“I’m an old con”: Pierre Perret reacts to the success of his song Paris ransacked

Pierre Perret has never had his tongue in his pocket and has often used his songs to convey messages. We remember in particular his tube Pretty summer camps, which was banned from broadcasting on radio and television, from the title The penis with more than equivocal words or, in a much more serious and demanding register, of Lily, poetic ode against racism. Even The birdcage brought him the wrath of many parents whose children had taken the words at face value and truly opened the door to free the trapped birds. “How I got insulted!“he confided years later.

Texts always engaged

Over the years, Pierre Perret has lost none of his verve and commitment. His song My France To Mereleased in 2020, defended its vision of our beautiful country, a France which “may be a believer, but has every right to be an atheist”. In promotion, he took the opportunity to pay a moving tribute to Samuel Paty, this professor of history and geography killed during an attack around his college in the Yvelines. A provocateur at heart, Pierre Perret also did not hesitate to say what he thought of Sibeth Ndiaye when she was the spokesperson for the government of Emmanuel Macron. “The spokesperson, her name is Sibeth / Some people think she’s aptly named / We can feel that the slightest idea is coming / Triggers a hurricane in her lemon“, he sang.

A song written four years ago, but terribly topical

At 88, the singer is far from having calmed down. His latest feat? The song Paris ransacked, in which he clearly scratches the management of the city by Anne Hidalgo who, it is true, has been the target of many criticisms lately, in particular from Rachida Dati, the animators Nagui and Hugo Clément or the actor Philippe Lellouche. In Paris ransacked, a title that has caused debate on social networks, Pierre Perret attacks the dirt that has made the capital a paradise for rats, the incessant work that rots the lives of Parisians or even the cycle paths. As often, the singer hit the bullseye because his little refrain had a fairly resounding echo in the press and on social networks. Reactions that made Pierre Perret smile, as he confided to the microphone of BFM TV on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.”What amuses me is that I hear everything. Oh, it turns to the old con! To the old man, that’s for sure. Dude, I don’t know. If it’s turning into an old fart, well, here it is: I’m an old fart. But at least I say what I have to say“, he confided before adding with a touch of mischief: “But there are still many people who say thank you!“Astonishingly, the singer has not written this text at all recently, but four years ago. However, it sticks incredibly well to the news and this is undoubtedly what explains its success.