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".
Ces mots stupides
Sacha Distel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lyrics/Music: Maurice Tézé / Carson C. Parks
(c) 1967 - Editions Warner Chappell
Je sais que tôt ou tard
Tu voudras bien sortir un soir
En camarade, avec moi,
Pour te faire rire, mais je sais
Que je ne verrais que toi!
Et quand nous serons las d'avoir dansé
Nous irons prendre un dernier verre, quand même,
C'est là que je gâcherai tout...
En te Disant ces mots stupides: "Je t'aime!"
Et dans tes yeux je lirai
Que j'ai trahi notre amitié
Que je suis comme les autres!
Bien vite je m'en irai
Sans même te dire que si je t'aime
Ce n'est pas de ma faute!
Cela fait si longtemps
Que je suis là, le cœur battant,
A ne plus penser qu'à toi!
A guetter ton regard,
En espérant toujours y voir
Un peu de tendresse pour moi!
Mais... si à cet instant
Très doucement je sens ta main
Se poser sur le mienne...
De joie, je crois, je pleurerai
En répétant ces mots stupides: "Je t'aime!"
. . . . . .
Mais... si à cet instant
Très doucement, je sens ta main
Se poser sur la mienne...
De joie, je crois, je pleurerai
En répétant ces mots stupides:
"Je t'aime! Je t'aime! Je t'aime!"
These lyrics speak of unrequited love and the fear of expressing one's true feelings for fear of ruining a friendship. The singer, who sings in the first person, knows that eventually the person they are in love with will go out with them for a night as friends. They promise to try and be happy, to make the other person laugh, but deep down they know that they'll only see that person. After dancing, they'll go for one last drink, where the singer will mess everything up and say those stupid, revealing words: "I love you."
The fear of ruining their friendship is strong, and the singer knows that they will see in the eyes of the other person that they've betrayed their trust. They'll leave without saying that they're sorry, that they didn't mean to fall in love, that it wasn't something they could control.
The singer has been in love with this person for a long time, hoping to see some sign of affection in their eyes. And yet, even though they're afraid, they long for a hint of love from the other person. If their hand were to be touched softly, they say, they would cry with joy and repeat those stupid words: "I love you, I love you, I love you!"
Overall, the song is a poignant portrayal of unrequited love and the fear of expressing one's true feelings for fear of losing someone they care deeply about. It highlights the vulnerability we all feel when confessing love and the uncertainties that come with putting our hearts on the line.
Line by Line Meaning
Je sais que tôt ou tard
Tu voudras bien sortir un soir
En camarade, avec moi,
J'essaierai d'être gai
Pour te faire rire, mais je sais
Que je ne verrais que toi!
I know that sooner or later, you will want to go out one night, as friends, with me. I will try to be cheerful, to make you laugh, but I know that I will only see you!
Et quand nous serons las d'avoir dansé
Nous irons prendre un dernier verre, quand même,
C'est là que je gâcherai tout...
En te Disant ces mots stupides: "Je t'aime!"
And when we are tired of dancing, we will go have one last drink, anyway. It's there that I will ruin everything by saying those stupid words: "I love you!"
Et dans tes yeux je lirai
Que j'ai trahi notre amitié
Que je suis comme les autres!
And in your eyes, I will read that I betrayed our friendship, that I am like the others!
Bien vite je m'en irai
Sans même te dire que si je t'aime
Ce n'est pas de ma faute!
Very quickly, I will leave without even telling you that if I love you, it's not my fault!
Cela fait si longtemps
Que je suis là, le cœur battant,
A ne plus penser qu'à toi!
A guetter ton regard,
En espérant toujours y voir
Un peu de tendresse pour moi!
It's been so long that I've been here, heart racing, thinking only of you! Watching for your gaze, hoping to see a little tenderness for me!
Mais... si à cet instant
Très doucement je sens ta main
Se poser sur le mienne...
De joie, je crois, je pleurerai
En répétant ces mots stupides: "Je t'aime!"
But if, at that moment, I feel your hand gently touch mine... I believe I will cry tears of joy, repeating those stupid words: "I love you! I love you! I love you!"
Contributed by Dominic K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vassod9430
Je sais que tôt ou tard
Tu voudras bien sortir un soir
En camarade, avec moi,
J'essaierai d'être gai
Pour te faire rire, mais je sais
Que je ne verrais que toi!
Et quand nous serons las d'avoir dansé
Nous irons prendre un dernier verre, quand même,
C'est là que je gâcherai tout...
En te Disant ces mots stupides: "Je t'aime!"
Et dans tes yeux je lirai
Que j'ai trahi notre amitié
Que je suis comme les autres!
Bien vite je m'en irai
Sans même te dire que si je t'aime
Ce n'est pas de ma faute!
Cela fait si longtemps
Que je suis là, le c ur battant,
A ne plus penser qu'à toi!
A guetter ton regard,
En espérant toujours y voir
Un peu de tendresse pour moi!
Mais... si à cet instant
Très doucement je sens ta main
Se poser sur le mienne...
De joie, je crois, je pleurerai
En répétant ces mots stupides: "Je t'aime!"
. . . . . .
Mais... si à cet instant
Très doucement, je sens ta main
Se poser sur la mienne...
De joie, je crois, je pleurerai
En répétant ces mots stupides:
"Je t'aime! Je t'aime! Je t'aime!"
@emiliocarrasconavas2132
Il était un très bon chanteur et guitariste, il nous manque beaucoup des chanteurs comme lui et beaucoup d'autre ❤❤❤
@RESEDA95
Merveilleuse chanson interprétée par un superbe artiste, parti hélas trop tôt. Sacha, nous ne t'oublierons pas.
@heliosthierry6609
Citation de Saint Malo" Rien n'est pire qu'un rire stupide".
@reinepascal4531
Trop belle chanson j adore tu es si beau je t'aime ❤
@reinepascal4531
Mon beau Sacha je ne verrai que toi je t'aime 💖💕👄
@huguettehamel7722
Sacha et ses chansons resteront toujours dans nos coeurs....
@ROYDEFRANCE
The good life can't exist without the best international French crooner!
@yvette5528
QUEL REPERTOIRE IL AVAIT ...TANT DE SUBLIME CHANSONS TOUTES TRES BELLES INOUBLIABLE CET ARTISTE...
@yvette5528
Tres tres jolie chanson...J adore !C est vraiment SUPER,,, BRAVO SACHA...
@reinepascal4531
Moi aussi je t'aime 💜❤