About
Jacques Brel, born in Schaerbeek (Brussels) in 1929, is a major figure of the chanson à texte. He recorded about a hundred songs, including 'Ne me quitte pas' and 'Le Plat Pays', translated into over 95 languages. After his farewell concerts at the Olympia in 1966, he devoted himself to cinema, acting in ten films and directing two features. He died in 1978 in Bobigny and is buried in the Marquesas Islands.
* 1929-04-08 — † 1978-10-09
Major works
- Quand on n'a que l'amour (1957)song
- Ne me quitte pas (1959)song
- Le Plat Pays (1962)song
- Amsterdam (1964)song
- Les Marquises (1977)album
Key milestones
- 1957Wins the Grand Prix du Disque of the Académie Charles Cros for 'Quand on n'a que l'amour'.
- 1966Gives his farewell concerts at the Olympia in Paris.
- 1973His film 'Le Far West' is nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes.
Themes
Love and heartbreakDeath and mortalityRebellion and nonconformismNostalgia and exileSocial critique
Sources: fondationjacquesbrel.be · id.loc.gov · fresques.ina.fr