He spent a long part of his childhood in the café which his parents owned, where he learned work jargon and slang. At the age of 14 he signed up to the conservatoire de musique de Toulouse and to a dramatic arts institute. In the mean time, he set up his first band of 4 musicians in his own name, with whom he played at events throughout the region. In 1957, he was snapped up by Eddie Barclay who signed him on. It was in the studio of Barclay where he met his future wife, Simone Mazaltarim.
In 1958 Perret carried on touring round Parisian cabaret bars and crossed France and Africa as a part of the American group, The Platters. In Novemeber that year, a pleurisy forced him to take two years off in a sanatorium.
A master of the subtleties of the French language and French slang (he even rewrote some of Jean de La Fontaine's fables), his songs are often cheeky (for example Le zizi (The willy)) , asking questions in a seemingly naive child's tone, but has written more serious political songs, such as La bête est revenue, La petite kurde, Vert de Colère ou Lily.
Au Café du canal
Pierre Perret Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sur le tronc du tilleul qui ombrageait le bal
On pouvait lire sous deux curs entrelacés
Ici on peut apporter ses baisers
Moi, mes baisers je les avais perdus
Et je croyais déjà avoir tout embrassé
Et je ne savais pas que tu étais venue
Et que ta bouche neuve en était tapissée
La chance jusqu'ici ne m'avait pas souri
Sur mon berceau les fées se penchaient pas beaucoup
Et chaque fois que je tombais dans un carré d'orties
Y avait une guêpe pour me piquer dans le cou
Pourtant ma chance aujourd'hui elle est là
Sous la tonnelle verte de tes cils courbés
Quand tu m'as regardé pour la première fois
Ma vieille liberté s'est mise à tituber
On était seul au monde dans ce bal populeux
Et dans une seule main j'emprisonnais ta taille
Tes seins poussaient les plis de ton corsage bleu
Ils ont bien failli gagner le bataille
J'aime le ciel parce qu'il est dans tes yeux
J'aime l'oiseau parce qu'il sait ton nom
J'aime ton rire et tous ces mots curieux
Que tu viens murmurer au col de mon veston
Et je revois tes mains croisées sur ta poitrine
Tes habits jetés sur une chaise au pied du lit
Ton pauvre cœur faisait des petits bonds de sardine
Quand j'ai posé ma tête contre lui
Dieu, tu remercies Dieu, ça c'est bien de toi
Mais mon amour pour toi est autrement plus fort
Est-ce que Dieu aurait pu dormir auprès de toi
Pendant toute une nuit sans toucher à ton corps?
Chez la jolie Rosette au café du canal
Sur le tronc du tilleul qui ombrageait le bal
On pouvait lire sous le cœur, entrelacé
"Ici on peut apporter ses baisers"
The song "Au Café du Canal" by Pierre Perret is a love song that describes a chance encounter between the singer and his love interest at a café by the canal. The singer describes how he had lost hope in finding love and how his luck had never shone on him until he saw the woman who would change his life. The singer describes his love for his partner in poetic comparisons to the sky, birds, and other elements of nature, which shows the deep connection he feels with his partner. He also describes an intimate encounter between them when they were alone on the dance floor, which shows the passion and intensity of their love.
The lyrics are written in a poetic and romantic style that aims to convey a sense of the beauty and intensity of love. The themes of chance, luck, and destiny are central to the song, as the singer reflects on how his life changed when he met his partner. The symbolism of the intertwined hearts on the tree at the café also suggests the idea that love is something that can be found in unexpected places, and that it is a powerful force that can unite people from different backgrounds and experiences.
Overall, "Au Café du Canal" is a beautiful and timeless love song that captures the essence of what it means to fall in love and to have that love change one's life forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Chez la jolie Rosette au café du canal
The singer is referring to a specific place and person, Rosette, in whose café by the canal he is spending time.
Sur le tronc du tilleul qui ombrageait le bal
The singer is describing the location of the café where he is with Rosette, next to a linden tree that creates shade for the dance floor.
On pouvait lire sous deux curs entrelacés
The singer notices that there is an inscription on the tree that reads “Here one can bring their kisses” represented by a picture of two hearts interlocked.
Ici on peut apporter ses baisers
The inscription on the tree means that in this spot, people are allowed to kiss and be affectionate.
Moi, mes baisers je les avais perdus
The singer has lost his ability to give kisses, either literally or metaphorically.
Et je croyais déjà avoir tout embrassé
The singer believed that he had experienced everything in life, including love and romance.
Et je ne savais pas que tu étais venue
The singer was unaware of Rosette’s presence at the café until he saw her.
Et que ta bouche neuve en était tapissée
The singer sees Rosette’s lips for the first time and is fascinated by their beauty.
La chance jusqu'ici ne m'avait pas souri
The singer feels that he has not been lucky in life until now.
Sur mon berceau les fées se penchaient pas beaucoup
The singer believes that he did not receive much help or good fortune from fate, as if fairies did not show much interest in him when he was born.
Et chaque fois que je tombais dans un carré d'orties
The singer feels that whenever he had encountered hardship or pain, he was also met with some additional misfortune.
Y avait une guêpe pour me piquer dans le cou
The singer feels that whenever he was down on his luck, something would always come along and hurt him further.
Pourtant ma chance aujourd'hui elle est là
The singer feels that his luck has changed, and now he has a chance to be happy.
Sous la tonnelle verte de tes cils courbés
The singer is describing Rosette’s eyelashes, which are green, and which he finds very attractive and charming.
Quand tu m'as regardé pour la première fois
The singer remembers the moment when he first met Rosette, and how she looked at him with a certain admiration.
Ma vieille liberté s'est mise à tituber
The singer feels that his sense of independence is wavering because he is so smitten with Rosette.
On était seul au monde dans ce bal populeux
The singer and Rosette feel as if they are the only two people in the crowded dance hall. Their attraction to one another is so great that no one else matters.
Et dans une seule main j'emprisonnais ta taille
The singer holds Rosette tightly in his arms, as if he never wants to let her go.
Tes seins poussaient les plis de ton corsage bleu
The singer is physically attracted to Rosette, and can see the outline of her breasts through her blue blouse.
Ils ont bien failli gagner le bataille
The singer almost gave in to his sexual desires for Rosette, but he did not let them overcome him.
J'aime le ciel parce qu'il est dans tes yeux
The singer loves Rosette’s eyes and compares them to the sky.
J'aime l'oiseau parce qu'il sait ton nom
The singer loves the bird because it reminds him of Rosette, and he associates it with her name.
J'aime ton rire et tous ces mots curieux
The singer is enamored with Rosette’s laughter and the way she says things.
Que tu viens murmurer au col de mon veston
The singer is describing how Rosette whispers secrets in his ear, which he finds alluring and seductive.
Et je revois tes mains croisées sur ta poitrine
The singer remembers a specific moment when Rosette had her hands crossed over her chest.
Tes habits jetés sur une chaise au pied du lit
The singer remembers seeing Rosette’s clothes in a pile on a chair by a bed.
Ton pauvre cœur faisait des petits bonds de sardine
The singer could feel Rosette’s heart beating quickly with excitement and anticipation.
Quand j'ai posé ma tête contre lui
The singer describes a moment when he lays his head on Rosette’s chest, feeling her heart beating next to his ear.
Dieu, tu remercies Dieu, ça c'est bien de toi
The singer recalls a moment when Rosette thanked God, which he finds endearing and notable because of her religious devotion.
Mais mon amour pour toi est autrement plus fort
The singer loves Rosette more deeply than anything else in his life, including her devotion to God.
Est-ce que Dieu aurait pu dormir auprès de toi
The singer is asking rhetorically if it is possible for God to sleep next to Rosette, as if he is more deserving of her love and devotion than God is.
Pendant toute une nuit sans toucher à ton corps?
The singer asks if God could spend the night with Rosette without being physically intimate, as if he believes that he could.
Chez la jolie Rosette au café du canal
The song concludes with a repetition of the opening line, emphasizing the importance of Rosette and the special place she holds in the singer’s heart.
Sur le tronc du tilleul qui ombrageait le bal
The song also reminds the listener of the inscriptions on the linden tree, which represent the passion and love that the singer has for Rosette.
On pouvait lire sous le cœur, entrelacé
The inscription on the tree, represented by two intertwined hearts, suggests the depth of the singer’s feelings for Rosette.
"Ici on peut apporter ses baisers"
The final line of the song repeats the message of the inscription on the tree, reminding the listener that love and romance can be expressed openly and freely in this special place by the canal.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Pierre Perret
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krystine Massard
Franchement, existe-t-il quelque chose de plus beau que cette interprétation ?
Eloi Mercky
Oui, ma mie
CB 750
Magnifique, incroyable, terrible, tellement touchant,tellement beau....merci pour le partage...soyez heureux..🙂
Tony ToneR
je ne crois pas, on dirait que chaque strophe a été écrite pour celui qui l'interprète ici... c'est plein d'amour.
Les Ogres de Barback [Officiel]
Merci !
Tom Farang
Bravo aux Ogres pour cette belle aventure je la fais connaître partout depuis sa sortie !!
Diniz Carlos
Pierre, tu es un veinard, d'abord tu ne vieillis pas, et ensuite tu es entouré d'une bande de doux dingues qui aiment comme moi, les chansons bien ficelées, et qui les remettent au goût du jour, en t'y faisant participer de surcroît ! Cette version de ce petit bal est délicieuse. Bises d'une jeune admiratrice de 70 ans, qui connait toutes tes chansons. Je garde en mémoire la définition du mot con que tu as donnée dans une de mes préférées...
Yahia MEHADJI
Une insomnie... et je tombe sur une chanson que je ne connaissais pas.
Waouw, de la pure poésie, magnifique. D'une infinie tendresse....merci pour cette découverte.
Monsieur Pierre PERRET, mes profonds respects ainsi qu'à tous les Ogres.
Cette chanson, je l'a garde en mémoire. Elle fait parti des grandes chansons qu'on garde dans son cœur.
Les petits y auront droit...
Merci pour ce relais de tendresse.
Damien Ochlé
Magnifique chanson!!! Je viens tout juste de la découvrir, ça manque des musiques comme ça, merci à vous pour ce que vous faites vous êtes au top!!
J'annonce, en tant que musicien intervenant et prof en école de musique, je vais vous la repiquer et l'enseigner à mes élèves.
Merci à vous!!
Josiane Houpert
Quel âge ont ils, aldebert la vie c est quoi très joli aussi