La Bohème
by Charles Aznavour
- Album: La Bohème
- Year: 1965
- Genre: Chanson française
- Length: 3:38
Nostalgia for an artist's youth in Montmartre. The narrator, an ageing painter, remembers a time of hunger but of living for art, love and freedom. Returning to the old streets, he recognises nothing: la bohème — and the youth that went with it — is gone.
Themes
- Memory and nostalgia
- An artist's youth
- A vanished time
- Art and poverty
Mood
- Wistful
- Warm
- Aching
References & context
- Montmartre as myth
The painters' quarter embodies la bohème: joyful poverty in the service of art. To name it is to summon a whole idealised era.
- The line "I am from another age"
The key phrase admits the gap between memory and present: it is not the place that changed but time that has carried the narrator elsewhere.
- A peak of French chanson
Released in 1965, by Aznavour and Jacques Plante, it became one of the most-covered French songs in the world.
Meaning-only commentary. No full lyrics are reproduced. For licensed lyrics, see your streaming provider.
Frequently asked
What is the meaning of "La Bohème" by Charles Aznavour?
Nostalgia for an artist's youth in Montmartre.
What is "La Bohème" about?
Nostalgia for an artist's youth in Montmartre. The narrator, an ageing painter, remembers a time of hunger but of living for art, love and freedom. Returning to the old streets, he recognises nothing: la bohème — and the youth that went with it — is gone.
What are the main themes in "La Bohème"?
The recurring themes are Memory and nostalgia, An artist's youth, A vanished time, Art and poverty.
Is "La Bohème" available in my language on Lyrithm?
Yes — this meaning analysis is published natively in English, Bahasa Indonesia, Español, Português, Français, 日本語. Lyrithm does not auto-translate; each language is written from scratch.