Uploaded by Snaaies on Sep 19, 2009
Jacques Romain Georges Brel (8 April 19299 October 1978) was a Belgian singer-songwriter.
Brel was born in Schaarbeek, Belgium, a district of Brussels, but lived half of his life in Paris. He died in Bobigny in the suburbs of Paris, of lung cancer, and is buried in the Marquesas Islands.
Although his family spoke French, they were of Flemish descent, with some of the family originating from Zandvoorde, near Ieper (Ypres in French/English). Brel's father was co-owner of a cardboard factory and Brel started his working life there, apparently destined to follow his father's footsteps. However, he had no interest in it and showed an interest in culture instead, joining the Catholic-humanist youth organisation Franche Cordée, where he sang and acted. At Franche Cordée he met Thérèse Michielsen ('Miche'). They married in 1950.
In the early 1950s Brel achieved minor success in Belgium singing his own songs. A 78rpm record (La foire/Il y a) was released as a result. From 1954 Brel pursued an international singing career. He quit his job and moved to Paris, where he stayed at the Hotel Stevens and gave guitar lessons to artist-dancer Francesco Frediani to pay his rent. Jean Villard Gilles recognized his talent and hired him immediately for his cabaret "Chez Gilles". (Later, Gilles' successful song / poem La Venoge inspired Brel to write Le Plat Pays. Frediani witnessed his first show at the Olympia as an "ouverture de rideau" act (i.e., while the public was entering and being seated). Brel had to change behind the bar. Bruno Cocquatrix, the owner, invited him to come back. He carried on writing music and singing in the city's cabarets and music-halls, where on stage he delivered his songs with great energy. In January 1955 he supported in the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels the performances of the Belgian pop and variety pioneer Bobbejaan Schoepen. After some success his wife and daughters joined him from Belgium. By 1956 he was touring Europe and he recorded the song Quand on n'a que l'amour that brought him his first major recognition. He appeared in a show with Maurice Chevalier and Michel Legrand.
By the end of the 1950s Miche and Brel's three daughters had returned to Brussels. From then on, he and his family led separate lives. Under the influence of his friend Georges Pasquier ('Jojo') and pianists Gérard Jouannest and Francois Rauber, Brel's style changed. He was no longer a Catholic-humanist troubadour, but sang grimmer songs about love, death, and the struggle that is life. The music became more complex and his themes more diverse, exploring love (Je t'aime, Litanies pour un Retour), society (Les Singes, Les Bourgeois, Jaurès), and spiritual concerns (Le Bon Dieu, Dites, Si c'était Vrai, Fernand). His work is not limited to one style. He was as proficient in funny compositions (Le Lion, Comment Tuer l'Amant de sa Femme...) as in more emotional ones (Voir un Ami Pleurer, Fils de..., Jojo).
But he occasionally included parts in Dutch as in "'Marieke", and also recorded Dutch versions of a few songs such as Le Plat Pays (Mijn vlakke land), Ne me quitte pas (Laat Me Niet Alleen), Rosa, Les Bourgeois (De Burgerij) and Les paumés du petit matin (De Nuttelozen van de Nacht). A rather obscure single was uncovered only a few years ago having Brel singing in Dutch De apen (Les singes) and Men vergeet niets (On n'oublie rien). These two were included in the 16 CD box Boîte à Bonbons. Since his own command of Dutch was poor, most of his later Dutch interpretations were translated by Ernst van Altena, but De Apen by Eric Franssen, Men vergeet niets by well known Flemish artist Will Fredy and Marieke was translated by Brel himself.
In 1973 he embarked in a yacht, planning to sail around the world. When he reached the Canary Islands, Brel, a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer. He returned to Paris for treatment and later continued his ocean voyage. He was also a keen pilot and owned several small planes, including the eponymous 'Jojo'.
In 1975 he reached the Marquesas Islands, and decided to stay, remaining there until 1977 when he returned to Paris and recorded his well-received final album. He died in 1978 at age 49 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, only a few yards away from painter Paul Gauguin.
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39 likes, 4 dislikes
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Artist: Jacques Brel
19 videos

YouTube Mix for Jacques Brel
4:18
Jacques Brel - Ne Me Quitte Pasby MiyuriLunyLove6,461,671 views
3:32
Sting - Ne me quitte pas (live)by edizeba150,279 views
4:22
Celine Dion- Ne Me Quitte Pasby karlerikprimeau307,054 views
4:10
Jacques Brel-Ne me quitte pas (Eng. Subtitles)by share2go823,397 views
2:28
Je veux tout (une parodie)by nemeriau9,478 views
2:55
Jacques BREL - Rosaby jorisjoj12,010 views
2:49
Jacques Brel : Les Bourgeoisby alainlebest11,283,987 views
4:32
jacques Brel _ La Chanson des Vieux Amantsby PLbrettfan3,901,722 views
4:11
Ne me quitte pas. Jacques Brel.by fractaldeio39,985 views
4:10
Ne me quitte pas - Jacques Brel, 1959 - Légende Français - French subtitleby paidinho2183,219 views
3:58
Jacques Brel - Quand Maman reviendra -by loukoum8938,103 views
3:49
Jaurèsby Guzzophil27,624 views
3:17
Jacques Brel Jojo French and English Subtitlesby VNRose313,890 views
2:32
Jacques BREL - Pardonsby jorisjoj30,931 views
4:11
Ne me quitte pasby JordiMoraCasanova3,281 views
3:16
Jacques Brel - Jojoby paganini33229,377 views
4:12
De nuttelozen van de nacht - Jacques Brel (with English subtitles)by MadMikeMc77349,362 views
3:48
Jacques Brel - Voir un ami pleurerby gree471,700,328 views
4:26
Les Bourgeois , Marcin Krajewskiby sciosior37,154 views
3:36
Jacques Brel - La Valse a Mille Temps (1961)by roswck2411,354 views
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Now that is mindblowing .... I am now a fan of Jacques Brel.
purpleraven888 1 month ago
musica lindaaaa meu DEUS amo d+++++ .......beautiful
moranabriana1 11 months ago
@LittleMissVigor Well that and the fact that he's wearing a suit and is surrounded by enormous, burning lights.
TulseLuper 1 year ago
@carninia You know carninia,I have just met a Woman,no need to say more,real Love....
pesonen205 1 year ago
Dios uno suplica que no nos deje el ser amado, pero que tan dicil es esto, aunque uno ama y el otro se va.
tlacuachefeliz 1 year ago
how is this good?
xDerickOx 1 year ago
@electricburlesque
Please speak to me when you get your head out of...the clouds (if you get my drift).
Clearly you've never been in such pain and desperation over someone - I can only conclude you're not a sentient being.
LittleMissVigor 1 year ago
@carninia
It's called THEATRICS, carninia. It's meant to accentuate the performance and/or expression of the performer for a deeper impact on the audience. For the purposes of this song, this is a man who's crying because his love is leaving him.
LittleMissVigor 1 year ago
Unico,gran maestro de la poesía y la interpretación.
Inolvidable.
Ne me quitte pas
florencio0001 1 year ago
brel is my fait like bringaud rodney
WonderSevhen 1 year ago