Claude François is one of the most iconic of French singer-songwriters of the 1960s. Emerging in the heyday of French rock and roll, François gained popularity from performing popular American songs in French during his early career. He was known for his fluffy blonde hair, long eyelashes..and for his somewhat difficult personality.

One of François’s early successes was the song “Si j’avais un marteau,” which is a literal translation of the American folk song “If I Had a Hammer.” But soon François gained fame for his own songs. His most famous song (co-written with Jacques Revaux) is perhaps “Comme d’habitude,” which literally means “as usual.” However, the English-speaking world might know this song more popularly as “My Way,” which was adapted by Paul Anka and made famous by Frank Sinatra. Many English listeners might also know François’s song “Parce que je t’aime, mon enfant” (“Because I Love You, My Child”), which was adapted by Elvis Presley as “My Boy.”

Unfortunately, François died at the age of thirty-nine in a freak accident in 1978. But despite his early death, he is remained a much loved figure in French culture and many musicians continue to reinterpret and cover his music.

Take a look at Claude François’s original “Comme d’habitude” below, and compare the original French lyrics with their English adaptation.

Comme d’habitude

Je me lève
Et je te bouscule 
Tu ne te réveilles pas
Comme d’habitude
Sur toi je remonte le drap
J’ai peur que tu aies froid
Comme d’habitude
Ma main caresse tes cheveux
Presque malgré moi
Comme d’habitude
Mais toi tu me tournes le dos
Comme d’habitude
Alors je m’habille très vite
Je sors de la chambre
Comme d’habitude
Tout seul je bois mon café
Je suis en retard
Comme d’habitude
Sans bruit je quitte la maison
Tout est gris dehors
Comme d’habitude
J’ai froid, je relève mon col
Comme d’habitude
Comme d’habitude
Toute la journée
Je vais jouer à faire semblant
Comme d’habitude
Je vais sourire
Comme d’habitude
Je vais même rire
Comme d’habitude
Enfin je vais vivre
Comme d’habitude
Et puis le jour s’en ira
Moi je reviendrai
Comme d’habitude
Tu seras sortie
pas encore rentrée

comme d’habitude
Tout seul j’irai me coucher
Dans ce grand lit froid

comme d’habitude
Mes larmes, je les cacherai
Comme d’habitude

Comme d’habitude,

même la nuit
Je vais jouer à faire semblant
Comme d’habitude tu rentreras
Comme d’habitude je t’attendrai
Comme d’habitude tu me souriras
Comme d’habitude

Comme d’habitude tu te déshabilleras
Comme d’habitude tu te coucheras
Comme d’habitude on s’embrassera
Comme d’habitude

Comme d’habitude on fera semblant
Comme d’habitude on fera l’amour
Comme d’habitude on fera semblant

“As Usual”

I get out of bed
And I bump into you
It doesn’t wake you up
As usual
I pull the sheet up
Over you
Afraid you might be cold
As usual
My hand
Strokes your hair
Almost unwillingly
As usual
But you
You turn your back on me
As usual
And then
I dress up quickly
I get out of the room
As usual
All on my own
I drink my coffee
I’m late at work
As usual
Without a noise
I leave the house
It’s all grey outside
As usual
I’m cold
I turn up my collar
As usual
As usual
All day long
Like it’s a game
I’ll be pretending
As usual
I’ll be smiling
Yeah, as usual
I’ll even be laughing
As usual
I’ll live at last
Yeah, as usual
And then
Day will go
But I’ll come back
As usual
You
You’ll be out already
Not home yet
As usual
All on my own
I’ll go to sleep
In this big cold bed
As usual
My tears
I will cover
As usual
As usual
Even at night
Like it’s a game
I’ll be pretending
As usual
You’ll come back home
As usual
I’ll be waiting
As usual
You’ll be smiling at me
Yeah, as usual
As usual
You’ll get undressed
As usual
You’ll go to bed
Yeah, as usual
And we’ll kiss
As usual
As usual
We will pretend
Yeah, as usual
We’ll make love
Yeah, as usual
We will pretend
Yeah, as usual..