Inspired by Punctuation’s post about the marvellous Edith Piaf the other day, here’s a video of Jacques Brel performing Ne Me Quitte Pas. Most of you will probably know the Nina Simone version, which is also good, but Brel’s version is just … unsurpassed. Even if you don’t understand the words, you can read the pain in his face and know that this is a man who is having his heart ripped out, slowly and painfully. Amazing.
Blinking heck. He hasn’t just had his heart ripped out, she’s trodden on it in stilettos too. Poor guy, I feel for him. (Is he acting or was it done after real pain?)
Allegedly the song was written after he was thrown out by his mistress. It should be pointed out, however, that the reason she threw him out is because she was pregnant and he refused to accept responsibility for the child, thus forcing her to have an abortion (this was the late 50s).
Anyway, I would say that it is acting, but informed by sense-memory (to be actor-wankerish about it …)
Ah, it’s the worst when your mistress kicks you out though – I mean you can’t even turn to the wife for sympathy. Or something like that. He sounds like a total rogue though, I felt sorry for him until you told me that!
To be all poet-wankish about it: thank God for tragedy. Serves him right for being a git to his mistress, and to his wife too…cheating unfaithful bastard…ahem, however, tragic lives do seem to produce the best art. Weird but true.
“Sense memory”….actors…pah.
I read the comments and then saw the video, so apparently i found it funny and a little overdone.
He really felt it, didn’t he?
I hope he wasn’t doing a tour. Doing that every night can’t be good for you.
Weirdly, that is what I had always hoped wold happen to Jacques Brel
Ditto what I said in my last comment, but now with my correct blog address.
(And no, Floaty, that typepad chap isn’t anything to do with me. A squatter, it seems).