Zazie (born Isabelle de Truchis de Varennes on 18 April 1964 in Boulogne-Bi… Read Full Bio ↴Zazie (born Isabelle de Truchis de Varennes on 18 April 1964 in Boulogne-Billancourt) is a French singer and songwriter who also co-produces her own albums.

Zazie's mother was an architect and her father a music teacher. Her songs range from upbeat rock or pop songs to languid downtempo tunes and are characterised by the wit of their lyrics based on puns, alliterations, homophones and double-entendres.

Zazie debuted in 1992 with the album "Je Tu Ils" and the single "Sucré salé".

In 1995, she released her sophomore album Zen, which was co-written and co-produced with Vincent-Marie Bouvot. It included the singles "Zen" and "Homme Sweet Homme". Her 1996 single "Un point c'est toi" from the same album was discussed on Canada's MuchMusic TV program Too Much 4 Much due to its controversial content. Ultimately, the discussion panel deemed the video okay for audiences. In the video, a group of four smitten women, including Zazie, follow a pair of men down to a lake. There, the two men strip off their clothes and swim in the water. Zazie fantasizes about undressing one of the men and kissing him. To shock of the women, however, the two men kiss each other.
In 1997, Pascal Obispo and Zazie released the single "Les Meilleurs Ennemis".

Her 1998 album Made in Love was co-produced by Ali Staton, Pierre Jaconelli, and herself. The album photos were taken by fashion designer Jean-Baptiste Mondino. The songs "Ça Fait Mal Et Ça Fait Rien", "Tous des anges", and "Tout Le Monde" were released as singles. This album was followed by a live album, Made in Live, the next year. In 1999 she also wrote a song for Jane Birkin in Jane Birkin's album .
In 2001, Zazie dueted with Axel Bauer on the single "A Ma Place". It was her most successful single in France, reaching number four on the French charts.

Zazie once again addressed gay content on her 2002 single "Adam et Yves" from her 2001 album La Zizanie. This album was produced solely by Pierre Jaconelli. Other singles included "Rue de la paix" and "Danse avec les loops". In 2003, she released another live album, Ze Live.

Her 2004 album Rodéo was co-produced and co-written with Jean-Pierre Pilot and Philippe Paradis. A short film "Rodéo indien" was made using songs from the album as a soundtrack. Zazie played the role of an Indian woman who leaves her cheating husband. She followed this album up with a live album, Rodéo Tour in 2006.

In 2007 her sixth studio album "Totem" was released and debuted at number 1. The second single (but first commercially released) was "Je Suis Un Homme" which became Zazie's first solo top ten hit in France. In Winter 2008 a best of album "Zest of Zazie" was released which as well as past hits contained two new songs "Fm Air" and "Un peu beaucoup" and live recordings.

Je T'Aime Mais
Zazie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Je t'aime oui je t'aime mais
Ça met ta vie que tu le sais
Je t'aime ça oui je l'admets
Mais comment faire désormais
Tu n'es plus là

Et les mots comme ça
Ça se dit pas à l'imparfait

Quand ce n'est pas toi qui les dit
Ces mots dépassés
Se Gainsbarre en fumée

Je t'aime oui je t'aime mais
Ça met ta vie que tu le sais
Je t'aime oui puis après
C'est pas nouveau et c'est pas gai
Tu n'es plus là

Et les gars comme toi
J'en connais pas
Des mecs plus ultras
Dire que tu bois de l'eau de là
Pendant qu'ici bas
Je me Gainsbarre en fumée

Je t'aime oui je t'aime mais
C'est tout l'effet que ça te fait
Je t'aime oui mais sans succès
Et dire que toi tu en avais
A nous revendre

Les mots comme ça
Ça ce dit pas à l'imparfait
J'aurais aimé te dire en vrai
Ces mots démodés
Mais Gainsbarre en fumée

Les mots comme ça
Ça se dit pas à l'imparfait
Si tu savais comme ces mots là
Ne se démodent pas
Quand c'est toi qui les dit

Je t'aime oui je t'aime mais

Je t'aime oui mais sans succès
Repose en paix

Overall Meaning

The song "Je T'Aime Mais" by Zazie is a poignant and introspective reflection on the complications and difficulties of love. The lyrics convey conflicting emotions of love, loss, regret, and an unresolved sense of longing. Zazie tells the story of loving someone deeply, but realizing that it has not worked out, and that the other person has moved on. The singer acknowledges and accepts the reality of the situation and the futility of their feelings. The song's title "Je T'Aime Mais" translates to "I love you but" and perfectly summarizes the bittersweet sentiment of this song.

The lyrics express the frustration and helplessness of trying to hold onto a love that is slipping away. Zazie laments that despite loving the other person, it has not been enough to keep them by their side. The use of Gainsbarre as a verb reflects a reference to the late French singer Serge Gainsbourg, who was known for his romantic, yet often destructive relationships with women. This furthers the theme of love being something that can consume and destroy, rather than just be a beautiful emotion.

In essence, this song is an elegy for a love that has passed and the realization that the intensity of the feelings is not enough to sustain it. It is a relatable and beautiful rendition of the harsh reality of love that does not always have a happy ending.

Line by Line Meaning

Je t'aime oui je t'aime mais
I love you, yes I do, but

Ça met ta vie que tu le sais
It puts your life in danger, as you know

Je t'aime ça oui je l'admets
I admit that I love you

Mais comment faire désormais
But what should I do now?

Tu n'es plus là
You are no longer here

Et les mots comme ça
And words like that

Ça se dit pas à l'imparfait
Shouldn't be said in the past tense

Quand ce n'est pas toi qui les dit
When it's not you who's saying them

Ces mots dépassés
These outdated words

Se Gainsbarre en fumée
Are lost in the smoke like Gainsbarre

Je t'aime oui puis après
I love you yes, but then