The song "J’ai revu la cigarette" by Michel Delpech is a nostalgic and lamenting ode to cigarettes, personified as a character who reminisces about the days when smoking was more socially accepted and prevalent. The cigarette expresses feelings of being unfairly demonized and marginalized in society, highlighting the changes in attitudes towards smoking over time. The cigarette reflects on how it used to be a common sight in bars, restaurants, and other public places, but has now been shunned and banned in many places. The lyrics also touch on the impact of smoking on famous figures like Nico and Gainsbourg, and iconic moments in cinema history like Bogart in Casablanca. Ultimately, the song conveys a sense of loss and longing for the past, when cigarettes were a ubiquitous part of life and culture. The cigarette laments the decline of its once-beloved status in society, and the changing perceptions of smoking that have led to its ostracization. In United States terms, the song can be seen as a reflection on the changing attitudes towards smoking in American culture, from its heyday in the mid-20th century to the present day, where smoking is increasingly stigmatized and restricted in public spaces. It evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time when smoking was more accepted and integrated into everyday life, before the tide turned against it.
