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.
Les Sœurs Jumelles
Pierre Perret Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qui ne s'accordaient pas du tout.
Celle qui se prénommait Angèle
Et qui se croyait la plus belle
Était une poupée sans cervelle.
C'était une poupée sans cervelle
Mais elle ne manquait pas d'atout
Et des cheveux couleur cannelle.
Et des jolis poils du cul roux.
Quant à sa sœoeur elle était douce
Et le loup ne l'effrayait plus
Ces vertes années révolues
Elle sucait plus du tout son pouce.
Elle avait une jolie frimousse
Mais ses moeœurs étaient dissolus
Elle sucait plus du tout son pouce
ca veut pas dire qu'elle sucait plus !
Or cette déluré Jeannette
Possédait t'elle un don de Dieu?
De sa virginale fossette
Elle pouvait faire le casse noisette
Et meme jouer de la trompette
De ces facultés centripètes
Tous les hommes en faisait grand cas
Mais ca énervait sa sœoeurette
Qui elle de sa belle foufounette
Jouait meme pas de l'harmonica
Enfin ces deux belles coquines
Faisant la paix tant bien que mal
Malgré leurs dissensions mesquines
Me donnèrent un beau récital
C'est ainsi qu'Angèle et Jeannette
Unies en un tendre ballet
M'offrir un solo de trompette
Et un concert de flageolet.
J'ai bien connu deux sœoeurs jumelles
Qui ne s'accordaient pas du tout.
Celle qui se prénommait Angèle
Et qui ce croyait la plus belle
Était une poupée sans cervelle.
C'était une poupée sans cervelle
Mais elle ne manquait pas d'atout
Elle avait deux vertes prunelles
Et des cheveux couleur cannelle.
Et des jolis poils du cul roux
The lyrics to Pierre Perret's "Les Sœurs Jumelles" tell the story of two twin sisters who are complete opposites. The first sister, Angèle, is portrayed as a pretty but brainless doll who believes she is the most beautiful of the two sisters. Meanwhile, her sister is described as gentle and no longer fearful of the big bad wolf from their childhood stories. However, despite her outward appearance of innocence, the second sister engages in promiscuous behavior.
The song then delves into more explicit territory, with Jeannette's sexual abilities and her sister's jealousy being discussed. However, the siblings ultimately overcome their disagreements and perform a concert for the singer, with Jeannette showing off her talent for the trumpet and Angèle providing accompaniment on the flageolet.
The song is known for its catchy melody and playful tone, but the lyrics have sparked controversy due to its explicit language and sexual content.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai bien connu deux sœurs jumelles
I knew two twin sisters very well
Qui ne s'accordaient pas du tout.
Who didn't get along at all.
Celle qui se prénommait Angèle
One of them, named Angèle
Et qui se croyait la plus belle
Thought she was the most beautiful
Était une poupée sans cervelle.
Was a brainless doll
C'était une poupée sans cervelle
A brainless doll
Mais elle ne manquait pas d'atout
But she had her attractive features
Elle avait deux vertes prunelles
She had two green eyes
Et des cheveux couleur cannelle.
With cinnamon colored hair.
Et des jolis poils du cul roux.
And cute little red butt hairs.
Quant à sa sœur elle était douce
As for her sister, she was gentle
Et le loup ne l'effrayait plus
And even the wolf no longer frightened her
Ces vertes années révolues
Those green years had passed
Elle sucait plus du tout son pouce.
She no longer sucked her thumb.
Elle avait une jolie frimousse
She had a pretty little face.
Mais ses mœurs étaient dissolues
But her morals were loose
Elle suçait plus du tout son pouce
But that doesn't mean she didn't suck anything else!
Or cette déluré Jeannette
Now as for that wild child Jeannette
Possédait t'elle un don de Dieu?
Did she possess a God-given talent?
De sa virginale fossette
From her little dimple
Elle pouvait faire le casse noisette
She could crack nuts with it
Et même jouer de la trompette.
And even play the trumpet.
De ces facultés centripètes
Men were amazed by these abilities
Tous les hommes en faisaient grand cas
All the men were quite taken with her
Mais ça énervait sa sœurlette
But it annoyed her little sister
Qui elle, de sa belle foufounette
Who, with her beautiful *****
Jouait même pas de l'harmonica.
Couldn't even play the harmonica.
Enfin ces deux belles coquines
Finally these two beautiful little minxes
Faisant la paix tant bien que mal
Making peace as best they could
Malgré leurs dissensions mesquines
Despite their petty quarrels
Me donnèrent un beau récital
Gave me a beautiful little performance
C'est ainsi qu'Angèle et Jeannette
And it was then that Angèle and Jeannette
Unies en un tendre ballet
United in a tender little dance
M'offrir un solo de trompette
Gave me a trumpet solo
Et un concert de flageolet.
And a concert of flageolet.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Garnier
J'adore ta chanson Pierre