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.
Valse dingue
Serge Reggiani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Une valse comm' ça
Que jamais ne chantera personn'
J'ai voulu qu'il ait
A boire et à manger
Dans ma valse et voilà
Le resultat:
Un' valse en forme de chaise
A repriser des bas
Un' valse en forme de fraise
Qu'on mange avec ses doigts
Un' valse avec des écailles
Comme un petit poisson
Un' valse pour les volailles
Et pour les saucissons
Un' valse en bois des îl's un' valse en fil à fil
Un' valse à aiguiser les vieux couteaux rouillés
Un' valse en peau d'anchois un' valse en pâté d'foie
Allons chanter dans les bois
Un' valse épaisse et solide
Pour construire un' maison
Un' valse à faire un beau bise
Et en toute saison
Je me suis aperçu
Que ma valse tordue
Ne t'avait pas rendu hommage
Et j'ai aussitôt fait
Un très joli couplet
Pour célebrer ma mie
Et le voici:
Un' valse en forme d'endive Comme tes grands yeux bleus
Un' valse longue et furtive
Pour pleurer tous les deux
Un' valse en forme de chèvre
Roulons-nous dans les prés
Prête-moi vite tes lèvres
Oui, je te les rendrai
Viens je te donnerai mon p'tit cœur de poulet
Nous valserons jusqu'au jour sans nous arrêter
La valse des dingos sur le pont d'un cargo
De gigots pour Santiago
Un' valse tendre et subtile
Tout comme toi-z-et moi
Ah que la vie est facile
Quand je suis dans tes bras...
In Serge Reggiani's song Valse dingue, he sings about having composed a waltz for his love, which he describes to be as peculiar as the objects mentioned in the lyrics. The objects serve as a metaphor for the different experiences and emotions he wishes to evoke through the music. For instance, the waltz in the form of a chair that needs mending represents a sense of incompleteness, while the waltz in the form of strawberries to be eaten with fingers represents moments of indulgence and joy. The waltz in the form of scales for a small fish, and another for poultry and sausages, point to the different stages of life - one for youthfulness, and another for maturity.
However, he soon realizes that his initial composition didn't fully pay tribute to his significant other, and he immediately adds another verse to represent her better. This verse reflects a more intimate and exclusive feel, with the waltz in the form of an endive symbolizing her blue eyes and the waltz as a goat being playful. The lyrics shift to a personal tone, with Reggiani urging his lover to lend him her lips, promising to return them back. He expresses his desire to spend time with her until dawn, dancing, and enjoying life's pleasures together.
Valse dingue is a romantic ballad that utilizes metaphorical and vivid imagery to paint experiences, metaphors, and moments of life that evoke emotions that feel unique to each one. The song enables the listener to delve into the rich possibilities of music and the imagination that lies beyond the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai composé pour toi
I have composed for you
Une valse comm' ça
A waltz like this
Que jamais ne chantera personn'
That no one will ever sing
J'ai voulu qu'il ait
I wanted it to have
A boire et à manger
Food and drink
Dans ma valse et voilà
In my waltz, and there you have it
Un' valse en forme de chaise
A waltz in the shape of a chair
A repriser des bas
For darning stockings
Un' valse en forme de fraise
A waltz in the shape of a strawberry
Qu'on mange avec ses doigts
That you eat with your fingers
Un' valse avec des écailles
A waltz with scales
Comme un petit poisson
Like a small fish
Un' valse pour les volailles
A waltz for poultry
Et pour les saucissons
And for sausages
Un' valse en bois des îl's un' valse en fil à fil
A waltz in island wood, a waltz in thread by thread
Un' valse à aiguiser les vieux couteaux rouillés
A waltz for sharpening old rusty knives
Un' valse en peau d'anchois un' valse en pâté d'foie
A waltz in anchovy skin, a waltz in foie gras
Allons chanter dans les bois
Let's go sing in the woods
Un' valse épaisse et solide
A thick and solid waltz
Pour construire un' maison
To build a house
Un' valse à faire un beau bise
A waltz to give a nice kiss
Et en toute saison
And in every season
Je me suis aperçu
I realized
Que ma valse tordue
That my twisted waltz
Ne t'avait pas rendu hommage
Had not paid tribute to you
Et j'ai aussitôt fait
And immediately I made
Un très joli couplet
A very nice verse
Pour célebrer ma mie
To celebrate my sweetheart
Un' valse en forme d'endive
A waltz in the shape of an endive
Comme tes grands yeux bleus
Like your big blue eyes
Un' valse longue et furtive
A long and furtive waltz
Pour pleurer tous les deux
To cry together
Un' valse en forme de chèvre
A waltz in the shape of a goat
Roulons-nous dans les prés
Let's roll in the fields
Prête-moi vite tes lèvres
Quickly lend me your lips
Oui, je te les rendrai
Yes, I will return them to you
Viens je te donnerai mon p'tit cœur de poulet
Come, I will give you my little chicken heart
Nous valserons jusqu'au jour sans nous arrêter
We will waltz until daybreak without stopping
La valse des dingos sur le pont d'un cargo
The crazy waltz on a cargo ship
De gigots pour Santiago
Of leg of lamb for Santiago
Un' valse tendre et subtile
A tender and subtle waltz
Tout comme toi-z-et moi
Just like you and me
Ah que la vie est facile
Ah, how easy life is
Quand je suis dans tes bras...
When I am in your arms...
Contributed by Hudson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.