☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about a man who has spent his life near a particular tree and has now separated from it.
- The man now regrets having moved away from this tree, as he was happy when he was near it.
- The text contains several lines where the man mourns his decision to leave the tree.
- The man also compares his relationship with the tree to his relationship with his pipe.
- The text ends with the man leaving his old home and now it doesn't matter whether it rains or not.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Auprès de mon arbre" by
Georges Brassens are about a man who has spent his life near a particular tree and has now separated from it. The tree was his best friend and they were "du même bois", meaning very similar. Now the man regrets having moved away from this tree as he was happy when he was near it.
The text contains several lines in which the man mourns his decision to leave the tree. He describes how he now has other trees, like "des frênes" and "des arbres de judée", but none of them can replace the old tree. He misses the tree and calls it his "vieille branche de campagne" and his "seul arbre de Noël".
The man also compares his relationship with the tree to his relationship with his pipe. He has thrown away his old wooden pipe and now has pipes made of meerschaum. But he misses the taste of his old pipe and regrets giving it up.
The text also includes a line about the man's separation from his wife. He calls her "infâme" and says he left because it was difficult to constantly have her nose in his face. He is now looking for a new partner who may not be perfect but loves him.
The lyrics end with the man leaving his old home in an attic and now not caring whether it rains or not. He has changed his life and misses the simple joys he found near the tree.
Overall, the lyrics are about loss and regret. The man has made decisions that he now regrets and longs for the simplicity and happiness he found near the tree.