Ces gens-là
| Ces gens-là | |
|---|---|
| Jacques Brel | |
| publication | 1965 |
| length | 4 min 38 s |
| Genre (s) | Chanson |
| Author (s) | Jacques Brel |
| album | Ces gens-là |
Ces gens-là is a chanson written and interpreted by Jacques Brel , produced by Barclay Records and published in 1965 by Pouchenel Verlag in Brussels . It is a very dark chanson in slow three-four time with a repeating melody. His subject is desperation over an impossible love .
text
The narrator addresses a third person (a certain "monsieur") and introduces him to the various members of a family whose lives he describes as particularly mediocre and petty. In contrast to their immobility, from which he distances himself, stands his own striving for movement and change.
As the last member of the family, the narrator turns to a girl, the beautiful Frida, whom he loves passionately. Although their love is mutual, the family refuses to marry the couple because the admirer is not worthy of their daughter. This may explain the narrator's previous hostilities towards the family and his criticism of their petty-bourgeois outlook, much like in his chanson Les bourgeois .
The song ends with the retreat of the narrator, who is no longer deceived by Frida's promise to leave and follow him . He says goodbye to his interlocutor and says that he has to go home.
The lecture begins moderately, increases gradually and explodes at the moment when the narrator conjures Frida and expresses his passion for her. Then it ebbs away in a mood of resignation with which the song ends.
history
Brel was curious about other people and their lives all his life. On his tours through the French provinces, he gladly took every opportunity to get to know other people. The observations he made during such encounters were incorporated into his chansons. Brel's accordionist Jean Corti traced all members of the family sung about in Ces gens-là back to people whom Brel had met somewhere.
The song was recorded for Barclay on November 6, 1965. This recording lasts 4 minutes and 38 seconds. On February 5, 1966, she took eighth place in the French charts.
The manuscript of the lyrics was auctioned by Sotheby’s on October 8, 2008, as part of an auction of the singer's private remains on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his death in Paris. It was valued at 6,000 to 8,000 euros and sold for 60,750 euros.
Cover
The chanson was covered by several artists.
This is how Ange interpreted it in 1973 on the album Le Cimetière des Arlequins (and in 1977 on the album Tome VI ). The band only uses the first three verses. The fourth, who evokes the passion for Frida, is replaced by an instrumental solo. The explanation for the absence of the fourth verse can be found in the libretto of the album: "With Jacques Brel we did not dare to take Frida from him".
The chanson has also been included in various compilations by other artists in honor of Brel, for example by French B. in 1993 in Brel, Québec City , Michel Delpech in 1998 in Ils chantent Brel and Noir Désir in 1998 in Aux suivants . The band sings this chanson several times in concert and it can also be heard on the 2002 album Noir Désir en public .
Also took Florent Pagny 2007 a version for his album Pagny chante Brel on.
Oxmo Puccino , also known as "Black Jack Brel" for this reason, recorded this chanson on the compilation L'Hip-hopée: La Grande Épopée du rap français in 2000 . He sings the lyrics true to the original, but differs from the original in the wording of the dialogue with Frida.
Abd al Malik took up the chanson again in 2006 in his title Les Autres on the album "Gibraltar".
Individual evidence
- ^ Sara Poole: Brel and Chanson. A Critical Appreciation. University Press of America, Lanham 2004, ISBN 0-7618-2919-9 , p. Xvi.
- ↑ Lot 19 “Ces gens-là”. Manuscrit de travail sur la chanson complète, (1965) at Sotheby’s .
- ^ Sylvain Siclier: Succès pour la vente Jacques Brel in Paris . In: Le Monde , October 9, 2008.