Fanny Ardant
Fanny Ardant et moi
This song appeared on Vincent Delerm’s debut album named Vincent Delerm (2002) and was released as a single from the album.
Fanny Ardant (b. 1949) is a French actress. François Truffaut cast her in the lead female role as a “femme fatale” co-starring with Gérard Dépardieu in the 1981 film "La femme d'à côté" (The Woman Next Door). During filming, she and Truffaut fell in love. In 1983, Fanny also played in Truffaut’s film Vivement Dimanche (“Finally Sunday”) and they had a child that year. Ardant received nominations for César Award Best Actress for both films. Truffaut died in 1984.
This upbeat, tongue-in-cheek song is, in its own way, Delerm’s homage to both François Truffaut and Fanny Ardant. Delerm wrote his master’s thesis on Truffaut at the University of Rouen, and he apparently also had a “thing” for Ardant, although she was 27 years older than him. The song celebrates Delerm’s romantic fantasy with a black and white photo of Fanny Ardant that accompanies him on weekend visits to his parents’ house.
There are 9 stanzas of 4 lines each, although the last 3 stanzas repeat 3 earlier stanzas. They all have ABAB rhyme schemes. Lyrics highlighted in bold italic are explained in notes.
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FRENCH LYRICS On écoute du chant grégorien Elle parle à peine et moi je dis rien On a une relation comme ça Fanny Ardant et moi Je passe la soirée avec Sylvain Pendant qu'elle mate le papier-peint On est restés indépendants Moi et Fanny Ardant Elle est posée sur l'étagère Entre un bouquin d'Eric Holder Un chandelier blanc Ikea Et une carte postale de Maria Elle est toujours toute noire et blanche Elle ne dit plus Vivement Dimanche Depuis que je la traîne chez mes parents Tous les week-end Fanny Ardant Je lui parle pas des filles de Jussieu Elle parle pas trop de Depardieu Oui on évite ces sujets là Fanny Ardant et moi Il y a un truc dans son regard Qui me reproche de rentrer trop tard Elle voudrait que je sois là tout le temps Évidemment Fanny Ardant Elle est posée sur l'étagère Entre un bouquin d'Eric Holder Un chandelier blanc Ikea Et une carte postale de Maria Elle est toujours toute noire et blanche Elle ne dit plus Vivement Dimanche Depuis que je la traîne chez mes parents Tous les week-end Fanny Ardant On écoute du chant grégorien Elle parle à peine et moi je dis rien On a une relation comme ça Fanny Ardant et moi |
TRANSLATION (PENDERGAST) We listen to Gregorian chant She barely speaks and I say nothing We have that kind of relation Fanny Ardant and me I spend the evening with Sylvain While she stares at the wallpaper We have remained independent Me and Fanny Ardant She sits on a bookshelf Between a book by Eric Holder A white Ikea lamp And a postcard from Maria She is always black and white She no longer says “Finally, Sunday” Since I drag her to my parents Every weekend Fanny Ardant I don’t speak to her about the girls of Jussieu She doesn’t talk too much about Depardieu Yes, we avoid those subjects Fanny Ardant and me There’s something about her gaze That reproaches me for returning late She would like that I be there all the time Obviously Fanny Ardant She sits on a bookshelf Between a book by Eric Holder A white Ikea lamp And a postcard from Maria She is always black and white She no longer says “Finally Sunday” Since I drag her to my parents Every weekend Fanny Ardant We listen to Gregorian chant She barely speaks and I say nothing That’s how we are Fanny Ardant and me |
NB:
1) du chant grégorien: it borders on absurd to imagine that Delerm listens to Gregorian Chant with his imaginary mistress Fanny Ardant. Delerm is an acknowledged fan of music produced by such groups as The Cure and Divine Comedy.
2) qu'elle mate: the verb “mater” means to stare at, in this case—the wallpaper.
3) d'Eric Holder: Eric Holder (1960-2019) was a French novelist. The placement of his novel adjoining Fanny’s photo on the bookshelf is intentional. Holder’s best-known work, Mademoiselle Chambon, was published in 2002 by Flammarion, two years before Delerm’s song. Holder’s story in the novel describes the failure of passionate love outside marriage and the serenity (if banality) of friendly love. The book therefore projects a trace of Delerm’s imagined relationship with Fanny.
4) Vivement Dimanche (“Finally Sunday”) is the name of a 1983 comedic mystery film by François Truffaut for which Fanny Ardant received a nomination for a César award as best actress. Inexplicably, the official English translation of that French title became: “Confidentially Yours.” The phrase “vivement Dimanche” itself is a French idiomatic expression that indicates anticipation or longing for something (e.g. “I can’t wait until Sunday”). Ironically, in Delerm's song, Fanny stopped using the phrase after he began taking her picture to his parents' house on weekends. In 1998, TV talk-show host Michel Drucker appropriated the name for his Sunday afternoon variety show with celebrities.
5) des filles de Jussieu: Jussieu is a nickname for the science and engineering campus at the Sorbonne university in Paris' 5th arrondissement.
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