The first irony is that there's a prostitute, or courtesan, who lives on Madonna Street. Next is that the John who comes to see her must say he's the utilities serviceman, come "for the gas." After that, we find that the respectable men in town from bourgeoisie and the working class, are also there "for the gas." It's like prohibibition era speakeasy where everyone had to give a password to get in. "Jacques Brel"of the Dialogus website says the essence of this song is about "text and pretext", hypocrisy, people pretending to be what they're not . The assemblage of men in this small funky house reminded Brel of the Marx Brothers famous cabin scene. Ema, of Rennes France tells me "my sisters hand" reminds her of an expression, "My sister's hand in the pants of a Zouave." Brel's hand gesture seems to confirm that.Thank's to Ema for her help with the translation of this funny song, full of alliterations and poetic devices best listened to in French. * The port wine from an area called" Porte des Lilas" is not genuine port from Portugal, it is an imitation, not what it pretends. Thanks to philpchek of YouTube and Paris for this and other corrections in green. From Les Adieux a L'Olympia, October 1966. This song can also be found on the album "Brel '67." There's a Mort Shuman terrible adaptation of this is called Taxicab in the JB is Alive and Well movie.
Jacques
Brel
1960s
French
chanson
English
subtitles
prostitute
whorehouse
bordello
gasman
humor
satire
hypocrisy
vnrose
