Yves Duteil

Yves Duteil (born 24 July 1949, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine) is a French singer-songwriter. He is the third child to be born in the family. Duteil is a noted proponent of the French language, the rights of children and the respect of environment. Duteil was the mayor of Précy-sur-Marne in Seine et Marne from 1989 to 2014.

In 1972, Yves Duteil had first minor hit with a song called “Virages” (English: Turns). Included on his 1974 debut album L’Écritoire, it shares fame with such songs as the title track and from his next album, “J’attends” (1976), “Tisserand”, “Les Batignolles” (an area of Paris), etc.

His 1977 album “Tarentelle”, which would become his most classic, included not only his most famous song (“Prendre un Enfant”) but also such songs as the title track, “Le Petit Pont de Bois”, “Le Mur De La Prison D’En Face” which have all become classics.

Duteil’s ability to write love-filled, touching lyrics on sweet or catchy melodies have made him a singer much more loved than he is adulated by the public. He is probably not the first one to have achieved to stay outside of the show business spirit while managing to be very popular, after all Hugues Aufray did this too. But this is probably a touching side to know the man lives the simple life of a husband and father, doing concerts which are closer to a friendly grouping where pure emotions are shared.

In 2001, Duteil released “Sans Attendre”, more introspective than ever and with much modesty, he tackles some aspects of his life in a way that can bring a deep sight on life, understood in the light of spiritual love. In a simple way, he sings about friendship in tough times (“Les Gestes Délicats”), compassion for a father who never showed him that much affection, which never prevents Duteil to answer with love and sings all the kind words he found to his father, no matter what his childhood was like (“Lettre À Mon Père”). And probably the most touching song: “Pour Que Tu Ne Meures Pas”, which, for those who understand the lyrics, will bring tears of emotion as it deals with Yves Duteil’s wife’s disease, still in a very modest way and which brings a deep joy and belief in life and love as so much love is contained in this song. This is probably one of the most love filled, hope filled recording he has made. And leaves us, at the end of the listening, with a smile of joy and thankfulness that life is such a wonderful gift.

In Germany songs of Duteil are interpreted in French and German language by the Belgo-German singer Didier Caesar of the quartet Stéphane & Didier et Cie, who has translated in German the songs “La tarentelle” (Die Tarantella), “La puce et le pianiste” (Der Floh und der Pianist), “Lucile et les libelulles” (Sibyll und die Libellen), “Il me manquait toujours” (Es fehlt mir immer noch) and “Prendre un enfant par la main” (Nimm ein Kind an deine Hand). This song had been translated and sung in 2001 by the famous German Liedermacher Reinhard Mey with his title “Gib einem Kind deine Hand”. The German song texts can be found on website www.deutsche-chanson-texte.de. Duteil has written a total of 208 songs to current date.

Source: Article “Yves Duteil” from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.