Jacques Brel
Jacques Romain Georges Brel (French: [ʒɑk ʁɔmɛ̃ ʒɔʁʒ bʁɛl], listen (help·info); 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed theatrical songs. He generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, but later throughout the world. He is considered a master of the modern chanson.
Although he recorded most of his songs in French and occasionally in Dutch, he became an influence on English-speaking songwriters and performers, such as Scott Walker, David Bowie, Alex Harvey, Marc Almond, Neil Hannon, and Rod McKuen. English translations of his songs were recorded by many performers, including Bowie, Walker, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, John Denver, The Kingston Trio, Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, James Dean Bradfield, Frank Sinatra, and Andy Williams.
Brel was a successful actor, appearing in 10 films. He directed two films, one of which, Le Far West, was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1973. Having sold over 25 million records worldwide, Brel is the third-best-selling Belgian recording artist of all time. Brel married Thérèse "Miche" Michielsen in 1950, and the couple had three children. He also had a romantic relationship with actress and dancer Maddly Bamy from 1972 until his death in 1978.Les Flamandes
Song by Jacques Brel
LyricsArtistsListen
Les Flamandes dansent sans rien dire
Sans rien dire aux dimanches sonnants
Les Flamandes dansent sans rien dire
Les Flamandes ça n'est pas causant
Si elles dansent c'est parce qu'elles ont 20 ans
Et qu'à 20 ans il faut se fiancer
Se fiancer pour pouvoir se marier
Et se marier pour avoir des enfants
C'est ce que leur ont dit leurs parents
Le bedeau et même Son Éminence
L'Archiprêtre qui prêche au couvent
Et c'est pour ça, et c'est pour ça qu'elles dansent
Les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Fla, les Fla, les Flamandes
Les Flamandes dansent sans frémir
Sans frémir aux dimanches sonnants
Les Flamandes dansent sans frémir
Les Flamandes ça n'est pas frémissant
Si elles dansent c'est parce qu'elles ont 30 ans
Et qu'à 30 ans il est bon de montrer
Que tout va bien, que poussent les enfants
Et le houblon et le blé dans le pré
Elles font la fierté de leurs parents
Et du bedeau et de Son Éminence
L'Archiprêtre qui prêche au couvent
Et c'est pour ça, et c'est pour ça qu'elles dansent
Les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Fla, les Fla, les Flamandes
Les Flamandes dansent sans sourire
Sans sourire aux dimanches sonnants
Les Flamandes dansent sans sourire
Les Flamandes ça n'est pas souriant
Si elles dansent c'est qu'elles ont 70 ans
Qu'à 70 ans il est bon de montrer
Que tout va bien, que poussent les petits-enfants
Et le houblon et le blé dans le pré
Toutes vêtues de noir comme leurs parents
Comme le bedeau et comme Son Éminence
L'Archiprêtre qui radote au couvent
Elles héritent et c'est pour ça qu'elles dansent
Les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Fla, les Fla, les Flamandes
Les Flamandes dansent sans mollir
Sans mollir aux dimanches sonnants
Les Flamandes dansent sans mollir
Les Flamandes ça n'est pas mollissant
Si elles dansent c'est parce qu'elles ont 100 ans
Et qu'à 100 ans il est bon de montrer
Que tout va bien, qu'on a toujours bon pied
Et bon houblon et bon blé dans le pré
Elles s'en vont retrouver leurs parents
Et le bedeau et même Son Éminence
L'Archiprêtre qui repose au couvent
Et c'est pour ça qu'une dernière fois elles dansent
Les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Fla, les Fla, les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Fla, les Fla, les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Les Fla, les Fla, les Flamandes
Les Flamandes
Song by Jacques Brel
Lyrics
The Flemish dance without saying anything
Without saying anything to ringing Sundays
The Flemish dance without saying anything
The Flemish are not causing
If they dance it's because they are 20 years old
And that at 20 you have to get engaged
Get engaged so you can get married
And marry to have children
That's what their parents told them
The beadle and even His Eminence
The Archpriest who preaches in the convent
And that's why, and that's why they dance
The Flemings
The Flemings
The Fla, the Fla, the Flemish
The Flemish dance without shuddering
Without shuddering on ringing Sundays
The Flemish dance without shuddering
The Flemish are not quivering
If they dance it's because they are 30 years old
And that at 30 it's good to show
That everything is fine, that push the children
And hops and wheat in the meadow
They make their parents proud
And of the beadle and of His Eminence
The Archpriest who preaches in the convent
And that's why, and that's why they dance
The Flemings
The Flemings
The Fla, the Fla, the Flemish
The Flemings dance without smiling
Without smiling on ringing Sundays
The Flemings dance without smiling
The Flemish are not smiling
If they dance it means they are 70 years old
That at 70 it's good to show
That everything is fine, that the grandchildren grow
And hops and wheat in the meadow
All dressed in black like their parents
Like the beadle and like His Eminence
The Archpriest who drools in the convent
They inherit and that's why they dance
The Flemings
The Flemings
The Fla, the Fla, the Flemish
The Flemings dance relentlessly
Without softening on ringing Sundays
The Flemings dance relentlessly
The Flemish are not softening
If they dance it's because they are 100 years old
And that at 100 it's good to show
That everything is fine, that we are always on the right foot
And good hops and good wheat in the meadow
They are going to find their parents
And the beadle and even His Eminence
The Archpriest who rests in the convent
And that's why one last time they dance
The Flemings
The Flemings
The Fla, the Fla, the Flemish
The Flemings
The Flemings
The Fla, the Fla, the Flemish
The Flemings
The Flemings
The Fla, the Fla, the Flemish
