“Quand La Musique Est Bonne” is Jean-Jacques Goldman’s love letter to the raw, honest power of music. He starts by bleeding on his Gibson guitar, drifting through Tobacco Road and cotton fields, carrying only three blues notes and a pocketful of rock memories. Life on the road has drained his love, time and humor, yet a single riff can still spark an electric escape from heaviness that clips his wings.
The repeated chorus — “Quand la musique est bonne … quand elle ne triche pas” — drives home the message: when music is good, when it gives and never cheats, it becomes a compass that guides every step. A dash of swing, a hint of the King (Elvis), and a surge of feeling are all he needs to break free. In short, the song celebrates music as a truthful companion and a timeless remedy, reminding us that a sincere beat can lift us out of any slump and write a brand-new story.