« Non, t’es pas tout seul ». Variations sur le thème de la bromance dans trois chansons francophones
Variations sur le thème de la bromance dans trois chansons francophones
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58221/mosp.v118i3.23512Keywords:
Bromance, Men’s studies, French song lyrics', Jacques Brel, Renaud, Les Cowboys fringantsAbstract
Over the past fifteen years, bromance has been an extensively used concept in the field of Men’s Studies, particularly in research focusing on cinema and television series. However, it has never been applied to French song lyrics, despite male bonding being a common theme in this genre of text. The article focuses on three francophone songs from different decades: Jacques Brel’s “Jef” (1964), Renaud’s “Manu” (1981), and “Mon chum Rémi” (2002) by the Quebec folk-rock group Les Cowboys fringants. The results indicate that the lyrics display many typical characteristics of the bromantic relationship. There is, at the very core of the narratives, a close emotional intimacy between the narrator and the main protagonist. The social environments depicted are male-dominated, and it can be argued that these narratives reinforce heteronormativity. As for the negative aspect of bromances identified by some researchers, namely the risk that they contribute to normalizing misogyny and spreading patriarchal attitudes, this is indeed a problem concerning Brel’s chanson. However, Renaud’s and Les Cowboys fringants’ lyrics have proven to be more complex and nuanced regarding their representations of masculinity.
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