Jacques Brel
Then tomorrow will dawn…
Jacques Brel (French: [ʒak bʁɛl]; 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer-songwriter whose thoughtful and theatrical songs generated a large, devoted following in Belgium, France and throughout the world. Although he recorded most of his songs in French, he became a major influence on English-speaking songwriters and performers such as Rod McKuen, Leonard Cohen and David Bowie.
Quotes
[edit]
We will never bow down…
Adieu, Francoise, my trusted wife;
Without you I'd have had a lonely life.
You cheated lots of times but then,
I forgave you in the end
Though your lover was my friend.Adieu, Francoise, it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky.
Now that spring is in the air
With your lovers ev'rywhere,
Just be careful; I'll be there.- Seasons in the Sun" (1961), as translated by Rod McKuen from Brel's song "Le Moribond" · McKuen performance · Beach Boys performance
Goodbye, Michelle, my little one;
You gave me love and helped me find the sun,
And every time that I was down
You would always come around
And get my feet back on the ground.Goodbye, Michelle, it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky;
Now that the spring is in the air,
With the flowers everywhere,
I wish that we could both be there!- As adapted in the Terry Jacks version (1974)
If Only We Have Love (1957)
[edit]- Translation of Quand on n'a que l'amour
Then we'll only be men
And we'll drink from the Grail
To be born once again…
But the little we are
We'll have conquered all time
All space, the sun, and the stars!
- If we only have love
Then tomorrow will dawn
And the days of our years
Will rise on that morn.- "If We Only Have Love" as translated in the closing scene in the 1968 musical Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1975 film version) · Cover versions by Nana Mouskouri · Johnny Mathis · Olivia Newton John · Amanda McBroom
- If we only have love
We can reach those in pain
We can heal all our wounds
We can use our own names.
- If we only have love
We can melt all the guns
And then give the new world
To our daughters and sons.If we only have love
Then Jerusalem stands
And then death has no shadow
There are no foreign lands.
- If we only have love
We will never bow down
We'll be tall as the pines
Neither heroes nor clowns.
If we only have love
Then we'll only be men
And we'll drink from the Grail
To be born once again;
Then with nothing at all
But the little we are
We'll have conquered all time
All space, the sun, and the stars!
Quotes about Brel
[edit]- As friends and as musical collaborators we had traveled, toured and written — together and apart — the events of our lives as if they were songs, and I guess they were. When news of Jacques’ death came I stayed locked in my bedroom and drank for a week. That kind of self pity was something he wouldn’t have approved of, but all I could do was replay our songs (our children) and ruminate over our unfinished life together.
- Rod McKuen, in liner notes for Greatest Hits - Without a Worry in the World (August 1992)
