Pierre Charles Marcel Napoléon Leroyer (16 December 1918 – 27 December 2006), known professionally as Pierre Delanoë (), was a French lyricist who wrote thousands of songs for dozens of singers, including

Dalida Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti (; 17 January 1933 – 3 May 1987), professionally known as Dalida (, ; ), was an Italian naturalized French singer and actress. Leading an international career, Dalida has sold over 140 million records worldwide. Some ...

Edith Piaf Edith is a feminine given name derived from the Old English word , meaning ''wealth'' or ''prosperity'', in combination with the Old English , meaning '' strife'', and is in common usage in this form in English, German, many Scandinavian lang ...

, Charles Aznavour,

Petula Clark Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child actor, child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 y ...

Johnny Hallyday Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and Pop music, pop singer and actor, credited with having brought rock and roll to France. During a career ...

, Joe Dassin,

Michel Sardou Michel Charles Sardou (; born 26 January 1947) is a French singer and occasional actor. He is known not only for his love songs ("La maladie d'amour", "Je vais t'aimer"), but also for songs dealing with various social and political issues, su ...

and

Mireille Mathieu Mireille Mathieu (; born July 22, 1946) is a French singer. She has recorded over 1,200 songs in eleven languages, with more than 122 million records sold worldwide. Biography and career Early years Mireille Mathieu was born on July 22, 1946, ...

Career

Pierre Leroyer was born in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. For his professional career, he adopted his grandmother's maiden name Delanoë. After obtaining a law degree, he began a career as a tax collector, and later a tax inspector. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he met

Gilbert Bécaud François Gilbert Léopold Silly (24 October 1927 – 18 December 2001), known professionally as Gilbert Bécaud (), was a French singer, composer, pianist and actor, known as "Monsieur 100,000 Volts" for his energetic performances. His best-know ...

and began working as a lyricist. For a period, he even performed alongside Bécaud in clubs. They penned some of France's best loved songs, including "Et maintenant", translated into English as " What Now My Love", which was covered by artists including Agnetha Fältskog,

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...

the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

, Sonny & Cher, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass and

the Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961 as The Elgins, known for their string of successful singles and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield ...

. "Je t'appartiens" (" Let It Be Me") was covered by

the Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...

, Tom Jones,

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...

Nina Simone Nina Simone ( ; born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was an American singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and po ...

and

Nofx NOFX () was an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Bassist/lead vocalist Fat Mike, rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin were original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...

. " Crois-moi ça durera" was covered as "You'll See" by

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

. In addition to Bécaud, Delanoë wrote for Édith Piaf ("La Goualante du pauvre Jean"), Tino Rossi, Hugues Aufray, Michel Fugain ("Je n'aurai pas le temps", " Une belle histoire"), Nicoletta,

Nana Mouskouri Ioanna "Nana" Mouskouri ( ; born 13 October 1934) is a Greek singer and politician. Over the span of her career, she has released an estimated 450 albums in at least thirteen languages, including Greek language, Greek, French language, French, ...

, Michel Polnareff, Gérard Lenorman (" La Ballade des gens heureux"), Joe Dassin (" L'Été indien", " Les Champs-Élysées", " Et si tu n'existais pas"), Nicole Rieu ("Et bonjour à toi l'artiste") and

("Les Vieux Mariés", "Le France"). He wrote a passionate song about

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...

in "La demoiselle d'Orléans" for

. The final lyric: "When I think of all I have given France... and she has forgotten me" was truly how the singer felt as she was made a caricature by Communists.Bonini, Emmanuel. ''La véritable Mireille Mathieu''. Paris: Pygmalion, 2005. The song " Dors, mon amour", performed by André Claveau, for which Delanoë only wrote the music, and went on to win the

Eurovision Song Contest 1958 The Eurovision Song Contest 1958 was the third edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster (NTS), the contest, originally known as the () was held on Wednesday 12 March 1958 ...

. In 1955, Delanoë was involved as Director of Programs in the launch of Europe 1, the first French radio station to program popular music in a modern way. He served as President of SACEM in 1984 and 1986, then from 1988 to 1990, and again from 1992 to 1994. He was awarded the Poets Grand Prize in 1997 by the institution. On 31 March 2004, Delanoë was given France's highest culture award, Commandeur of the

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The Order of Arts and Letters () is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant ...

. He created some controversy in July 2006 after expressing dislike for

rap music Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing ...

, saying that it is "a form of expression for people incapable of making music" and "not music but vociferations, eructations (belching)".

Death

Delanoë died of

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...

in the early morning of 27 December 2006, at the age of 88 in

Poissy Poissy () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. Inhabitan ...

near Paris. He is buried in the Cimetière de Fourqueux, which is just southeast of Poissy. His wife Micheline Leroyer (née Biesel) died on 16 January 2015, aged 97, and is buried beside him. They had three children: Pierre-Denis, Sylvie and Caroline.

Bibliography

* Pierre Delanoë, ''La vie en chantant'', éditions René Julliard, 1980 * Pierre Delanoë, ''Le surnuméraire'', éditions René Julliard, 1982 * Pierre Delanoë, ''Le 19è trou'', éditions Robert Laffont, 1984 * Pierre Delanoë, en collaboration avec A. J. Lafaurie et Philippe Letellier, ''Golfantasmes'', éditions Albin Michel, 1986 * Pierre Delanoë, ''La retraite aux flambeaux'', éditions Robert Laffont, 1986 * Pierre Delanoë, ''Poésies et chansons'', éditions Seghers, 1986 * Pierre Delanoë, ''Et à part ça qu'est-ce que vous faites ?'', éditions Michel Lafon, 1987 * Pierre Delanoë, ''Comment écrire une chanson'', éditions Paul Beuscher, 1987 * Pierre Delanoë, avant-propos de Jean-Marc Natel, ''Paroles à lire, poèmes à chanter'', éditions Le Cherche Midi, 1990 * Pierre Delanoë, entretiens avec Alain-Gilles Minella, ''La chanson en colère'', éditions Mame, 1993 * Pierre Delanoë, illustrations de Barberousse, ''Les comptines de Titine'', éditions Hemma Éditions, 1995 * Pierre Delanoë, illustrations de Barberousse, ''Les comptines d'Eglantine'', éditions Hemma Éditions, 1995 * Pierre Delanoë, préface de Jean-Marc Natel, voix de Charles Aznavour à Jean-Claude Brialy en passant par Renaud, ''Anthologie de la poésie française de Charles d'Orléans à Charles Trenet'', éditions du Layeur, 1997 * Pierre Delanoë, en collaboration avec Alain Poulanges, préface de Gilbert Bécaud, ''La vie en rose'', éditions Plume, 1997 * Pierre Delanoë, illustrations de Barberousse, musique Gérard Calvi, interprètes Jacques Haurogné, Juliette, Fabienne Guyon, Pierre Delanoë, Xavier Lacouture et Catherine Estourelle, ''La comptine à Titine'', éditions Hemma Éditions, 1998 * Pierre Delanoë, préface de Michel Tournier de l'Académie Goncourt, ''Des paroles qui chantent'', éditions Christian Pirot, 1999 * Pierre Delanoë, préface de Gilbert Bécaud, ''Le témoin était aveugle'', éditions Les vents contraires, 2000 * Pierre Delanoë, préface de Jean-Marc Natel, narration de Brigitte Lahaie, musique de Guy Boyer, ''La poésie dans le boudoir'', éditions du Layeur, 2000 * Pierre Delanoë, préface de Jean Orizet, ''D'humeur et d''humour'', éditions Mélis éditions, 2002 * Pierre Delanoë, ''Tous des putes'', éditions Mélis éditions, 2002 * Pierre Delanoë, en collaboration avec Jean Beaulne, ''Pierre Delanoë…Et maintenant'', éditions City Éditions, 2004

External links

Official website
(in French) *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Delanoe, Pierre 1918 births 2006 deaths Writers from Paris French male songwriters French songwriters Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres 20th-century French musicians Eurovision Song Contest-winning songwriters