Marinette (J'avais l'air d'un c..) by Georges Brassens

This is a light-hearted comic song that people find fun to sing. It is the tale of a hapless youth in love with a beautiful girl, who is out of his class in every way. In comic succession, each approach he uses to win her proves a disaster. The song went into the pop charts in 1975, when Denis Pépin, a pop star of the time, recorded it. His video is at the end of this post.

Georges Brassens - Marinette (
Uploaded by kyssiane. - Explore more music videos.
Marinette

Quand j'ai couru chanter ma p'tite chanson pour Marinette
When I ran round to sing my little song to Marinetta
La belle, la traîtresse était allée à l'Opéra...
My love, the traitress had gone to the Opera
Avec ma p'tit' chanson, j'avais l'air d'un con ma mère,
With just my little song, I looked like a fool,(1) dear mother
Avec ma p'tit' chanson, j'avais l'air d'un con.
With just my little song, I looked like a fool.

Quand j'ai couru porter mon pot d' moutarde à Marinette
When I ran round to take my mustard pot to Marinetta
La belle, la traîtresse avait déjà fini d' dîner...
My love, the traitress had already had her meal.
Avec mon petit pot, j'avais l'air d'un con ma mère,
With just my little pot, I looked like a fool, dear mother
Avec mon petit pot, j'avais l'air d'un con.
With just my little pot, I looked like a fool.

Quand j'offris pour étrennes un' bicyclette à Marinette
When I chose a bicy’cle as my gift to Marinetta
La belle, la traîtresse avait acheté une auto...
My love, the traitress had bought herself a car
Avec mon p'tit vélo, j'avais l'air d'un con ma mère,
With just my little bike, I looked like a fool, dear mother
Avec mon p'tit vélo, j'avais l'air d'un con.
With just my little bike, I looked like a fool.

Quand j'ai couru tout chose(2) au rendez-vous de Marinette
When I ran all uptight for a date with Marinetta
La bell' disait : "J' t'adore" à un sal' typ' qui l'embrassait...
She was say’ng: “I love you” to a vile bloke who held her tight.
Avec mon bouquet d' fleurs, j'avais l'air d'un con ma mère,
With my bouquet of flow’rs, I looked like a fool, dear mother
Avec mon bouquet d' fleurs, j'avais l'air d'un con.
With my bouquet of flow’rs, I looked like a fool.

Quand j'ai couru brûler la p'tit' cervelle à Marinette
When I ran to blast out the tiny brain of Marinetta
La belle était déjà morte d'un rhume mal placé...
She was already dead from a cold gone acute...
Avec mon revolver, j'avais l'air d'un con ma mère,
With my revolver there, I looked like a fool, dear mother
Avec mon revolver, j'avais l'air d'un con.
With my revolver there, I looked like a fool.

Quand j'ai couru, lugubre, à l'enterr'ment de Marinette
When I rushed, lugubrious, to the fun(e)ral of Marinetta
La belle, la traîtresse était déjà ressuscitée...(3)
My love, the traitress was already come back to life
Avec ma p'tit couronn', j'avais l'air d'un con ma mère,
With my little wreath there, I looked like a fool, dear mother
Avec ma p'tit couronn', j'avais l'air d'un con.
With my little wreath there, I looked like a fool.
Georges Brassens
1955 - Chanson pour l'Auvergnat

TRANSLATION NOTES
1) Looked like a fool – Brassens uses the word for the female genitalia, which is commonly used in French for “idiot” - even by respectable people at times. The direct English equivalent has the same meaning, but to me it is more offensive. I had previously chosen the word “twat” in English, having the same meaning, but perhaps less offensive. Uncomfortable with this word in what I see as a family song, I have now made this change.
2) Tout chose – “Être tout chose” is a colloquial expression for to be ill at ease
3) Déjà ressuscitée... In a number of other poems, Brassens talks of the idea of a person living on after death e.g. Trompe-la-Mort – Supplique pour être enterré à la plage de Sète etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following is the recording of the song made in 1975 by Denis Pépin. He was a successful pop star at the end of the 1970s but had a short career. He died in January 2010 aged 61.


Click here to go back to the Index of my Brassens selection