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".
Oh quelle nuit
Sacha Distel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et puis après, quelques portos avec Johnny
Derrière son bar ,j'le voyais tout petit
Oh, quelle nuit
Je me souviens d'avoir dansé le cha cha cha
Avec une fille qui ressemblait à Dalida
Tout en pleurant j'lui ai confié ma vie
Tout ça est arrivé parce qu'on t'a raconté
Qu'on m'avait vu avec une jolie femme
T'as voulu te venger et tu n'es pas rentrée
Alors je t'ai cherchée voilà le drame
Au petit jour ,je suis rentré cahin-caha
Tu m'attendais sur le palier en pyjama
Quand tu m'a vu, tu m' as tendu les bras
Oh, quelle nuit
Depuis je t'ai prouvé que cette femme n'était
Tout simplement qu'une de mes secrétaires et
Toi tu m'as avoué que pour me faire marcher
Tu dînais ce soir là avec ta mère
Pendant deux jours je me suis mis à l'eau de Vichy
Mais en une nuit j'ai découvert et j'ai compris
Que tu est mon indispensable amour
Oh, pour la vie, oh, pour la vie, oh, pour la vie
The lyrics of Sacha Distel's "Oh quelle nuit" recount the story of a man's eventful night out that leads to a misunderstanding with his partner. The singer starts off by listing the drinks he had consumed: two gin and tonics, three whiskeys, and then some port wine with Johnny, the bartender. The alcohol seems to have made him lose his sense of proportion as he describes Johnny as "small." The repetition of "Oh, quelle nuit" throughout the song emphasizes that this was an unforgettable and significant night.
The singer then recalls dancing a cha-cha-cha with a woman who looked like the French singer Dalida while confessing his life's story to her. He was crying at the time, suggesting that he may have been overly emotional or intoxicated. However, this leads to a misunderstanding that ruins the singer's relationship. Someone had told his partner that they had seen him with another woman, causing her to seek revenge by not coming home that night. This leads to the man frantically searching for her and ultimately finding her on their doorstep the following morning in her pajamas.
He confesses his innocence, explaining that the other woman was just his secretary. His partner, in turn, admits to lying about her whereabouts to make him jealous. The song ends on a positive note, with the man realizing that his partner was the most important person in his life. The last line shows his commitment to her by stating, "You are my indispensable love, oh, for life."
Overall, Sacha Distel's "Oh quelle nuit" is a romantic and humorous take on the ups and downs of love and relationships. The lyrics are witty and playful, yet they ultimately convey a deep sense of love and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai bu d'un trait deux fines a l'eau et trois whiskeys
I drank two glasses of water and three whiskeys in one go
Et puis après, quelques portos avec Johnny
After that, I had a few port wines with Johnny
Derrière son bar, j'le voyais tout petit
Behind his bar, I saw him as really small
Oh, quelle nuit
Oh, what a night
Je me souviens d'avoir dansé le cha cha cha
I remember dancing the cha cha cha
Avec une fille qui ressemblait à Dalida
With a girl who looked like Dalida
Tout en pleurant j'lui ai confié ma vie
While crying, I told her about my life
Oh, quelle nuit
Oh, what a night
Tout ça est arrivé parce qu'on t'a raconté
All of this happened because someone told you
Qu'on m'avait vu avec une jolie femme
That they saw me with a pretty woman
T'as voulu te venger et tu n'es pas rentrée
You wanted to get revenge and didn't come home
Alors je t'ai cherchée voilà le drame
So, I went looking for you and it ended up in a disaster
Au petit jour, je suis rentré cahin-caha
I stumbled home at dawn
Tu m'attendais sur le palier en pyjama
You were waiting for me in your pajamas at the doorstep
Quand tu m'a vu, tu m'as tendu les bras
When you saw me, you opened your arms
Oh, quelle nuit
Oh, what a night
Depuis je t'ai prouvé que cette femme n'était
Since then, I've proven to you that she was just one of my secretaries
Tout simplement qu'une de mes secrétaires et
Simply one of my secretaries
Toi tu m'as avoué que pour me faire marcher
You confessed that you were just joking with me
Tu dînais ce soir là avec ta mère
You were having dinner with your mom that night
Pendant deux jours je me suis mis à l'eau de Vichy
For two days, I drank Vichy water
Mais en une nuit j'ai découvert et j'ai compris
But in one night, I discovered and understood
Que tu es mon indispensable amour
That you are my essential love
Oh, pour la vie, oh, pour la vie, oh, pour la vie
Oh, for life, oh, for life, oh, for life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@synbad77lemarin78
Qu’elle Belle Époque on se souviens des années 60. Sacha Distel un gars très sympa .chanteur charmeur .RIP
@yvette5528
Jolie chanson Tres entrainante Annee 6O SUPER...
@nicoleponcin4109
je l adore ainsi que ses chansons quelle voix repose en paix bisous volants
@budconstantine9545
Nostalgie repose en paix tu. Es partit trop tôt Sacha bien dommage ..
@Ayse-gk2mb
ohhhhhhhhhhh quelle nuit avant on savait samuser surprise partis cetait bien des souvenirssssssssssss
@nicoleponcin4109
exact à l époque il y avait de très belles émissions de variétés pas comme maintenant amitiés
@corinnenord8654
On retrouve dans les chansons de notre Sacha de cette époque, l'humour et la drôlerie de Ray Ventura et ses collégiens! J'adore!
@kojack2860
Beau souvenir 1960 . Un chanteur très sympa . Partit trop tôt . 👍👍😇🤗
@jeanlouis6741
Oh oh .................les Sacha show avec Jean Yanne Jean Pierre Cassel
@nicolascastellana6671
J’adore ………………