She began her musical education at a French conservatory at seven years old. By age 18, she was studying Musicology at the University in Montpellier, France, and then obtained her Master in Musicology at the Sorbonne in Paris. Émilie was intrigued by the idea of combining her traditional musical education with new music technologies and studio experimentations. She developed these interests into unique skills at the cutting edge new technology music school, the IRCAM in Paris, which to this day remains the only center in the world dedicated to contemporary musical research and production, bringing science and art together in order to widen instrumentation and rejuvenate musical language.
Here she met Cyrille Brissot who she still works with today to develop and build specific instruments adapted to Émilie’s needs, both in the studio and on stage, including the “Brissot” - a breathtaking arm controller that allows her to remotely control, modulate and transform her live voice through a series of controlled effects. Émilie uses a variety of other new technology devices including Yamaha’s “Tenori-on” and a variety of other new hardware and software. Émilie uses this technology to give herself a wide range of versatility on stage, including being able to control everything – from beats to multiple instruments to vocal harmonies and modulation simultaneously while alone on stage.
Shortly after Ircam, Émilie Simon signed a record deal with Barclay/Universal France. Since then, she has written, arranged, performed and produced her two records and the original music for the French (original) version of March of the Penguins. There, Émilie used many diverse and inventive techniques including rubbing pieces of ice together to produce beats and sounds, and blended them with her electronic machinery and inviting lyrics.
Despite garnering best album honors in the electronic category at France’s
“Victoires de la Musique” Awards for her debut, and being touted as one of the most promising female artists, the Montpellier-bred chanteuse is quick to champion her independence as an artist over such acclaim. “[Awards] are nice, but it’s like a cherry on top, really,” the singer/songwriter insists. “It’s great when you have the feeling you are doing something important or that you’re understood. But it doesn’t alter the way I work in any way. I’m always thinking back on what I have done, because I don’t want to be redundant. I want to make music without rules, without anybody telling me what I have to do.”
Émilie Simon first made her mark on the U.S. in the fall of 2006 with her debut U.S. release, The Flower Book on Nov. 7, 2006. Her plush, artful soundscapes had already yielded her significant praise and awards in her French homeland, as well as acclaim across the rest of Europe and Japan. Singing in both French and English, Émilie allows her music to flow naturally, rewarding her with devoted fans worldwide. A year and a half after The Flower Book’s release, Émilie is currently residing in New York City and writing her next record. She will be performing shows in NYC this Fall to preview her new material. Having always begun the creative process in the recording studio, and then following with live performances, Émilie is trying a new approach. For the new record, she will let the songs breathe and evolve in a live environment before heading into the studio.
Come As You Are
Émilie Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As you were,
As I want you to be
As a friend,
As a friend,
As an old enemy
Take your time, hurry up
The choice is yours, don't be late
As an old memory
Memory, yeah (4x).
Come dowsed in mud,
Soaked in bleach
As I want you to be
As a trend,
As a friend,
As an old memory
Memory, yeah (4x).
And I swear that I don't have a gun
No I don't have a gun.
No I don't have a gun.
Memory, yeah (4x).
No I don't have a gun.
No I don't have a gun.
Memory, yeah (4x).
The song "Come As You Are" by Émilie Simon is an interesting blend of conflicting emotions and messages. The opening lines, "Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be," seem to portray a sense of acceptance and welcoming, encouraging the listener to be themselves. However, the following line, "As a friend, as a friend, as an old enemy," suggests that this acceptance may be conditional or wary, hinting at a complicated history between the singer and the listener. The urgency of "Take your time, hurry up, the choice is yours, don't be late," also creates a sense of pressure and tension.
The next verse introduces another layer of confusion, with the potentially paradoxical lines, "Come dowsed in mud, soaked in bleach, as I want you to be, as a trend, as a friend, as an old memory." The contrasting imagery of mud and bleach suggests a desire for authenticity and purity, while the references to being a trend and an old memory suggest a willingness to conform or to be forgotten. The repetition of "memory, yeah" throughout the song further emphasizes the theme of memory and the past.
The final lines, "And I swear that I don't have a gun, no I don't have a gun," add an ominous tone to the song. The repeated denial of having a gun could be interpreted as a reassurance or a warning, depending on the listener's interpretation. Overall, "Come As You Are" is a complex, thought-provoking song that invites multiple interpretations.
Line by Line Meaning
Come as you are,
Be yourself and don't try to be someone you're not
As you were,
Return to how you were before, back to the past
As I want you to be
I accept you the way you are and want you to be comfortable
As a friend,
Be here for me as a companion
As a friend,
Be here for me as a companion
As an old enemy
Even though we had our issues, I am willing to move forward and let bygones be bygones
Take your time, hurry up
Take all the time you need, but don't be late
The choice is yours, don't be late
You have the free will to choose, so make a decision before it's too late
Take a rest as a friend
Rest, take a break and relax, while being a friend to me
As an old memory
Let the past remain a memory, and move forward with our friendship
Memory, yeah (4x)
Reflecting on past memories and experiences, reminiscing about the past
Come dowsed in mud
Arrive dirty, unclean, or imperfect
Soaked in bleach
Cleaned and purified, without any blemishes
As a trend,
Don't follow the crowd, I accept you for who you are, not what is trendy
As a friend,
Be here for me as a companion
As an old memory
Let the past remain a memory, as we move forward with our friendship
Memory, yeah (4x).
Reflecting on past memories and experiences, reminiscing about the past
And I swear that I don't have a gun
I promise that I am not here to harm you or cause any damage
No I don't have a gun.
I reassure you that I am not armed with any weapons
No I don't have a gun.
I reassure you that I am not armed with any weapons
Memory, yeah (4x).
Reflecting on past memories and experiences, reminiscing about the past.
Contributed by Alice S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
GroovyBulls
I've been a Nirvana fan for years, Kurt ruled my life in the 90's. This cover is just great, Emilie Simon hits exactly the right spot with this cover, she understands exactly what this song is about!!!!
Amethyst
J'aime beaucoup Nirvana, mais j'ai été extrêmement impressionnée par cette reprise, particulièrement le refrain... Vraiment une excellente reprise.
Sephyr ArtCore
One of my favorite female artists I must admit. She is great on stage, her shows are really unique. I wish for the next time she comes in Montreal, I absolutely have to go see her. Her voice is amazing, and God is she beautiful.
Sadi Loto
Hacer un cover a Nirvana es complicado. Ella le da otro tipo de sentimiento, me encanta :)
T K
Oh Wow! I love this! It's an absolutely beautiful cover of the song! Well done to Emilie and R.I.P. Kurt, we miss you.
Kazama Blood
I think Kurt would have liked this cover a lot. It gives a new dimension to the song. It just gives a different feel.
chalger
I honestly cried at the first "I swear I don't have a gun", sooo great interpretation.
Sephyr ArtCore
Epic cover. Love this artist
Nick Reese
She is the only person who could do this right, Perfect.
BloodyMiky
A cover isn't just a copy/paste work; it would simply be useless. Emilie Simon replays Nirvana's song with her own musical universe and sensitivity, it's a tribute to express how she felt the song, how it meant to her. In this case, any comparison with Kurt would be unrelevant. That is what makes a true artist.