The Anarchist Encyclopedia: |
The Anarchist Encyclopedia: |
BRASSENS, Georges.
French anarchist songster.
(Born in Sète, October 22,1921; died in 1981)
Anarchist militant, nonconformist poet
began writing/singing songs in 1952.
Popular, but reclusive as a star.
Songs include "La mauvaise réputation",
"La non-demande en mariage,"
"Les copains d'abord".
Biographical/historical notes:
Georges Brassens.
"Brassens and the other post-World War II French singers are responsible for the greatest renaissance of song in modern times...
The great secret of Brassens is that he speaks for the hardcore unassimilables with complete self-awareness. He knew that he and behind him his ever-growing following could not and never would be assimilated, and he knew why, and he said so in every song, whatever that song was about. With him the counterculture comes of age."
— Kenneth Rexroth, "Subversive Aspects of Popular Songs"
Je suis anarchiste au point de toujours traverser dans les clous afin de n'avoir pas à discuter avec la maréchaussée.
Ken Knabb notes:
Georges Brassens was a lifelong anarchist, and his songs express a lively antiauthoritarian spirit, even if most of them are about the simple pains and pleasures of life rather than about specifically political topics.
Unfortunately, few English-speaking people are aware of him.
In an attempt to help remedy this situation, I have put together a new webpage which briefly discusses Brassens and the other creators of the French "renaissance of song", and which also includes links to some of the most useful Brassens sites on the Web. It's at
http://www.bopsecrets.org/recent/brassens.htm
The web site "Thank You Ferre", which had information & resources for French anarchist singers is now apparently defunct. Others resources include:
http://delamargelle.free.fr/brassens/
http://www.projetbrassens.eclipse.co.uk/georgesbrassensfrench.html
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/maurice.ulis/Georges_Brassens.htm
http://ytak.club.fr/octobre4.html#22
page created October 2005
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