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.
W 454
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'habite au 4000 de la rue 44.
Mon pays, il est là, c'est le F. 48,
Situé sur la planète A.G. 1908.
Le soir du 34 14 8037,
Je me marie avec L.N. 317.
Nous partons en voyage pour S.K. 49
Dans un X 2002 presqu'à l'état 9.
Vous pouvez nous écrire à M.H. 400
2 500 000 avenue 1 800.
Je m'appelle W comme n'importe qui
Mon père s'appelait Z, mais c'était un génie.
Un de mes grands aïeux lui s'appelait Blanchard,
Pierre Amédée Gontran Timoléon Edouard.
Il habitait la France, un tout petit pays
Situé sur une étoile, maintenant refroidie.
Les rues portaient des noms bizarres et malaisés,
Lafayette, Vaugirard ou bien Champs-Elysées.
Pour lui téléphoner on faisait Turbigo,
Louvre, Elysée, Balzac ou bien Trocadéro.
Les uns étaient du Nord les autres de l'Hérault.
Les gens de ce temps-là étaient des rigolos.
C'était presqu'en 2000.
C'était l'année 0.
Je m'appelle W 454.
J'habite au 4000 de la rue 44.
Mon pays il est là c'est le F. 48,
Situé sur la planète A.G. 1908.
Le soir du 34 14 8037,
Je me marie avec L.N. 317.
Nous partons en voyage pour S.K. 49
Dans un X 2002 presqu'à l'état 9.
Vous pouvez nous écrire à M.H. 400,
2 500 000 avenue 1800.
Je m'appelle W comme n'importe qui.
Mon père s'appelait Z, mais c'était un génie.
The song "W 454" by Michel Sardou is a futuristic tale about a man named W 454 who lives in a different world than ours. He lives in a country called F. 48, which is located on the planet A.G. 1908. He gives his address as 4000, Rue 44. W 454 recounts his wedding night with his wife L.N. 317 on the night of 34 14 8037. They then go on a trip to S.K. 49 in a X 2002 that is almost in a state of 9.
The song also references W 454's father who was a genius named Z, as well as one of his ancestors named Pierre Amédée Gontran Timoléon Edouard Blanchard who lived in France on a now-cooled star. The streets mentioned in the song include Lafayette, Vaugirard, Champs-Elysées, Turbigo, Louvre, Elysée, Balzac, and Trocadéro. It is worth noting that the song is highly imaginative and uses absurd imagery and references that might not make much sense in the real world, but it emphasizes how people in different worlds or times might have vastly different perceptions of reality.
Overall, the song "W 454" asks us to consider the ways our realities are shaped by our surroundings and to remember the importance of our past and ancestry.
Line by Line Meaning
Je m'appelle W 454.
The singer introduces themselves as W 454.
J'habite au 4000 de la rue 44.
The singer's address is 4000 on 44th street.
Mon pays, il est là, c'est le F. 48,
The singer's country is identified as F. 48.
Situé sur la planète A.G. 1908.
F. 48 is located on planet A.G. 1908.
Le soir du 34 14 8037,
On the evening of 34 14 8037,
Je me marie avec L.N. 317.
The singer marries L.N. 317.
Nous partons en voyage pour S.K. 49
The newlyweds go on a trip to S.K. 49.
Dans un X 2002 presqu'à l'état 9.
They travel in a X 2002 almost in pristine condition.
Vous pouvez nous écrire à M.H. 400
Their mailing address is M.H. 400.
2 500 000 avenue 1 800.
The specific location of their mailing address is 2,500,000 on avenue 1800.
Je m'appelle W comme n'importe qui
The singer shares that their name is just like everyone else's.
Mon père s'appelait Z, mais c'était un génie.
W 454's father was named Z and was a genius.
Un de mes grands aïeux lui s'appelait Blanchard,
One of W 454's ancestors was named Blanchard,
Pierre Amédée Gontran Timoléon Edouard.
and had a long, complex name.
Il habitait la France, un tout petit pays
Blanchard lived in France, a small country.
Situé sur une étoile, maintenant refroidie.
France was situated on a star that has since cooled down.
Les rues portaient des noms bizarres et malaisés,
The streets had strange and difficult-to-pronounce names,
Lafayette, Vaugirard ou bien Champs-Elysées.
such as Lafayette, Vaugirard, and Champs-Elysées.
Pour lui téléphoner on faisait Turbigo,
To contact Blanchard, they had to call using Turbigo,
Louvre, Elysée, Balzac ou bien Trocadéro.
Louvre, Elysée, Balzac, or Trocadéro.
Les uns étaient du Nord les autres de l'Hérault.
Some of his acquaintances were from the North, others from L'Hérault.
Les gens de ce temps-là étaient des rigolos.
People from that time were quite funny.
C'était presqu'en 2000.
These events took place almost in 2000.
C'était l'année 0.
This was in the year 0.
Je m'appelle W 454.
The singer reiterates their name.
J'habite au 4000 de la rue 44.
They repeat their address.
Mon pays il est là c'est le F. 48,
The country that they belong to is still F. 48.
Situé sur la planète A.G. 1908.
F. 48 is still located on planet A.G. 1908.
Le soir du 34 14 8037,
They repeat the evening of their marriage.
Je me marie avec L.N. 317.
They mention their spouse once more.
Nous partons en voyage pour S.K. 49
They restate where they travelled to.
Dans un X 2002 presqu'à l'état 9.
They repeat that they travelled in an almost pristine X 2002.
Vous pouvez nous écrire à M.H. 400,
They restate their mailing address.
2 500 000 avenue 1800.
Their location on the avenue is still 2,500,000.
Je m'appelle W comme n'importe qui.
W 454 reiterates that their name is quite ordinary.
Mon père s'appelait Z, mais c'était un génie.
They repeat their father's name and his status as a genius.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACQUES ABEL JULES REVAUD, PIERRE DELANOE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind