Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina (née Simoni) and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in 1923. He grew up in Marseille, where, as a young man, he worked in his sister's barber shop, and later on the docks. He began a career in show business as a music-hall singer. In 1944, he was discovered by Édith Piaf in Paris and she made him part of her act, becoming his mentor and lover.
Montand went on to international recognition as a singer and actor, starring in numerous films. His recognizably crooner songs, especially those about Paris, became instant classics.
He was one of the most famous performers at Bruno Coquatrix's famous Paris Olympia music hall.
In 1951, he married the actress Simone Signoret, and they co-starred in several films throughout their careers. The marriage was, by all accounts, fairly harmonious, lasting until her death in 1985, although Montand had a number of well-publicised affairs, notably with Marilyn Monroe, with whom he starred in one of her last films, Let's Make Love. During his career, Montand acted in a number of American motion pictures as well as on Broadway. He was nominated for a Cesar Award for "Best Actor" in 1980 for "I comme Icare" and again in 1984 for "Garçon!"
In the French dubbings of Looney Tunes, the character Pepé Le Pew is an Italian skunk named "Pépé le putois". The voice characterization was often based on Montand's performances.
In 1986, after his international box-office draw power had fallen off considerably, the 65-year-old Montand gave one of his most memorable performances, as the scheming uncle in the two-part film: Jean de Florette, co-starring Gérard Depardieu, and Manon des Sources, co-starring Emmanuelle Béart. The film was a worldwide critical hit and raised Montand's profile in the U.S., where he made an appearance on "Late Night with David Letterman."
Montand's only child, Valentin, his son by his second wife Carole Amiel, was born in 1988. In a paternity suit that rocked France, another woman accused Montand of being the father of her daughter and went to court to obtain a DNA sample from him. Montand refused, but the woman persisted after his death. In a court ruling that made international headlines, the woman won the right to have Montand exhumed and a sample taken. It subsequently showed that he was not the girl's father.
Montand embarked on an affair with Marilyn Monroe during filming of the ill fated film Let's Make Love. He had been personally recommended by Arthur Miller after Miller saw him acting in a foreign movie version of his play The Crucible called Les Sorcières de Salem. Montand always expressed regret over the affair as he considered Miller a "good friend".
In his later years he maintained a home in St Paul de Vence, Provence until his death.
Montand died from a heart attack. In an interview, Jean-Jacques Beineix said, "[H]e died on the set [of IP5: The Island of Pachyderms]... On the very last day, after his very last shot. It was the very last night and we were doing retakes. He finished what he was doing and then he just died. And the film tells the story of an old man who dies from a heart attack, which is the same thing that happened!"
He is buried next to Simone Signoret in the Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
In 2004, Catherine Allégret, Montand's stepdaughter and Simone Signoret's daughter from her first marriage, published a book titled World Upside Down (Un monde à l'envers ISBN 2-253-11442-1) in which she contended that Montand had abused her sexually since she was five years old.
Le gamin de Paris
Yves Montand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans aucun pays, il n'y a de même
Car c'est un titi, petit gars dégourdi
Que l'on aime
Un gamin de Paris, c'est le doux mélange
D'un ciel affranchi du diable et d'un ange
Et son œil hardi s'attendrit devant une orange
Pas plus haut que trois pommes
Mais lance un défi
À l'aimable bonhomme
Qui l'appelait "mon petit"
Un gamin de Paris, c'est une cocarde
Bouton qui fleurit dans un pot d'moutarde
Il est tout l'esprit, l'esprit de Paris
Qui musarde
Pantalon trop long pour lui
Toujours les mains dans les poches
On le voit qui déguerpit
Aussitôt qu'il voit un képi
Un gamin de Paris, c'est tout un poème
Dans aucun pays, il n'y a de même
Car c'est un titi, petit gars dégourdi
Que l'on aime
Il est l'héritier, lors de sa naissance
De tout un passé lourd de conséquences
Et ça il le sait
Bien qu'il ignore l'histoire de France
Sachant que sur les places
Pour un idéal
Des p'tits gars pleins d'audace
À leur façon firent un bal
Un gamin d'Paris, rempli d'insouciance
Gouailleur et ravi de la vie qui chante
S'il faut peut aussi comme Gavroche
Entrer dans la danse
Un gamin d'Paris m'a dit à l'oreille
Si je pars d'ici, sachez que la veille
J'aurai réussi
À mettre Paris en bouteille
The song Le gamin de Paris by Yves Montand portrays the beauty and charm of a Parisian boy in a poetic way. The song talks about how a gamin de Paris, which means a Parisian boy, is different from any other boy from any other country in the world. The song glorifies the skills, wit, and audacity of the Parisian boy, who is loved by all. The gamin de Paris is a combination of both the devil and the angel, and his brave eyes can be softened by the sight of an orange.
The song tells us about the Parisian boy's irreverent spirit, who is small in stature but daring in nature. He challenges grown-ups who call him "my little one" despite his small size. He is like a cocarde, a budding flower in a mustard pot, full of the Parisian spirit. The song portrays the Parisian boy as an inheritor of a rich heritage that he may not understand, but he knows it's essential.
The gamin of Paris is carefree, rebellious, and full of swagger. He loves life and can sing, dance, and fight if required. His confident and lively nature makes people love and admire him everywhere. Finally, the song implies that Paris itself is unique and valuable, and the Parisian boy can successfully put this charming city inside a bottle before leaving.
Line by Line Meaning
Un gamin d'Paris, c'est tout un poème
A Parisian kid is like a poem, unique and special
Dans aucun pays, il n'y a de même
There's no other kid like him anywhere else
Car c'est un titi, petit gars dégourdi
He's a clever little guy who can hold his own, a true 'titi'
Que l'on aime
He's someone you can't help but love
Un gamin de Paris, c'est le doux mélange
A Parisian kid is a mix of heaven and hell
D'un ciel affranchi du diable et d'un ange
He's a product of a city that's both devilish and angelic
Et son œil hardi s'attendrit devant une orange
Despite his tough exterior, he has a soft spot for simple things like an orange
Pas plus haut que trois pommes
He's short and small
Mais lance un défi
He's not afraid of challenges
À l'aimable bonhomme
He challenges even the friendly folks around him
Qui l'appelait "mon petit"
Even if they call him 'my little one'
Un gamin de Paris, c'est une cocarde
A Parisian kid is like a badge of honor
Bouton qui fleurit dans un pot d'moutarde
A flower that blooms even in the most unlikely places
Il est tout l'esprit, l'esprit de Paris
He embodies the spirit of Paris
Qui musarde
A spirit that strolls and takes its time
Pantalon trop long pour lui
His pants are always too long
Toujours les mains dans les poches
He keeps his hands in his pockets
On le voit qui déguerpit
He runs away as soon as he sees a police officer
Aussitôt qu'il voit un képi
His fear of authority figures is palpable
Il est l'héritier, lors de sa naissance
He's born into a legacy
De tout un passé lourd de conséquences
A past that carries heavy consequences
Et ça il le sait
He's aware of it
Bien qu'il ignore l'histoire de France
Even if he doesn't know much about French history
Sachant que sur les places
Knowing that in the streets
Pour un idéal
For an ideal
Des p'tits gars pleins d'audace
Brave young boys
À leur façon firent un bal
Danced in their own unique way
Un gamin d'Paris, rempli d'insouciance
A carefree Parisian kid
Gouailleur et ravi de la vie qui chante
Happy-go-lucky, enjoying life's melodies
S'il faut peut aussi comme Gavroche
Like Gavroche, he's not afraid to stand up and fight if necessary
Entrer dans la danse
He's willing to join the fray
Un gamin d'Paris m'a dit à l'oreille
A Parisian kid once whispered in my ear
Si je pars d'ici, sachez que la veille
If I leave, know that the night before
J'aurai réussi
I will have succeeded
À mettre Paris en bouteille
In bottling up the essence of Paris
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, EDITIONS METROPOLITAINES
Written by: Allan Roberts, Andre Mares, Mick Micheyl
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GET OUT
on Les Amoureux (1952)
pk ya pas ????
GET OUT
on Les Amoureux (1952)
pk ya pas !!