A real genius. I'm french and I can't explain how moving this singer is. Thank you to Belgium for offering the French-speaking world this unrivaled singer-songwriter!
@@gaiusbaltar7122 j'adore les chansons de Renaud, notamment celles qui sont particulièrement émouvantes ("La teigne", "Manu", "P'tite conne", "Chanson pour Pierrot", etc.). Mais Brel, c'est autre chose quand même à mon avis...
@@Louis-Capet je pense que Renaud est supérieur musicalement parlant à Brel et j'aurais même tendance à croire qu'il lui est supérieur d'un point de vue de l'écriture. En effet, Brel reste somme toute assez classique et in fine assez monotone alors que Renaud est absolument original et plus riche. Le seul point sur lequel Brel est supérieur est l'interprétation, mais Renaud n'est pas connu pour être un bon interprète ou bon comédien, au contraire du premier.
As an American transplanted into France, and needing to therefore learn the language, I can't help but comment here just how impactful this one song was in my (albeit, very slow) development of understanding French. Brel's performance of this song alone (especially in the way this particular video is a still frame capturing his head) transmits absolute desperation so clearly, that even in not understanding one word - you still get a sense of what's going on. But once one fully grasps the gorgeously sad lyrics to match the performance, you can now see why this man is an absolute legend in the world of francophone music, and I thank performers like him, Georges Brassens, Charles Trenet, Edith Piaf, and so many others during and after their era for immersing me into such a rich and vibrant language and culture through gorgeous lyrics and performances.
Thaks man!!👍 if you really want to go deeper and richer text, The epitom is his last album just call Brel with a picture of clouds. it's a pure diamond! " La Ville S'endormait"
Il faut que tu essaies "Tu verras", de Claude Nougaro (si tu ne connais pas déjà). Tu vas aimer. ;) PS : "Le plat pays" est peut-être ma préférée de J. Brel. Elle est tellement belle et bien écrite. :)
France has the strongest military for the last 15 centuries. And now.. beyond that, she has a kind of rare maturity... With the highest culture/creation.. granted by people from anywhere. Making France.. as it belongs to a wide lot.
Thank you for understanding my compatriot Jacques Brel so well. The text in French is overwhelming. I'm happy that people who don't speak French are so moved by him.
T'es Belge? Je trouve que plus de gens devraient découvrir Le Plat Pays de Brel.. je suis Québécois et un jour je vais visiter la Belgique, mais Le Plat Pays me fais brailler..
C'est un pays avec plein de gens drôles aussi. Avec des artistes décalés. Arno, James Ensor, Magritte, Le Grand Jojo, Félicien Rops, Marcel Broodthaers, Jean-Claude Van Damme...
"laisse-moi devenir l'ombre de ton ombre, l'ombre de ta main, l'ombre de ton chien" The saddest, most based line, of all time -Let me become, the shadow of your shadow, the shadow of your hand, the shadow of your dog.
quand on est heureux on peut être excellent, mais quand on est malheureux parfois, on devient divin..... when we're happy we can be excellent, but when we're really unhappy/miserable sometimes we become divine.....
Indeed, the text is so over the top - in both directions. let me just be the shadow of your dog, and next we are in a medieval fairy tale where the hero brings home jewels to his princess who will become queen if she submits to love as law. She just wants to go… The song and how he sings is so great, but the text, oh well
@@nommh The song was written after Brel's separation from his mistress Suzanne Gabriello, with whom he had been in love since 1955, but who put an end to their relationship, Brel refusing to leave his wife and three children
As a french speaker (quebecer) the first time i saw this, i cried the whole shit out of me. Im a man who dont cry a lot, even back in the day i saw that for the first time. But it was just to much. The "je te trouverai des perles de pluie venue de pays où il ne pleut pas" was a punch in my soul, in my heart. I dont now why, but... it just sound right on point. Even tought i was not inna relationship... cest juste universel a toutes les relations. Hes a genious Sorry for the bad english its late
Oh my god! One of the best songs ever! Jacques Brel was so unique, his voice, the lyrics, his vulnerability, his pain, his passion, his expression.......thanks Bettany!❤
I am french and each time I ear this song, I cry. Jacques Brel was more than a singer. He was a very great actor. Each song was like a little film. Try to watch the song "Madeleine". He plays the song as a film. He is the greatest singer. Thank you Belgium to give us Jacques Brel.
Le plus grand interprète francophone de tout les temps a mon humble avis... Jamais égalé... Immense monsieur. Il transperce littéralement tout mon être dès les premières mesures. L'expression sur votre visage pendant l'écoute en dit beaucoup... Vous voire apprécier autant sa performance est extrêmement agréable. Merci
it's not hesitation, he suspend time to create a feeling of breath falling short...as if our heart stop beating for a few seconds... and thank you for this beautiful and emotional analysis
Thank you for this analysis of the great erudite Jacques Brel, singer, songwriter, actor, author and film director he did it all and he did it so so good, Much love from Greece, Stay healthy and safe you and all your loved ones.
Ben évidemment que c'est absolument exceptionnel, belle coach vocal, vous êtes tout simplement en train de regarder le plus grand chanteur et interprète de langue française de tous les temps...
Even for someone that doesn't speak French, and doesn't understand the words, this is one of the most emotional intense songs ever. I have the same with 'Non, je ne regrette rien' by Edith Piaf. The emotion in the voice is so incredible.
Thank you for the sound bite in my head, exclaiming in the tone of... Manon (des sources)?... a perfect, astonished feminine French "splendide"! Hang on, it's not Manon! It's the mother of little Marcel Pagnol as she first lays eyes on what will later become her château ❤❤❤❤
Merci pour ce partage magnifique Pour les chanteurs à expression Tu dois alors partager par exemple: la merveilleuse Barbara (la solitude) etc. tout Edith Piaf Leo Ferré, ( avec le temps ) etc.. Jean Ferrat (la montagne) etc.. Moustaki ( ma solitude)le métèque etc...
Merci beaucoup, not many people review foreign songs. There is such a variety of songs and music out there.even if it is not your own language it will speak to you.
I first knew Jacques in Morocco, in Rabat, in the seventies during a French language class in high school. I'm now 60 years old, and for me, he is the best artist in the French language-Jacques, the writer, composer, singer, director, and actor.
I'm a grown up man in his late 30, watching this "autopsy", russian speaking man, not much dealing in french or english in my life, and still this makes me want to cry every time. It's very hard to contain emotion listening to this, even it's far from my usual genre. Such a masterpiece. It's hard to imagine how do one portray it. I love your comment about the "arc".
At last a real song I can appreciare and enjoy. The era of Brel and Edith Piaff , both with mesmerising voices , and songwriting and poetry....... by Brel is a time and expedience to behold. His music versatility spanned multiple genres incliding folk, pop, jazz and classical all of which he conveyed with a sense of passion, urgency and vulnerability ........ thank you Bethany to remind us of such greatness.......❤
400k subscribers! Great job Bethany! 😺🎼😎 Jacques Brel, to me elicits a heartfelt sadness on his face. Like he’s been through something tragic, yet he accepts this, with a heavy heart filled with sadness and pain. Excellent performance!
Frenchman here. I'm so grateful to Belgium for give us this pure francophone genius. This is for me the best love song ever written in french, with "L'Hymne à l'Amour" of Edith Piaf. Glad to see the emotional transmission to our English spoken friends.❤
Here you are touching one if not the most epic delivery of all times. This artist brings to you his incredibly direct yet subtile lyrics in a crescendo of hope and despair on a totally free roller coaster of words and musical notes till he cracks and skinks in his own dead end.
I'm not a French speaker either, and I very much adore Jacques Brel (I must admit to a slight advantage in that my mother's mother tongue is French, as was my grandparents', so I am at least very familiar with the sound). He was indeed an extraordinary performer. There's a particular performance of this (magnificent) song that stuck in my mind for how beautifully (and unconventionally) he maintained a line from the chorus to the beginning of a verse, and the contrast with this version just helps to accentuate the unique and skillful way he utilizes his phrasing, and how in control he was of his "toolkit." It really is extraordinary, listening to him perform different versions of the same song and seeing what he does differently each time. I highly recommend it.
I'm french, it's a pleasure to see someone discovering the most beautiful love song of all times. Everytime I ear it = I cry (really). The lyrics are even more amazing than you think when it's your native language. And I never eared anyone serving this song like Brel (it's a very very famoius song so there are many covers). Live or don't sing it ;) "Et quand vient le soir Pour qu'un ciel flamboie Le rouge et le noir Ne s'épousent-ils pas? "
You also have to realize that he was suffering from cancer and this was essentially an ode to his life… one of the most expressive, emotional and beautiful rendition of this gorgeous song. Vive J
Un grand merci de rendre hommage a Jacques Brel ... il ne fait pas partie de ma génération mais il a su toucher tout ce que j'aime dans la musique : transmettre l'émotion et vous donner des frissons ... on souffre avec lui ... c'est un très grand artiste ... il a ce que je recherche dans tous les styles de musiques et que j'ai retrouvé dans des styles tellement différents ... merci
I have known this song for about 35 years, sung by Maysa Matarazzo, a Brazilian singer. When I heard this performance by Jacques Brel for the first time, I wrote an entire chapter of a book based on it. The book is a story, and the song serves as the inspiration for what happens in the story.
Edit : he also sang a French version of "Men of la Mancha", doing all the musical commedie. But there is no complete video recording i think. He sang that part with Dario Moreno. And I love it (and I discovered yesterday that his musical was an adaptation of the American version, thanks to you).
Thank you really deeply for your emotional, sensitive, human and professional appreciation of Jacques Brel's song. you have the gift to feel and transmit the subtle art and emotion of this anthology song. Thank you also for the beautiful humanity to which you demonstrate through your clear and modulated voice, your expressive gestures and your magical smile. you really pay tribute in a wonderful way to the genius of Jacques Brel thank you ❤️
I'm from Québec, Canada. A french speaking province from our distant Europe cousins. Thank you very much for this response. 🙏 Of course, here in Québec, we have a huge field of artists GREAT performers... but in Europe, this Jacques Brel, is a legend, of course. May I suggest one other artist (from my list of 200!) From Europe, Edith Piaf. Perhaps enjoy the song, La Foule (Live performance). Cheers to you!
Et Claude Dubois, tout le monde semble l'avoir oublié... J'ai assisté à un de ses concerts en 1992 (je crois) à Montréal, c'était un cadeau pour ma blonde de l'époque et j'ai assisté à l'une des scènes les plus extraordinaires de ma vie. Il a fait chanter les femmes dans le public à part, puis les hommes, puis tous ensemble, c"était inouï...
i can't understand how you can talk about vocal performance when the text by itself doesn't need to be sung, it carry a load of poetry, its more expression than singing and here Brel only bring it to life..
Life, pain, madness, sanity, history, desperation, love, death, loss, memories, hope, what...? still somewhere some hope..? don't forget me... Every (Dutch, French and Belgian) metalhead/punker/Singer&Songwriter (with a soul) /human being loves Jaques Brel. This is life. Bloody, real, hard, intens, hopeless, dark, honest.
I had one year of French in high school, my senior year. It was 1978/1979. My French teacher brought in a record, and played a song for us. It was Jacques Brel and the song was called Ne me quitte pas. I never forgot! ...loved it.
I love this perfomance. For me, It's one of the best perfomances and interpretation all the time. So emotional, he really seems to be living the music, begging for real love. And it's difficult to convey so much sincerity in a performance. And I loved your react.
Everything is so beautiful with this song, even though so sad. The words, the music and obviously the man himself. Maybe the best French language song ever.
I'm french. Brel gave so much energy when he sang : his voice, his face, his hands, his full body were in motion depending of the text. A real interpreter of his own words. Each time, whatever the emotion and sens of the song, he embodied his creations so powerfully. Love him.
This was fantastic, and I loved your reaction. Yes, I totally had the same feeling about this being the male version of a "Lara Fabian" story-telling masterpiece, where we are taken along, into the song, into the very fibers of being of the performance, with him - as Lara does, too - leaving it all on the stage. Nothing too raw to be shared. Nothing too vulnerable to be withheld. Amazing. A masterclass of story telling via a singing performance. Utterly believable, entrancing, vicarious, even.
Jacques Brel was belgian but nonetheless the Godfather of The French Song, he was a great inspiration for Lara Fabian who considers "Voir un ami pleurer" as the greatest french song. Her rendition of that song in her 2003 concert "En toute intimité" is a pure gem...
‘The commitment to the performance” you nailed it that’s Brel and it’s amazing that even if you don’t understand French he got you to feel the emotion he wanted to transmit. Moi ca va je comprends ce qu’il dit mais c’est vraiment intéressant quand l’émotion passe peu importe la langue.
Thanks Bethany for your beautifull an inspiring reaction. "Pour qu'un ciel flamboie, le rouge et le noir ne s'épousent-t-ils pas ?" = "For a sky to blaze, don't red and black marry?". The voice is so emotionnal, the phrasing is so beautifull but the tyrics are so prodigious, too.
"Le rouge et le noir ne s'epousent-ils pas" this beautuful sentence is also a reference of a french very famous roman "Le rouge et le noir", writter Stendhal.
Thanks Bethany...Jacques Brel is one of my favorite singers, since i was a teenager. Brel was an incredible human, as artist (singer, comedian) and as person.
obviously you were emotionally deeply touched by this song, and I am amazed how you managed to hold back tears - something which I can never do when I hear Brel singing this
Thanks a lot Bettany for this video, such a pleasure to watch the expression of your skills and emotion on that wonderful French song (eg. Jacques Brel was a Belgian French speaker). Many thanks from France !
Thank you for this. I couldn't agree more. It's not easy to make a song feel like an intimate scene. But he does it so naturally. Of course, it probably helps that he wrote it too so he kind of understands the bones of the song in a unique way. What I find so amazing about this performance is the way joy runs through this very very sad song. In his face. And this feels like a key to making this sort of "loss" song shine. We need to see glimmers of the joy and love that was in the past even as he's mourning its loss. Wow. Thank you for your wonderful channel. The way you respond to various singers is so authentic and insightful. Thank you.
It was my late father favourite song and singer. This song is always so hard to listen but so good! I still know the lyrics by heart! Also really like the version in Dutch.
Although more common in those days in television than today with our fancy tracking shots and multiple camera angles, locking down the camera on his face was an absolute power move. Such an expressive performance!
Hello, Jacques brel est vraiment un artiste unique par son émotion et les texte de c'est chansons. Écoute absolument les chansons les vieux ,les bourgeois et c'est gens la .
Jacques and Scott Walker's versions are so amazing in their own way. So glad Scott Walker brought these songs to an English speaking audience. You can tell he tried to be true to the originals whilst still making them Scott Walker song. Amazing. Sinatra also recorded a version, but was one of the rare occasions where Sinatra didn't quite reach the emotional resonance of the song.
Dear Bethany 💝 I see all your involvement in every video.... you are Very sensibile woman ❤️.... have a nice day...ciao from Taranto 🏄♂️⛱️☀️ ITALIA 🇮🇹 thanx
I've been listening to Brel for almost 55 years (started as a toddler) and every day, still at this very moment) I discover new features of him. He was (and still is) by far the best performer ever, all languages confused, as he was 100% genuine. That's why he just quit performing early on (in 1969 I believe) ; he left his public in unbelief as he just told 'I quit. I havee nothing more to say', and he left the scene. he came back occasionaly like with his unbelievable musical Don QUICHOTTE and severel recordings, but he never ever returned on the scene. Very few non Belgians know, but Brel was FLEMISH, so he spoke Dutch in the first place, but as he grew up in Brussels, he was bilingual end of course, once he left to sing in Paris, FRENCH became the language of his choice, although he rcorded a few songs in Dutch (the French version of 'MArieke' contains several Dutch phrases!). I'm so sad I never attended a concerts (but again, by the time he left, I was only 6!). His music and songs are never outdated. What i also like are his double, triple and sometimes even quadruple layers and calembours he uses in words and sentences. there is no second one... As to Lara Fabian, yes she is Belgian to and NO it's not a cultural thing... But being a singer song writer and occasional performr myself (hobbtwise) I presume that it's Brel and Fabian's way of reacting AGAINST the dominant culture in Belgium of being humble, modest and not stir up things. I'm half Italian and lived in seeveral countries, so I definitely know that my Belgian part is like that, luckily my Italian side allows me to rebel against this kind of shiness...Brel sang it beautifully in 'LES FLAMANDES' ... Belgians like to be unseen, invisible... Anyway, Great video. I especially liked the synchronisation between the mimics of Brel and The Vocalyst.... So even though she doesn't understand Feench, she definitely understood the song. Only possiblee with an universal artist like Brel. touching anyway
When the soul is covering the singing techniques… totally superb, sincere, classy… it seem that he is telling a story… totally brilliant and wonderful…
Born and raised in Belgium in the 60s I guess my mom loved him almost as much as us kids - took me a while to understand and yes (late) mom you were right!
Tears in my eyes...What a LOST. Such a GREAT artist performer philosopher poet and a great great human heart the UNIQUE JACQUES..rest on peace GREAT Jacques you are missed
When you brought up Lara Fabian That was the Cherry on an already very well made and tasty cake. Both in their own right knows how to deliver THE Lyrics , The words curled and molded within the notes which they are telling you about body and soul combined. Artists of another level bringing sens, emotions and often charms to envelop one’s ears, eyes and heart in a cocoon of feelings while making the listener to discover better who he/she truly is as a person. Rich !
A true artist ! This song is so sad , even if you re not french or belgium, you are capable to understand that ! And if you are francophone, you have to admit his text are poems. A true legend !
I first heard an excellent cover of this song when I was in 12th grade and learning French. Bought a vinyl album to listen whenever the mood struck. 50 years later, it still moves me to tears, especially the last verse. Thank you for reviewing this❣️🙏. From a current Renegade.
That doesn't make much sense because he's from Belgium. I think that you lose much if you aren't francophone and if you don't have a high level of French, that's because you lose the richness of the lyrics and the way and the intensity how Brel delivers those lyrics,in a way that the interpreter, the music and the lyrics become a raw unity
I'm not French, but I do think understanding the language enhances the song. But his genius is such that you don't have to understand French to feel the begging and hope and resignation in his voice. Because these are "des mots insensés" that we can nevertheless understand on a very deep, emotional level.
This is my favourite love song of all time. It is so heartbreaking and all the more so because of how he sings it. Those lines in the last verse where he says he will be happy to be in the shadow of her shadow, the shadow of her hand, the shadow of her dog, just to be with her always make me tearful. It is just outstanding and absolutely unique and masterfully performed. He is Belgian, not French so the dialect is a little different.
hello, for a French speaker, Jacques Brel has the unique particularity of not only performing a song but of living it intensely. We have this feeling that he is speaking to us, to us! and this song in particular. he was so in tune with his songs that he was sick at every concert and lost several kilos each time. This song is the most beautiful song ever written and performed about breakup that has ever been written. each word is incredible in truth and suffering
Please dig in to Scott Walker, who covered this song as "If You Go Away," and many other songs throughout his first four LPs. Walker loved Jacques Brel, as we do. Thank you so much for featuring this performance!
Aznavour, With “Elle” (she , in his English version) , “comme ils disent” (as they say in his own English version) … yeah brilliant composition and live delivery
Brel! What can I say about Brel that hasn't been said, he could make you laugh, make you cry and make you think! A monument even here in Quebec and bravo for your always interesting comments, thank you.
Hello, I`m French from Quebec and jacques brel are among the VERY FEW real ``Giant``... he is a monument, and more than is song ... is lyrics are so deep. He is among legend like Edith Piaf, Charles Arznavour... a man of peace and love. ✌ If i can SUGGEST one good in that feel : Charles Aznavour ; Hier encore... CLASSIC !!
I know your comment is for the owner of the channel. Nevertheless thanks for the recommendation from Aznavour. I did not know him nor the song. I wish you a good day !
Jacques was from Belgium and I am French so I understand the lyrics of his song. Above all I can (as you may as well) feel the emotions that he can transfer through his lyrics, voice tone, body language, large (huge) hands... I would have loved to meet him in a cabaret on a just a night bar because he is famous for his sense of humor, and for always taking notes on his little notebook. About this "song analysis" : to my opinion, the Great Jacques did not mentalize neither brain up this piece of art, he just sang from his heart as always. Thank you for your respect to such a wonderful person.
Toujours un plaisir de te voir analyser et donner ton avis sur des chanteurs francophones. Jacques Brel a des textes d'une incroyable sensibilité et la simplicité des musiques qui accompagnent son chant permettent de le mettre en exergue. It's always a pleasure to see you analyze and share your thoughts on Francophone singers. Jacques Brel's lyrics possess an incredible sensitivity, and the simplicity of the music that accompanies his singing allows it to stand out even more.
I had the experience of accompanying in a local theater production of "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well.......", a revue of his music. There is just a sublime "French-ness" to his melodies and his singing. So happy to find him on a reaction channel - you nailed it! Thank you for sharing!
A real genius. I'm french and I can't explain how moving this singer is. Thank you to Belgium for offering the French-speaking world this unrivaled singer-songwriter!
J'aime bien quelques chansons de Brel mais je préfère Renaud.
@@gaiusbaltar7122 j'adore les chansons de Renaud, notamment celles qui sont particulièrement émouvantes ("La teigne", "Manu", "P'tite conne", "Chanson pour Pierrot", etc.). Mais Brel, c'est autre chose quand même à mon avis...
i am Belgian ... and I grew up with Brel ... i am from the 60ies
@@gaiusbaltar7122 Tu dois être du genre a bien aimé le homard mais a préférer le surimi. 😁
@@Louis-Capet je pense que Renaud est supérieur musicalement parlant à Brel et j'aurais même tendance à croire qu'il lui est supérieur d'un point de vue de l'écriture. En effet, Brel reste somme toute assez classique et in fine assez monotone alors que Renaud est absolument original et plus riche. Le seul point sur lequel Brel est supérieur est l'interprétation, mais Renaud n'est pas connu pour être un bon interprète ou bon comédien, au contraire du premier.
The level of poetry in this song is insane
As an American transplanted into France, and needing to therefore learn the language, I can't help but comment here just how impactful this one song was in my (albeit, very slow) development of understanding French.
Brel's performance of this song alone (especially in the way this particular video is a still frame capturing his head) transmits absolute desperation so clearly, that even in not understanding one word - you still get a sense of what's going on. But once one fully grasps the gorgeously sad lyrics to match the performance, you can now see why this man is an absolute legend in the world of francophone music, and I thank performers like him, Georges Brassens, Charles Trenet, Edith Piaf, and so many others during and after their era for immersing me into such a rich and vibrant language and culture through gorgeous lyrics and performances.
Merci ❤ vous écrivez précisément ce que je ressens.
Thaks man!!👍 if you really want to go deeper and richer text, The epitom is his last album just call Brel with a picture of clouds. it's a pure diamond! " La Ville S'endormait"
Il faut que tu essaies "Tu verras", de Claude Nougaro (si tu ne connais pas déjà). Tu vas aimer. ;)
PS : "Le plat pays" est peut-être ma préférée de J. Brel. Elle est tellement belle et bien écrite. :)
@@lapolicedelapensee7047 Ne pas oublier également "Aimer à perdre la raison" de Jean Ferrat.
France has the strongest military for the last 15 centuries.
And now.. beyond that, she has a kind of rare maturity...
With the highest culture/creation.. granted by people from anywhere.
Making France.. as it belongs to a wide lot.
Thank you for understanding my compatriot Jacques Brel so well. The text in French is overwhelming. I'm happy that people who don't speak French are so moved by him.
Salut, septante nonante.... 😀😄😊
Impossible not to be deeply moved and he is one of my earliest inspirations to study French as my lifelong hobby
But in nederlands it's much more fun...😄 th-cam.com/video/ooxDl31VrKk/w-d-xo.html
T'es Belge? Je trouve que plus de gens devraient découvrir Le Plat Pays de Brel.. je suis Québécois et un jour je vais visiter la Belgique, mais Le Plat Pays me fais brailler..
C'est un pays avec plein de gens drôles aussi. Avec des artistes décalés. Arno, James Ensor, Magritte, Le Grand Jojo, Félicien Rops, Marcel Broodthaers, Jean-Claude Van Damme...
"laisse-moi devenir l'ombre de ton ombre, l'ombre de ta main, l'ombre de ton chien"
The saddest, most based line, of all time
-Let me become, the shadow of your shadow, the shadow of your hand, the shadow of your dog.
quand on est heureux on peut être excellent, mais quand on est malheureux parfois, on devient divin.....
when we're happy we can be excellent, but when we're really unhappy/miserable sometimes we become divine.....
Moi je t'offrirai des perles de pluie Venues de pays où il ne pleut pas
@@ripvisitor exactement!
Indeed, the text is so over the top - in both directions. let me just be the shadow of your dog, and next we are in a medieval fairy tale where the hero brings home jewels to his princess who will become queen if she submits to love as law. She just wants to go… The song and how he sings is so great, but the text, oh well
@@nommh The song was written after Brel's separation from his mistress Suzanne Gabriello, with whom he had been in love since 1955, but who put an end to their relationship, Brel refusing to leave his wife and three children
As a french speaker (quebecer) the first time i saw this, i cried the whole shit out of me. Im a man who dont cry a lot, even back in the day i saw that for the first time. But it was just to much. The "je te trouverai des perles de pluie venue de pays où il ne pleut pas" was a punch in my soul, in my heart. I dont now why, but... it just sound right on point. Even tought i was not inna relationship... cest juste universel a toutes les relations. Hes a genious
Sorry for the bad english its late
Oh my god! One of the best songs ever! Jacques Brel was so unique, his voice, the lyrics, his vulnerability, his pain, his passion, his expression.......thanks Bettany!❤
I am french and each time I ear this song, I cry. Jacques Brel was more than a singer. He was a very great actor. Each song was like a little film. Try to watch the song "Madeleine". He plays the song as a film. He is the greatest singer. Thank you Belgium to give us Jacques Brel.
Le plus grand interprète francophone de tout les temps a mon humble avis... Jamais égalé...
Immense monsieur.
Il transperce littéralement tout mon être dès les premières mesures. L'expression sur votre visage pendant l'écoute en dit beaucoup...
Vous voire apprécier autant sa performance est extrêmement agréable.
Merci
Le réduire au simple rang d'interprète...
Charles Aznavour
@@richardhoyau936 yeah i'd put Aznavour and Piaf up there too. However Brel was still above both of them, by how he viscerally lived his song
Si, égalé Une fois : Avec le temps... : )
Brel. Au sommet de son art. Les larmes coulent à chaque écoute de ce chef d oeuvre, merci Monsieur
it's not hesitation, he suspend time to create a feeling of breath falling short...as if our heart stop beating for a few seconds... and thank you for this beautiful and emotional analysis
Thank you for this analysis of the great erudite Jacques Brel, singer, songwriter, actor, author and film director he did it all and he did it so so good, Much love from Greece, Stay healthy and safe you and all your loved ones.
Ben évidemment que c'est absolument exceptionnel, belle coach vocal, vous êtes tout simplement en train de regarder le plus grand chanteur et interprète de langue française de tous les temps...
Even for someone that doesn't speak French, and doesn't understand the words, this is one of the most emotional intense songs ever. I have the same with 'Non, je ne regrette rien' by Edith Piaf. The emotion in the voice is so incredible.
IMHO Jacques Brel is the greatest performer EVER. What an artist, what a singer.
I love your reaction!
Edith Piaf, Freddie Mercury...and that's it, I see no one else matching with Brel.
@@jamesby Léo Ferré, Fabrizio De Andrè...
@@jamesby Aznavour isn't very far behind
I think Brel is one of the ultimate empaths. He lives the words he sings. It's shakespearian in his grasp of the words that he is singing
He was living those words cause this song was written in purpose... And Brel was Brel...
oh yes never make the link before, but it's exactly that! Shakespearian!
I am a French teacher and your pronounciation was splendid!
Je suis d’accord
Thank you for the sound bite in my head, exclaiming in the tone of... Manon (des sources)?... a perfect, astonished feminine French "splendide"!
Hang on, it's not Manon! It's the mother of little Marcel Pagnol as she first lays eyes on what will later become her château ❤❤❤❤
Perfect!
Merci pour ce partage magnifique
Pour les chanteurs à expression
Tu dois alors partager par exemple:
la merveilleuse Barbara (la solitude) etc.
tout Edith Piaf
Leo Ferré, ( avec le temps ) etc..
Jean Ferrat (la montagne) etc..
Moustaki ( ma solitude)le métèque etc...
When you can grasp the meaning of the words without necessarily understanding most of them is the power of the performance. Art as you say.
This interpretation of "Ne me quitte pas" hits like a knife in the heart when you've just been dumped by your beloved one.
Based Satie
Indeed 💔
It's fuel for depression 😅
Merci beaucoup, not many people review foreign songs. There is such a variety of songs and music out there.even if it is not your own language it will speak to you.
I first knew Jacques in Morocco, in Rabat, in the seventies during a French language class in high school. I'm now 60 years old, and for me, he is the best artist in the French language-Jacques, the writer, composer, singer, director, and actor.
Aznavour vaut le coup aussi...
you should try aznavour (and have a look at the translation of his lyrics)
This is my favourit kind of reaction. Brel is amazing. He was one hell of a songwriter and performer. ❤
I' m belgian .... French speaking ... Oh my god, Jacques Brel .... Pure poetry ....Pure genious .....
Jacques Brel aussi était belge je crois
@@magalijb7032 Oui, Jacques Brel était belge
Pas du tout, c'est un complot flamand pour nous piquer nos stars comme Johnny aussi.
I'm a grown up man in his late 30, watching this "autopsy", russian speaking man, not much dealing in french or english in my life, and still this makes me want to cry every time. It's very hard to contain emotion listening to this, even it's far from my usual genre. Such a masterpiece. It's hard to imagine how do one portray it.
I love your comment about the "arc".
if you are Russian you should know and love Vladimir Vissotsky a russian giant too
At last a real song I can appreciare and enjoy. The era of Brel and Edith Piaff , both with mesmerising voices , and songwriting and poetry....... by Brel is a time and expedience to behold. His music versatility spanned multiple genres incliding folk, pop, jazz and classical all of which he conveyed with a sense of passion, urgency and vulnerability ........ thank you Bethany to remind us of such greatness.......❤
You got to listen to stromae now, he is a bit of the spriritual son of Brel in a sense
400k subscribers! Great job Bethany! 😺🎼😎
Jacques Brel, to me elicits a heartfelt sadness on his face. Like he’s been through something tragic, yet he accepts this, with a heavy heart filled with sadness and pain. Excellent performance!
One of the greatest ! All his lyrics are ‘paintings’ … poetic emotion personified
Je suis Français et Il faut aujourd'hui venir sur TH-cam pour entendre encore Jacques Brel ! Thank you
Frenchman here. I'm so grateful to Belgium for give us this pure francophone genius.
This is for me the best love song ever written in french, with "L'Hymne à l'Amour" of Edith Piaf. Glad to see the emotional transmission to our English spoken friends.❤
Here you are touching one if not the most epic delivery of all times. This artist brings to you his incredibly direct yet subtile lyrics in a crescendo of hope and despair on a totally free roller coaster of words and musical notes till he cracks and skinks in his own dead end.
I'm not a French speaker either, and I very much adore Jacques Brel (I must admit to a slight advantage in that my mother's mother tongue is French, as was my grandparents', so I am at least very familiar with the sound).
He was indeed an extraordinary performer. There's a particular performance of this (magnificent) song that stuck in my mind for how beautifully (and unconventionally) he maintained a line from the chorus to the beginning of a verse, and the contrast with this version just helps to accentuate the unique and skillful way he utilizes his phrasing, and how in control he was of his "toolkit." It really is extraordinary, listening to him perform different versions of the same song and seeing what he does differently each time. I highly recommend it.
I'm french, it's a pleasure to see someone discovering the most beautiful love song of all times.
Everytime I ear it = I cry (really). The lyrics are even more amazing than you think when it's your native language.
And I never eared anyone serving this song like Brel (it's a very very famoius song so there are many covers). Live or don't sing it ;)
"Et quand vient le soir
Pour qu'un ciel flamboie
Le rouge et le noir
Ne s'épousent-ils pas? "
You also have to realize that he was suffering from cancer and this was essentially an ode to his life… one of the most expressive, emotional and beautiful rendition of this gorgeous song. Vive J
Un grand merci de rendre hommage a Jacques Brel ... il ne fait pas partie de ma génération mais il a su toucher tout ce que j'aime dans la musique : transmettre l'émotion et vous donner des frissons ... on souffre avec lui ... c'est un très grand artiste ... il a ce que je recherche dans tous les styles de musiques et que j'ai retrouvé dans des styles tellement différents ... merci
I have known this song for about 35 years, sung by Maysa Matarazzo, a Brazilian singer. When I heard this performance by Jacques Brel for the first time, I wrote an entire chapter of a book based on it. The book is a story, and the song serves as the inspiration for what happens in the story.
Real nice reaction. Each of Jacques Brel's song is, kind of unique.
I loved that react.
Edit : he also sang a French version of "Men of la Mancha", doing all the musical commedie. But there is no complete video recording i think. He sang that part with Dario Moreno. And I love it (and I discovered yesterday that his musical was an adaptation of the American version, thanks to you).
Thank you really deeply for your emotional, sensitive, human and professional appreciation of Jacques Brel's song. you have the gift to feel and transmit the subtle art and emotion of this anthology song.
Thank you also for the beautiful humanity to which you demonstrate through your clear and modulated voice, your expressive gestures and your magical smile.
you really pay tribute in a wonderful way to the genius of Jacques Brel
thank you ❤️
I'm from Québec, Canada. A french speaking province from our distant Europe cousins.
Thank you very much for this response. 🙏
Of course, here in Québec, we have a huge field of artists GREAT performers... but in Europe, this Jacques Brel, is a legend, of course.
May I suggest one other artist (from my list of 200!) From Europe, Edith Piaf. Perhaps enjoy the song, La Foule (Live performance).
Cheers to you!
Et Claude Dubois, tout le monde semble l'avoir oublié... J'ai assisté à un de ses concerts en 1992 (je crois) à Montréal, c'était un cadeau pour ma blonde de l'époque et j'ai assisté à l'une des scènes les plus extraordinaires de ma vie. Il a fait chanter les femmes dans le public à part, puis les hommes, puis tous ensemble, c"était inouï...
@@lesfreresdelaquote1176 Une liste longuuuuuuuue pourrait être sortie. 🎶
@@OutdoorFun01 C'est vrai. Mais Claude Dubois dans le Blues du Businessman, franchement ça déménage...
One of Jaques Brel’s biggest influences and inspirations was Félix Leclerc, the golden feather and voice of Québec and French chanson
i can't understand how you can talk about vocal performance when the text by itself doesn't need to be sung, it carry a load of poetry, its more expression than singing and here Brel only bring it to life..
Life, pain, madness, sanity, history, desperation, love, death, loss, memories, hope, what...? still somewhere some hope..? don't forget me... Every (Dutch, French and Belgian) metalhead/punker/Singer&Songwriter (with a soul) /human being loves Jaques Brel. This is life. Bloody, real, hard, intens, hopeless, dark, honest.
Yeah, the commitment. This is the power of Jacques Brel, his strengh that inspired so many artist.
les textes de Jacques Brel sont très émouvants ; c'est de la poésie aussi. Il chante avec une émotion très prenante. Merci pour votre analyse
I had one year of French in high school, my senior year. It was 1978/1979. My French teacher brought in a record, and played a song for us. It was Jacques Brel and the song was called Ne me quitte pas. I never forgot! ...loved it.
Seriously, I check in again to hear the presenter's gorgeous speaking voice!! 😊
😂😂😂🤣🤣👌🏽🤙🏽☺️
I love this perfomance. For me, It's one of the best perfomances and interpretation all the time. So emotional, he really seems to be living the music, begging for real love. And it's difficult to convey so much sincerity in a performance. And I loved your react.
Everything is so beautiful with this song, even though so sad. The words, the music and obviously the man himself. Maybe the best French language song ever.
I'm french. Brel gave so much energy when he sang : his voice, his face, his hands, his full body were in motion depending of the text. A real interpreter of his own words. Each time, whatever the emotion and sens of the song, he embodied his creations so powerfully. Love him.
This was fantastic, and I loved your reaction. Yes, I totally had the same feeling about this being the male version of a "Lara Fabian" story-telling masterpiece, where we are taken along, into the song, into the very fibers of being of the performance, with him - as Lara does, too - leaving it all on the stage. Nothing too raw to be shared. Nothing too vulnerable to be withheld. Amazing. A masterclass of story telling via a singing performance. Utterly believable, entrancing, vicarious, even.
Jacques Brel was belgian but nonetheless the Godfather of The French Song, he was a great inspiration for Lara Fabian who considers "Voir un ami pleurer" as the greatest french song. Her rendition of that song in her 2003 concert "En toute intimité" is a pure gem...
‘The commitment to the performance” you nailed it that’s Brel and it’s amazing that even if you don’t understand French he got you to feel the emotion he wanted to transmit. Moi ca va je comprends ce qu’il dit mais c’est vraiment intéressant quand l’émotion passe peu importe la langue.
Thanks Bethany for your beautifull an inspiring reaction.
"Pour qu'un ciel flamboie, le rouge et le noir ne s'épousent-t-ils pas ?" = "For a sky to blaze, don't red and black marry?".
The voice is so emotionnal, the phrasing is so beautifull but the tyrics are so prodigious, too.
"Le rouge et le noir ne s'epousent-ils pas" this beautuful sentence is also a reference of a french very famous roman "Le rouge et le noir", writter Stendhal.
Thanks Bethany...Jacques Brel is one of my favorite singers, since i was a teenager. Brel was an incredible human, as artist (singer, comedian) and as person.
C'est pour moi, la meilleure chanson et interprète de tous temps ❤
obviously you were emotionally deeply touched by this song, and I am amazed how you managed to hold back tears - something which I can never do when I hear Brel singing this
Thanks a lot Bettany for this video, such a pleasure to watch the expression of your skills and emotion on that wonderful French song (eg. Jacques Brel was a Belgian French speaker).
Many thanks from France !
You can say it - you can't help falling in love with this guy..
Thank you for this. I couldn't agree more. It's not easy to make a song feel like an intimate scene. But he does it so naturally. Of course, it probably helps that he wrote it too so he kind of understands the bones of the song in a unique way. What I find so amazing about this performance is the way joy runs through this very very sad song. In his face. And this feels like a key to making this sort of "loss" song shine. We need to see glimmers of the joy and love that was in the past even as he's mourning its loss. Wow. Thank you for your wonderful channel. The way you respond to various singers is so authentic and insightful. Thank you.
It was my late father favourite song and singer. This song is always so hard to listen but so good! I still know the lyrics by heart! Also really like the version in Dutch.
Brel is a jewel and universel and inoubliable!
Nothing else to say other than it is brilliant.
I loved yor reaction dear. We miss Jacques.Greetings from Belgium🇧🇪🍀🍀🍀
Brel's most worthy song not for voice or pain, but pleasure and pointedness, is Les Bourgeois. A lesson for all citizens of the planet.
Although more common in those days in television than today with our fancy tracking shots and multiple camera angles, locking down the camera on his face was an absolute power move. Such an expressive performance!
Hello, Jacques brel est vraiment un artiste unique par son émotion et les texte de c'est chansons.
Écoute absolument les chansons les vieux ,les bourgeois et c'est gens la .
Jacques and Scott Walker's versions are so amazing in their own way. So glad Scott Walker brought these songs to an English speaking audience. You can tell he tried to be true to the originals whilst still making them Scott Walker song. Amazing. Sinatra also recorded a version, but was one of the rare occasions where Sinatra didn't quite reach the emotional resonance of the song.
I'm Brazilian and in my opinion this is the greatest song interpretation ever!
Dear Bethany 💝 I see all your involvement in every video.... you are Very sensibile woman ❤️.... have a nice day...ciao from Taranto 🏄♂️⛱️☀️ ITALIA 🇮🇹 thanx
Can I suggest listening to ‘Vesoul’? I think nobody ever sang faster than Brel in that particular song. Mind blowing!
What about him singing La Valse a Mille Temps?
@@willem-janageling3907 peut-être même plus vite!
Eminem is a competitor with Vesoul
I've been listening to Brel for almost 55 years (started as a toddler) and every day, still at this very moment) I discover new features of him. He was (and still is) by far the best performer ever, all languages confused, as he was 100% genuine. That's why he just quit performing early on (in 1969 I believe) ; he left his public in unbelief as he just told 'I quit. I havee nothing more to say', and he left the scene. he came back occasionaly like with his unbelievable musical Don QUICHOTTE and severel recordings, but he never ever returned on the scene.
Very few non Belgians know, but Brel was FLEMISH, so he spoke Dutch in the first place, but as he grew up in Brussels, he was bilingual end of course, once he left to sing in Paris, FRENCH became the language of his choice, although he rcorded a few songs in Dutch (the French version of 'MArieke' contains several Dutch phrases!).
I'm so sad I never attended a concerts (but again, by the time he left, I was only 6!). His music and songs are never outdated.
What i also like are his double, triple and sometimes even quadruple layers and calembours he uses in words and sentences. there is no second one...
As to Lara Fabian, yes she is Belgian to and NO it's not a cultural thing... But being a singer song writer and occasional performr myself (hobbtwise) I presume that it's Brel and Fabian's way of reacting AGAINST the dominant culture in Belgium of being humble, modest and not stir up things. I'm half Italian and lived in seeveral countries, so I definitely know that my Belgian part is like that, luckily my Italian side allows me to rebel against this kind of shiness...Brel sang it beautifully in 'LES FLAMANDES' ...
Belgians like to be unseen, invisible...
Anyway, Great video. I especially liked the synchronisation between the mimics of Brel and The Vocalyst.... So even though she doesn't understand Feench, she definitely understood the song. Only possiblee with an universal artist like Brel.
touching anyway
Please look at his words !! He was the best lyricist I ever knew !!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
When the soul is covering the singing techniques… totally superb, sincere, classy… it seem that he is telling a story… totally brilliant and wonderful…
Born and raised in Belgium in the 60s I guess my mom loved him almost as much as us kids - took me a while to understand and yes (late) mom you were right!
Merci de tenir en vie notre vieux Jacques national. Il nous manque encore.
Il n'est pas vieux mais hors du temps et des codes... Déjà de son vivant. ❤
Great reaction.Thanks 😉. Brel est toujours aujourd'hui un monument en Belgique et en France... Artiste et Poète totalement investi dans son art!
En Belgique certainement
B R A V A ! Brel was a genius, and true the words are even better
Tears in my eyes...What a LOST. Such a GREAT artist performer philosopher poet and a great great human heart the UNIQUE JACQUES..rest on peace GREAT Jacques you are missed
Beyond the text,(witch is a treasure) his interpretation is his best...
When you brought up Lara Fabian That was the Cherry on an already very well made and tasty cake. Both in their own right knows how to deliver THE Lyrics , The words curled and molded within the notes which they are telling you about body and soul combined.
Artists of another level bringing sens, emotions and often charms to envelop one’s ears, eyes and heart in a cocoon of feelings while making the listener to discover better who he/she truly is as a person. Rich !
I am French Canadian from Montreal, and to me Jacques Brel was always the best singer/songwriter! Living without knowing his music is a sad life!
A true artist ! This song is so sad , even if you re not french or belgium, you are capable to understand that ! And if you are francophone, you have to admit his text are poems. A true legend !
Congratulations to 400k! :)
Ah Jacques Brel. Unique and great. Thank you Bethany!
I first heard an excellent cover of this song when I was in 12th grade and learning French. Bought a vinyl album to listen whenever the mood struck. 50 years later, it still moves me to tears, especially the last verse.
Thank you for reviewing this❣️🙏. From a current Renegade.
Grand Monsieur. Quel texte, quelle chanson...Il vit ses chansons...Incroyable talent.
i'm french and i'think you can't feeling how deep is this song if you're not. 'cause he use all our deepest frenchie something ! i'm so proud of him !
That doesn't make much sense because he's from Belgium. I think that you lose much if you aren't francophone and if you don't have a high level of French, that's because you lose the richness of the lyrics and the way and the intensity how Brel delivers those lyrics,in a way that the interpreter, the music and the lyrics become a raw unity
I'm not French, but I do think understanding the language enhances the song.
But his genius is such that you don't have to understand French to feel the begging and hope and resignation in his voice.
Because these are "des mots insensés" that we can nevertheless understand on a very deep, emotional level.
one of my favourite songs
He is one of the greatest singers of all time! Thank you for reacting to him!
This is my favourite love song of all time. It is so heartbreaking and all the more so because of how he sings it. Those lines in the last verse where he says he will be happy to be in the shadow of her shadow, the shadow of her hand, the shadow of her dog, just to be with her always make me tearful. It is just outstanding and absolutely unique and masterfully performed. He is Belgian, not French so the dialect is a little different.
This song is haunted ! Merci Monsieur Brel, on a pas beaucoup de belles choses en Belgique, mais vous en faite clairement partie.
hello, for a French speaker, Jacques Brel has the unique particularity of not only performing a song but of living it intensely. We have this feeling that he is speaking to us, to us! and this song in particular. he was so in tune with his songs that he was sick at every concert and lost several kilos each time. This song is the most beautiful song ever written and performed about breakup that has ever been written. each word is incredible in truth and suffering
Don't forget. He's telling a story. A genuine story. Over analyzing dilutes his genuine desire for communicating to us a genuine story. Don't forget.
Brel's songs always touch hard. I would recommend Les Desesperés
Please dig in to Scott Walker, who covered this song as "If You Go Away," and many other songs throughout his first four LPs. Walker loved Jacques Brel, as we do. Thank you so much for featuring this performance!
Great reaction. I love also CHARLES AZNAVOUR. He was also a fantastic french singer ❤❤
Brel was not French,he was from Belgium
Aznavour was Armenian and French
Aznavour, With “Elle” (she , in his English version) , “comme ils disent” (as they say in his own English version) … yeah brilliant composition and live delivery
@@peterducodil9890Normandie, Bretagne, Belgique, c'est français finalement 🤪🤪
@@Dofman78 C'est vrai et c'est de la bonne musique
Brel! What can I say about Brel that hasn't been said, he could make you laugh, make you cry and make you think! A monument even here in Quebec and bravo for your always interesting comments, thank you.
A fabulous artist. He is one of the reason we are fighting like hell to keep french alive in Québec.
Goosebumps, every single time!
Hello, I`m French from Quebec and jacques brel are among the VERY FEW real ``Giant``... he is a monument, and more than is song ... is lyrics are so deep. He is among legend like Edith Piaf, Charles Arznavour... a man of peace and love. ✌ If i can SUGGEST one good in that feel : Charles Aznavour ; Hier encore... CLASSIC !!
I know your comment is for the owner of the channel. Nevertheless thanks for the recommendation from Aznavour. I did not know him nor the song.
I wish you a good day !
Jacques was from Belgium and I am French so I understand the lyrics of his song. Above all I can (as you may as well) feel the emotions that he can transfer through his lyrics, voice tone, body language, large (huge) hands... I would have loved to meet him in a cabaret on a just a night bar because he is famous for his sense of humor, and for always taking notes on his little notebook.
About this "song analysis" : to my opinion, the Great Jacques did not mentalize neither brain up this piece of art, he just sang from his heart as always.
Thank you for your respect to such a wonderful person.
Toujours un plaisir de te voir analyser et donner ton avis sur des chanteurs francophones.
Jacques Brel a des textes d'une incroyable sensibilité et la simplicité des musiques qui accompagnent son chant permettent de le mettre en exergue.
It's always a pleasure to see you analyze and share your thoughts on Francophone singers.
Jacques Brel's lyrics possess an incredible sensitivity, and the simplicity of the music that accompanies his singing allows it to stand out even more.
I had the experience of accompanying in a local theater production of "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well.......", a revue of his music. There is just a sublime "French-ness" to his melodies and his singing. So happy to find him on a reaction channel - you nailed it! Thank you for sharing!
Jacques Brel was Belgian.
@@Staklihen I know, but his style.......
Vous avez la beauté de ses mots.