After acting school he was discovered by Jean Cocteau and appeared in a wartime production of Les parents terribles ("The Terrible Parents"). His first feature film came in 1946 with his role in Les portes de la nuit ("The Doors of the Night"). He later went on to perform in 80 films including The Pianist (1998).
In 1965 he began a second career as a singer, with the help of Simone Signoret and her husband Yves Montand. Reggiani became one of the most acclaimed performers of French "Chanson" ("song") and although he was in his 40s, his bad-boy image made him popular with both young and older listeners. His best known songs include "Les loups sont entres dans Paris" ("The Wolves Have Entered Paris") and "La femme qui est dans mon lit." ("The Woman Who Is In My Bed").
In later life he became a painter and gave a number of exhibitions of his artwork.
Serge Reggiani died of a heart attack at the age of 82, one day after the death of another well known French singer Sacha Distel. He is interred in the Cimetière du Montparnasse.
Hôtel des voyageurs
Serge Reggiani Lyrics
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Sur la chaise une robe Rouge
Sur la vitre les arbres d'octobre
Bougent
Comme au cinéma le décor
Ressemble au drame que l'on joue
Une couleur vient sur ton corps
Je te regarde endormie
Comme il fait beau sur toi
Qui ne veux plus être à moi
Ma femme mon ennemie.
Hôtel des voyageurs
Chambre cent treize
Vue sur jardin
Et tous les soirs
Monsieur Machin
Nous joue sa Polonaise
Hôtel des voyageurs
Pour t'attendrir
Ça t'a fait rire
Comm'nos amours les fleurs du mur
Ont perdu leur doré...
2.
Le vent jette une abeille
Morte
Je voudrais que le vent de la veille
Sorte
Qui a laissé dans cette chambre
Des mots qui n'allaient plus ensemble...
Au cinéma quand sont doublés
Des amants dans un champ de blé
Ils sont aussi ridicules
Que nous sous la pendule
Lorsque je t'ai demandé
De ne pas m'abandonner...
Hôtel des voyageurs
Chambre cent treize
Vue sur jardin
Et tous les soirs Monsieur Machin
Nous joue sa Polonaise...
Hôtel des voyageurs
Pour t'attendrir
Ça t'a fait rire
Ce sont nos dernières vacances
Avant l'indifférence...
3.
La comédie finit
Là
Ils rest'nt ensemble et l'on n'applaudit
Pas
Comme au cinéma, les acteurs
Rentrent chez eux mêm' quand ils meurent...
Les fleurs du mur et nos amours
Tiennent malgré les déchirures
Et quand tu fais ta valise
Tu y mets mes chemises
Nous n'arriverons jamais
A nous quitter sur un quai...
Hôtel des voyageurs
Où nos adieux
Mêm' les plus tristes
Ressembl'nt à des saluts d'artistes
A des saluts d'artistes...
Hôtel des voyageurs
Chambre cent treize
Vue sur jardin
Et tous les soirs Monsieur Machin
Qui joue sa Polonaise...
The song "Hôtel des voyageurs" by Serge Reggiani is a melancholic and nostalgic reflection on a love affair that has ended. The lyrics describe a scene where the singer watches their former lover sleep in a hotel room with a red dress and the October trees moving outside. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a movie set, as the décor resembles the drama they are living. The singer feels a sense of admiration for their lover, despite acknowledging that they no longer want to be with them. The inclusion of the line “ma femme mon ennemie” (my wife, my enemy) suggests that there were likely complications in the relationship that led to its demise.
The second verse continues the theme of reminiscence and nostalgia as the singer reflects on the past. They mention an incident where an out-of-place dead bee is found in the room, and they wish a wind from the past could blow in to fix things. They also reference how Hollywood movies often have overdramatic scenes that are not realistic, similar to their own circumstances. The chorus then repeats, emphasizing the name of the hotel and room they are staying in, as well as the mention of the resident pianist who plays the same tune every night.
The final verse brings a sense of finality to the song, suggesting the end of the relationship is nearing. The singer acknowledges that the relationship is over but that they will always have memories of it and a sense of attachment that cannot be denied. They mention the flowers on the wall losing their golden hue, indicating that time has passed and their relationship has faded. Finally, they mention the difficulty of separating and reluctantly letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
Sur la chaise une robe Rouge
A red dress lies on the chair
Sur la vitre les arbres d'octobre Bougent
The October trees move against the window
Comme au cinéma le décor Ressemble au drame que l'on joue
Like a movie set, the scene looks like the tragedy we're living
Une couleur vient sur ton corps Le jour se lève sur ta joue
A hue falls on your body as daybreak shines on your cheek
Je te regarde endormie Comme il fait beau sur toi
I watch you sleep, you look beautiful
Qui ne veux plus être à moi Ma femme mon ennemie.
My wife, my enemy, who no longer wants to be with me
Hôtel des voyageurs Chambre cent treize Vue sur jardin Et tous les soirs Monsieur Machin Nous joue sa Polonaise
Hotel for travelers, room number 113, garden view, every night Mr. Machin plays his 'Polonaise'
Pour t'attendrir Ça t'a fait rire Comm'nos amours les fleurs du mur Ont perdu leur doré...
To soften you, it made you laugh. Like our love, the flowers on the wall have lost their shine
Le vent jette une abeille Morte
The wind throws a dead bee
Je voudrais que le vent de la veille Sorte
I wish yesterday's wind would go away
Qui a laissé dans cette chambre Des mots qui n'allaient plus ensemble...
Who left words in this room that no longer go together
Au cinéma quand sont doublés Des amants dans un champ de blé Ils sont aussi ridicules Que nous sous la pendule
In the movies, when lovers are dubbed in a wheat field, they're just as ridiculous as we were under the clock
Lorsque je t'ai demandé De ne pas m'abandonner...
When I asked you not to abandon me
Ça t'a fait rire Ce sont nos dernières vacances Avant l'indifférence...
It made you laugh. These are our last vacation before indifference sets in
La comédie finit Là Ils rest'nt ensemble et l'on n'applaudit Pas
The comedy ends there. They stay together, but no one applauds
Comme au cinéma, les acteurs Rentrent chez eux mêm' quand ils meurent...
In the movies, actors go home even when they die
Les fleurs du mur et nos amours Tiennent malgré les déchirures
The flowers on the wall and our love hold on despite the tears
Et quand tu fais ta valise Tu y mets mes chemises
And when you pack your bags, you put my shirts in there
Nous n'arriverons jamais A nous quitter sur un quai...
We'll never leave each other on a platform...
Où nos adieux Mêm' les plus tristes Ressembl'nt à des saluts d'artistes A des saluts d'artistes...
Where even our sorrowful goodbyes resemble artist's salutes
Lyrics © BEUSCHER ARPEGE
Written by: JEAN LOUP DABADIE, JACQUES DATIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind