Francis Christian Cabrel (; born 23 November 1953) is a French singer-songwriter, composer and guitarist. Considered one of the most influential French musical artists of all time, he has released a number of albums falling mostly within the realm of folk, with occasional forays into blues or country. Several of his songs, such as "L'Encre de tes yeux", "Je l'aime à mourir", "Petite Marie", "La Dame de Haute-Savoie", "Encore et encore", "Il faudra leur dire", "Sarbacane", "C'est écrit", "Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerai" and "La corrida", have become enduring favourites in French music. Since the start of his career, Cabrel has sold over 25 million albums.
His first hit song was "Petite Marie" in 1974, which was about the woman who soon became his wife, Mariette.Source in French: Perrine Stenger for Voici. 8 April 2015. His song "Je l'aime à mourir" was covered by Shakira; this version, both sung in French and Spanish, became a major hit single.Francis Cabrel : les secrets de son couple dévoilés His song "Edition Spéciale" was featured in the 1987 film Broadcast News, starring Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks and William Hurt.
Although Francis Cabrel is best known as a French-speaking singer, he also sings in Spanish ("La quiero a morir", "Vengo a ofrecer mi corazón"), and even a little in Occitan ("Giors", "Rockstars du Moyen Âge") and Italian.
An unauthorised biography was published in 2015. Cabrel, who is one of the most private French singers, attempted to have the book suppressed.Marc Fourny, "Francis Cabrel embarrassé sur sa vie privée", Le Point, 30 April 2015 (in French).
Cabrel brings support, with the song "Un gramme de terre" with multilingual interpreters, to accompany the documentary Une langue de plus.Jean-Michel Selva. "Francis Cabrel s'implique pour défendre les langues régionales", Sud Ouest, 18 September 2025 (in French).
Biography Francis Cabrel was born in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, France, into a modest family of Venetian Veneto descent. His father was a labourer in a biscuit factory and his mother a cashier in a cafeteria. He has a sister, Martine, and a brother, Philippe. Cabrel spent his childhood in Astaffort, in Lot-et-Garonne.Cabrel official website, franciscabrel.com. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications Sales FRA BEL(Fl) BEL(Wa) CAN QUE ROD SWI Les Murs de poussièreReleased: 1977 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette — — — — — —FRA: Platinum Les Chemins de traverseReleased: 1979 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette 2 — — — — —FRA: 2× Platinum FragileReleased: 20 May 1980 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette 2 — — — — —FRA: Diamond Carte postaleReleased: 14 September 1981 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette — — — 15 — —FRA: 2× Platinum Quelqu'un de l'intérieurReleased: 25 August 1983 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette • CD — — — 1 — —FRA: 2× Platinum CAN: Gold Photos de voyagesReleased: 9 October 1985 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette • CD 6 — — 1 — —FRA: 2× Platinum CAN: Gold SarbacaneReleased: 21 February 1989 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette • CD 1 — — 1 — —FRA: Diamond CAN: 2× Platinum SWI: Platinum WW: 2,000,000 Samedi soir sur la TerreReleased: 3 April 1994 Label: Columbia Format: LP • cassette • CD • MiniDisc 1 1 — 1 — —FRA: Diamond BEL: 4× Platinum CAN: 2× Platinum SWI: 2× Platinum Hors-saisonReleased: 29 March 1999 Label: Columbia Format: LP • cassette • CD • digital download 1 — 1 — 1 — —FRA: Diamond BEL: 2× Platinum CAN: Gold SWI: Platinum Les Beaux DégâtsReleased: 17 May 2004 Label: Columbia Format: LP • CD • SACD • digital download 1 75 1 9 2 — 3FRA: 2× Platinum BEL: Gold SWI: Gold Des roses et des ortiesReleased: 31 March 2008 Label: Columbia Format: LP • CD • digital download 1 81 1 5 3 — 3FRA: Diamond BEL: 2× Platinum SWI: Platinum FRA: 800,000 Vise le ciel ou Bob Dylan revisitéReleased: 22 October 2012 Label: Columbia Format: LP • CD • digital download 1 63 1 — 14 3 10FRA: 2× Platinum BEL: Gold FRA: 120,000 In extremisReleased: 27 April 2015 Label: Columbia Format: LP • CD • digital download 1 81 1 5 3 — 3FRA: 3× Platinum BEL: Platinum FRA: 300,000 À l'Aube revenantReleased: 16 October 2020 Label: Columbia Format: LP • CD • digital download 1 49 1 — — — 1 "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Live albums + List of live albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications Sales FRA BEL(Fl) BEL(Wa) CAN QUE ROD SWI Cabrel PublicReleased: 16 November 1984 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette • CD — — — 1 — —FRA: 2× Platinum CAN: Platinum D'une ombre à l'AutreReleased: 30 September 1991 Label: Columbia Format: LP • cassette • CD — — — 33 — —FRA: 2× Platinum Double Tour (Électrique & Acoustique)Released: 16 October 2000 Label: Columbia Format: LP • CD • digital download 2 — 15 — 43 — —FRA: 2× Gold La tournée des BodegasReleased: 21 November 2005 Label: Columbia Format: LP • CD • CD/DVD • digital download 15 — 21 — — — 63FRA: Gold L'In Extremis TourReleased: 14 October 2016 Label: Sony Format: LP • CD • CD/DVD • digital download 4 110 3 — — 4 16FRA: Gold Trobador TourReleased: 3 December 2021 Label: Sony Format: LP • CD • CD/DVD • digital download 16 — 7 — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Compilation albums + List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications Sales FRA BEL(Fl) BEL(Wa) CAN QUE ROD SWI Canta en EspañolReleased: 1985 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette • CD — — — — — — Cabrel 77-87Released: 17 November 1987 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette • CD 28 — 12 — 19 — —BEL: 2× Platinum FRA: Diamond CAN: Gold SWI: Platinum Algo más de amor (1990)Released: 1990 Label: CBS Format: LP • cassette • CD — — — — — — Algo más de amor (1998)Released: 6 April 1998 Label: Colombia Format: LP • cassette • CD — — — — 27 — — L'Essentiel 1977–2007Released: 1 June 2007 Label: Colombia Format: LP • CD • CD/DVD • digital download 44 — 1 — 3 13 13FRA: Platinum BEL: Platinum CAN: Gold SWI: Gold "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Box sets + List of box sets, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications Sales FRA Les Murs de poussière / Les Chemins de traverse / FragileReleased: 4 November 1996 Label: Columbia Format: CD —FRA: Platinum Carte postale / Quelqu'un de l'intérieur / Photos de voyagesReleased: 4 November 1996 Label: Columbia Format: CD — Cabrel Public / Sarbacane / Samedi soir sur la TerreReleased: 7 October 2002 Label: Sony Format: CD 193 Collection 1977-1989Released: 20 November 2015 Label: Sony Format: CD — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Singles As lead artist + List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumFRA BEL(Wa) QUE "L'instant d'amour" 1977 — — —Francis Cabrel "Petite Marie" 137 — — "Pas trop de peine" 1978 — — — "Les Murs de poussière" — — — "Je l'aime à mourir" 1979 1 — — FRA: 600,000Les Chemins de traverse "Je rêve" 15 — — FRA : 100 000 "L'Encre de tes yeux" 1980 5 — 13 FRA : 400 000Fragile "Je pense encore à toi" 18 — — FRA : 150 000 "La dame de Haute-Savoie" 1981 — — — "Carte postale" — — —Carte postale "Répondez-moi" 1982 — — — "La fille qui m'accompagne" 1983 — — —Quelqu'un de l'intérieur "Saïd et Mohammed" 1984 — — — "Question d'équilibre" — — 2 "Encore et encore" 1985 14 — 4 FRA : 250 000Photos de voyages "Tourner les hélicos" — — 17 "Je te suivrai" 1986 — — — "Il faudra leur dire" (Cabrel and the children) 2 — 1 FRA : 500 000 Cabrel 77-87 "Sarbacane" 1989 30 — 1Sarbacane "C'est écrit" 6 — 4 FRA : 200 000 "Animal" 31 — 1 "Tout le monde y pense" 1990 19 — — FRA : 60 000 "Petite Marie" (live) 5 — 8 FRA : 100 000 D'une ombre à l'autre "Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerai" 1994 78 — 1Samedi soir sur la Terre "La cabane du pêcheur" — — 1 "La Corrida" 7 — 3 FRA : 75 000 "Octobre" 1995 88 — 1 "Samedi soir sur la Terre" — — 14 "Vengo a ofrecer mi corazón" (with Mercedes Sosa) 1997 — 39 — Algo más de amor (1998) "Presque rien" 1999 — — 8Hors-saison "Le reste du temps" — — 1 "Hors-saison" 133 — — "Le monde est sourd" 2000 — — 2 "Ma place dans le trafic" (live) — — — Double Tour "Bonne nouvelle" 2004 — — 7Les Beaux Dégâts "Qu'est-ce que t'en dis?" — — 9 "Tu me corresponds" — — — "Les gens absents" 2005 — — 15 "Je pense encore à toi" (live) — — — La tournée des Bodegas "Gardien de nuit" 2006 — — 40 Le Soldat Rose "Le gorille" 2007 — — — L'Essentiel 1977-2007 "La robe et l'échelle" 2008 — 2 11Des roses et des orties "Le chêne liège" — 31 34 "Des hommes pareils" 2009 — 22 21 "Né dans le Bayou" — — 23 "Les cardinaux en costume" (live) — 17 — "Comme une femme" 2012 130 5 —Vise le ciel ou Bob Dylan revisité "Je te veux" — 26 — "Partir pour rester"2015 42 39 —In extremis "Dur comme fer" — 13 — "À chaque amour que nous ferons" 141 — — "Le pays d'à côté" 2016 — 28 — "Te ressembler" 2020 25 — —À l'Aube revenant "Peuple des fontaines"2021 144 — — "À l'Aube revenant" 88 — — "Rockstars du Moyen Âge" 98 — — "Un morceau de Sicre" 2023 — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
As featured artist + List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumFRA BEL(Wa) "La complainte de la butte" (with Patrick Bruel) 2002 48 — Entre deux "Tout reste à faire" (with Souad Massi) 2010 — 15 Ô houria "Petite Marie" (with Umberto Tozzi) 2012 — 25 Yesterday: The Best of 1976-2012 "Sueno" (Gipsy Kings featuring Francis Cabrel) 2014 — — Savor Flamenco "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Other charted songs + List of songs, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumFRA BEL(Wa) "Madame n'aime pas" 2009 — 12 Des roses et des orties "Les filles à quoi ça sert" (with Bénabar, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Alain Souchon) 2011 — 3 Titeuf "Lucie" (with Nolwenn Leroy) 2014 193 — Kiss & Love "Mademoiselle l'aventure" 2015 150 — Des roses et des orties "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Videography Sarbacane tour (1989)
Footnotes
References
External links Official Francis Cabrel website Biography of Francis Cabrel, from Radio France Internationale