Un homme heureux (A Happy Man), Album: Imposteur (2024)
William Sheller wrote this song in 1991 for his album “Sheller en solitaire,” winning the Victoires de la Musique award in 1992 for “chanson de l’année.” It was Sheller’s only single release that made it to the top 50.
It’s an ideal song for what might appear as a symbolic “passing of the torch” from a paragon of classic “chanson” (Cabrel) to a rising star (Doré) in the same genre. In the video released in 2025, the two artists appear standing face-to-face in an unadorned studio. They are accompanied, as in Sheller’s original song, only by piano. It was the vocal culmination of a relationship begun in 2017 when Cabrel invited Doré to appear as a “parrain” (godfather/counselor) at his semi-annual seminar for emerging artists “Rencontres d’Astaffort.”
Cabrel and Doré have a good bit in common, despite significant differences in age (29 years), generations and experience. As shown adjoining, at one stage in their careers they shared a hirsute predilection. Both have become strong representatives of the “chanson” tradition in their style and repertoire. They both have chosen to live away from the hullabaloo of Paris near their birthplaces in relatively rural areas of “Occitanian” tradition in southwest France. Cabrel makes his birth town of Astaffort his home, and Doré lives near his birthplace Alès in the Cévennes region. They both cultivate an intense attachment to domestic privacy, an affinity for environmental issues, and both have adopted a child.
Occitanie, Astaffort and Alès
Doré released the duet version of “Un homme heureux” in 2024 on his sixth studio album named “Imposteur” (“Imposter”) and the video shown below appeared in 2025. The album consists of 24 “covers” of established songs originated by other artists. Notably, Doré invited Cabrel to collaborate for the album on the neutral ground of a third-party piece written by William Sheller rather than one of Cabrel’s own many hits. It was one of only three duets to appear on the album (the others with Hélène Ségara and Sharon Stone.
Barrette-à-cheveux
tThe name of the album itself carries a tongue-in-cheek reference to a characterization ("imposter") that some critics applied to Doré’s victory in the 2007 “Nouvelle Star” song competition. At that time, he sang distinctive cover versions of "indie-pop" songs using his favored but offbeat instrument, a ukelele. These songs included Alizée's "Moi, Lolita," Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," and Madonna's "Like a Virgin." Doré likely intended the album name as a "tip of the hat" acknowledgement of the "imposter" sobriquet.
The cover photo of "Imposteur" portrays a “barrette-à-cheveux” that Doré employed on-stage as an accessory to keep hair out of his eyes while playing guitar. Obviously, Doré enjoys a puckish sense of humor as well as an advanced sense of design and an adept use of visual symbols associated with his 5 years of study at the École des Beaux Arts in Nîmes. Such symbols include his hair, the "barrette," the ukelele, his prominent tattoos, the miniature motorcycle, the jacket motif of a wolf, and more. His minimalist aesthetic appears in the names of his albums: Erstatz, Bichon, Love, &, Vous & Moi, Aimée and Imposteur.
The cover photo of "Imposteur" portrays a “barrette-à-cheveux” that Doré employed on-stage as an accessory to keep hair out of his eyes while playing guitar. Obviously, Doré enjoys a puckish sense of humor as well as an advanced sense of design and an adept use of visual symbols associated with his 5 years of study at the École des Beaux Arts in Nîmes. Such symbols include his hair, the "barrette," the ukelele, his prominent tattoos, the miniature motorcycle, the jacket motif of a wolf, and more. His minimalist aesthetic appears in the names of his albums: Erstatz, Bichon, Love, &, Vous & Moi, Aimée and Imposteur.
The song explores an existential problem of human existence—the search for meaning in life, for which “happiness” may be a potential, if elusive, solution. The narrative proceeds like a Socratic dialogue about love between Sheller and an unidentified partner. In this case, the actual dialogue occurs between Doré and Cabrel. It is almost as though Sheller wrote the song originally as a duet though he sang it himself as a solo. He traces a somber but melodic interrogative rumination that proceeds by observations and musings about the observed “happiness” of couples-in-love.
Each 5-line verse begins with a 2-line question with a response in the following 3 lines. Verse 1: Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment, sont-ils toujours un peu les mêmes? Verse 2: Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment, sont-ils toujours un peu rebelles? Sheller observes that people in love often appear alike and have congruent desires, but they can also be a little rebellious, a little cruel, and immersion in their own little world often leads to separation from others. He suggests tentatively to his prospective partner that they might try it out, but he is prepared to back off if it’s not worthwhile. Like most Socratic dialogues, the song ends without resolution. He just wants to be a happy man and is seeking a path.
The song is tightly structured. It has 2 Verses (each with 2 stanzas), 2 Refrains (each with 2 stanzas) and an Outro in the following sequence: V/Refrain/V/Refrain/Outro. Each stanza in both verses repeats the same melodic chord progression but with different lyrics and the chords are shared between verses. The refrain lyrics are identical and turn declarative and aspirational with chords that provide an expansive melodic shift. The key theme “Je veux être un homme heureux” concludes each refrain and comprises the entire Outro to drive the point home.
Each 5-line verse begins with a 2-line question with a response in the following 3 lines. Verse 1: Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment, sont-ils toujours un peu les mêmes? Verse 2: Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment, sont-ils toujours un peu rebelles? Sheller observes that people in love often appear alike and have congruent desires, but they can also be a little rebellious, a little cruel, and immersion in their own little world often leads to separation from others. He suggests tentatively to his prospective partner that they might try it out, but he is prepared to back off if it’s not worthwhile. Like most Socratic dialogues, the song ends without resolution. He just wants to be a happy man and is seeking a path.
The song is tightly structured. It has 2 Verses (each with 2 stanzas), 2 Refrains (each with 2 stanzas) and an Outro in the following sequence: V/Refrain/V/Refrain/Outro. Each stanza in both verses repeats the same melodic chord progression but with different lyrics and the chords are shared between verses. The refrain lyrics are identical and turn declarative and aspirational with chords that provide an expansive melodic shift. The key theme “Je veux être un homme heureux” concludes each refrain and comprises the entire Outro to drive the point home.
The video version below is by Brice VDH with Martin Lefebvre on piano. The two artists alternate turns by stanza in the first verse and refrain. Beginning in Verse 2, they break up the stanzas and then weave their voices, words and melodies together to complete the song in unison. This makes a harmonious combination that, in a way, powerfully actualizes the collaborative synergy that Doré symbolized in the title of his earlier album "&" (2016).
The video version below is by Brice VDH with Martin Lefebvre on piano. The two artists alternate turns by stanza in the first verse and refrain. Beginning in Verse 2, they break up the stanzas and then weave their voices, words and melodies together to complete the song in unison. This makes a harmonious combination that, in a way, powerfully actualizes the collaborative synergy that Doré symbolized in the title of his earlier album "&" (2016).
Words and phrases with commentary in the notes below are highlighted and italicized.
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Verse 1
Doré Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment Sont-ils toujours un peu les mêmes? Ils ont, quand ils s'en viennent, Le même regard d'un seul désir pour deux Ce sont des gens heureux Cabrel Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment Sont-ils toujours un peu les mêmes? Quand ils ont leurs problèmes, Ben, y'a rien à dire! Y'a rien à faire pour eux, Ce sont des gens qui s'aiment Refrain Doré Et moi, j'te connais à peine mais ce s'rait une veine Qu'on s'en aille un peu comme eux On pourrait se faire, sans qu'ça n'gêne, De la place pour deux Cabrel Mais si ça n'vaut pas la peine Que j'y revienne Il faut m'le dire au fond des yeux Quel que soit le temps que ça prenne Quel que soit l'enjeu Je veux être un homme heureux Verse 2 Doré Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment Sont-ils toujours un peu rebelles? Cabrel Ils ont un monde à eux Que rien n'oblige à ressembler à ceux Ensemble (Together) Qu'on nous donne en modèle Pourquoi les gens qui s'aiment sont-ils toujours un peu cruels? Doré Quand ils vous parlent d'eux, Y'a quelque chose qui vous éloigne un peu Ensemble (Together) Ce sont des choses humaines Refrain Et moi, j'te connais à peine Mais ce s'rait une veine Qu'on s'en aille un peu comme eux On pourrait se faire, sans qu'ça n'gêne De la place pour deux Mais si ça n'vaut pas la peine Que j'y revienne Il faut m'le dire au fond des yeux Cabrel Quel que soit le temps que ça prenne Ensemble (Together) Quel que soit l'enjeu Je veux être un homme heureux Outro Je veux être un homme heureux Je veux être un homme heureux |
Verse 1
Doré Why are people in love Always a bit alike? They have when they come The same look of one desire for two They are happy people. Cabrel Why are people in love Always a bit alike? When they have problems, Well, there’s nothing to say! Nothing to do for them. They are people in love Refrain Doré And me, I hardly know you But it would be a stroke of luck If we were a bit like them We could do it, without problem Room for two Cabrel But if it's not worth the trouble That I return You must tell it to me straight However long it takes However high the stakes I want to be a happy man. Verse 2 Doré Why are people in love Always a bit rebellious? Cabrel They have their own world, Which nothing obliges to resemble those Ensemble (Together) That people give us as models Why are people in love Always a little cruel? Doré When they speak about themselves There is something that pushes you away Ensemble (Together) These are human things. Refrain And me, I hardly know you But it would be a stroke of luck If we were a bit like them We could do it, without problem Room for two But if it's not worth the trouble That I return You must tell it to me straight Cabrel However long it takes Ensemble (Together) However high the stakes I want to be a happy man Outro I want to be a happy man I want to be a happy man |
NB:
1) quand ils s'en viennent: “s’en venir” carries a subtle sense of something in process of happening, as in “l'autobus s'en vient” (the bus is coming).
2) ce s'rait une veine: the expression “avoir de la veine” or “être en veine”means “to be lucky,” “to be on a roll.”
3) Qu'on s'en aille: this expression carries an implication of aspiration
4) sans qu'ça n'gêne: this double negative translates literally as “without which that does not bother.” It is a linguistically more elaborate way to say: "sans gêne."
5) au fond des yeux: literally means “deep in the eyes.” This phrase is commonly used with the verb “regarder” (since it involves eyes). Here, however, it follows the verb “dire” and figuratively implies speaking “straight to my face,” directly and honestly.
1) quand ils s'en viennent: “s’en venir” carries a subtle sense of something in process of happening, as in “l'autobus s'en vient” (the bus is coming).
2) ce s'rait une veine: the expression “avoir de la veine” or “être en veine”means “to be lucky,” “to be on a roll.”
3) Qu'on s'en aille: this expression carries an implication of aspiration
4) sans qu'ça n'gêne: this double negative translates literally as “without which that does not bother.” It is a linguistically more elaborate way to say: "sans gêne."
5) au fond des yeux: literally means “deep in the eyes.” This phrase is commonly used with the verb “regarder” (since it involves eyes). Here, however, it follows the verb “dire” and figuratively implies speaking “straight to my face,” directly and honestly.