Piaf's singing reflected the tragedies of her own life. Her mother, a café singer, abandoned her at birth, and she was reared by her grandmother. She became blind at the age of three as a complication of meningitis but recovered her sight four years later. Her father, a circus acrobat, took her along on tours and first encouraged her to sing. She sang in the streets of Paris until discovered by a cabaret owner who gave her her first nightclub job and suggested that she change her name to Piaf, Parisian slang for “sparrow,” in apparent reference to her diminutive size (under five feet tall and about 90 pounds in weight). Her debut was acclaimed by Maurice Chevalier (Chevalier, Maurice), who happened to be in the audience.

In 1935 Piaf made her theatrical debut, and within a few years she was singing in the large music halls of Paris. During World War II she would only entertain French prisoners of war and aided several in their escapes. The subsequent years were spent in tours of Europe, South America, and the United States. Her simple yet dramatic style and throaty, tender voice with its tragic overtones brought her wide acclaim and never ceased to move her audiences. Despite her success, however, her life continued to be marred by illness, accidents, and personal unhappiness.