Le bruit et l'odeur
Encyclopedia
"Le Bruit et l'odeur" refers to a speech given in 1991 by Jacques Chirac
, the mayor of Paris
who later became French
president; it translates as "noise and smell."
This is an excerpt from the speech:
In this speech, Chirac contrasts the situation of older generations of immigrants (coming from Italy, Spain, Portugal or Poland) to what he considers the current "overdose" of immigration, mostly from Muslim Arabs and Blacks coming from former colonies that once wanted and got their independence from France. He deplores polygamy
, family regrouping policy (adopted by his own initiative) in 1976, exaggerated social assistance (assistanat) and also the situation of working-class French who have trouble making ends meet and see next door large immigrant families living in Europe the African way of life, with one man, three or four spouses, and dozens of children, all living off welfare, not working, not contributing to social taxes, and making noise and smell in the council house
.
He then explains that in such conditions, the French worker, without being a racist, is bound to become mad.
This speech became famous when it was sampled in 1995 by the French band Zebda
on their hit "Le bruit et l'odeur" from the album by the same name
. Three members of the group Zebda
are ethnically Maghreb
ine (out of seven), while the rest are ethnically Europe
an.
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
, the mayor of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
who later became French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
president; it translates as "noise and smell."
This is an excerpt from the speech:
- English translation: How do you want a French worker who works with his wife, who earn together about 15,000 FF
French francThe franc was a currency of France. Along with the Spanish peseta, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra . Between 1360 and 1641, it was the name of coins worth 1 livre tournois and it remained in common parlance as a term for this amount of money...
and who sees next to his council houseCouncil houseA council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
, a piled-up family with a father, three or four spouses and twenty children earning 50,000 FF via benefitsSocial securitySocial security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
, naturally without working... If you add to that the noise and the smell, well the French worker, he goes crazy. And it is not racist to say this. We no longer have the means of honouring the family regrouping [policy], and we need to finally start the essential debate in this country, as to whether it is moral and normal that foreigners should profit to the same extent as French people, from a national solidarity to which they don't participate, as they pay no income taxes.
In this speech, Chirac contrasts the situation of older generations of immigrants (coming from Italy, Spain, Portugal or Poland) to what he considers the current "overdose" of immigration, mostly from Muslim Arabs and Blacks coming from former colonies that once wanted and got their independence from France. He deplores polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, family regrouping policy (adopted by his own initiative) in 1976, exaggerated social assistance (assistanat) and also the situation of working-class French who have trouble making ends meet and see next door large immigrant families living in Europe the African way of life, with one man, three or four spouses, and dozens of children, all living off welfare, not working, not contributing to social taxes, and making noise and smell in the council house
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
.
He then explains that in such conditions, the French worker, without being a racist, is bound to become mad.
This speech became famous when it was sampled in 1995 by the French band Zebda
Zebda
Zebda is a French music group from Toulouse known for its political activism and its wide variety of musical styles. The group, which was formed in 1985, consisted of seven musicians of diverse nationalities, and the themes of much of their music involved political and social justice, the status...
on their hit "Le bruit et l'odeur" from the album by the same name
Le bruit et l'odeur (album)
Le bruit et l'odeur is the second studio album of the French rock group Zebda, released in 1995.With this album, the group confirmed their social focus by adding engaging samples to their guitar-driven music...
. Three members of the group Zebda
Zebda
Zebda is a French music group from Toulouse known for its political activism and its wide variety of musical styles. The group, which was formed in 1985, consisted of seven musicians of diverse nationalities, and the themes of much of their music involved political and social justice, the status...
are ethnically Maghreb
Maghreb
The Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara...
ine (out of seven), while the rest are ethnically Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an.