C'EST COMME CA; CES GENS-LA; COMMENT TUER L'AMANT DE SA FEMME; DORS MA MIE; FERNAND; GRAND JACQUES; IL NEIGE SUR LIEGE; ISABELLE; JAURES; JE NE SAIS PAS; JE SUIS UN SOIR D'ETE; JOJO; L'AGE IDIOT; LA HAINE; LA LUMIERE JAILLIRA; L'AVENTURE; LE BON DIEU; LE CHEVAL; LE PLAT PAYS; LES FENETRES; LES FLAMANDES; LES MOUTONS; LES PIEDS DANS LE RUISSEAU; LES SINGES; L'HOMME DANS LA CITE; L'IVROGNE; L'OSTENDAISE; ON N'OUBLIE RIEN; ORLY; PARDONS; PRIERE PAIENNE; QUAND MAMAN RIVIENDRA; QU'AVONS NOUS-FAIT BONNES GENS; REGARDE BIEN PETIT; SAINT PIERRE; SUR LA PLACE; UNE ILE; VESOUL; VIEILLIR; VOICI; VOIR;

In making these translations I tried to remain as true as possible to the original French texts whilst creating performable English songs. Therefore, given that considerations such as to rhyme and metre had to be made, they should not be regarded as rigidly literal translations of Brel's work. However, many do remain very accurate, and the sense of the songs is always unaltered.

To use these texts in any commercial performance or recording, permission would need to be obtained from The Jacques Brel Foundation.

Download LE BON DIEU English lyrics (PDF file for e-reader).

Listen to Il Neige Sur Liege.

Listen to Le Cheval.

Listen to Ces Gens-La.

Listen to L'Age Idiot.

Listen to L'Aventure.

Listen to Le Bon Dieu.

Listen to Le Plat Pays.

Listen to Les Fenetres.

Listen to L'Ivrogne.

Listen to Regarde Bien Petit.

Listen to St Pierre.

Listen to Sur La Place.

Listen to Vesoul.

Listen to Quand Maman Riviendra.

A part of the Jaures translation was used by Dead Belgian on their CD Love & Death: The Songs of Jacques Brel.

Le Bon Dieu is featured in the book "Jacques Brel: De Definitieve Biografie" by Rene Seghers.

Last altered: 17 November 2018.