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Pierre Delanoë
Pierre Delanoë
	Delanoë in 1982
Background information
Birth name	Pierre Charles Marcel Napoléon Leroyer
Born	16 December 1918; Paris, France
Died	27 December 2006 (aged 88); Poissy, France
Genres	Chanson
Occupations	Civil servant; songwriter; author;
Years active	1945–2006
Website	pierre-delanoe.fr

Pierre Charles Marcel Napoléon Leroyer (16 December 1918 – 27 December 2006), known professionally as Pierre Delanoë (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ dəlanɔe]), was a French lyricist who wrote thousands of songs for dozens of singers, including Dalida, Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Petula Clark, Johnny Hallyday, Joe Dassin, Michel Sardou and Mireille Mathieu.^[1]^[2]

Career

Pierre Leroyer was born in Paris. 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, he met Gilbert Bécaud 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, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, the Supremes, Sonny & Cher, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass and the Temptations. "Je t'appartiens" ("Let It Be Me") was covered by the Everly Brothers, Tom Jones, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Nina Simone and Nofx. "Crois-moi ça durera" was covered as "You'll See" by Nat King Cole.

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, 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 Michel Sardou ("Les Vieux Mariés", "Le France"). He wrote a passionate song about Joan of Arc in "La demoiselle d'Orléans" for Mireille Mathieu. 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.^[3]

The song "Dors, mon amour", performed by André Claveau, for which Delanoë only wrote the music,^[4] and went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest 1958.^[2]

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.^[5]

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.^[6]

He created some controversy in July 2006 after expressing dislike for rap music, saying that it is "a form of expression for people incapable of making music" and "not music but vociferations, eructations (belching)".^[2]^[5]

Death

Delanoë died of cardiac arrest in the early morning of 27 December 2006, at the age of 88 in Poissy near Paris. He is buried in the Cimetière de Fourqueux, which is just southeast of Poissy.^[7] 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 dhumour, 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