Michèle

Gérard Lenorman's song 'Michèle' is a poignant reflection on youthful love and the passage of time. The lyrics take us through the narrator's memories of a girl named Michèle, starting from when she was just fifteen. The imagery of her hair adorned with ribbons and their shared mornings on the train to school paints a vivid picture of innocent, early romance. The narrator's anticipation of recess to share a hot chocolate and a kiss with Michèle highlights the simplicity and purity of their young love.

As the song progresses, we see Michèle growing older, turning seventeen, with her hair blowing in the wind and singing 'Yesterday' by The Beatles. This reference to 'Yesterday' is a clever nod to the theme of nostalgia that permeates the song. Their afternoons spent watching Marilyn Monroe films at the cinema further anchor the story in a specific cultural moment, evoking a sense of timelessness and shared experiences. The mention of a snowy December night when they slept together for the first time adds a layer of intimacy and deepening connection between the two.

However, the song takes a melancholic turn as the narrator reveals that Michèle has moved on, married, and now lives in Paris. The repetition of 'Michèle, c'est bien loin tout ça' (Michèle, it's all so far away) underscores the distance, both physical and emotional, that has grown between them. The once joyful streets, cafes, and suburban trains now seem to mock their past love, emphasizing the inevitable changes brought by time. Lenorman's 'Michèle' is a beautiful yet bittersweet ode to a love that has faded but remains cherished in memory.