Jacques Brel - who's with me?

[CatWranglersAnonymous]

Most random AIBU in the world, but am I being U to be a little bit in love with Jacques Brel?? Well I don't think I am , so I guess it's a question of who's with me?

I read this morning that they're putting up a statue of him in Brussels this year, which made me remember my year abroad all over again and falling in love with (old) French music!

For anyone who doesn't know, he's a long-dead Belgian singer with huge teeth who gave amazing live performances (like this, live or this.

Then, when he'd had enough of performing, he dabbled in acting then bought a boat and plane and sailed to French Polynesia 😍

Interested to hear whether I'm going to be told IABU (or, just perhaps, IANBU).

I'm on the fence, to be honest. Brings back nostalgic memories of revising for A-level French, but on the other hand, he was never my type!

You are most definitely NOT unreasoanble! 'Ne me quitter pas' and Poort Amsterdam give me chills, the man had the sexist voice ever. I have a thing for the Belgian accent in Dutch - I live in Holland and my Dutch friends and husband all think I'm insane for that but Jacque Brel's songs in Flemish prove them ALL WRONG.

I'd have gone off with him on that boat...oh yes, me and Jacques en route to Tahiti...him singing to me...sigh

Ha! Very random thread but totally with you...

You are definitely not BU, Jacques Brel is lovely, I always swoon over him

Scott Walker's inspiration. Love them both.

Fabulous singer. Adore him!

YANBU at all. The passion in his singing is incredible, his songs are brilliant. I'm a big Scott Walker fan too.

I hope this thread inspires others to become keen on Jacques!

Song for old lovers - beautiful

I discovered him in the late 80's / early 90's when I was studying in France. Absolutely love his music and his voice.

Weirdly, I had seen the film "Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris" (think that's what it's called) when I was a child, had always remembered it, but had no idea whose music it was or really any of the detail of it. Somehow when my French friends introduced his music to me I tied the two things up (can't remember how now) & it all made sense!

Particularly love "Les Bonbons" and "Les Bourgeois" but all of them make me smile.

I would

I'm a huge fan of his music. But he abandoned his wife and kids, had loads of affairs so a bit of a shit really

I came on this thread hoping to see a link to Ne Me quitte pas!

Bowie.

Have you come across

Especially this.

YANBU OP I love his voice too!

Glad you all share the love :)

Ooh yes Dawn Georges Moustaki's brilliant - Le Métèque always makes me cry.

cuir I read a biography of him by Olivier Todd, and he mentioned how he left his wife and daughters to go to Paris :( apparently, they initially moved to Paris with him, but then went back to Brussels. And it appears that his wife gave him her blessing to leave them too!

In this respect, I think he behaved quite badly towards his family, but I also have a feeling that he just didn't grow up really and wasn't really ready to take on the role of being a husband and father. I think he saw himself as a bit of a free spirit.

It is very sad, though - his eldest daughter told him when she was older that she didn't feel he'd been a good father. They fell out over it, and he apparently didn't go to her wedding because of it :(

Just bumping so more people can share the love

Ne me quittes pas v. Nina Simone. The sound of desperate women who are abasing themselves for love. "I'll be the shadow of your shadow, the shadow of your dog ....." Brilliant, true, sad.

Sorry Ne me quitte pas. Youtube has Simone and Piaf and Brel versions.

Although written originally in English, I always feel the English/American version of Ne me quits pas sounds weak. Although I do like other Rod McKeun stuff.

Dawn I agree about Rod McKuen's 'translation' of it - Brel's song is much more forceful and desperate. The English version seems a bit sappy in comparison

I wonder if it's about delivery? Brel is so passionate and intense in live versions of Ne me quitte pas, which has helped, I think, in making the song so well-known.

I see autocorrect has fiddled with my french!

You might like Barb Jungr's translations and interpretations...