Our ratings/rankings for all songs so far. As you see, four of the album tracks have gone straight into our top ten. On the other hand "Clara" languishes near the bottom. Ne me quitte pas 5 (7) Marieke 4.96 (10) Je ne sais pas 4.92 (6) Le moribond 4.91 (8) =Quand on n’a que l’amour 4.67 (9) =Sur la place (remake) 4.67 (6) On n’oublie rien 4.66 (6) Les Flamandes 4.57 (7) L’ivrogne 4.5 (6) La valse à mille temps 4.44 (8) Sur la place (original) 4.412 (6) Le prochain amour 4.38 (6) La colombe 4.37 (7) Seul 4.32 (7) Les prénoms de Paris 3.92 (6) Je t’aime 3.88 (7) La bourrée du célibataire 3.79 (8) Au printemps 3.76 (7) La tendresse 3.74 (7) La mort 3.73 (7) Dors ma mie 3.7 (7) La dame patronnesse 3.67 (6) Il pleut (Les carreaux) 3.55 (5) Isabelle 3.54 (7) =Il peut pleuvoir 3.5 (5) =J’en appelle 3.5 (7) S’il te faut 3.39 (7) Prière païenne 3.36 (7) Les singes 3.33 (6) L’homme dans le cité 3.27 (8) Litanies pour un retour 3.25 (6) Grand Jacques (C’est trop facile) 3.12 (5) Il y a 3.08 (5) Voici 3.06 (7) Pardons 3.04 (7) Demain l’on se marie (La chanson de fiancés) 3.03 (7) Le fou de roi 3.02 (5) La foire 2.98 (5) C’est comme ça 2.96 (5) La Bastille 2.91 (7) Saint-Pierre 2.87 (7) Il nous faut regarder 2.8 (5) La lumière jaillira 2.79 (6) Le colonel 2.71 (7) La haine 2.7 (5) Heureux 2.58 (6) Vivre debout 2.53 (7) L’air de la bêtise 2.5 (7) Les blés 2.41 (7) Le diable (Ça va) 2.22 (5) Qu’avons-nous fait bonnes gens 2.21 (8) Les pieds dans le ruisseau 2.18 (7) Voir 2.07 (8) Clara 1.92 (6) L’aventure 1.91 (7) Dites, si c’était vrai 1.25 (6)
We now run into another complicated bit of the discography. Brel's next album was a live album, Olympia '61, recorded over three nights at the Olympia Theatre in Paris. The album consisted of fifteen songs including the following six brand new songs: Les bourgeois Les paumés du petit matin La statue Zangra Les biches Madeleine Philips duly released the live album on 12" vinyl- Brel's first 12" album. In March 1962, Brel left Philips for Barclay Records, who would release his records for the rest of his life. For Barclay he recorded studio versions of the six new songs on Olympia '61, among other new material. This material was released on various formats: as EPs, as an eight-song 10" album (Untitled but sometimes referred to as Madeleine) and a twelve-song 12" album (Untitled but sometimes referred to as Les bourgeois). Meanwhile Philips released the 10" album No. 6 (with an almost identical cover to Olympia '61) which consisted all the six new songs from the live album (in those same live versions) and added "Voir" and L'aventure" from years earlier which had not appeared on an album before. This was in direct competition with the Barclay records with the studio versions of the same songs. So tomorrow we'll start discussing the six songs listed above in both their live and studio versions. I will continue my practice of posting the studio version first, then the live version, even though the live versions predate the studio versions.
Some Brel quotes: What do you understand by 'Vivre debout'? "The dignity. Living differently from those who are up for anything, hired for all things. Living with dignity is extremely difficult and exhausting, because the whole society is set on buying and praising and bidding and compromise and transactions. The bosses hold the upper hand. The man who lives standing stands in the way everywhere." In 'Les filles et les chiens', why do you put girls and dogs on the same footing? Because I weigh up in the song that dogs are more loyal than girls. Of course dogs are dumber than girls, let's face it. but just give me a dog as a companion." “In 'les Flamandes', I incorporated personal memories. As a little boy, I often accompanied my father when a Brel died somewhere in West Flanders. After the funeral there was a family gathering, which was belsed with a Bal Musette. That image - the dancing mourners - left an indelible impression on me.... In 1947, I stayed in the Limburg town of Tessenderlo to learn Flemish. There, too, I noticed that Flemish women tended to dress in black. That's all, that's all I have to say in my defence. I just want to repeat that it is not meant to be insulting. " How do you write a song? "That ferments, that blubbers. Sometimes the igniter is a platitude, like 'On n'oublie rien', sometimes I drum a bit on the piano or pluck a tune from the guitar that calls for an accompanying lyric. Or I sit and philosophise about how I want to die. Being more of a countryman than an urbanite, I look for the music low to the ground: a bourree, a sardonne.... For 'Le moribond' I spent a year adding and omitting figurines, like you use santons [hand-painted figurines from Provence] at a Christmas manger."
[QUOTE="Vagabone, post: 33587932, member: 72110" Recorded on the 7th of February 1953 Issued in Belgium in March 1953 by Philips on 78 rpm only, only 250 copies pressed.[/QUOTE] You might remember we discussed the release of the first 78T single. Some discographies state the single wa released in March 1953, while others say the singles wasn't released before March 1955. There's a letter from Brel to "Monsieur J. Claessen" from Radio Hasselt, dated March 28, 1953: "Hereby I would like to thank you emphatically for your comments on the release of my record. I can assure you that it is extremely pleasant for a boy who wants to make a name for himself in chanson to hear some sympathetic words about his work. I am very grateful to you for providing me with this joy. " So, March 1953 it was.
Today's song is Les bourgeois (The Middle Classes) Words by Jacques Brel Music by Jean Corti Arranged by François Rauber Recorded on the 9th March 1962 at the Barclay-Hoche studios, Paris with François Rauber and his orchestra
A Flemish Dutch language version, "De burgerij" was recorded on the 15th February 1965. The translation was by Ernst van Altena The music was by Brel's Italian-born accordionist Jean Corti , born Gian Cortinovis (1929-2015) The lyrics refer to drinking buddies called "Jojo" and "Pierre". Jojo was the nickname of Brel's best friend Georges Pasquier and Pierre was the name of his brother. "Grosse Adrienne de Montalant" is a reference to Adrienne du Mont-à-Leux, proprietor of a popular café in Mouscron, Belgium in the the 1950s.
It was premiered on the live album Enregistrement public à l'Olympia 61 Orchestra of the Olympia, conducted by Daniel Janin. At two pianos : François Rauber and Gérard Jouannest. Accordion : Jean Corti. Recorded 27-29 October 1961 This version is memorable for the rapturous response by the audience, who haven't heard the song before, to the first chorus. The mock-classical part that accompanies the final verse in the later studio version (reminiscent of Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy") isn't quite there yet. This and "Madeleine" are the only two songs that appear on both Olympia '61 and Olympia '64: the two live albums released in Brel's lifetime, just three years apart. This speaks to the fast turnover of songs in Brel's act.
Momus wrote yet another translation for a Brel tribute night at the Barbican centre, London. A rehearsal is on YouTube, where you can't hear the lyrics very well, but fortunately they're printed in the video description.
Le coeur bien au chaud Les yeux dans la bière Chez la grosse Adrienne de Montalant Avec l'ami Jojo Et avec l'ami Pierre On allait boire nos vingt ans Jojo se prenait pour Voltaire Et Pierre pour Casanova Et moi, moi qui étais le plus fier Moi, moi je me prenais pour moi Et quand vers minuit passaient les notaires Qui sortaient de l'hôtel des "Trois Faisans" On leur montrait notre cul et nos bonnes manières En leur chantant: Les bourgeois c'est comme les cochons Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient bête Les bourgeois c'est comme les cochons Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient c... Le coeur bien au chaud Les yeux dans la bière Chez la grosse Adrienne de Montalant Avec l'ami Jojo Et avec l'ami Pierre On allait brûler nos vingt ans Voltaire dansait comme un vicaire Et Casanova n'osait pas Et moi, moi qui restait le plus fier Moi j'étais presque aussi saoul que moi Et quand vers minuit passaient les notaires Qui sortaient de l'hôtel des "Trois Faisans" On leur montrait notre cul et nos bonnes manières En leur chantant: Les bourgeois c'est comme les cochons Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient bête Les bourgeois c'est comme les cochons Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient c... Le coeur au repos Les yeux bien sur terre Au bar de l'hôtel des "Trois Faisans" Avec maître Jojo Et avec maître Pierre Entre notaires on passe le temps Jojo parle de Voltaire Et Pierre de Casanova Et moi, moi, moi qui suis resté le plus fier Moi, moi je parle encore de moi Et c'est en sortant vers minuit Monsieur le Commissaire Que tous les soirs de chez la Montalant De jeunes "peigne-culs" nous montrent nos leur derrière En nous chantant: Les bourgeois c'est comme les cochons Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient bête Disent-ils Monsieur le commissaire Les bourgeois Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient c...
English paraphrase, with thanks to spondres With warm hearts and eyes on the beer At Fat Adrienne of Montalant's With my friend Jojo And my friend Pierre We used to go to drink to our youth Jojo took himself for Voltaire And Pierre, Casanova And I, the proudest one I took myself for me And when, towards midnight, the lawyers passed by Coming out of the "Three Pheasants" hotel We showed them our arses and our good manners While singing to them: The middle classes They're like pigs The older they get, the more they become stupid The middle classes They're like pigs The older they get the more they become... [implied rude word] With warm hearts and eyes on the beer At Fat Adrienne of Montalant's With my friend Jojo And my friend Pierre We used to go to burn through our youth Voltaire danced like a curate Casanova didn't dare And I, still the proudest one I was almost as drunk as me And when, towards midnight, the lawyers passed by Coming out of the "Three Pheasants" hotel We showed them our arses and our good manners While singing to them: The middle classes They're like pigs The older they get, the more they become stupid The middle classes They're like pigs The older they get the more they become... [implied rude word] With hearts at rest, and eyes firmly on the ground At the bar of the "Three Pheasants" hotel With Master* Jojo And Master Pierre Amongst the laywers, we pass the time Jojo talks of Voltaire And Pierre, Casanova And I, still the proudest one I still talk about me And it's when we're leaving, around midnight, chief inspector, That every night at Montalant's Some young yobs show us their hindquarters While singing to us: "The middle classes They're like pigs The older they get, the more they become stupid" That's what they say, chief inspector! "The middle classes They're like pigs The older they get the more they become..." *spondres notes that maître (master) is an honorific for a lawyer. Maître - Wikipedia
Les bourgeois 'Have you seen the little piggies?' Yet 'in the end', we become what we loathed. Rebellious youth (such was my conceit at least) gives way to 'a haze of alcohol soft middle age'. One of the most accessible Singalongabrel numbers, I think, and a barnstormer live. Only minimal articulatory dexterity required. One could probably write several books about the differences between notaire and lawyer or solicitor, and indeed on police ranks in various countries, but I'm sure you get the idea! 5/5
Les bourgeois A great song with which to end one era and inaugurate another. For years now, Brel has been grumbling about his own class, and now he lets those feelings come to the surface and puts them into a big, dumb, crude, rude chant. Before acknowledging at the end that it's only a matter of time before he'll become the very thing he hates (if he isn't already, when he's back home in Belgium with his wife and children). A warm welcome to the writing fold of Jean Corti whose accordion is the star instrument here, as in so many Brel songs. We now have on board all four of the great melodists in the Brel team, along with Brel, Jouannest and Rauber. The vocal melody (both verse and chorus) can be sung in many different ways and still be recognisably the same song. It is indeed a great singalong. It's very daring, I feel, for Brel to speak rather than sing the final chorus, but it works brilliantly for the character he is portraying and then we are rewarded by the big brassy instrumental chorus to finish. Now I miss the spoken chorus if I hear a version that doesn't have it, like Tom Robinson's. As so often, the lyrics of the verses are very similar with slight changes each time. Why didn't I put that on the bingo card? 5/5
According to that French chart site zipp found, this song got to #3 in the French charts https://tubesenfrance.com/annees-60/classements-de-1962/classement-du-4-mars-1962/ and was the thirteenth biggest hit of the year. It got to #12 in Wallonia (French-speaking Belgium). TV:
I posted this earlier: Actually "Les bourgeois" was not included on the original issue of Olympia '64, it was added later to expanded versions from 1988 onwards. Olympia '64 version: Recorded on the 16th or 17th October 1964. Sorry, this video doesn't play in North America.
Les bourgeois c'est comme les cochons Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient bête Les bourgeois c'est comme les cochons Plus ça devient vieux plus ça devient c... J'aime beaucoup cette chanson de Monsieur BREL!!
A brilliant song. Yes, it's funny, which it needs to be, because it speaks one of those truths that are so uncomfortable sad and maddening. Mostly it makes me feel sad today, I don't know; I'm feeling the loss of my youth today for some reason. Oh to be innocent enough to be contemptuous ,pretentious and drunk again. Maybe I'll look back at 70 and think, "oh but you were contemptuous, and pretentious, you idiot." But more likely at 70 I'll just be dead. Luckily I do not drink and have no friends to hypocritize* with. *Yes, I made that word up. 5/5
Les bourgeois The kind of satire / humour I like. Brel must have loved singing this song in front of middle class audiences who sing-a-long and cheer because it is about, eehh, their neighbours. Again, quintessential Brel. (more about the Dutch version later, much more I'm afraid) 5/5
Flemish / Dutch language versions (second batch) – Another can of worms in Brel’s discography The first 4 Flemish / Dutch language versions in 1961 were not exactly a success. So why Brel decided to do it again remains unclear. The timeline of the recordings and releases of these songs also remains a bit of a mystery. Fact : On 6-14 March 1962 the recording sessions are held for the Madeleine (10-inch) / Les Bourgeois (12-inch) albums. Fact : On 23 March 1962 Jacques Brel performs at the Marcanti theater in Amsterdam. Filmed for the Dutch Avro TV show Club Domino and available on the 3-DVD set Comme Quand On Était Beau (2003). According to the liner notes of the DVD it is broadcasted the same day [I have no source to confirm or deny this, it seems doubtful to me]. Biography : On this day or shortly after Brel meets Dutch translator Ernst van Altena for the first time in Hotel Americain in Amsterdam. A week later they meet again in Brussel. Van Altena attends two of Brel’s shows in the Ancienne Belgique. They decide that van Alterna will translate 8 songs into Dutch: Le Plat Pays (Mijn vlakke land) Les Bourgeouis (De burgerij) Rosa Les paumés de petit matin (De nuttelozen van de nacht) Le Moribond (De stervende) (not recorded by Brel) L’ivrogne (De drinker) (not recorded by Brel) Le caporal Casse Pompon (Korporaal Kloot-Kalemof) (not recorded by Brel) Chanson sans paroles (Woordeloos lied) (not recorded by Brel) Assumption : Sometime between March/April 1962 and March 1963 Jacques Brel records the first 4 songs in Dutch listed above. Most sources say March 1962 (which seems impossible given the timeline described above). Other say April 1962 which seems more likely. Apparently all four songs were recorded in one day. As with the 1961 Flemish / Dutch recordings Brel records these singing with a pre-recorded orchestral tape, location unknown (most sources say Paris). He even allows the recording session to be filmed. A video of him recording Mijn Vlakke Land can be found on YouTube. Van Altena is present at the recordings, coaching Brel with the pronunciation. Unlike 1961 there is no registration of “orchestre seul” recordings during the preceding early March sessions. It is more likely that those recordings were done using multi-tracking, and therefore the orchestral track was separate from the vocal track. One of the reasons for Brel to move to Barclay was their more modern studio and studio technicians. This assumption complies with the fact described above that the songs to be translated were chosen áfter those recording sessions. Fact : In March 1963 two singles are released with the four Flemish/Dutch songs, followed by the “Mijn Vlakke Land” EP in May 1963. Only released in Belgium and the Netherlands. If these were indeed recorded in March/April 1962 it is unclear why they were released a full year later. Fact : Two years later, on 16 February 1965 two singles are released in France, containing the same four Flemish / Dutch songs, BUT according to various sources (re-)recorded on 12 February 1965. Assumption : It is unclear why these singles were released in France and why at that time. My guess is they were produced in France but aimed at the Dutch market to promote an upcoming Brel show in the Netherlands (again in the Kurhaus, Scheveningen on 25 March 1965). I don't know if there were shows planned in Belgium around that time too. Assumption : The fact (?) these songs were re-recorded, according to various sources, seems even stranger. Especially as several biographers can’t detect any significant differences between the recordings/releases from 1963 and 1965. Personally, I don’t believe they were re-recorded at all, but I don’t own any of these singles. Fact : Another 2 years later, in January 1967, the “De Burgerij” EP was released in France, again with the same four songs. Why ? Beats me. Most importantly. These songs are a vast improvement on the 1961 Flemish / Dutch songs. Both the translations ánd Brel's pronunciation are much better. De Burgerij 5/5
Les bourgeois The music carries a great sense of location and the orchestra generates excitement in the more explosive passages. Brel's vocal performance is excellent. It doesn't quite rise to top tier for me, but I enjoy it a lot. 4/5
Les bourgeois Devilishly funny at the end. Extremely well thought-out arrangement. And an irresistable chorus. 5/5 For Maître Jojo and Maître Pierre I'd up the stakes somewhat. And I like 'hindquarters' a lot but 'yobs' doesn't seem precious enough. Here's how I would end it all : With hearts at rest, and eyes firmly on the ground at the bar of the "Three Pheasants" hotel With The Honorable Jojo and The Honorable Pierre talking between lawyers, we pass the time. Jojo talks of Voltaire and Pierre of Casanova and I, still the proudest one, I still talk about me. And it's when we're leaving, around midnight, Chief Inspector, that every night at that Montalant's place Some young guttersnipes show us their hindquarters while singing to us …. The middle classes they're like pigs, The older they get, the more they become stupid That's what they say, Chief Inspector, The middles-classes the older they get The more they become stupid c***s.
I'm a bit confused about the dates concerning Les bourgeois as a single. It entered the charts at number 7 on 25th February 1962, but you say the studio version wasn't recorded until the 9th of March 1962. Does this mean that the single on the charts was the live version from the Olympia? And if it wasn't the live version, how could it be the studio version if it hadn't yet been recorded?
In the book De passie en de pijn, from Johan Anthierens (1998), there's a long interview with the "real" Marieke. She met Brel at various stages in her life. When she goes to meet him backstage after a show in Knokke, she's invited to stay with them for dinner. Afterwards he says to her: "Now you're gonna brag in your village that you have dined with Brel?" To which she replied: "I'm not thinking of going out with that. Brel isn't loved in Flanders, and he owes that to his 'Flamandes'. If I go to a record shop for Brel, he has to order this record especially for me". So, maybe those Dutch translations are an attempt to appease the Flemish. Incidentally, Brel performed at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels for at least two weeks each time from 1957 to 1966. He also visited other venues in Wallonia and Flanders. Until 1964, he also performed annually in Knokke for the Coupe d'Europe de tour de chant. Needless to say, he plays much more often in Belgium than in the Netherlands. He has to see his wife and kids at least a few times a year, isn't it.
Not certain " Bourgeois " can be translated by " Middle Class" . Bourgeois were ( because its not used anymore ) usually the top social class in small middle size towns . It certainly not the same meaning as 2024 middle class
