Born in Iskretz, Bulgaria, to a Bulgarian-Armenian father and a Hungarian mother, Vartan arrived in France when she was 10. She married the French rocker Johnny Hallyday on April 12, 1965 in Loconville. They have a son, David Hallyday (who is also a singer), born David Michael Benjamin Smet on August 14, 1966. Johnny Hallyday and Sylvie Vartan were France's "Golden Couple" of their generation. They divorced on November 4, 1980.
She is currently married to American media mogul Tony Scotti. She is actor Michael Vartan's aunt.
In 2005, Sylvie Vartan was appointed as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal and Child Health in the European Region.
Her European hits include "Panne d'essence" ('Out Of Gas'), "Comme un garçon" ('Like a boy'), "J’ai un problème, je crois bien que je t’aime" ('I have a problem: I really think I love you'), and "La plus belle pour aller danser" ('The most beautiful to go dancing'). She is also rembered for such songs such as "L'amour c'est comme une cigarette" (Love is like a cigarette)
Mon Père
Sylvie Vartan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sans son désordre et sans sa voix
Ça me semble encore impossible
Pourtant il y a deux ans déjà
Ma mère a rangé tous ses livres
Et ses outils de jardinier
Tous ces objets qu'il faisait vivre
Il ne parlait pas de la guerre
Pourtant mon héros c'était lui
J'étais si fière qu'il soit mon père
Fière de m'appeler comme lui
Ses colères étaient des tempêtes
Lorsque j'avais désobéi
Et puis il pleurait en cachette
Parce que j'avais un premier prix
C'était plus que de la tendresse
Qu'il avait pour tous nos rosiers
Il peignait avec maladresse
C'était toujours moi qui posais
Je sais bien que je lui ressemble
Je suis têtue comme il l'était
J'ai ses yeux et ses côtés tendres
Et j'aime tout ce qu'il aimait
C'était mon ami et mon frère
Et tous mes souvenirs d'enfant
C'était mon ami et mon père
Et il me manque bien souvent
The lyrics of Sylvie Vartan's song Mon Père express the pain and grief of a daughter who has lost her father. The singer reminisces about their life together, the little habits and rituals that defined their relationship. She feels lost and alone in their now-empty home, unable to reconcile the reality of his absence with the memories that flood her mind. The singer's father was a gentle man, a gardener, and an artist. The singer remembers his love for the rose bushes, his paintings, and his delicate touch. He was more than just a parent; he was her confidant, her friend, and her ally. But despite his gentleness, the father was also passionate and demanding. He had high expectations of his daughter, who felt both intimidated by and proud of his approval. She recognized that her stubbornness and artistic inclinations were inherited traits that connected her to him. Ultimately, the song is a tribute to a cherished bond that has endured despite the father's passing.
Line by Line Meaning
Que la maison me parait vide
The emptiness of the house is overwhelming and takes over me
Sans son désordre et sans sa voix
The disorder that he caused and his voice, both of which were comforting, are now absent
Ça me semble encore impossible
Even now, I find it hard to believe that he is gone
Pourtant il y a deux ans déjà
Although it feels like yesterday, it has already been two years now
Ma mère a rangé tous ses livres
My mother has cleared and stored away all his books
Et ses outils de jardinier
She has also kept away his gardening tools
Tous ces objets qu'il faisait vivre
All those objects which were brought to life by him
Qui eux aussi vont s'ennuyer
They too will now be missing him and his touch
Il ne parlait pas de la guerre
Even though he didn't speak much about the war
Pourtant mon héros c'était lui
But he was still my hero
J'étais si fière qu'il soit mon père
I was so proud to be his daughter
Fière de m'appeler comme lui
Proud to have his name
Ses colères étaient des tempêtes
His anger was like a storm
Lorsque j'avais désobéi
Whenever I disobeyed him
Et puis il pleurait en cachette
But then he cried in secret
Parce que j'avais un premier prix
Because I achieved a first prize
C'était plus que de la tendresse
The love he had for our roses was more than just affection
Qu'il avait pour tous nos rosiers
It was like he poured his heart out to them
Il peignait avec maladresse
He painted with a lack of skill
C'était toujours moi qui posais
And I was always the one posing for him
Je sais bien que je lui ressemble
I know I resemble him
Je suis têtue comme il l'était
I am as stubborn as he was
J'ai ses yeux et ses côtés tendres
I have his eyes and his gentle character
Et j'aime tout ce qu'il aimait
And I love everything he loved
C'était mon ami et mon frère
He was my friend and my brother
Et tous mes souvenirs d'enfant
All my childhood memories
C'était mon ami et mon père
He was my friend and my father
Et il me manque bien souvent
And I miss him so very often
Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Franck_srs
Nouvelle version très réussie de mon père. J'adore cette chanson simple, épurée pleine d'élégance.
dominique soulier
Magnifique réinterprétation de cette sublime chanson, qui parle tant à mon coeur. Réorchestration sublime également.
utube
Love her voice and interpretation of this song, hauntily beautiful!
Jean-Philippe LE MOUEL
Cette musique magnifiquement interprété par Sylvie Vartan, me fait penser à mon père
Jean-Philippe LE MOUEL
J'adore cette musique, elle me fait pleurer à chaque fois que je l'écoute.
François Sudan
Cette chanson est juste magnifique
Samuel Rosa
C’est magnifique.
Sissi Vilain
Amitiés magnifiques chansons pour mon papa
MusicSmileAll
beautiful song, recorded in Sofia 2015. Love all recording including 1972, 1990 first Live in Sofia... I remember Sylvie Vartan Tokyo 2008 (Orchard Hall, Shibuya).
Geoffrey Charles
I don't think she recorded it in Sofia. She lives in Paris.