"Non, je ne regrette rien" (, Piaf's pronunciation , meaning "No, I do not regret anything") is a French song composed in 1956 by Charles Dumont, with lyrics by

Michel Vaucaire Michel Vaucaire (born 3 August 1904 in Brissago, Switzerland; died 18 June 1980 in Saint-Denis) was a French lyricist. He often collaborated with the composer Charles Dumont in whom he always had confidence to put his lyrics to music. He is perh ...

Édith Piaf Édith Piaf (, , ; born Édith Giovanna Gassion, ; December 19, 1915– October 10, 1963) was a French singer, lyricist and actress. Noted as France's national chanteuse, she was one of the country's most widely known international stars. Pia ...

's 1960 recording spent seven weeks atop the French Singles & Airplay Reviews chart.

Background

The song's composer, Charles Dumont, states in the book ''Édith Piaf, Opinions publiques'', by Bernard Marchois (TF1 Editions 1995), that Michel Vaucaire's original title was "Non, je ne trouverai rien" (No, I will not find anything) and that the song was meant for the French singer

Rosalie Dubois Rosalie may refer to: People * Rosalie (given name) * Rosalie Levasseur (1749-1826), French soprano billed as Mademoiselle Rosalie * Rosalie Rendu or Sr. Rosalie (1786–1856), venerated by the Roman Catholic Church Film and theater * ''Rosalie'' ...

. However, thinking of Piaf, he changed the title to "Non, je ne regrette rien" (No, I Regret Nothing). According to journalist Jean Noli, in his book ''Édith'' (Éditions Stock 1973), when Dumont and Vaucaire visited Piaf's home at Boulevard Lannes in Paris, on 24 October 1960, she received them in a very impolite and unfriendly manner. Dumont had tried to offer Piaf his compositions on several occasions, but she disliked them and had refused them. On that day she was furious that her housekeeper Danielle had arranged a meeting with the two men without informing her, so she let them wait an hour in her living room before she appeared. She told them she would listen to one song only. Dumont sang ''Non, je ne regrette rien'', to which Piaf reacted extremely positively, saying "This is the song I have been waiting for. It will be my biggest success! I want it for my coming performance at L'Olympia!" Piaf dedicated her recording of the song to the Foreign Legion.Cooke, James J. (1990). "Alexander Harrison, ''Challenging de Gaulle: The O.A.S. and the Counterrevolution in Algeria, 1954–1962''". ''The International Journal of African Historical Studies''. Boston: Boston University African Studies Center. At the time of the recording, France was engaged in a military conflict, the

Algerian War The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...

(1954–1962), and the 1st REP (

1st Foreign Parachute Regiment The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (french: 1er Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes, 1er REP) was an airborne regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army which dated its origins to 1948. The regiment fought in the First Indochina War as th ...

)—which backed the failed 1961 putsch against president

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

and the civilian leadership of Algeria—adopted the song when their resistance was broken. The leadership of the Regiment was arrested and tried but the non-commissioned officers, corporals and Legionnaires were assigned to other Foreign Legion formations. They left the barracks singing the song, which has now become part of the Foreign Legion heritage and is sung when they are on parade.

Other recordings

The song has been recorded by other performers, including: * Piaf herself recorded an English version, titled ''No Regrets''. *

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...

in 1965, (reaching No. 39 on the UK charts) and on the album ''Love Songs''. *

Karen Akers Karen Akers (born October 13, 1945) is an American actress and singer, who has appeared on Broadway, and in cabaret and film. Early life Akers was born Karen Orth-Pallavicini in New York City on October 13, 1945. Her immigrant father, Heinnick C ...

on her 1981 album "Presenting Karen Akers". * German singer

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...

released a Disco/Synth-Pop version "No Regrets (Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien)" in 1984 *

Bad Boys Blue Bad Boys Blue are the German pop group formed in Cologne in 1984. The group performed many international hits including "You're a Woman", " Pretty Young Girl", " I Wanna Hear Your Heartbeat", and "Come Back and Stay". The group became massive ...

in 1989, on album " The Fifth" recorded an English version titled ''No Regrets''. * The rock band Half Man Half Biscuit recorded a 1991 English version titled ''No Regrets''. *

La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons'', ...

in her 1992

Moulin Rouge Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Ol ...

revue '' Formidable''. *

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...

contributed an English version to the 1994 multi-artist "Tribute to Edith Piaf" album. *

Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...

on 1994 album ''Piaf'', released to coincide with her portrayal of the lead character in the play of the same name. * Brazilian singer Cássia Eller in 2001 ''Acústico MTV'' album. *

Vicky Leandros Vasiliki Papathanasiou ( el, Βασιλική Παπαθανασίου; born 23 August 1949), generally known as Vicky Leandros ( el, Βίκυ Λέανδρος, links=no), is a Greek singer living in Germany. She is the daughter of singer, music ...

on her 2010 album "Zeitlos" (Timeless) sung in German with the title "Nein, ich bereue nichts" . *

Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the U.S. state of Louisiana. While Cajuns are usually described as ...

band

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys are an American Cajun band from southern Louisiana. The band formed in 1988 and has since recorded 10 albums, nine of which are on Rounder Records. The band includes Steve Riley (accordion, b. 1969), David Gre ...

on their 2011 album ''Grand Isle''. *

Frances McDormand Frances Louise McDormand (born Cynthia Ann Smith; June 23, 1957) is an American actress and producer. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, McDormand has received numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards, two Primetime Em ...

as Captain DuBois sings the song in '' Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.'' *

Raquel Bitton Raquel Bitton (born in Marrakesh, Morocco) is a French singer, actress and playwright. Biography In 1970, as a teenager, Bitton moved to San Francisco with her parents and brothers. She began to learn the songs from the French L'Âge d'or ('Gold ...

sang "No Regrets" in the film "Piaf..Her story..Her songs" and CD "Raquel Bitton sings Edith Piaf"

Other languages

* "Nej, jag ångrar ingenting" (Swedish) by

Anita Lindblom Anita Lindblom (14 December 1937 – 6 September 2020) was a Swedish actress and singer. She appeared in thirteen films between 1957 and 1974. Lindblom also recorded music. Her single ''Sånt är livet'' (a cover of Roy Hamilton's ''You Can Have ...

in 1961 * "Ne oplakujem" (Croatian) by

Tereza Kesovija Tereza Ana Kesovija (; born 3 October 1938) is an internationally acclaimed Croatian recording artist. She was one of the most recognizable figures on the music scene in former Yugoslavia, and is renowned for her wide vocal range and operatic sty ...

in 1962 * "Ne oplakujem" (Croatian) by Ana Štefok in 1964 * "Ne, ne žalim ni za čim" (Serbian) by Lola Novaković in 1964 * "Nej, jag ångrar ingenting" (Swedish) by Gun Sjöberg in 1966 * "Nelituj" (Czech) by Světlana Nálepková in 2005 * "Ne, ni mi žal" (Slovenian) by Aleš Polajnar in 2014 * "No dico no" (Italian) by

Dalida Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti (; 17 January 1933 – 3 May 1987), professionally known as Dalida, was an Italian-French singer and actress born in Egypt. She sang in eleven languages and sold millions of records internationally. Her best known son ...

* "No me puedo quejar" (Spanish) by Dalida * "Nah de Nah" (Spanish) by

Javiera Mena Javiera Alejandra Mena Carrasco (born June 3, 1983) is a Chilean indie electropop musician living in Lavapiés, Madrid. She started her musical career in the Chilean indie music scene in 2001, and achieved wider success after the release of h ...

* "Nem, nem bánok semmit sem" (Hungarian) by

Vári Éva Vari ( el, Βάρη) is a southern suburb of Athens and former municipality in East Attica, Greece along the Athens coast. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni, of which it is a municipal un ...

Elvina Makarian Elvina may refer to: Places *Elviña, Spain, town where the Battle of Corunna took place *Castro de Elviña, ruined site in Galicia, Spain *Elvina Bay, New South Wales, bay in northern Sydney, Australia People * Elvina M. Hall (1818-1889), Americ ...

(Armenian Legendary Jazz Singer).

In popular culture

* In the United Kingdom, the song was at one time associated with the former

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

politician

Norman Lamont Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont, Baron Lamont of Lerwick, (born 8 May 1942) is a British politician and former Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1990 until 1993. He was created a life peer in ...

, former

Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...

, who quoted the song's title to sum up his political career. * The song was adopted as "a personal anthem" by the former

Dutch colonial Dutch Colonial is a style of domestic architecture, primarily characterized by gambrel roofs having curved eaves along the length of the house. Modern versions built in the early 20th century are more accurately referred to as "Dutch Colonial Re ...

soldier

Johan Cornelis Princen Johannes Cornelis Princen (21 November 1925 – 2 February 2002), also known as Poncke Princen, was a Dutch anti-Nazi fighter and activist. In 1948, he deserted, joining the pro-independence guerrillas in what was then the Dutch Indies. H ...

(better known as

Poncke Princen Johannes Cornelis Princen (21 November 1925 – 2 February 2002), also known as Poncke Princen, was a Dutch anti-Nazi fighter and activist. In 1948, he deserted, joining the pro-independence guerrillas in what was then the Dutch Indies. ...

). * The song is used in many movies, including ''

Bull Durham ''Bull Durham'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy sports film. It is partly based upon the minor-league baseball experiences of writer/director Ron Shelton and depicts the players and fans of the Durham Bulls, a minor-league baseball team in ...

'' (1988);

Doris Dörrie Doris Dörrie (; born 26 May 1955) is a German film director, producer and author. Biography Born in Hanover, Dörrie completed her secondary education there in 1973. The same year, she began a two-year attendance in film studies in the drama de ...

's film ' (1994); '' Babe: Pig in the City'' (1998);

Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci (; 16 March 1941 – 26 November 2018) was an Italian film director and screenwriter with a career that spanned 50 years. Considered one of the greatest directors in Italian cinema, Bertolucci's work achieved international ...

's film '' The Dreamers'' (2003), the Coen Brothers' film ''

Intolerable Cruelty ''Intolerable Cruelty'' is a 2003 American romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Joel and Ethan Coen, and produced by Brian Grazer and the Coens. The script was written by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone and Ethan and Joel Coen, with th ...

'', the 2005 film ''

Monamour ''Monamour'' is a 2006 Italian erotic romance film directed by Tinto Brass. Plot Marta is a young Nymphomaniac housewife, married to a man named Dario, who works for a successful book publisher and is wealthy. Despite loving her husband, Marta i ...

'', the 2006 film ''Piaf Her story Her songs'', the French criminal biopic ''

Mesrine Jacques Mesrine (; 28 December 1936 – 2 November 1979) was a French criminal responsible for numerous murders, bank robberies, burglaries, and kidnappings in France, the US, and Canada. Mesrine repeatedly escaped from prison and made i ...

'' (2008), '' Valiant'' (2005), a British animated film about World War II; ''

Inception ''Inception'' is a 2010 science fiction action film written and directed by Christopher Nolan, who also produced the film with Emma Thomas, his wife. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a professional thief who steals information by infiltr ...

'' (2010), where the song is connected with

hypnic jerk A hypnic jerk, hypnagogic jerk, sleep start, sleep twitch, myoclonic jerk, or night start is a brief and sudden involuntary contraction of the muscles of the body which occurs when a person is beginning to fall asleep, often causing the person t ...

; and '' Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted'' (2012). * The song features prominently in the biographic movie '' La Vie en Rose'', which tells the story of Édith Piaf (portrayed by French actress

Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress, film producer, singer, and environmentalist who is widely known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters in both European and Hollywood productions. She has received ...

) * A Spanish version of the song performed by

, plays during the end credits of the 2012 Chilean film '' Young and Wild''. * The song has been featured in many episodes of television and streaming programs, including episode 14 of season 11 of ''

Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

'', season 4 episode 12 of ''

The Good Wife ''The Good Wife'' is an American legal and political drama television series that aired on CBS from September 22, 2009, to May 8, 2016. It focuses on Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney, who returns to her career in l ...

'', season 23 episode 13 of

the Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

, season 3 episode 10 of '' Druck'', season 2 episode 6 of '' Why Women Kill'', season 3 episode 6 of '' In the Dark'', the conclusion of episode 10 of the first season of the series ''

Ted Lasso ''Ted Lasso'' is an American sports comedy-drama television series developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly. It is based on a character of the same name that Sudeikis first portrayed in a series of promos for NB ...

'', the SBS Korean Drama '' The Penthouse'', season 2 episode 9 of the series

Preacher A preacher is a person who delivers sermons or homilies on religious topics to an assembly of people. Less common are preachers who preach on the street, or those whose message is not necessarily religious, but who preach components such as a ...

, season 1 episode 1 of ''

Wednesday Wednesday is the day of the week between Tuesday and Thursday. According to international standard ISO 8601, it is the third day of the week. In countries which have Friday as their holiday, Wednesday is the fifth day of the week. In countrie ...

'', and season 2 episodes 1 and 10 of the series Star Trek: Picard. * This song was added to

The Boring Company The Boring Company (TBC) is an American infrastructure and tunnel construction services company founded by Elon Musk. Its ongoing and proposed projects are designed for intra-city ("loop") transit systems. After six years TBC has completed on ...

website when 50,000 "boring hats" were sold. * Lyrics from this song are featured in Rammstein's "Frühling in Paris" from ''

Liebe ist für alle da ''Liebe ist für alle da'' (, "Love is there for everyone"), often abbreviated to LIFAD, is the sixth studio album by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein. It was released through Universal Music in Europe on 16 October 2009, the United Ki ...

'' (2009). * Édith Piaf's recording has been used in numerous television commercials, notably for

Specsavers Specsavers Optical Group Ltd is a British multinational optical retail chain, which operates mainly in the UK, Ireland, Australasia and the Nordic countries. The chain offers optometry and optician services for eyesight testing and sells gl ...

and

Zoflora Thornton & Ross is a pharmaceutical company based in Linthwaite founded in 1922 by Nathan Thornton and Phillip Ross. It is the producer of Covonia cough medicine, Zoflora disinfectant, Hedrin head lice treatment and the Care range of medicines. ...

Charts

References

{{authority control 1956 songs French songs French Foreign Legion Édith Piaf songs Shirley Bassey songs Anita Lindblom songs 1950s ballads