Comme de bien entendu

Song Meaning

This song spins a tale, set to a "musette waltz," of a "young shop girl" and a "little Parisian." It frames their love story as a "silly" refrain, but invites listeners to join in, promising a "Thank you!" if they do. The initial setup is classic, almost cliché, presenting a young, beautiful girl and a man who "fell for her," all "as a matter of course." The narrative quickly pivots from romance to a more transactional and cynical reality. The man "arranged for her not to be a maiden anymore," and they "set up house together." While she "had courage," he was "unemployed," yet this situation apparently provided him with a "nice little income." The phrase "Comme de bien entendu" (as a matter of course, naturally) becomes a recurring, ironic commentary on these developments, highlighting the predictable, uninspired progression of their lives. The lyrics employ a stark, almost brutal realism masked by the jaunty "musette" tune and the repeated, dismissive refrain. The man's attempt at a grand gesture – buying a lottery ticket – results in a loss, "a hundred francs down the drain." His subsequent descent into drinking is met with her stoicism, "she didn't make a fuss." However, to avoid being a "sucker," she "comforted herself by cheating on him," again, "as a matter of course." The effectiveness lies in the jarring contrast between the lighthearted musical style and the grim, unromantic events. The repeated, almost resigned "Comme de bien entendu" underscores a sense of inevitability and a lack of genuine passion or surprise in their relationship. When he discovers her infidelity, his reaction isn't rage but a pragmatic assessment: she was "bringing in dough." Ultimately, he "kicked her out," and the song concludes with him finding his own solace at the racetrack, implying a cycle of escapism and transactional relationships, all unfolding "as a matter of course."