A hit a story: "Lily" by Pierre Perret

Audio 02:47

By: Edmond Sadaka

A tube a story. Today, going back over 40 years with the title "Lily", one of the greatest successes of singer Pierre Perret. He moved away from his usual repertoire of happy songs to write this text against racism. Today, these words keep more than ever their power and their emotion, especially after the worldwide repercussions of the George Floyd affair, this African-American who died during his arrest last month in Minneapolis.

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"  We thought she was pretty pretty Lily / She came from Somalia Lily (...)  "

In 1977, Pierre Perret offers this very committed title telling the story of a black immigrant who, arriving in France, discovers racism and the humiliations of everyday life.

"  She thought we were equal Lily / In the land of Voltaire and Hugo Lily / But for Debussy on the other hand / It takes two black for a white / It makes a sacred distinction  "

But, in this song, Lily also discovers the hope that the fight for the rights of blacks allows. Pierre Perret had the idea for this text after attending a conference in New York by Angela Davis, a historic figure in the black American movement. He had left the meeting upset.

“  We had goosebumps. When I left, I said : this song, which I have wanted to do for all the time, now, I really have to attack it. I tackled the writing even before taking the plane. And I finished just over two and a half hours later.  "

Equality and brotherhood

With Lily , Pierre Perret was able to make an impression in a France which claimed equality and fraternity, but which often found it difficult to apply these values. “  I wanted it to be just a record of what we were all capable of doing. It was necessary to untie all this of bias, of hatred ... It is an observation.  "

"  But in a meeting in Memphis Lily / She saw Angela Davis Lily / Who says come my little sister / By uniting we are less afraid / Wolves watching for the trapper  "

When he released this title, Pierre Perret said he had received many letters of insults and had encountered the reluctance of the media. “  The radios did not want to broadcast the song. At the time, I gave a lot of concerts. And every time when I was asked to do a TV, I said, " Yes, but I sing Lily . It's that or nothing. “It was a market. Everyone thinks it was easy to impose this song. Not at all. I was put lots of soaps under the shoes so that this song is not broadcast.  "

The song Lily has since become a "classic". It is now taught in many French schools.

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