Galison was born and raised in New York City, New York. As a child, he started to study piano, but at the age of eight decided to switch to guitar having been inspired by The Beatles. He developed a love of jazz in high school and subsequently attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He decided to change to the harmonica because "I was one of a million guitarists at Berklee" and it was easy to carry around. He became Berklee's only harmonica player. Among his role models at the time were Toots Thielemans and Stevie Wonder.
After Berklee, he studied further at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, then returned to New York in 1982. He swiftly developed a good reputation as a singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.
He performed at various New York venues including The Village Gate, The Blue Note and the Lone Star Cafe with legendary jazz musicians Jaco Pastorius and Jaki Byard. He also played with his own group at Preacher's Cafe in Greenwich Village.
Galison has worked with a diverse range of artists including Carly Simon, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee, Chaka Khan and Astrud Gilberto. He has performed Gordon Jacob's "Suite for Harmonica and Orchestra" and toured the USA in the Broadway musical, Big River. He has also recorded soundtracks for films, most notably Academy Award nominees The Untouchables and Bagdad Café. His harmonica is also heard on the Sesame Street theme ("a great honor") and countless commercials. Other television work includes Oz and Saturday Night Live
One of his major influences and role models, Toots Thielmans, once described him as "the most original and individual of the new generation of harmonica players".
J'ai Deux Amours
William Galison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Là-bas sous le ciel clair
Il existe une cité
Au séjour enchanté
Et sous les grands arbres noirs
Chaque soir
Vers elle s'en va tout mon espoir
Mon pays et Paris
Par eux toujours
Mon cœur est ravi
Manhattan est belle
Mais à quoi bon le nier
Ce qui m'ensorcelle
C'est Paris, c'est Paris tout entier
Le voir un jour
C'est mon rave joli
J'ai deux amours
Mon pays et Paris
Manhattan est belle
Mais à quoi bon le nier
Ce qui m'ensorcelle
C'est Paris, c'est Paris tout entier
Le voir un jour
C'est mon rêve joli
J'ai deux amours
Mon pays et Paris
The lyrics of J'ai Deux Amours by Madeleine Peyroux expresses the singer's love for two places - her home country and Paris. The opening lines talk about a mythical city beyond the seas, under clear skies and with an enchanted dwelling which is perhaps indicative of a place that one can only dream of, but far out of reach. The next lines talk about how every evening, the singer's hope looks towards this place beyond the seas, towards its grand, dark trees.
Then the song moves to the chorus where the singer affirms her love for two places - her country and Paris. The singer's heart is always delighted by them. The next verse highlights the beauty of Manhattan but that does not diminish the love that the singer has for Paris, which she refers to as Paris, Paris in its entirety. Finally, the chorus repeats again with the singer affirming her dream to see Paris one day, and reinforcing her love for both her country and Paris.
Overall, the lyrics depict the singer's admiration for Paris and her love for her home while also acknowledging the beauty of other places.
Line by Line Meaning
On dit qu'au delà des mers
It is said that beyond the seas
Là-bas sous le ciel clair
Over there under the clear sky
Il existe une cité
There exists a city
Au séjour enchanté
With an enchanting dwelling
Et sous les grands arbres noirs
And under the great black trees
Chaque soir
Every evening
Vers elle s'en va tout mon espoir
All my hopes go towards it
J'ai deux amours
I have two loves
Mon pays et Paris
My country and Paris
Par eux toujours
Through them always
Mon cœur est ravi
My heart is delighted
Manhattan est belle
Manhattan is beautiful
Mais à quoi bon le nier
But what's the use of denying it
Ce qui m'ensorcelle
What enchants me
C'est Paris, c'est Paris tout entier
Is Paris, is Paris in its entirety
Le voir un jour
To see it one day
C'est mon rêve joli
Is my pretty dream
J'ai deux amours
I have two loves
Mon pays et Paris
My country and Paris
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thuso Moeletsi
Well done on this song love it to bits !!
Monsieur Ribah
La meilleure version, pour moi!!!
Bio Habitat
@willgalison wonderful theme! Very grateful !
William Galison
nice picture!