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.
Luna Park
Yves Montand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On peut dire qu' j' ai le fin boulot
Ça f' sait bien trois cent soixante cinq jours de long
Que j' vissais toujours le même sacré petIt boulon
Mais celà ne m' empêche pas de chanter
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Dès que j' ai ma petite heure de liberté
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Dans le jour cru des lampes à arcs
Sur la chenille
Je vois des filles
Je vois les filles et leurs dessous
En soie en fil ou en pilou
Et le pick-up chante comme moi
HidIele hidlele hideledele hey !
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Le travail c' est ahurissant
Pour le corps c' est bien salissant
Quand je touche ma paye vers la fin du mois
Je sais qu' à Puteaux y' a des gars plus riches que moi
Mais celà ne m' empêche pas de chanter
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Luna-Park est ma réserve de gaité
Hidlete hidlele hideledele
A tous les stands je suis salué
Des patrons et des habitués
Garçons et filles
C' est ma famille
Partout ailleurs je n' suis rien
A Luna Park je suis quelqu' un
Vive Luna Park et vive la joie
Feledlele delele fleptogo
The song "Luna Park" by Yves Montand tells the story of a worker who spends his days working in a factory in Puteaux, France, and finds joy and escape in his visits to the nearby amusement park, Luna Park. He sings about the monotony of his job, spending 365 days screwing the same small bolt, but finds freedom in the one hour of liberty given to him each day. He describes the bright lights and excitement of Luna Park, particularly the thrill ride called "la chenille," where he sees women in their various undergarments made of silk, thread, and pilou. The pick-up truck playing the music is the same one playing in his head as he enjoys the fun and freedom of the amusement park.
Throughout the song, the worker emphasizes that Luna Park is his source of joy, and he is recognized and respected among its patrons and proprietors. Despite the fact that he is a low-wage worker, he finds a sense of belonging and identity in the amusement park that he does not find anywhere else. The song ultimately celebrates the power of joy and escape from the daily grind, emphasizing the magic and camaraderie of Luna Park.
Overall, "Luna Park" is a joyful and uplifting song about finding happiness in the midst of hard work and the social limitations of class. It captures the excitement and wonder of amusement parks, and reminds its listeners of the importance of finding sources of joy and escape in their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans mon usine de Puteaux
In my factory in Puteaux
On peut dire qu' j'ai le fin boulot
It can be said that I have the fine job
Ça fait bien trois cent soixante cinq jours de long
That makes three hundred and sixty-five long days
Que j'vissais toujours le même sacré petit boulon
That I always screwed on the same darn little bolt
Mais cela ne m'empêche pas de chanter
But that doesn't stop me from singing
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Dès que j'ai ma petite heure de liberté
As soon as I have my little hour of freedom
Je vais tout droit à Luna Park
I go straight to Luna Park
Dans le jour cru des lampes à arcs
In the harsh light of the arc lamps
Sur la chenille
On the caterpillar ride
Je vois des filles
I see some girls
Je vois les filles et leurs dessous
I see the girls and their underwear
En soie, en fil ou en pilou
Made of silk, thread or flannel
Et le pick-up chante comme moi
And the jukebox sings like me
HidIele hidlele hideledele hey !
Hidlele hidlele hideledele hey!
Le travail c'est ahurissant
The work is exhausting
Pour le corps c'est bien salissant
It's really dirty work for the body
Quand je touche ma paye vers la fin du mois
When I get paid at the end of the month
Je sais qu'à Puteaux y'a des gars plus riches que moi
I know there are guys richer than me in Puteaux
Mais cela ne m'empêche pas de chanter
But that doesn't stop me from singing
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Hidlele hidlele hideledele
Luna-Park est ma réserve de gaité
Luna Park is my reserve of happiness
Hidlete hidlele hideledele
Hidlete hidlele hideledele
A tous les stands je suis salué
I'm greeted at all the stands
Des patrons et des habitués
By the owners and regulars
Garçons et filles
Boys and girls
C'est ma famille
They are my family
Partout ailleurs je n'suis rien
Elsewhere, I'm nothing
A Luna Park je suis quelqu'un
At Luna Park, I'm someone
Vive Luna Park et vive la joie
Long live Luna Park and long live joy
Feledlele delele fleptogo
Feledlele delele fleptogo
Contributed by Claire C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
annecy49
C'est LA version que je cherchais tant ! Toute mon enfance, merci !