Pierre Delanoë

Biography

Pierre Delanoë (16 December 1918 – 27 December 2006), born Pierre Charles Marcel Napoléon Leroyer in Paris, France, was a French lyricist who wrote thousands of songs for dozens of singers, including Dalida, Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Petula Clark, Johnny Hallyday, Joe Dassin, Michel Sardou and Mireille Mathieu. Delanoë was his grandmother's maiden name.

Following obtaining a law degree, Delanoë began a career as a tax collector, and later a tax inspector. After World War II, he met Gilbert Bécaud and began working as a lyricist. For a period, he even performed alongside Bécaud in clubs. They penned some of France's most beloved songs, including "Et maintenant", translated into English a...