Extremely versatile and respected French singer-songwriter. His music is a … Read Full Bio ↴Extremely versatile and respected French singer-songwriter. His music is a crossover of folk, rock, blues and punk. Active since the 70s, Renaud has written some very controversial songs during his musical career, the most famous one (to British readers at least) praising all women as being better than men except Margaret Thatcher, saying that if he comes back as a dog in his next life, he will use her as a lampost... He is famously recovering from alcoholism with some degree of success.

The most iconic song to many French people, and possibly the song that put him on the map, was the huge 70's French hit "Laisse Béton" (the story - told with a great deal of humour - of someone who enters a bar and gets mugged for everything he owns, from his leather jacket, to his jeans, his boots, and ends up in an alley without any clothes on).

Renaud 'came back' in 2002 with a huge hit 'Manhattan-Kaboul' (featuring Belgian singer Axelle Red), comparing the lives of a Puerto Rican in NYC to an Afghan girl in Kabul in 2001. This song catapulted his latest album to the top of the charts and earned him various awards in France. His latest album was published in october 2006 and was called "Rouge sang".

Tel Qu'Il Est
Renaud Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

J'avais rêvé d'avoir un homme
Un vrai de vrai, bien balancé
Mais je suis chipée pour la pomme
D'un avorton, complétement j'té
Ce n'est pas un Apollon, mon Jules
Il n'est pas taillé comme un Hercule
Malgré qu'il ai bien des défauts
C'est lui que j'ai dans la peau

Tel qu'il est, il me plait
Il me fait de l'effet
Et je l'aime
C'est un vrai gringalet
Aussi laid qu'un basset
Mais je l'aime
Il est bancal
Du coté cérébral
Mais ça m'est bien égal
Qu'il a l'air anormal

C'est complet, il est muet
Ses quinquets sont en biais
C'est un fait tel qu'il est
Il me plait

Il est carré mais ses épaules
Par du carton, sont rembourrées
Quand il est tout nu ça fait drôle
On n'en voit plus que la moitié
Il n'a pas un seul poil sur la tête
Mais il en a plein sur ses gambettes
Et celui qu'il a dans la main
C'est pas du poil c'est du crin

Tel qu'il est, il me plait
Il me fait de l'effet
Et je l'aime
C'est un vrai gringalet
Aussi laid qu'un basset
Mais je l'aime
Il est bancal
Du coté cérébral
Mais ça m'est bien égal
Qu'il a l'air anormal

C'est complet, il est muet
Ses quinquets sont en biais
C'est un fait tel qu'il est
Il me plait

Le travail, pour lui, c'est la chose
La plus sacrée, il y touche pas
Pour tenir le coup il se dose
De quintonine à tous les r'pas
Ce qui n'est pas marrant c'est qu'il ronfle
On dirait un pneu qui se dégonfle
Et quand il faut se bagarrer
Il est encore dégonflé

Tel qu'il est, il me plait
Il me fait de l'effet
Et je l'aime
C'est un vrai gringalet
Aussi laid qu'un basset
Mais je l'aime
Il est bancal
Du coté cérébral
Mais ça m'est bien égal
Qu'il a l'air anormal

C'est complet, il est muet
Ses quinquets sont en biais

C'est un fait tel qu'il est
Il me plait

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Renaud's song "Tel Qu'Il Est" describe the singer's unconventional love for a man who doesn't fit the typical standards of attractiveness and masculinity. The first verse reveals the singer's initial expectations of finding a strong and well-balanced man, but instead she finds herself attracted to a weak and imperfect man. Despite his physical and character flaws, she finds herself deeply in love with him.

The chorus emphasizes the singer's acceptance and appreciation for her partner just as he is. She acknowledges that he may be physically weak and unattractive, but these qualities don't matter to her because she loves him. She embraces his quirks and abnormalities, not letting them hinder her feelings for him. The repetition of "Tel qu'il est, il me plaît" reinforces her contentment with his true self.

The second verse delves into more physical descriptions of the man, highlighting his peculiarities. His shoulders are revealed to be padded with cardboard, and being hairless on his head contrasts with having bushy legs. This verse further accentuates his unconventional physical appearance, reinforcing the idea that the singer loves him despite his outward appearance.

The final verse shifts the focus to the man's attitude and behavior. He avoids work and considers it sacred, resorting to taking quinine to maintain his strength. However, he snores loudly, reminiscent of a deflating tire. Even though he may not be a traditionally strong or courageous man, the singer loves him nonetheless.

The overall message conveyed by the lyrics is one of unconditional love and acceptance. The singer's attraction to this man who doesn't conform to societal standards speaks to the power of true love. It suggests that love should not be restrained by superficial expectations and that the imperfections and peculiarities of a person shouldn't hinder their ability to be loved and appreciated.

Line by Line Meaning

J'avais rêvé d'avoir un homme
I had dreamed of having a man

Un vrai de vrai, bien balancé
A real one, well balanced

Mais je suis chipée pour la pomme
But I was fooled

D'un avorton, complétement j'té
By a little runt, completely thrown

Ce n'est pas un Apollon, mon Jules
He's not a Greek god, my Jules

Il n'est pas taillé comme un Hercule
He's not built like Hercules

Malgré qu'il ai bien des défauts
Despite his many flaws

C'est lui que j'ai dans la peau
It's him that I'm in love with

Tel qu'il est, il me plait
Just the way he is, I like him

Il me fait de l'effet
He has an effect on me

Et je l'aime
And I love him

C'est un vrai gringalet
He's a real weakling

Aussi laid qu'un basset
As ugly as a basset hound

Mais je l'aime
But I love him

Il est bancal
He's unbalanced

Du coté cérébral
On the cerebral side

Mais ça m'est bien égal
But I don't care

Qu'il a l'air anormal
That he looks abnormal

C'est complet, il est muet
It's complete, he's mute

Ses quinquets sont en biais
His eyes are crooked

C'est un fait tel qu'il est
That's a fact as he is

Il me plait
I like him

Il est carré mais ses épaules
He is square but his shoulders

Par du carton, sont rembourrées
Are padded with cardboard

Quand il est tout nu ça fait drôle
When he is completely naked, it's funny

On n'en voit plus que la moitié
We only see half of him

Il n'a pas un seul poil sur la tête
He doesn't have a single hair on his head

Mais il en a plein sur ses gambettes
But he has plenty on his legs

Et celui qu'il a dans la main
And the one he has in his hand

C'est pas du poil c'est du crin
It's not hair, it's bristle

Le travail, pour lui, c'est la chose
Work, for him, is the thing

La plus sacrée, il y touche pas
The most sacred, he won't touch

Pour tenir le coup il se dose
To keep going, he doses himself

De quintonine à tous les r'pas
With quintonine at every meal

Ce qui n'est pas marrant c'est qu'il ronfle
What's not funny is that he snores

On dirait un pneu qui se dégonfle
It sounds like a deflating tire

Et quand il faut se bagarrer
And when it's time to fight

Il est encore dégonflé
He's still deflated

Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Maurice Alexander, Charles Andre Cachant, Maurice Antoine Vanderhaeghen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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