Georges Brassens - Biography
By J Poet
Chansonnier Georges Brassens was one of France’s most poetic songwriters, and performed with only his own guitar, Pierre Nicolas on bass and a second guitarist. His lyrics were often controversial, dealing with crime, homelessness and prostitution. He was also a well known novelist and poet
Brassens was born in Sète, a town on the Mediterranean coast in1921. His mother was a religious Italian who encouraged him to sing and play mandolin; his father was rabidly anti-religious. He was an average student, but a noted poet and songwriter, even in grammar school. In high school he put together a small band called Jazz. When a friend stole a few gems and pinned the heist on Brassens, he was expelled. In 1940, just before the German invasion, he moved to Paris where he worked in an auto factory. He lived with his aunt, taught himself piano, and continued to write songs and poems. He had two poetry books published in 1942, A la venvole and Des coups d'épée dans l'eau. In 1943 the Germans sent him to work in a German factory at Basdorf where he met Pierre Onténiente, who later became his secretary. They remained friends until Brassens died.
In 1944, rather than return to work for the Germans, he hid in the home of Jeanne and Marcel Planche. (He continued living in their home until the late 60s.) He wrote songs using the Planche’s piano and after the war became well known for his essays and songs, usually about society’s darker side. In 1947, Brassens published his novel La lune écoute aux portes and tried to get his songs sung by professional entertainers. He met Joha Heiman, and although they never married or cohabited, he stayed in a relationship with her until he died.
In 1952, he was still struggling to get his songs performed. He met the cabaret singer Jacques Grello, who helped him place a few songs in reviews, but they were not successful. Later that year, he auditioned for Patachou, the famous singer who owned a popular nightclub. The few people in the audience were enthusiastic and she hired Brassens on the spot. She sang many of his songs, but encouraged him to become a singer himself and introduced him to Pierre Nicolas, who remained his bass played until Brassens died. When he overcame his stage fright, Brassens was a hit. Jacques Canetti, A&R director of the Polydor label, gave Brassens a permanent gig at his club Les Trois Baudets and started recording his songs including “Le Gorille,” a scathing anti-death penalty tune.
In 1953, Brassens headlined the Bobino Theatre, published his second novel, La Tour des miracles and released his first album Georges Brassens chante les chansons poétiques (et souvent gaillardes) de ... Georges Brassens (Georges Brassens sings the poetic (and often rather risqué) songs of Georges Brassens) (1953 Polydor France.) The next year he released La mauvaise reputation (1954 Polydor France) and a book of poems and lyrics bearing the same name. Le parapluie (1956 Polydor) won the Grand Prix de l'Académie du Disque Charles Cros for its masterful use of the French language.
He made his first and only film appearance in René Clair's Portes des Lilas in 1956, set up his own label Les Editions Musicales 57, and toured throughout the country. He released Les trompettes de la renommée (1962 Polydor France) and began struggling with his health; he’d had kidney stones since he was young and the pain was becoming a problem. In 1965, Brassens sang with Charles Trenet on the radio program Musicora and played the Théâtre National de Paris with Juliette Gréco. In 1967 and 68 he was in and out of the hospital with kidney problems, but by 1969 he was back on stage and touring again.
On January 6, 1969 Brassens was interviewed by the French music magazine Rock et Folk on radio station RTL alongside Léo Ferré and Jacques Brel. He continued touring, but by 1973 his failing health made performing problematic. One of his last concerts was recorded for the album Live in Great Britain (1998 Polydor France). He made his last album Don Juan (1976 Polydor France) and his final public appearance on stage at the Bobino in 1977. He was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for his contribution to French popular music in 1979 and died of cancer in 1981. All the songs Brassens recorded for Polydor were remastered and released on CD in chronological order in 2003. The titles are Georges Brassens 1 La mauvaise reputation, Georges Brassens 2 Les amoureux des bancs publics, Georges Brassens, 3 Chanson pour l’Auvergnat, Georges Brassens 4 Je me suis fait tout petit, Georges Brassens 5 Le pornographe, Georges Brassens 6 Le Morant, Georges Brassens 7 Les trompettes de la renommée, Georges Brassens 8 Les Copains d’abord, Georges Brassens 9 Supplique pour tre enter la plage de ste, Georges Brassens 10 Le religieuse, Georges Brassens 11 Frenande, and Georges Brassens 12 Don Juan.