L'Affiche Rouge

Léo Ferré

About L'Affiche Rouge

"L'Affiche rouge" is a song from the album Les Chansons d'Aragon (1961) by Léo Ferré. Its lyrics are based on the poem Strophes pour se souvenir (Strophes to remember) which Louis Aragon wrote in 1955 for the inauguration of a street in the 20th arrondissement in Paris, named "rue du Groupe Manouchian" in honor of 23 members of the FTP-MOI executed by the Nazis in the Mont-Valérien. The affair became known by the name of the Affiche rouge ("Red Poster") because the Germans plastered Paris in the spring of 1944 with thousands of red posters denouncing those executed as immigrants and Resistants. The poem paraphrases Missak Manouchian's last letter to his wife. 


Year:
2013
20 

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Vous n'avez réclamé la gloire ni les larmes
Ni l'orgue ni la prièr' aux agonisants
Onze ans déjà que cela passe vit' onz' ans
Vous vous étiez servis simplement de vos armes
La mort n'eblouit pas les yeux des Partisans

Vous aviez vos portraits sur les murs de nos villes
Noirs de barbe et de nuits hirsutes menaçants
L'affiche qui semblait une tache de sang
Parce qu'à prononcer vos noms sont difficiles
Y cherchait un effet de peur sur les passants

Nul ne semblait vous voir français de préférence
Les gens allaient sans yeux pour vous le jour durant
Mais à l'heure du couvre-feu des doigts errants
Avaient écrit sous vos photos MORTS POUR LA FRANCE
Et les mornes matins en étaient différents

Tout avait la couleur uniforme du givre
A la fin février pour vos derniers moments
Et c'est alors que l'un de vous dit calmement
Bonheur à tous bonheur à ceux qui vont survivre
Je meurs sans haine en moi pour le peuple allemand

Adieu la peine et le plaisir adieu les roses
Adieu la vie adieu la lumière et le vent
Marie-toi sois heureuse et pense à moi souvent
Toi qui va demeurer dans la beauté des choses
Quand tout sera fini plus tard en Erivan

Un grand soleil d'hiver éclaire la colline
Que la nature est belle est que le coeur me fend
La justice viendra sur nos pas triomphants
Ma Mélinée ô mon amour mon orpheline
Et je te dis de vivre et d'avoir un enfant

Ils étaient vingt et trois quand les fusils fleurirent
Vingt et trois qui donnaient leur coeur avant le temps
Vingt et trois étrangers et nos frères pourtant
Vingt et trois amoureux de vivre à en mourir
Vingt et trois qui criaient la France en s'abattant

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Léo Ferré

Léo Ferré (24 August 1916 – 14 July 1993) was a Franco-Monegasque poet, composer, singer and musician. more »

1 fan

Written by: Léo FERRE, Louis ARAGON

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, LES NOUVELLES EDITIONS MERIDIAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Genre Classification
"L'Affiche Rouge" by Léo Ferré fits into the category of French Chanson and Pop Music, often incorporating elements of protest music.
Historical Context
The song refers to "L'Affiche Rouge" (Red Poster), a propaganda poster produced by the Vichy French government and German authorities during World War II. This poster was used to vilify a group of resistance fighters, mostly French Jews of foreign origin.
Content
Léo Ferré's song is an adaptation of a poem by the French poet Louis Aragon (1897-1982) of the same name, "L'affiche Rouge." The poem is a tribute to the group of 23 resistance fighters, part of the 'Manouchian Group,' who were arrested and executed by the Nazis.
Release Date
"L'Affiche Rouge" was first recorded in 1959 and released the following year in 1961 as part of Ferré's album "Les Chansons d’Aragon."
Musical Evolution
The song "L'Affiche Rouge" is iconic as it's one of Léo Ferré's most significant works marking his transition towards setting poetry to music. He would later adapt other works by poets like Charles Baudelaire and Paul Verlaine.
Lyrics
The song uses evocative language to immortalize the bravery of the resistance fighters, highlighting their courage, sacrifice, and commitment to the cause of freedom.
Performance
Léo Ferré often performed "L'Affiche Rouge" on stage in a very passionate and emotional manner, showing his strong connection to the suffering and resistance of the French during the damning period of World War II.
Reception
“L'Affiche Rouge” is exceptionally well-regarded and known among fans of Ferré, fans of French chanson in general, and even among historians and academics due to its historical and emotional significance.
Legacy
The song helped establish Ferré as a significant pro-protest artist in French music, and it continues to be regarded as a historical document of the WWII era.
Influence
"L'Affiche Rouge" has influenced numerous artists and musicians. Its lyrics have also been quoted in literary and academic texts, and the song is often played during commemorative events related to World War II.

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