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.
J
Pierre Perret Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Elle sait qu'c'est pour ça qu'elle vient
Pas besoin d'lui faire un dessin
Comble de merveille pas besoin d'oseille
Et tous les samedis j'en ai l'exclusivité
Elle est pas farouche et si je veux sa bouche
Pas besoin de supplications, d'activer la combustion
Comble de tendresse mêlée d'allégresse
Moi j'attends Adèle pour la bagatelle
Je l'attends malgré la pluie
Car je m'souviens qu'elle m'a dit
Je change à République c'est pas bien pratique
J'tâcherai d'être là au plus tard vers sept heures moins l'quart
Mais la pauvre Adèle n'a pas de cervelle
Je viendrai mon chou mon coeur
Ou bien j't'enverrai ma soeur
Voilà d' la frivole les dernières paroles
Et j'commence à douter de sa sincérité
Mais je suis tranquille elle est si fragile
Qu'à propos d'n'importe quoi elle attrape un chaud et froid
Ou bien la maligne s'est trompée de ligne
Elle aura pris Levallois au lieu des Lilas
Moi j'attends Adèle ou sa soeur Angèle
Si l'un' des deux ne vient pas
Je retournerai chez moi
Comme y a ma cousine y aura p'têt' sa copine
Et comme ell'aime bien les durs je sais qu'c'est du sûr
In Pierre Perret's song "J", the singer speaks about his sexual relationship with a woman named Adèle. He eagerly waits for her every Saturday for their rendezvous, which he describes as simply "la bagatelle." Adèle is aware of the nature of their meetings, and she does not require any explanation. The singer finds their encounters to be enjoyable and easy, as he does not have to spend a lot of money on her or persuade her to participate. He describes their time together as full of tenderness and happiness, and he even playfully greets her with a "coucou" after kissing her neck. Despite his fondness for Adèle, he expresses some doubts about their relationship towards the end of the song. Adèle tends to be forgetful and may not even show up to their next meeting, and the singer wonders whether she truly values him.
The lyrics of "J" paint a picture of a casual sexual relationship that is mutually enjoyable but somewhat uncertain. The singer seems to be content with the simplicity of their arrangement, but he also acknowledges that there is a possibility that Adèle may not take it as seriously as he does. The repetition of the line "Moi j'attends Adèle pour la bagatelle" throughout the song emphasizes the anticipation and excitement that the singer feels, as well as his dependence on Adèle's presence.
Line by Line Meaning
Moi j'attends Adèle pour la bagatelle
I am waiting for Adèle to have some fun.
Elle sait qu'c'est pour ça qu'elle vient
She knows that she comes for this purpose.
Pas besoin d'lui faire un dessin
No need to explain it to her.
Comble de merveille pas besoin d'oseille
A great thing, and no need for money.
Et tous les samedis j'en ai l'exclusivité
And every Saturday, I have exclusive access.
Elle est pas farouche et si je veux sa bouche
She is not shy, and if I want to kiss her,
Pas besoin de supplications, d'activer la combustion
No need for begging, just ignite the passion.
Comble de tendresse mêlée d'allégresse
A combination of tenderness and happiness.
Je l'embrasse dans le cou je lui fais coucou
I kiss her on the neck and say hello.
Je l'attends malgré la pluie
I am waiting for her despite the rain.
Car je m'souviens qu'elle m'a dit
Because I remember her saying
Je change à République c'est pas bien pratique
I transfer at République, it's not very convenient.
J'tâcherai d'être là au plus tard vers sept heures moins l'quart
I will try to be there by quarter to seven at the latest.
Mais la pauvre Adèle n'a pas de cervelle
But poor Adèle has no brains.
Je viendrai mon chou mon coeur
I will come, my dear, my heart,
Ou bien j't'enverrai ma soeur
Or I will send my sister instead.
Voilà d' la frivole les dernières paroles
These are the frivolous words she said.
Et j'commence à douter de sa sincérité
And I am starting to doubt her sincerity.
Mais je suis tranquille elle est si fragile
But I am calm, she is so fragile.
Qu'à propos d'n'importe quoi elle attrape un chaud et froid
That she catches a cold over anything.
Ou bien la maligne s'est trompée de ligne
Or the sly one took the wrong train route.
Elle aura pris Levallois au lieu des Lilas
She may have taken Levallois instead of Lilas.
Moi j'attends Adèle ou sa soeur Angèle
I am waiting for Adèle or her sister Angèle.
Si l'un' des deux ne vient pas
If one of them doesn't come,
Je retournerai chez moi
I will go back home.
Comme y a ma cousine y aura p'têt' sa copine
Since my cousin is there, maybe her friend will be too.
Et comme ell'aime bien les durs je sais qu'c'est du sûr
And since she likes tough guys, I know it's a sure thing.
Lyrics © SEMI
Written by: Pierre PERRET, Remy CORAZZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind