Il y avait un jardin

Georges Moustaki's song "Il y avait un jardin" is a poignant reflection on the loss of a natural paradise, a garden that once existed and was called Earth. The song begins with a spoken introduction, addressing children who grow up surrounded by concrete and asphalt, unaware that the world was once a beautiful garden. This sets the tone for a nostalgic and melancholic journey through the lyrics, which lament the transformation of the natural world into an industrial landscape.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a garden that was neither paradise nor hell, but a unique and beautiful place. Moustaki describes a home with trees, a mossy bed for making love, and a small stream that refreshed the land. This imagery evokes a sense of harmony and simplicity, a world where nature provided everything needed for sustenance and joy. The garden is depicted as a vast, fertile valley, abundant in food and flowers, a place where generations of ancestors lived in harmony with the land.

As the song progresses, Moustaki questions the whereabouts of this lost garden, expressing a deep sense of longing and loss. He wonders where this open, welcoming home has gone, a place where people could live carefree and in tune with nature. The song is a powerful commentary on the environmental degradation and the disconnection from nature that modern society faces. It serves as a reminder of what has been lost and a call to remember and cherish the natural world.