Daho is best known in Britain for his appearence on the number 11 Saint Etienne hit single "He's On The Phone", which is an English-language adaptation of his 1984 French-language hit "Weekend à Rome". He also collaborated with Saint Etienne on the Resurrection EP, his album Eden, and his single "Le Premier Jour", itself based on the track "Ready or Not" from Sarah Cracknell's 1997 solo album "Lipslide".
He has worked with many other artists, such as Chris Isaak, Marianne Faithfull, Elli Medeiros, Astrud Gilberto, Vanessa Daou, the Swingle Singers, and more. His duet with Charlotte Gainsbourg, titled "If", was released in 2004.
His 1996 album Eden featured a mix of electronic-oriented songs, ranging from downtempo ballads to drum 'n' bass-influenced tracks, and HiNRG dance. Corps & armes (2000) saw Daho return to a more orchestral sound fuelled by traditional instruments, such as piano, acoustic guitar, and horns. In 2004, he released Réévolution, which featured a guitar-heavy rock sound.
In 2012, he produced and composed songs for French comedian/singer Lou Doillon for her first album Places.
Étienne Daho is one of the most influential French pop singers of the last four decades. His extensive work has seen him collaborate with many artists, and explore a wide range of musical styles.
Boulevard Des Capucines
Étienne Daho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ton nom qui tout là-haut scintille
Est le même que le mien
C'est l'Olympia qui célèbre
Ton étoile qui là-haut s'élève
Et je vis ton succès de loin
Sur scène, tu es le centre
La foule aimante vacille
Que brillent les yeux des filles
Je n'approcherai pas les loges
Où l'on te couvre d'amitié et d'éloges
Car la pudeur me le défend
De loin, tu sembles fort et grave
Plus que les garcons de ton âge
Comme lorsque tu étais enfant
Rue Caumartin, je te guette
Et l'appréhension me vide
Tous ces regrets douloureux
Me rongent comme l'acide
Je te demande par cette lettre, mon garcon
De m'accorder ton pardon
Tu sais quelle connerie ma jeunesse
Mon silence
Quelle erreur
Quelle perte de temps
Si je n'ai pas su te dire à temps
Que je pensais à toi, tout le temps
Mon guerrier, mon roi, mon petit prince
Épris de femmes et de vie légère
J'ai tant aimé, je suis sincère
L'étreinte de la liberté
Ni mari, ni père et volage
Courant d'air et de passage
Sauras-tu me regarder?
Mais tu ignores mes signes
Toi, mon cruel funambule
Alors je crache ces lignes
Fracassé et somnambule
Je te demande par cette lettre, mon garcon
De m'accorder ton pardon
Tu sais, quelle atrocité, cette guerre
Mon départ
Quelle erreur
Quelle perte de temps
Si je n'ai pas su te dire à temps
Que tu m'as manqué tout le temps
Mon guerrier, mon roi, mon petit prince
Mon petit prince
Pardon
"Boulevard des Capucines, your name that glitters up there,
Is the same as mine, it's the Olympia that celebrates,
Your star rising high, and from afar I witness your success.
On stage, you are the center, the adoring crowd sways,
I observe, as you sing, the girls' eyes sparkle.
I won't approach the dressing rooms where you are showered with friendship and praise,
For modesty forbids me from it,
From afar, you appear strong and serious, more so than boys your age,
Like when you were a child.
I wait for you on Caumartin street and apprehension empties me,
All those painful regrets eat away at me like acid."
In these opening lines, the singer addresses the Boulevard des Capucines, a famous street in Paris, comparing their own name to it. They mention the Olympia, a renowned concert hall, which is celebrating the rising success of someone they deeply admire. The singer watches from a distance, noticing the adoration and impact the performer has on the girls in the audience. They acknowledge their own hesitation to approach the performer's dressing rooms due to their modesty. Despite this distance, the singer sees the performer as strong and mature beyond their years, reminiscing about their childhood connection. On Caumartin street, the singer waits and feels consumed by regret and anticipation.
"I ask you through this letter, my boy, to grant me your forgiveness,
You know what nonsense my youth was,
My silence, what a mistake, what a waste of time,
If I didn't manage to tell you in time
That I thought of you, all the time,
My warrior, my king, my little prince."
In this section, the singer addresses the performer directly, expressing their remorse for past actions. The singer acknowledges that their youth was filled with foolishness and regrets not speaking up about their admiration sooner. They ask for forgiveness and emphasize the constant thoughts they had about the performer, using terms of endearment like "warrior," "king," and "little prince."
"Enamored with women and a carefree life,
I have loved so much, I am sincere,
The embrace of freedom, neither husband nor father, and fickle,
A passing breeze, constantly moving,
Will you be able to see me?
But you ignore my signs, you, my cruel tightrope walker,
So I spit out these lines, shattered and sleepwalking."
In this verse, the singer reflects on their own experiences with love and a free-spirited lifestyle. They admit to being sincere in their love for various women but also highlight their own transient nature. The singer wonders if the performer will be able to see their true self underneath the layers of their public persona. However, their signs and attempts to communicate their emotions are disregarded by the performer, leaving them feeling broken and disconnected from reality.
"I ask you through this letter, my boy, to grant me your forgiveness,
You know, what a horror, this war, my departure,
What a mistake, what a waste of time,
If I didn't manage to tell you in time,
That I missed you every moment,
My warrior, my king, my little prince,
My little prince, forgive me."
In the final section, the singer again addresses the performer directly, begging for forgiveness. They attribute their departure, possibly due to war, as a horrific mistake and wasted time. The regret of not being able to express their feelings in time weighs on them heavily. The singer yearns for the performer's understanding and forgiveness, using the same endearing terms to express their deep affection. They plea for forgiveness once more, emphasizing their remorse and desire to reconcile their past actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Boulevard des Capucines
The street where the singer and the person they are addressing have a deep connection and where their names shine brightly.
Ton nom qui tout là-haut scintille
Your name that shines brightly up there, representing your success and fame.
Est le même que le mien
Our names are the same, symbolizing a shared identity or bond.
C'est l'Olympia qui célèbre
The Olympia theater that celebrates the person's stardom and achievements.
Ton étoile qui là-haut s'élève
The star that rises high above, representing their success and recognition.
Et je vis ton succès de loin
The singer observes the person's success from a distance, possibly indicating a sense of longing or admiration.
Sur scène, tu es le centre
On stage, the person is the center of attention and admiration.
La foule aimante vacille
The adoring crowd becomes unsteady or overwhelmed in their love for the person.
J'observe, lorsque tu chantes
The artist watches attentively as the person sings, possibly captivated by their performance.
Que brillent les yeux des filles
The girls' eyes shine with excitement and admiration as they watch the person.
Je n'approcherai pas les loges
The singer will not approach the private boxes where the person is showered with friendship and praises, possibly due to a sense of modesty.
Où l'on te couvre d'amitié et d'éloges
The private boxes where the person is showered with friendship and praise.
Car la pudeur me le défend
Modesty prevents the singer from approaching the private boxes.
De loin, tu sembles fort et grave
From afar, the person appears strong and serious.
Plus que les garcons de ton âge
The person seems stronger and more mature than others their age.
Comme lorsque tu étais enfant
Just like when the person was a child, they exhibit strength and maturity.
Rue Caumartin, je te guette
The artist watches and waits for the person on Rue Caumartin, possibly indicating a yearning or anticipation to see them.
Et l'appréhension me vide
A feeling of apprehension drains the singer, suggesting anxiety or emotion.
Tous ces regrets douloureux
The singer is burdened by painful regrets.
Me rongent comme l'acide
The regrets eat away at the artist like acid, causing emotional pain.
Je te demande par cette lettre, mon garcon
The artist asks for the person's forgiveness through this letter, addressing them as 'my boy.'
De m'accorder ton pardon
The artist seeks forgiveness from the person.
Tu sais quelle connerie ma jeunesse
The singer acknowledges the foolishness of their youth and assumes the person knows about it too.
Mon silence
The artist regrets their silence, possibly the lack of expressing their feelings or thoughts to the person in the past.
Quelle erreur
The singer acknowledges their mistake or error.
Quelle perte de temps
The singer realizes that not expressing their feelings earlier was a waste of time.
Si je n'ai pas su te dire à temps
If the singer didn't manage to tell the person in time.
Que je pensais à toi, tout le temps
That they were constantly thinking about the person.
Mon guerrier, mon roi, mon petit prince
Terms of endearment used by the artist to describe the person, expressing their deep affection and admiration.
Épris de femmes et de vie légère
The singer's past attachment to women and a carefree lifestyle.
J'ai tant aimé, je suis sincère
The singer expresses their sincere love for the person.
L'étreinte de la liberté
The embrace of freedom represents the artist's previous freedom-loving lifestyle.
Ni mari, ni père et volage
The artist was neither a husband nor a father, instead being promiscuous or fickle.
Courant d'air et de passage
The artist describes themselves as a passing gust of wind, suggesting their transitory nature or fleeting presence in the person's life.
Sauras-tu me regarder?
The singer wonders if the person will be able to look at them or acknowledge them.
Mais tu ignores mes signes
The person is unaware of the artist's signs or indications of affection, possibly suggesting their obliviousness to the artist's feelings.
Toi, mon cruel funambule
The person is referred to as a cruel tightrope walker, possibly indicating their ability to balance different aspects of their life or their impact on the singer's emotions.
Alors je crache ces lignes
The singer expresses their emotions and thoughts by 'spitting out' these lines, possibly indicating a strong and raw expression of their feelings.
Fracassé et somnambule
The singer feels broken or shattered and as if they are sleepwalking through life.
Je te demande par cette lettre, mon garcon
The artist once again asks for forgiveness from the person, addressing them as 'my boy.'
De m'accorder ton pardon
The artist seeks forgiveness from the person.
Tu sais, quelle atrocité, cette guerre
The singer mentions the horrors of war, assuming the person knows about it too.
Mon départ
The singer laments their departure, possibly indicating that they had to leave or separate from the person.
Quelle erreur
The artist acknowledges their mistake or error.
Quelle perte de temps
The artist realizes that their separation was a waste of time.
Si je n'ai pas su te dire à temps
If the artist didn't manage to tell the person in time.
Que tu m'as manqué tout le temps
That they missed the person all the time.
Mon guerrier, mon roi, mon petit prince
Terms of endearment used by the artist to describe the person, expressing their deep affection and admiration.
Mon petit prince
An additional term of endearment used by the singer to emphasize their affection for the person.
Pardon
A plea for forgiveness from the person.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Etienne Warren Daho, Xavier Geronimi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind