'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': An Introduction to the Music of Georges Brassens

Author(s): Simon P. Keefe

Source: Tempo , Apr., 2000, New Series, No. 212, French Music Issue (Apr., 2000), pp. 38-
45
Published by: Cambridge University Press

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/946615

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 Simon P. Keefe
'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an
introduction to the music of Georges Brassens
The singer-songwriter Georges Brassens (1921-
81) is one of the most critically lauded and com-
mercially successful French musicians of all time.
The author and composer of text and music for
around 150 songs,' with LP sales of over 20 mil-
lion, Brassens is perhaps the most widely dis-
seminated French 'popular' musician of the
post-war era, particularly in French-speaking
countries. Regarded by many as a cultural and
musical icon, he is seen as a standard bearer
for liberal French values, and - transcending
standard distinctions between 'popular' and
'serious' styles - as a pivotal figure in the history
of French music, credited with 'revitaliz[ing] the
French post-war song' by 'accomplishing the
synthesis of popular song and true poetry'.2
Brassens's brilliantly evocative and finely
nuanced poetic texts account in large part for
the immense popularity of his songs.3 His poetry,
which won the prestigious Grand Prix de poesie
from the French Academy (Academiefran(aise) in
1966, is routinely studied in literature courses at
French universities and has an extremely broad
readership, appealing to men and women of all
ages and social classes. In an interview from 1973,
Brassens explained with reference to the text of
his song Le Testament:
there is ... something for almost all tastes. Even those
with an average, even non-existent education can find
' In about 16 of his songs Brassens sets texts by eminent poets
such as Victor Hugo, Francis Jammes and Francois Villon.
' Benhamou, Paul. 'Interview avec Georges Brassens', The
French Review 46/6 (1973), p.1129. 'II a en effect revitalise la
chanson francaise de l'apres-guerre en accomplissant la syn-
these de la chanson populaire et de la poesie vraie'.
3 Detailed studies of the text include Wierichs, Peter. Die
Lyrik Georges Brassens (Ph.D. thesis, Westfalischen Wilhelms-
Universitat); Hantrais, Linda. Le vocabulaire de Georges Brassens
(Paris: Klincksieck, 1976), 2 vols.; Cantaloube-Ferrieu,
Lucienne. 'Du Cimeti&re marin a la Supplique pour etre enterre
a la plage de Sete', Litteratures 9 (1984), pp.257-67; Bonnafe,
Lucien. Georges Brassens: vol. 1 (Paris: Seghers, 1988); Rioux,
Lucien. Georges Brassens: vol.2 (Paris: Seghers, 1988); Calvet,
Louis-Jean. 'Approche semiologique de quelques chansons
de Georges Brassens', Etudes Litteraires 27/3 (1984), pp.17-
27; Delbart, Anne-Rosine. 'Ainsi que des bossus tous deux nous
rigolames: La passe simple dans les chansons de Georges
Brassens', Revue de Linquistique Romane 60 (1996), pp.485-512.
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something there which satisfies them. And those who
are harder to please, with a little more education, can
also find something to satisfy them.4
Brassens continued in more general terms:
A piece must be simple enough to satisfy the shallow,
and at the same time sophisticated and good enough
to please the rest. I must please at the outset and I must
please for the long term. So, at the outset I can please
those who listen to me with a superficial ear, thanks
to two or three simple words, and for the long term I
must offer something more difficult; but this more
difficult element must not prevent the easy element
from being immediately audible to the others.'
Composers and critics have also drawn attention
to the universal appeal of Brassens's poetry. For
Linda Hantrais, Brassens's importance to French
literature resides in his ability to express universal
attitudes and sentiments in lively, comprehensible
language."Georges Moustaki, another eminent
singer-songwriter, explains that 'with an
extremely sophisticated vocabulary he [Brassens]
succeeded in being understandable to everyone'.7
Paul Benhamou identifies Brassens as 'a poet, one
of those, extremely rare today, who touch the
worker's at Renault factories as well as members
of the French Academy'." Lucien Rioux even
4 Benhamou, op.cit., p.1136. 'il y a dans ces trucs quelque
chose pour presque tous les gofts. Meme ceux qui sont d'une
culture moyene, meme inexistante, peuvent y trouver
quelque chose qui les satisfasse. Et ceux qui sont plus difficiles,
d'une culture un peu plus elev&e, peuvent aussi y trouver de
quoi se satisfaire'.
5 Benhamou, op.cit., p.1136. 'Il faut qu'un truc soit assez sim-
ple pour satisfaire les superficiels et en meme temps assez
recherche et valable pour contenter les autres. II faut que je
plaise du premier coup et il faut que je plaise dans la duree.
Alors du premier coup je peux plaire i ceux qui m'ecoutent
d'une oreille superficielle grace a deux ou trois mots faciles,
et dans la duree il faut que j'aie quelque chose de plus difficile;
mais il faut que ce quelque chose de plus difficile n'empeche
pas la chose facile d'etre immediatement audible aux autres'.
6 Quoted in Berruer, Pierre. Georges Brassens: La marguerite et
le chrysantheme (Paris: Presses de la cite, 1981), p.189.
'Calvet, Louis-Jean. Georges Brassens (Paris: tditions Payot,
1993) p.233. 'Avec un vocabulaire extremement sophistique
il a reussi a etre comprehensible par tous'.
8 Benhamou, op.cit., p.1129. 'un poete, un de ceux, raris-
simes aujourd'hui, qui touchent egalement les ouvriers des
usines Renault et les membres de l'Academie francaise'.
 'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an introduction to the music of Georges Brassens 39

likens him to the popularist poet, dramatist and

prose writer Victor Hugo:
I can imagine that, a century ago, Old Hugo must
have captured popular enthusiasm in a similar way. In
terms of simple pictures, the big moustache of this
good-humoured bloke [Brassens] has replaced the
bushy beard of our ancestor. Brassens has become our
Victor Hugo.

Despite their elevated status in French music

and culture, however, Brassens's songs have yet
to make a critical or commercial impact in
English-speaking countries.'" First and foremost,
the sophisticated imagery and allusions in
Brassens's poetry - profoundly French in style and
content - are lost on all but the most proficient
French speakers, and are extremely difficult to
represent faithfully in a foreign language. As
Louis-Jean Calvet has pointed out, Brassens's songs
need to be adapted considerably in translation,
since literal translation can never adequately Georges Brassens (photo courtesey of Alain Espalieu)

reproduce his poetic inflections and sonorities." In

any event, the process of adaptation itself is Characteristic features of Brassens's idiosyn-
fraught with difficulties. (Andrew Kelly, for cratic poetic style also help to explain his lack of
example, made a brave attempt for the LP popularity in English-speaking countries. While
'Graeme Allwright sings Brassens' [Philips, 824 the most common themes in his texts are
005-1, 1985], but did not successfully avoid universal - love, death, friendship and God -
moments of rushed text and unpoetic language.) the tone of the poetry is often consciously archaic,
For his part, Brassens, though averse to singing a further impediment to appreciating it as a non-
in other languages ('It [French] is the foreign native French speaker. As Brassens explained to
language that I know best. And it is already Andre Seve, he preferred words with antiquated
difficult enough' 2), nonetheless approved of connotations such as bougie (wax-candle), chandelle
Philips producer Gerard Davoust's eventually (tallow candle) and reverbere (street lamp) to their
aborted idea of translating his songs into English modern equivalents, in this case lampe (lamp),
and performing them for English-speaking and refused to include modern commodities
audiences. such as computers, motor boats, electric lights
and cars in his texts.4 It is almost as if Brassens is
ill at ease,
" Rioux, Lucien. 20 ans de Chansons et France (Paris: Arthaud, one critic has noticed, in 20th-century
1966), pp.237-38. 'J'imagine assez que le Pere Hugo life.'
devait Although he believed that young French
avoir, il y a un siecle, conquis la ferveur populairelisteners
d'une were as comfortable with his vocabulary
maniere semblable. Dans l'imagerie d'Epinal, la grosse mous-
as members of his own generation," his reluctance
tache du bonhomme a remplace la barbe fleurie de l'ancetre.
Brassens est devenu notre Victor Hugo'. to engage with contemporary and fashionable
issues and concepts may act as a further deterrent
'" Entries on Brassens are conspicuous by their absence in the
toSadie
New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley the already disadvantaged non-native French
speaker.
(London: Macmillan, 1980), The Harvard Biographical Dictionary
of Music, ed. Don Michael Randel (Cambridge: Harvard
Brassens's modest and unflamboyant perform-
University Press, 1996) and especially the six-volume
ing style was equally unlikely to endear him to a
Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, ed. Colin Larkin (New
foreigna musical public not fully cognizant of the
York: Stockton Press, 1993). Peter Gammond includes
short entry for Brassens in his Oxford Companion to linguistic
Popular subtleties of his texts.7 Whereas the
Music (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991). The
recent South Bank Show documentary 'Hear my Chanson'
(Independent Television [U.K.], 13 October 1996) made 14 Seve,no
Andre. Andre Seve interroge Brassens: 'Toute une vie pour
la chanson. (Paris: Centurion, 1975), p.68.
mention of Brassens, focussing instead on Edith Piaf, Juliette
Greco, Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour. 5 Rioux, 20 ans, p.240.
"Calvet, Georges Brassens, pp.280-85. 16 Seve, op.cit., p.68.

12 Quoted in Berruer, op.cit., p.197. 'C'est la langue etrangere

For a complete list of Brassens's performances in Paris, see
Brial, Jean-Michel. Georges Brassens (Paris: Editions PAC,
que je comprends le mieux. Et c'est deja assez difficile'.
1 Calvet, Georges Brassens, pp.239-40. 1985), pp.235-36.

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 40 'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an introduction to the music of Georges Brassens

singer-songwriter Jacques Brel (1929-78), with both sophistication and simplicity, so his
Brassens's great French-speaking contemporary, music combines popular accessibility with
performed with a dynamic passion that was usually expert organization. Brassens, as we shall see, has
intensified by a large accompanying orchestra, an uncanny knack for injecting his popular
Brassens played his guitar and sang his songs musical idiom with cultivated erudition.
with great calmness and simplicity, gently
accompanied by a solitary double bass player. The Music of Brassens
While Brel directly engaged the audience with Brassens was eager to stress the importance of
total emotional commitment and exhibitionism the music in his songs. He much preferred to be
-ostentatious actions, gestures and facial expres- identified as a songwriter (un auteur de chansons)
sions - Brassens eschewed all gimmicks and than as a poet,2 no doubt because his reputation
effects, relying exclusively on text and music to as a poet was entirely independent of his facility
open and sustain a line of communication with as a composer. Perturbed by the suggestion that
the audience. In fact, Brassens admitted to being his songs could be admired without taking the
'very ill at ease' (tres gene) on the Parisian stagemusic
in into account, he explained forcefully to
the early 1950s.'" He nonetheless created his own Andre Seve: '... but to say: "the true music of
self-consciously simple style of performance, Brassens is the words", that's wrong! There is
which came to be greatly admired and imitated something in my music that sticks to the words,
in France." In countries such as Great Britain that gives them charm. Try singing Le Gorille
and America, however, the extroverted Brel has [one of his earliest and most famous songs] to
enjoyed far more success than the introverted different music!'22 He believed that that his
Brassens.2 music made his texts more accessible to the

While non-native French speakers may find it public,2 and also argued that 'we come to a song
difficult to glean even the general meanings of through the music' (on vient a une chanson par la
Brassens's texts from performances bereft of musique),2 thus implying that his own music had
emotionally-charged actions and gestures, they a more immediate effect on the listener than his texts.

will at least find his music readily accessible, Brassens's accounts of his compositional
regardless of their linguistic ability. In contrast to process show the considerable care he took over
the detailed and meticulous treatment French the musical side of his work. Although he
scholars have given to Brassens's poetry, admitted
how- to writing every song in a slightly
ever, they have paid little attention to his different
music way, he usually started by writing the
text, next finding a rhythm (or rhythms) that fit
per se; it has proved all too tempting to overlook
the of
the musical attributes of his songs in favour words, and then composing the music.' He
often set the same text as many as four times,
the literary and cultural significance of his poetry.
In fact, Brassens was a supremely gifted andmeticulously
pro- assessing the relative merits of each
foundly thoughtful musician, irrespective setting
of his until one stood out. Sometimes he asked
talent as a poet. In order to demonstrate hishisfriends to help choose the best one (for
compositional acumen and to begin to redressexample, with Les Copains d'Abord), especially
the critical imbalance in Brassens scholarship,
when he had deliberated for an extended period."
this article provides a brief introduction toNeither
his Brassens nor his critics have discussed in
music and examines its aesthetic and stylistic
detail the relationship between his music and
features in more detail. While not permitting a of other popular styles. In fact, it seems
themusic
comprehensive consideration of every aspect that of
he either resisted or was relatively ignorant
of modern
his style, the present investigation will focus on Anglo-American and French trends.
He did
salient harmonic, thematic and tonal features ofnot care much for the electronic revolu-
his music. These features demonstrate that, tion,
justrock music, or the so-called ye ye singers
as Brassens's poetic texts appeal to connoisseurs
and uninitiated listeners alike, infused as they are
Seve, op.cit., p.87.
2 Sve, op.cit., p.30. '... mais dire: "La vraie musique de
18 Seve, op.cit., p.41. Brassens ce sont les paroles," c'est faux! Il y a dans mes
" Calvet, Georges Brassens, p.153.
musiques quelque chose qui colle aux paroles, qui leur donne
du charme. Essaie de chanter le Gorille sur une autre musique!'
20 Brel's commercial success in the United States began with
Benhamou, op.cit., p.1132.
his album American Debut (1957). He twice filled Carnegie
Hall for solo performances. A musical featuring his songs,
" Sve, op.cit., p.22.
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, co-written by
25 Benhamou, op.cit., p.1131; Seve, op.cit., pp.35-36.
Mort Shuman and Eric Blau, enjoyed a successful, three-year
run on Broadway. 2 Seve, op.cit., pp.35-36.

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 'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an introduction to the music of Georges Brassens 41
(French musicians influenced by Elvis Presley).27
Nor in 1969 did he seem fully aware of the
Beatles phenomenon sweeping the world.2"
Brassens did admire jazz, however, especially its
rhythmic energy, and claimed to have been
influenced by the free, declamatory style of jazz
singing.2'
Example 1: from 'Une Jolie Fleur'
[BEGINNING]
s$ i j i @ A
"] F f f J rv
IV V VI V17 117
x y
[END]
-+'#j j J '; J j i -j - j j j I l - i -
: se,
_, a _'f^f
j ii. .
nr jr U r C r J v J I - I
V17 117
While Brassens's music might not be truly
cosmopolitan, its sophistication is acknowledged -
if not systematically explained - by the French
cognescenti. The singer-songwriters Georges
Moustaki and Maxime Leforestier, for example,
both hold his music in high esteem, Leforestier
ranking it above that of Charles Trenet, the
father-figure of 20th-century French song.
There is unanimous agreement, Leforestier
declares, that Brassens's melodies are master-
pieces and his harmonies very sophisticated (tres
recherche) .'"
1. Harmony and Theme"
Outwardly, the forms of Brassens's songs are
straightforward: they are strophic and usually
framed by a short instrumental introduction and
27 Berruer, op.cit., p.118.
2S Calvet, Georges Brassens, p.204.
29 Seve, op.cit., p.78; Calvet, Georges Brassens, p.255.
30 Calvet, Georges Brassens, p.233.
"The scores of Brassens's songs are published in Brassens,
poemes et chansons (Paris: Editions Musicales 57, 1989). 42 of
the most famous are also included in the Brassens volume of
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brief coda. Beneath the simple formal exterior,
however, lies a creative, sophisticated interior,
characterized by clever inter-sectional integration
of material.
The introductory bars of guitar music frequent-
ly heard in his songs often play an important
form-defining role, transcending their practical
V7 I
r F ^ -T T F r
V7 I IV V7 I
I i I
y x
form-defining role, transcending their practical
function of establishing the song's tonality and
principal melodic line. In UneJoliefleur (1954),
Tempete dans un Benitier (1976) and Histoire de
Faussaire (1976), the introductory harmonies are
reorganized in the concluding bars to create
harmonic circularity between the beginning and
the end of the song. UneJolie Fleur begins with
subdominant harmony, G, confirming the tonic
D at the beginning of the first stanza, with a
IV-V-VI-VI7-II7-V7-I progression in minims
(see Example 1).32 The last four chords of this
progression (a circle of fifths) return at the end
of each stanza (it is standard practice for Brassens
to conclude a stanza with an harmonic progres-
Wise Publications's 'Legends of French Song' series (London:
Wise, 1995). Given the wide availability of this volume, I
have not included musical examples for every song discussed.
My analyses rely on the songs as they appear in the scores; the
scores, in turn, are based on recorded versions. Of course,
Brassens may not have adhered strictly to the published versions
of each song in his numerous performances on the Parisian
stage and on tour.
32 The third minim chord is notated as a B6/4 in the 'Legends
of French Song' edition but performed by Brassens on the LP
Les Sabots d'Helene (Polydor 530033) as a root position chord.
42 'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an introduction to the music of Georges Brassens

sion from the introduction), with an addition in harmonic progression. The guitar's melody in
the final refrain, where they are followed by a the introduction, however, migrates from its
IV-V-I progression, minims reappearing in the initially prominent position to the bottom of
accompaniment for the first time since the intro- the texture for the verse, where it is played (in
duction. Brassens cleverly invokes (and reorders) simplified form) by the double bass. While this
at the end of the song, therefore, the rhythmic change creates another strong musical link
and harmonic components of the introductory between the two sections, it also enables the
progression. A similar reorganization takes place voice to sing an ostensibly 'new' theme, one
at the end of Tempete dans un Benitier. The first half quite different from the simple, 'yearning' melody
of the song is in the key of E - the introduction of the guitar introduction (an ascent from A to
comprises a Bk dim.-vi/II-II/II-V7/II-II7-V-V7-I C in semitones). Despite their common material,
progression - and the second half in B . At the therefore, Brassens's two, equal-lengthened
end of stanzas 1 and 2, Brassens brings back the sections remain affectively distinct.
complete introductory progression, preceded by In other songs, such as Brave Margot (1952),Je
a B67-E6 cadence; at the end of the final stanza, me suisfait tout petit (1955) and La Cane dejeanne
however, he omits the second of the perfect (1953), Brassens brings back an harmonic pro-
cadences in Eb and retains the first, essentially gression from the introduction in later sections,
reordering the introductory progression. Histoire but combines simple repetition with subtle
de Faussaire, like Une Jolie Fleur, begins with harmonic alteration. In Brave Margot the progres-
subdominant harmony (first G, then g). In the sion I-VI7-ii-V7-I from the first five bars returns
final two bars of the song, both the subdominant twice in the verse" and once in the refrain
and the major/minor alternation reappear in a (always with a different melodic line above it).
I-IV-ii-I progression. On each occasion the progression is modified:
Example 2: from 'Dans I'Eau de la Claire Fontaine'

'INTRODUCTION'
x

14*gI~~~~~~~
- IAr J - j
l?. p ]j 1:ilg]$; P ^
[VERSE]

F I I i i i ti .I j. h . |J.

^^tDJ. j. Y .j
I

Dans l'Eau de la Claire Fontaine (1962) temporally expanded or contracted; placed

includes one of the most straightforward, yet phrase divisions; or modally adjusted on a
across
most effective, transferences of harmonicchord-by-chord
and basis. InJe me suis fait tout petit,
thematic material from one section to another; four-bar harmonic patterns, beginning on and
in this case, the instrumental introduction and returning to the tonic, B minor, are ominpresent.
the verse share a number of musical features but While the basic patterns change from section to
retain their own individual characters (see section- i-II7-V7-i-V7/IIIIIIII-V-i in the intro-
Example 2). Each of the six verses are the same
33 The final tonic chord of the first presentation elides with
length as the introduction and based on the same
the initial tonic chord of the chord.

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 'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an introduction to the music of Georges Brassens 43

duction and refrain and I-iv-ii6/5-V7-i in the

spite of the harmonic and modal change from
verse - and subtly varied within each section
verse 2 to verse 3 (A-c#) the periodic nature o
(III-VI7 substituting for V7-/III-III in the intro-
the earlier harmonic pattern is retained.
duction/refrain and V7-VI7-V7 replacing Even songs without instrumental introductions,
ii6/5-V7 in the verse), the periodic nature ofsuch as Aupres de mon arbre (1955), and songs i
tonic return remains constant. Thus, Brassenswhich the introduction is merely an affirmatio
of the tonic, such as Les Trompettes de la
integrates a readily perceptible scheme of repe-
tition into intricate harmonic alterations. In La Renommee (1962), restate simple harmonic material
Cane de Jeanne a simple, two-bar repeating pat-
in a quite sophisticated way. Aupres de mon arbre
(see Example 3), which features a verse in D and
tern (I-vi7-ii-V7) pervades the introduction and
verses 1, 2, 4 and 5. Verse 3, in C# minor rather
a refrain in A, begins its verse with two con-
than A major, rejects the prevailing harmonic
secutive statements of the harmonic progression
I-VI7-II7-V7. This progression returns twice in
progression, but, like the other verses, continues
to preserve harmonic circularity by returning the refrain (II7 is replaced by ii). First, it appears
methodically to the tonic every two bars.immediately
In before the second statement of
Example 3: from 'Aupres de mon Arbre'

[VERSE]
x

' J4 J Ij d IAC4 LJ I I
A^

j $"' j la P
q: ## t t r t t I I~ J J
V17 117 V7

[REFRAIN]
x
I

I V17 ii V7 I

[VERSE]

-~~ 4 J I

L. r j a j t t f r t
(t J 4 t I? I

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44 'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an introduction to the music of Georges Brassens

'Aupres de mon arbre,' which is in turn related cadence in the tonic (the return to the beginning
thematically (but not harmonically) to the of the verse). Two potential V-i progressions are
beginning of the verse, so that both the har- side-stepped, first by an interrupted cadence and
monic and thematic material of the opening are then, at the end of the coda, by stepwise ascend-
invoked, but now staggered. Second, he brings ing chords (C# 7-D-E-F# ); the tierce de picardie on
the refrain to a close with a I-VI7-ii-V7-I pro- the final chord is itself a reminder of the infil-
gression, accentuating the harmonic circularity of tration of the major mode into the song. The
the song by concluding each refrain and begin- relative major also permeates Cupidon s'en fout
ning each subsequent verse with the same har- (1976). Each section of this A-minor song -
monic progression (albeit in different keys). In introduction, verse and coda - inflects to C major
Les Trompettes de la Renommee distinctive har- on at least one occasion. Le Pornographe (1958),
monies, rather than harmonic progressions per se, also in A minor, accentuates the relative major in
recur from verse to refrain. In this case the two a slightly different way from La Marche and
sections are, outwardly, quite dissimilar: the verseCupidon: twice in the verse, C major harmony is
is harmonically rich, featuring diminished andplaced in a striking position, that is, immediately
neapolitan harmonies and a series of sequential after V/a harmony.
modulations, while the refrain is more straight- Brassens also integrates modal nuances into
forward, harmonizing only three degrees of the several of his most lyrical and outwardly uncom-
scale (i, III and v). Brassens chooses his chordsplicated songs. Les Passantes (1972), for example,
for the refrain very carefully, however, so as to avoids V-i progressions in the tonic, A minor,
integrate, rather than separate, the two sectionsaltogether, moving instead from V to I, or
of this song: E minor (E7 is also used), C majorcadencing V-VI or i-VVII-i. In addition, Brassens
and A minor are the three keys through which introduces a disproportionate number of V-I pro-
the verse's sequence modulates. gressions in major keys: one in C (relative major);
In general, therefore, Brassens's harmonic andtwo in D (IV); and one in F (VI). As in La Marche
thematic treatment - combining straightforwardNuptiale, the tierce de picardie ending underscores
repetition and sophisticated manipulation of simplethe prominence of the major mode in the song
harmonies in equal measure - offers somethingas a whole. In a similar vein to Les Passantes, Dans
for the uninitiated listener and the analyst alike,L'Eau de la Claire Fontaine demonstrates subtle
in the composer's words, 'pleas[ing] at the out-modal fluctuation. Although the song begins and
set and for the long term'. Sufficiently variedends in D major, and cadences in D between
across his corpus of works as a whole, his com-verses, it includes three V-i progressions in the
positional treatment of material also caters for relative
a minor (B).
wide range of musical tastes. Those attracted to Brassens's major-minor oscillations sometimes
catchy, diatonic songs, for example, will find aplay a more pronounced structural role than in
number - including the early songs J'ai Rendez-the songs discussed above. Les Croquants (1955),
Vous Avec Vous (1952), La Mauvaise Reputation Les Sabots d'Helene (1954), and La Femme d'Hector
(1952), Le Gorille (1952) and Le Petit Cheval (1953)(1958), for example, feature entire sections in
dominated by tonic, subdominant, dominantdifferent modes. The first half of each verse of
and submediant harmonies - appealing. OthersLes Sabots is in D major and the second in B
can turn to more harmonically and melodicallyminor (modulating back to D at the end); and
'colourful' songs such as Les Trompettes de lathe verses of La Femme d'Hector and Les Croquants,
Renomme, Au Bois de mon Coeur (1958), Le Fantdmein D major and D minor respectively, are followed
(1966) and Les Copains d'Abord (1965). by refrains in B minor and D major. The struc-
tural alternation of minor and major keys in Les
2. Tonality Croquants is especially subtle, since it is mirrored
The tonal organization of Brassens's songs,by the local alternation of major and minor
like their inter-sectional integration of harmonychords in the verse section (d-C-c-Bb-b6-A7-d).
and theme, are both erudite and immediately Not surprisingly, given his predilection for
tangible. Brassens commonly introduces a subtlethe relative major/minor, Brassens's tonal plans
element of tonal complexity into his songs by frequently include tertiary modulations. Les
giving equal (or almost equal) weight to theAmoureux des Bancs Publics (1952) begins in C#
tonic and a corresponding major/minor key. Laminor and ends in A major, with the verse
Marche Nuptiale (1957), delicately balancing F#moving from C# minor to E major; Histoire de
minor (tonic) and A (relative major), is a good caseFaussaire (1976) consists of six verses in D and a
in point. This short song features two inflectionssingle verse in F; Les Copains d'Abord features a
to the relative major, but only a single V-i guitar introduction (a presentation of the full

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 'La Chanson c'est pour tout le monde': an introduction to the music of Georges Brassens 45

verse) in F and verses in D, and recapitulates the and straightforwardly discernib

F-major introduction in between the penultimate in equal measure. Just as his t
and final verses; and La Ballade des Gens qui sont nuanced but never too comp
nes quelque part (1972) is cast in D for the first specialist listener, so his mus
half of the verse, and in F for the second. refined but never lacking in the
Brassens's integration of major and minor and immediacy - straightfor
keys and cogent tertiary organizations bear wit- infectious themes and lively r
ness to sophisticated compositional crafting, but etc. - that gives popular music
never come across as overly erudite, and thus out Brassens is true to his word: h
of place in a popular idiom. These techniques texts, certainly has 'something fo
introduce nuances of musical colour that ulti- regardless of the aptitude of th
mately enhance every listener's appreciation ofNevertheless, the musical p
the expressive and affective subtlety of his art.Britain
In and the United State
fact, Brassens considers the shrewd, unassuming cultures so often privilege sty
nature of his music an essential quality in com-might continue to find Brass
municating with his audience. He explains: manner
'My and his unpretentious
success is in charming people on the sly, smug- somewhat puzzling. Brassens a
gling in the charm. They believe that my music even in France, his performing
is non-existent and this is what I want. I want the prevailing trend: 'the pub
it to be very discreet, like film music'.3 Very were used to very stylized sing
rarely does he introduce gratuitous modulatory teeth ... Me, I remained natur
and harmonic effects that draw attention to friends'.36 In spite of Brassens'
themselves: the cliched transposition up a semi-modest statements about the na
tone (A-B6) of verses 5-8 of La Chasse auxthe work in which he was en
Papillons and the abrupt WVI-I progression at as
the I am: I like songs, I like wo
end of Ballade des Dames du TempsJadis (1954)
strum a guitar, I tell stories t
are the exception not the rule. Sophisticated
were a philosopher I would ph
circumspection supersedes banal effect. song-writer, I sing' - there is
* * * songs have had a profound, i
Brassens has been moreon popular French
successful culture.
than any
music,
other contemporary French to be sure, is in
singer-songwriter less direct
this state of affairs
combining genuine erudition and extraordinary than his t
and integrity
popularity. His belief that the song must
mustbe recogniz
be
logical
accessible to everyone - he oncecommunity at large a
remarked that
'songs are for everyone' (lacomponent of pour
chanson c'est his edifying
tout corp
high time that his
le monde)" - is far more than empty popularism; music, and h
receive
it is a decisive commitment, the worldwide
musical as well as critical
richly
textual, to an aesthetic that deserve.
blends sophisticated

36 Sve, op.cit., p.41. 'le public avait l'h

bien styles, avec des dents eclatantes. ...
je chantais comme pour des copains'.
34 Seve, op.cit., p.30. 'Ma victoire c'est de seduire souroise-
" Sve, op.cit., pp.49, 47. 'prends-moi
ment, en contrebande. Les gens croient que ma musique est
la chanson, j'aime les mots, j'aime les n
inexistante et c'est ce que je veux, je veux qu'elle soit tres
guitare, je raconte des histoires a d
discrete, comme de la musique de film'.
philosophe, je philosopherais. Je suis u
35 Berruer, op.cit., p.169. je chante'.

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