Steelworkers from the north, miners from Saint-Etienne, Brazilian trade unionists… Song after song, Bernard Lavilliers never ceased to put to music the daily life and difficulties of the working and popular classes. His political commitment to the far leftnor oscillates between communism and anarchism, had found a representative in the presidential election in the person of Jean-Luc Mélenchon in 2012. The singer already felt less close to the former socialist in 2017, then in 2022. “Vociferating like he does is not very skillful”he exclaims in the columns of the portrait devoted to him Release Thursday November 23.
But it is not against the French left that Bernard Lavilliers is most acidic. The 77-year-old artist analyzes the French political landscape as caught in “the ambient blur between authoritarian democracy and soft far-right”. Among our colleagues, he attacks the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macronwhich he denounces is advised by McKinsey and believes that he would be surrounded by “little marquises”.
Bernard Lavilliers: “Every presidential election, there is a kind of hysteria”
Bernard Lavilliers had already mocked Emmanuel Macron’s entourage in 2021 in his song Beautiful Days. “Initially it was called The little marquisessince if you noticed, they all look like Macron. They all come out of the dry cleaners, in the same suits, perfect.”he explained at the microphone of France Inter in April 2022. In this song, the 77-year-old artist sings: “The president is on edge. And despite everything, he lies, denies, brazenly.”
For the singer, it is the French hyper-presidential system that needs to be changed. “Every presidential election, there is a kind of hysteria. And as Chirac said: ‘Promises only concern those who listen to them’“analyzes Bernard Lavilliers. “And as they all say: ‘Retirement at forty, unemployment at 5,000 euros’… SO Beautiful Daysit’s for those who serenade us.” A political serenade denounced by Bernard Lavilliers.
Photo credits: LIONEL URMAN / BESTIMAGE