou shows how the shock of the encounter makes him question his reality, and leaves him doubting and uncertain. He ends the song repeating the opening lines, emphasizing that he was indeed sober and calm throughout the incident.
It is unclear whether the lyrics are meant to be taken seriously or satirically as Michel Sardou is known for his satirical songwriting. The song is a representation of the common experience of encountering UFOs and the absurdity of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Je jure sur la tête de ma mère
I solemnly swear on my mother's life
Que je n'avais pas bu
That I had not been drinking
La moitié d'une bière
Not even half a beer
Et pas fumé non plus
And had not smoked either
J'étais tout à fait clair
I was completely sober
J'allais bien dans ma peau
I was feeling good and comfortable
J'étais bien dans ma tête
I was completely sane and rational
J'écoutais la radio
I was listening to the radio
J'écoutais les infos
I was listening to the news
Soudain monsieur le commissaire
Suddenly, Mr. Police Officer
J'ai vu comme un éclair
I saw a flash of light
Déchirant le brouillard
Tearing through the fog
Sous un oiseau bizarre
Underneath a strange bird
Qu'était pas un oiseau
That was not a bird
Qu'était pas un avion
That was not a plane
Sur ma déposition
In my statement
Mettez ni plat ni rond
Don't make it too simple or too complicated
Mais oui j'allais très bien
But yes, I was perfectly fine
Je roulais à 120
I was driving at 120 km/h
L'engin m'a dépassé
The craft passed me
Dans un bruit de tonnerre
With a thunderous noise
Et puis s'est arrêté
And then it stopped
Suspendus dans les airs
Hovering in midair
Alors j'ai entendu
Then, I heard
Une voix extraordinaire
An extraordinary voice
Me dire ne craignez rien
Telling me not to fear
Nous n'voulons pas la guerre
We don't want war
Nous sommes des terriens de la planète Terre
We are Earthlings from the planet Earth
Nous sommes des amis qui vous voulons du bien
We are friends who wish you well
Docteur docteur docteur internez moi ce martien
Doctor, doctor, doctor, institutionalize this Martian
Contributed by Katherine L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.