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.
Une Lettre A Ma Femme Pour Tout Lui Expliquer
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Promets-moi, par un signe
De me dire où tu vas
De me dire ce qu'il y a
Si tu restes toi-même
Et si tu me vois vivre
Si je suis le premier
Pour ne pas te faire peur
Quand tu t'endormiras
Au creux de ta chaleur
Un frisson dans un rêve
Tu sauras que c'est moi
Une lettre à ma femme
Pour tout lui expliquer
Pour lui dire que je l'aime
Autant qu'au premier jour
Que je suis toujours là
Que je n'ai pas changé
Sinon de la fatigue
Et quelques illusions
Qui se sont égarées
Un frisson dans un rêve
Si je pars avant toi
Un sourire sur tes lèvres
Tu sauras que c'est moi
Une lettre à ma femme
Au hasard d'un voyage
Pour lui dire qu'il n'y a pas
D'histoire à pardonner
Que je n'ai jamais vu
D'aussi jolis yeux qu'elle
Sinon, il y a longtemps
Un visage et un nom
Qui se sont effacés
Une lettre à ma femme
Pour lui dire en deux lignes
Que c'est la seule au monde
Qui m'ait vraiment aimé
Qui a su tout comprendre
Avant même que j'y pense
Y compris mes silences
Et quelque illusions
Qui se sont envolées
Un frisson dans un rêve
Si je pars avant toi
Un sourire sur tes lèvres
Tu sauras que c'est moi
In Michel Sardou's song "Une Lettre A Ma Femme Pour Tout Lui Expliquer," the singer addresses his wife and discusses the idea of death, separation, and eternal love. He asks her to promise him that if she leaves this world before him, she will give him a sign of where she is and what she's going through. He also promises to come to her discreetly while she's sleeping if he dies before her, so as not to scare her and let her know that he's still there with her. He then goes on to explain that he's writing this letter to express his love for her and to assure her that even though he may be tired and disillusioned, he still loves her as much as he did on their first day together. He even fixes the mistakes he has made in his life and admits to them, hoping that it would clear the air between them. He concludes by reminding her that she's the only one in the world who really understood him, even before he could make sense of his thoughts, and that their bond, though tested at times, remains unbreakable.
The song has a touch of melancholy to it, especially with the theme of death and separation, and it addresses the idea of eternal love that continues even after one has passed away. It also highlights the importance of communication and honesty, as the singer tries to be open with his wife, even about his mistakes in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Si tu pars avant moi,
If you happen to leave before I do,
Promets-moi, par un signe,
Promise me with a sign,
De me dire où tu vas,
To tell me where you're headed,
De me dire ce qu'il y a.
To share what's on your mind.
Si tu restes toi-même
If you decide to stay true to who you are,
Et si tu me vois vivre,
And watch me live my life,
Si je suis le premier,
If I happen to be the first to go,
Pour ne pas te faire peur,
So as not to scare you,
Je viendrai me glisser,
I'll come to you silently,
Quand tu t'endormiras,
As you drift off to sleep,
Au creux de ta chaleur,
Nestled within your warmth,
Un frisson dans un rêve,
A shiver in a dream,
Tu sauras que c'est moi.
And you'll know it's me.
Une lettre à ma femme
A letter to my wife,
Pour tout lui expliquer,
To explain everything to her,
Pour lui dire que je l'aime
To tell her that I love her
Autant qu'au premier jour,
As much as the first day we met,
Que je suis toujours là
That I'm always here,
Que je n'ai pas changé,
That I haven't changed,
Sinon de la fatigue
Except for some weariness,
Et quelques illusions
And a few illusions
Qui se sont égarées.
That have gone astray.
Un frisson dans un rêve
A shiver in a dream,
Si je pars avant toi,
If I happen to go before you,
Un sourire sur tes lèvres
A smile on your face
Tu sauras que c'est moi.
And you'll know it's me.
Une lettre à ma femme
A letter to my wife,
Au hasard d'un voyage
On a random adventure,
Pour lui dire qu'il n'y a pas
To tell her that there's nothing
D'histoire à pardonner,
To forgive or make amends for,
Que je n'ai jamais vu
That I've never seen
D'aussi jolis yeux qu'elle
Eyes as beautiful as hers,
Sinon, il y a longtemps,
Except once, a long time ago,
Un visage et un nom
A face and a name
Qui se sont effacés.
That have faded away.
Une lettre à ma femme
A letter to my wife,
Pour lui dire en deux lignes
To tell her in two lines
Que c'est la seule au monde
That she's the only one in the world
Qui m'ait vraiment aimé,
Who has truly loved me,
Qui a su tout comprendre
Who has understood everything
Avant même que j'y pense
Even before I did
Y compris mes silences
Including my silences
Et quelque illusions
And some illusions
Qui se sont envolées.
That have flown away.
Un frisson dans un rêve,
A shiver in a dream,
Si je pars avant toi,
If I happen to go before you,
Un sourire sur tes lèvres,
A smile on your face,
Tu sauras que c'est moi.
And you'll know it's me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Didier Barbelivien, Jean Pierre Bourtayre, Jacques Revaud, Michel Sardou
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind