The Beatles – Michelle

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  General Comment:I agree with the person who wrote that the lyric is likely just about an English guy, perhaps Paul himself while touring France, who is infatuated with a lovely French girl. The lyric mostly states very primal emotions about desire because anything more complicated is not possible due to the language barrier. The honesty is in that, despite the language barrier, there is really nothing more that could be said anyway. The cleverness is in using the French language, which not only sounds romantic to the English-speakers, but also uses the language barrier as a metaphor for what cannot be expressed through words about feelings, in any language. Using minor chords where he does also emphasizes the angst about wanting to say more than words allow. It's an amazing song in that, though the lyric is not sad, it produces an ambivalence of emotion, combining joy and melancholy. A rich palette in such a deceptively simple song. Between '66 and '67 Paul was at his peak that few writers can match. In my opinion, Paul wrote the 2nd and 3rd best American songs ever in Yesterday and Eleanor Rigby (the best being Mancini's and Merecer's Moon River).

  Flag rhapsonixon April 07, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Nothing to add on what the song means , but i actually like.. am loving this girl Named Michelle , if only she knew how much. on another note its inspired me to learn French , so Beautiful.

  Flag ThePrestigeon December 01, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:In Paul's book he explains how he asked a French teacher to pick words that go together well. Either with sense of humour or nerves about what to choose, she simply translated "these are words that go together well"
  
  Beautiful song though!

  Flag originlon November 06, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:my boyfriend dedicated this song 2 me <33

  Flag michelleyyo09on April 10, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:The 'ma' in 'ma belle' should actually be 'mon'
  'Ma' is the feminine for 'my' whilst 'mon' is the masculine.

  Flag zebraprinton May 29, 2008   Link

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    +1

    you take the gender of what your refering to..

    Flag wushuwilon January 31, 2010  

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    you're^ x.x

    Flag wushuwilon January 31, 2010  
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  General Comment:Actually its not about being in love with a french girl. paul wrote the song and wanted to add something french to it, becasue back their youger days when john took paul to his art school parties back in liverpool evrone thought paul was french coz he used to sit in the corner dressed french looking clothing smoking a fag (and he never used to say much). when paul discovered that this is what they thought he decided to play along with it and put on a french accent...hahah so funny. but yeh so when he decided he wanted to put a french verse into it he asked a good freind who spoke it what rhymes with michelle. he ended up sending her a cheque for a sum of money for her contribution!!

  Flag godwieon April 21, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:i think this is just a sweet little song but it's a funny thought to me, a man who is in love with a french girl but both of them have little understanding of the other's language, and she only understands the french part of the song or something. i don't know.

  Flag aproposon March 08, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I love this song and I love how the french is mixed in. It's very sweet and soothing. One of my favorites.

  Flag norwegian_woodon December 29, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:i can only speak a little french but enough to understand what he means. one of my favorite songs.

  Flag WALRUS*on December 27, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:i always sing this to my friend michelle
  haha

  Flag alexandraqwertyon November 06, 2007   Link

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