Jacques Brel

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Jacques Brel (1929–1978) was a French-speaking Belgian singer and author-composer. Known in the English-speaking world mainly through translations of his songs, he is also remembered in French-speaking countries as an actor and director.

Brel was born on 8th April 1929 in Schaarbeek, a district of Brussels, and lived half of his life in Paris. He died of lung cancer on 9th October 1978 in Bobigny in the suburbs of Paris, and is buried in the Marquesas Islands.

Although the Brels spoke French, they were of Flemish descent, with some of the family originating from Zandvoorde, near Ieper. Brel’s father was co-owner of a cardboard factory and Brel started his professional life at that firm, apparently destined to follow in his father’s footsteps. However he had no interest in it, showing instead an interest in the arts, having joined the Catholic-humanist youth organisation Franche Cordée, where he did some singing and acting. At Franche Cordée he met Thérèse Michielsen (‘Miche’), and they married in 1950.

In the early 1950s Brel achieved some minor success in Belgium, singing his own songs. A 78rpm record (“La foire”/”Il y a”) was released as a result. From 1954 Brel seriously pursued a singing career. He quit his job and moved to Paris, writing music and singing in the city’s cabarets and music-halls… In January 1955 he supported in the ancienne belgique in Brussels the performances of the Belgian pop and variety pioneer Bobbejaan Schoepen. After some success his wife and daughters joined him from Belgium.

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• Quand on n'a Que l'Amour
  Jacques Brel

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• Quinze Ans D'Amour
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• Ne Me Quitte Pas
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• Ses 16 plus belles chansons
  Jacques Brel

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3		Quand On N'A Que L'Amour			338
4		Vesoul			261
5		La Chanson Des Vieux Amants			231
6		Les flamandes			211
7		La Valse a Mille Temps			203
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9		Mathilde			197
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