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.
Le vieux marin
Pierre Perret Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans tous les ports, dans toutes les villes
De Bornéo jusqu'à Lorient.
Dehors, dedans, à domicile,
Je baisais inlassablement.
J'étais marin, toujours content
De naviguer fort à l'aise,
Jamais contrarié du gros temps,
Pourvu qu'en arrivant, je baise.
Je ne fréquentais les bordels
Que par pure délicatesse
Car je plaisais aux demoiselles
Mais il faut penser à toutes celles
Qui n'ont pour manger que leur fesses.
J'en ai connu une bien gentille,
Une belle coquine qui besognait.
Elle m'enveloppait dans ses chevilles,
Entre ses lèvres et ses poignets.
On se rendait bien la monnaie.
C'était une saine brunette,
Or la mignonne profita
Que j'avais un chat dans la gorge
Pour butiner mon sucre d'orge.
Le diabète ne l'inquiétait pas.
La garce, elle a été perverse.
Je l'encourageais en tout cas
Car ces pratiques étaient diverses
Et la belle était folle de joie
Quand sa menotte avait six doigts.
Elle survolait toute ma couche.
Son rose petit con charmant
Venait se poser sur ma bouche.
On aurait dit un oiseau mouche
Ou un papillon insouciant
Et je bandais en soulevant
Le drap mouillé de fusées fraiches,
Changeant d'hôtel et de caresse
Et en traversant ma jeunesse
Au gré des filles, au gré du vent.
Ainsi parlait un marseillais,
Un vieux marin de la joliette
Qui attirait encore les jupons
Car nombreuses étaient les fillettes
Qui lui tiraient sur le pompon.
Il dit :J'ai le cœoeur plein de gaieté,
Bien que je ne baise plus guère.
A quatre-vingt balais, peuchère,
Je me dis, putain, bonne mère,
Que j'ai bien fait d'en profiter.
A quatre-vingt balais, peuchère,
Je me dis, putain, bonne mère,
Que j'ai bien fait d'en profiter
In "Le vieux marin," Pierre Perret shares the story of a sailor who spent his youth traveling the world and engaging in sexual exploits. He reminisces on his past, recalling how he seduced women in every port and city he visited, from Bornéo to Lorient. He proudly declares his love for sailing and his resilience in the face of rough seas, as long as he knew he would have sex upon arrival. He claims that he only visited brothels out of kindness rather than necessity since he was such a hit with the ladies. However, he acknowledges that many women are forced into desperate situations to survive.
The sailor then fondly remembers a specific encounter with a kind and beautiful woman who knew exactly how to please him, and their mutual attraction for each other. He humorously describes her unique abilities and how their physical relationship flourished due to their compatible desires. The sailor ends the song by expressing his contentment with his life and his decision to embrace his youth fully, despite how much time has passed. He remains joyous, even though he no longer engages in the same sexual activities that brought him so much pleasure.
Pierre Perret wrote "Le vieux marin" after hearing stories from sailors in the port of Marseille. He was inspired by their tales of adventure and the eccentricity of their lifestyles.
The song was released on Perret's album "Le Plaisir des Dieux" in 1973.
Perret is known for his ability to incorporate profanity and humor while constructing a narrative around taboo issues. "Le vieux marin" is no exception.
The lyrics are explicit, describing sexual acts and using profanity, but Perret's skillful storytelling and use of humor keep the song from being vulgar.
"Le vieux marin" was popular during its time and continues to be a well-known song in France. It has been covered by several artists over the years, including Nilda Fernandez and Juliette Armanet.
It is rumored that the song was initially intended to be recorded by Georges Brassens, another well-known French singer-songwriter.
Pierre Perret received criticism from feminist groups when the song was first released for depicting women in a derogatory manner.
The sailor in the song is a character and does not reflect Pierre Perret's personal views on women or sexuality.
Chords for "Le vieux marin" are not available.
Line by Line Meaning
Je baisais, quand j'avais vingt ans,
When I was twenty, I indulged in sexual activities.
Dans tous les ports, dans toutes les villes
I engaged in these activities everywhere, in every port and city.
De Bornéo jusqu'à Lorient.
From Bornéo to Lorient, I did not discriminate the place.
Dehors, dedans, à domicile,
I did it outside, inside, and even at home.
Je baisais inlassablement.
It was a never-ending pleasure for me.
J'étais marin, toujours content
As a sailor, I was always happy.
De naviguer fort à l'aise,
I enjoyed sailing with ease.
De tirer sur le cabestan,
I loved pulling on the capstan.
Jamais contrarié du gros temps,
I was never bothered by bad weather.
Pourvu qu'en arrivant, je baise.
As long as I could indulge when I arrived.
Je ne fréquentais les bordels
I only went to brothels
Que par pure délicatesse
Out of courtesy.
Car je plaisais aux demoiselles
I was attractive to young ladies.
Mais il faut penser à toutes celles
But one must think of those
Qui n'ont pour manger que leur fesses.
who have nothing to eat but their buttocks.
J'en ai connu une bien gentille,
I met a very nice one.
Une belle coquine qui besognait.
A beautiful naughty girl who worked hard.
Elle m'enveloppait dans ses chevilles,
She wrapped her legs around me.
Entre ses lèvres et ses poignets.
Between her lips and wrists.
On se rendait bien la monnaie.
We knew how to satisfy each other.
C'était une saine brunette,
She was a healthy brunette.
Or la mignonne profita
But the little darling took advantage
Que j'avais un chat dans la gorge
Of the fact that I had a frog in my throat
Pour butiner mon sucre d'orge.
And tried to taste my candy.
Le diabète ne l'inquiétait pas.
She wasn't worried about diabetes.
La garce, elle a été perverse.
That slut was very naughty.
Je l'encourageais en tout cas
But I was encouraging her, in any case,
Car ces pratiques étaient diverses
Because we had various practices.
Et la belle était folle de joie
And the beauty was ecstatic
Quand sa menotte avait six doigts.
When her hand had six fingers.
Elle survolait toute ma couche.
She roamed all over my bed.
Son rose petit con charmant
Her charming little pink vagina
Venait se poser sur ma bouche.
Came to rest on my mouth.
On aurait dit un oiseau mouche
It was like a hummingbird,
Ou un papillon insouciant.
Or a carefree butterfly.
Et je bandais en soulevant
And I got aroused
Le drap mouillé de fusées fraiches,
Lifting the sheet damp with fresh rockets,
Changeant d'hôtel et de caresse
Changing hotel and the type of affection,
Et en traversant ma jeunesse
And passing through my youth
Au gré des filles, au gré du vent.
According to the girls, according to the wind.
Ainsi parlait un marseillais,
This is how a Marseille resident spoke,
Un vieux marin de la Joliette
An old sailor from the Joliette district.
Qui attirait encore les jupons
Who still attracted skirts
Car nombreuses étaient les fillettes
Because there were many young girls
Qui lui tiraient sur le pompon.
Who pulled his beard.
Il dit : J'ai le cœur plein de gaieté,
He said: I have a heart full of joy,
Bien que je ne baise plus guère.
Even though I don't indulge much anymore.
A quatre-vingt balais, peuchère,
At eighty years old, darn it,
Je me dis, putain, bonne mère,
I say to myself, damn it, holy mother,
Que j'ai bien fait d'en profiter.
That I took advantage of it well.
A quatre-vingt balais, peuchère,
At eighty years old, darn it,
Je me dis, putain, bonne mère,
I say to myself, damn it, holy mother,
Que j'ai bien fait d'en profiter.
That I took advantage of it well.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Perret Pierre
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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