At age 16, Distel became a professional jazz guitarist. Over his career he worked alongside Dizzy Gillespie and Tony Bennett and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in the late 1950s after establishing himself as a French crooner.
Sacha Distel had a much publicized relationship with actress Brigitte Bardot but in 1963 he married skier Francine Bréaud. He reputedly broke off the relationship with Bardot after discovering her with another man.
In the 1960s, he composed 'La Belle Vie', a tune that made its way across the Atlantic as 'The Good Life', and most famously performed by Tony Bennett. French lyrics were added in the 1970s and it became Distel's signature tune. During the 1960s, he had his own variety show on French television.
During the 1970s, he became popular outside France, and once hosted the Miss World contest in London. In this decade, he spent more time in the UK than in France. Considered a Gallic heart throb in Britain he was a regular on British TV
Distel remained reasonably popular in France in the 1980s and 1990s, including a new show named after his song 'La Belle Vie'.
In 2001, Distel had a part as lawyer Billy Flynn in the London production of the musical Chicago. He did have an ambition to make a musical about the life of Maurice Chevalier, but this remained unfulfilled at the time of his death.
Sacha Distel died on 22 July 2004 near St Tropez,after a long battle with cancer.
His name was used in Peter Sarstedt's song "Where Do You Go To My Lovely".
Accroche Un Ruban
Sacha Distel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'ai fait mon temps
Pendant trente-six mois
Je n'ai pensé qu'à toi
Si tu as reçu mon mot
Comme quoi j'arrivais bientôt
Tu sais ce que tu dois faire
Si tu m'aimes encore
{Refrain:}
Accroche un ruban au bord de ton balcon
Ce sera ta façon de dire oui ou non
Et s'il n'y a pas de ruban au bord du balcon
Moi dans mon taxi, j'aurai vite compris
Que tout est fini
S'il n'y a pas de ruban au bord de ton balcon
Monsieur l'taxi
Je vous en prie
Regardez pour moi
Moi je ne pourrai pas
J'ai si peur qu'elle ne m'aime plus
Je suis complètement perdu
D'un simple ruban, mais oui
Dépend toute ma vie
Car, j'avais écrit
{au Refrain}
Soudain je n'en crois pas mes yeux
Car je vois à l'horizon
Des milliers de rubans
Au bord de ton balcon
The song "Accroche Un Ruban" by Sacha Distel tells the story of a man who is finally returning home after being away for three years. During his time away he has only thought about his love for a woman, hoping that she has been faithful to him as well. He sends her a note letting her know that he will be home soon, and if she still loves him she should hang a ribbon from her balcony as a sign of her affection. The man is so anxious to know her answer that he asks a taxi driver to check for him, scared to face the potential rejection if there is no ribbon.
The song radiates with the emotions of love and vulnerability that one feels when their future depends on the answer of someone they hold dear. The use of the ribbon as a symbol for the woman's love is a powerful and creative way to demonstrate this. The man is so anxious to receive an answer that he enlists the help of a total stranger in his pursuit of love. The dramatic moment when he sees thousands of ribbons on her balcony is a beautiful resolution that perfectly denotes the joy and relief of being reunited with one's love.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai fait trois ans
I have been away for three years
J'ai fait mon temps
I have served my time or finished my duty
Pendant trente-six mois
For 36 months or three years
Je n'ai pensé qu'à toi
I have only thought about you during this time
Si tu as reçu mon mot
If you received my message or letter
Comme quoi j'arrivais bientôt
Informing you that I was coming soon
Tu sais ce que tu dois faire
You know what you need to do
Si tu m'aimes encore
If you still love me
Accroche un ruban au bord de ton balcon
Hang a ribbon on the edge of your balcony
Ce sera ta façon de dire oui ou non
It will be your way of saying yes or no
Et s'il n'y a pas de ruban au bord du balcon
And if there is no ribbon on the balcony's edge
Moi dans mon taxi, j'aurai vite compris
I will quickly understand in my taxi
Que tout est fini
That everything is over
S'il n'y a pas de ruban au bord de ton balcon
If there is no ribbon on the balcony's edge
Monsieur l'taxi
Mr. Taxi driver
Je vous en prie
Please
Regardez pour moi
Look for me
Moi je ne pourrai pas
I won't be able to
J'ai si peur qu'elle ne m'aime plus
I am so afraid that she doesn't love me anymore
Je suis complètement perdu
I am completely lost
D'un simple ruban, mais oui
With a simple ribbon, yes
Dépend toute ma vie
My whole life depends on it
Car, j'avais écrit
Because I had written
Soudain je n'en crois pas mes yeux
Suddenly, I can't believe my eyes
Car je vois à l'horizon
Because I see on the horizon
Des milliers de rubans
Thousands of ribbons
Au bord de ton balcon
On the edge of your balcony
Contributed by Anthony H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marie-thereseclouzet9714
Accroche un ruban
Sacha Distel
1. J'ai fait trois ans
J'ai fait mon temps
Pendant trente-six mois
Je n'ai pensé qu'à toit
Si tu as reçu mon mot
Comme quoi j'arrivais bientôt...
Tu sais ce que tu dois faire
Si tu m'aimes encore...
Si tu m'aimes encore...
{Refrain:}
Accroche un ruban au bord de ton balcon
Ce sera ta façon de dire oui ou non
Et s'il n'y a pas de ruban au bord du balcon
Moi dans mon taxi, j'aurai vite compris
Que tout est fini...
S'il n'y a pas de ruban au bord de ton balcon...
2. Monsieur l'taxi
Je vous en prie...
Regardez pour moi,
Moi je ne pourrai pas...
J'ai si peur qu'elle ne m'aime plus,
Je suis complètement perdu...
D'un simple ruban, mais oui,
Dépend toute ma vie...
Car, j'avais écrit...
{au Refrain}
Soudains je n'en crois pas mes yeux
Car je vois à l'horizon...
Des milliers de rubans
Au bord de ton balcon...
@philcollins2289
ça nous rajeunit pas tout ça si j'avais une baguette magique mais ??? 🇨🇵🖐️
@gcochot7850
Magnifique chanteur qui nous faisait rêver, sa voix superbe, son sourire sublime. Vrai gentillesse, sacha pour toujours.
@huguettehamel7722
Homme tendre et sympathique, il est formidable ce beau Sacha!...
@yvette5528
Quelle belle chansonI Il etait vraiment Super Sacha Il nous manque enormement Mais bon c est la vie;;; Helas il faut partir un jour ;;;
@FRANK-ji4zr
c'est bien dit !
@yvette5528
Joli souvenir des annees 7O...Jolie chanson...Indemodable...Bisou
@yvette5528
Genial j adore...Super Sacha...Il nous donne le moral c est mon medicament...Extraordinare...
@micheldrevon6743
Des beaux souvenirs ! Tant de personnes disparues depuis!😢
@yvette5528
Inoubliable cette chanson...Ca me rappelle ma jeunesse...Que de temps passe...
@cecilealoia3813
C'est super