BREL Jacques (1929-1978). MANUSCRIPT autograph, Ces gens-là, [1965]; 4 pages small in-4 (22 x 17 cm) detached from a spiral notebook, in pencil (partially eroded margins affecting some endings or beginnings of lines). First draft and working draft of the song Ces gens-là. The manuscript presents the complete text of the song, with variations from the final version. Each sheet contains 32 verses on the back and 3 verses on the front, 21 verses, 26 verses and 39 verses respectively. Numerous erasures, corrections and additions, in pencil or blue pen. Brel evokes the eldest son with a certain amount of humour in the first verse: "First there is the eldest [...] He who is completely cooked / [He who smells the umbrella ... crossed out] / He who thinks he is the king"...; in the final version, the two preceding verses are deleted and the last verse becomes "And who thinks he is the king". On folio II: "And then there is the other one [...] who married Denise / A girl from the town / Finally from another town / And it's not over / Who does her little business "... Etc. According to Jacques Brel, "the character of the guy who sings seemed very confused to me when I wrote it. And now I know it's a false witness. <