Le Gorille - Video and Text

"Le Gorille," was Georges Brassens’ first single. It was released at the end of 1952. It caused controversy and was banned from French radio until 1955. Some attribute this to its strong anti-death penalty stance, but it was probably also the detail of Brassens’ scandalous tale, which some found  pornographic.

LYRICS OF LE GORILLE

C'est à travers de larges grilles Que les femelles du canton Contemplaient un puissant gorille, Sans souci du qu'en-dira-t-on Avec impudeur, ces commères(1) Lorgnaient même un endroit précis Que, rigoureusement ma mère M'a défendu d'nommer ici Gare au gorille ! Tout à coup, la prison bien close Où vivait le bel animal S'ouvre on n'sait pourquoi (je suppose Qu'on avait dû la fermer mal) Le singe, en sortant de sa cage Dit « c'est aujourd'hui que j'le perds » Il parlait de son pucelage Vous avez deviné, j'espère Gare au gorille ! L'patron de la ménagerie Criait, éperdu : « Nom de nom(2) ! C'est assommant(2) car le gorille N'a jamais connu de guenon(3) ». Dès que la féminine engeance Sut que le singe était puceau Au lieu de profiter de la chance Elle fit feu des deux fuseaux(4) Gare au gorille ! Celles-là même qui, naguère Le couvaient d'un oeil décidé Fuirent, prouvant qu'ell's n'avaient guère De la suite dans les idées D'autant plus vaine était leur crainte Que le gorille est un luron(5) Supérieur à l'homme dans l'étreinte Bien des femmes vous le diront Gare au gorille ! Tout le monde se précipite Hors d'atteinte du singe en rut Sauf une vieille décrépite Et un jeune juge en bois brut(6) Voyant que toutes se dérobent Le quadrumane accéléra Son dandinement vers les robes De la vieille et du magistrat. Gare au gorille ! « Bah ! soupirait la centenaire Qu'on puisse encore me désirer Ce serait extraordinaire Et, pour tout dire, inespéré » Le juge pensait, impassible « Qu'on me prenne pour une guenon C'est complètement impossible » La suite lui prouva que non. Gare au gorille ! Supposez qu'un de vous puisse être Comme le singe, obligé de Violer un juge ou une ancêtre Lequel choisirait-il des deux ? Qu'une alternative pareille Un de ces quatres jours, m'échoie C'est, j'en suis convaincu, la vieille Qui sera l'objet de mon choix. Gare au gorille ! Mais, par malheur, si le gorille Aux jeux de l'amour vaut son prix On sait qu'en revanche il ne brille Ni par le goût, ni par l'esprit Lors, au lieu d'opter pour la vieille Comme aurait fait n'importe qui Il saisit le juge à l'oreille Et l'entraîna dans un maquis. Gare au gorille ! La suite serait délectable Malheureusement, je ne peux Pas la dire, et c'est regrettable Ça nous aurait fait rire un peu Car le juge, au moment suprême Criait : « Maman », pleurait beaucoup Comme l'homme auquel le jour même Il avait fait trancher le cou Gare au gorille !   1953 La Mauvaise Réputation

It was through strong iron railings That the females of the district Weighed up a strapping gorilla Unworried what people will say With no shame, these nosey women Even goggled one precise spot Which my mother has quite strictly  Forbidden me to mention here Beware of the gorilla ! All at once, the tight-shut prison In which the fine animal lived Opens, we don’t know why (I think They must not have closed the door right) The ape, coming out of his cage Said “Today’s the day I lose it” Talking of his virginity You have already guessed, I hope Beware of the gorilla ! The boss of the menagerie Shouted frantically « Good Heavens !  That’s awkward because the gorilla  Has never known female monkey". As soon as the feminine mob Knew that the ape was a virgin Instead of cashing in on their luck They ran at full speed on their pins Beware of the gorilla The very same ones who, just now Were wilfully fancying him Fled, proving that they had hardly Any consistency of thought. All the more vain was their fear As gorillas are quite funky Superior to man in embraces. Many women will vouch for that. Beware of the gorilla Everyone rushes off from The attack of the ape on heat Except one senile lady And a young judge standing firm. Seeing all the girls escaping The beast on four paws went faster Waddling straight to the two dresses  Of the old woman and the judge. Beware of the gorilla « Ah » sighed the hundred year old   That I might still be desirable Would be weird and wonderful  And, frankly quite unexpected. » The judge expressionless thought « For me to be deemed a she-ape That’s completely impossible » The next events proved him wrong. Beware the gorilla ! Suppose one of you men might be, As the ape was obliged to Rape a judge or very old lady  Which would he choose of the two Should a similar alternative One of these days fall to me It is the old gran, I’m convinced Who’ll be the object of my choice. Beware of the gorilla. But, sadly, if the gorilla In games of love earns his rating We know though that he does not shine In his taste or his intellect So, instead of choosing the old gran As anybody else would have done He grabbed the judge by the ear And dragged him into the brushwood. Beware the gorilla What follows would be delightful Unfortunately, I cannot Tell it and that’s regrettable That would’ve made us laugh a little For the judge, at the supreme moment Yelled out “Mamma!” and cried a lot Like the man whom, that very day He had had decapitated. Beware the gorilla!

TRANSLATION NOTES

1)     Commères = gossipy/ curious women.

2)     « Nom de nom!- C'est assommant – Although the zookeeper is frantic, his words are comically understated.  “Nom de nom” is a very mild expletive and the adjective “assommant” my Collins Robert dictionary translates as “deadly boring” - the verb assommer is more dramatic because it means to knock some-one or something out/ to batter unconscious- the source of the word seems to be "sommeil"

3)     Guenon means female ape.  As seen in note 2, Brassens is again having fun with inappropriate words.   He says the gorilla"n'a jamais connu de guenon.  This use of connaitre is a nice way of saying "to have sex with".  The zookeeper is extremely polite about the mating of his animals!

4)     Elle fit feu des deux fuseaux -Un fuseau is a spindle - therefore her legs.  The French expression that he is making play on is « faire feu des quatre fers » used for horses setting off so fast their hooves spark.

5)     Un luron is a womaniser – some-one who is “a great one for the girls” says Collins Robert.  Larousse says a happy, carefree person bold in love.

6)     En bois brut – « Brute » has a secondary meaning in both French and English of « raw »/ »unchanged ».  The judge has the hardness and impassivity of a dogmatic person of principle

The guillotine

Wikipedia tells me that the guillotine remained the official method of execution in France until the death penalty was abolished in 1981. The final guillotinings in France before abolition were those of child-murderers Christian Ranucci on 28 July 1976 and Jérôme Carrein on 23 June 1977 and torture-murderer Hamida Djandoubi on 10 September 1977.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Here we see Brassens the anarchist attacking with his humour those officials, who like judges and priests dress up in fancy robes to make themselves authorities over the lives of their fellow humans.

The song tells of to a clash of opinion with his mum. Whereas his dad was proud of the success of his son, his mother, although a music lover who enjoyed his early songs, was shocked by “Le gorille” and his other scandalous songs. A devout Catholic, she never once went to see her son perform on stage, because she said she had no wish to listen to him uttering insanities.

A comment below recommends this English translation made by Jake Thackray.  I agree.  I think it is very inspired.

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