Nicolas Godin studied architecture at the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Versailles, and Jean-Benoît Dunckel studied mathematics, before forming a band in 1995. Before founding Air (erroneously considered as an acronym of Amour, Imagination, Rêve, which translates to Love, Imagination, Dream), Dunckel and Godin played together in the band Orange with others such as Alex Gopher, Xavier Jamaux and Jean de Reydellet. The former two subsequently contributed to remixes of tracks recorded by Air.
Initially Godin worked alone, recording a demo with members of Funkadelic as his backing band before releasing his first entirely solo effort, "Modular Mix", which featured production by Étienne de Crécy.
Career
After making several remixes for other acts in the first half of the 1990s, Air recorded its first EP, Premiers Symptômes, in 1995. The band released its first album, Moon Safari, in 1998. Its first single, "Sexy Boy", was heavily played on alternative radio stations. The album received universal acclaim and became an international success. In 1999, Air composed the score The Virgin Suicides to Sofia Coppola's debut film of the same name; in 2012, Air wrote its second score to Georges Méliès' Le voyage dans la lune.
Other works
Air has often collaborated with Coppola. Air drummer and former Redd Kross member Brian Reitzell put together the soundtrack to 2003's Lost in Translation, including one original contribution by Air titled "Alone in Kyoto". The soundtrack for Coppola's October 2006 film Marie Antoinette featured a track by Air ("Il Secondo Giorno"). Air wrote and played the music of the album 5:55 by Anglo-French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, which was released in August 2006. Air has recorded a DJ mix album, Late Night Tales: Air, for Azuli Records' Late Night Tales series. The release was initially scheduled for October 2005, but was delayed several times. It finally was released, complete with a new sleeve design, in September 2006. Darkel, a solo album by Dunckel, was released that same year.
City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (2003) started as an idea for a collaboration with contemporary Italian writer Alessandro Baricco, known for his unusual characterizations and lyrical, poetic style. Baricco contacted Air in summer 2002 with the idea to marry narration of texts from his book City with live original musical accompaniment. The performance premiered live in November 2002 at Rome's Teatro Valle and was deemed such a success that both parties resolved to make a full studio recording.
Influences and musical style
Air is associated with a variety of musical styles: electronica, space pop, dream pop, progressive rock, downtempo, chillout, trip hop, ambient, electronic pop and space rock. Dunckel grew up listening to both classical and electronic music, especially Kraftwerk. He later took an interest in what he called the "English dark rock" of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division, while being a fan of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed. Brian Eno and Cluster were two of the electronic acts who inspired him the most. He cites among his favorite artists: Maurice Ravel for classical music, François de Roubaix for music soundtracks and Siouxsie and the Banshees for pop music. Dunckel shared with Godin a special liking for the music of Michel Legrand, Philip Glass and Grace Jones. During his childhood, Godin was fascinated by the Beatles before later discovering the soul of Sly and the Family Stone. The duo were influenced by progressive rock pioneers Pink Floyd.
Air uses many of its studio instruments (like Moog synthesizers, the Korg MS-20, Wurlitzer and Vocoder) on stage, where their ability to improvise is more clearly highlighted. The band performs the well-known tracks from the albums live as extended or altered versions. Air often collaborates (both in the studio and live) with artists like Beth Hirsch (Moon Safari), Françoise Hardy ("Jeanne"), Jean-Jacques Perrey ("Cosmic Bird"), Gordon Tracks ("Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman" – Gordon Tracks is a pseudonym of the French singer Thomas Mars from Phoenix), Beck (10 000 Hz Legend) and Jean-Michel Jarre ("Close Your Eyes" from Jarre's Electronica 1: The Time Machine). They also invited Dave Palmer on their 2004 tour and drummer Earl Harvin, Vincent Taurelle and Steve Jones on their 2007 tour.
Studio albums
Moon Safari (1998)
10 000 Hz Legend (2001)
Talkie Walkie (2004)
Pocket Symphony (2007)
Love 2 (2009)
Le voyage dans la lune (2012)
Soundtrack albums
The Virgin Suicides (2000)
Music for Museum (2014)
Extended plays
Premiers Symptômes (1997)
Collaborative albums
City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (2003)
Mix and remix albums
Everybody Hertz (2002)
Late Night Tales (2006)
Compilation albums
Twentyears (2016)
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Air is one of the many aliases of Pete Namlook. He has been releasing ambient music under this name since the release of an eponymous album in 1993.
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Japanese noise rock, Air is an alias of Koji Kurumatani first released album Wear Off in 1996.
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Air is a late 90s Indonesian Pop band that became popular with their "Bintang" song.
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Air was a jazz trio with its roots steeped in Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), and was formed originally in 1971. The jazz trio Air formed from within the Muhal Richard Abrams Sextet, which was active on the Chicago scene contemporaneously with the birth and growth of the AACM and groups such as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Henry Threadgill on reeds, hubcaphone, and percussion; Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on drums formed the trio when Threadgill was commissioned by Columbia College to score and adapt Scott Joplin's work for a performance honoring Joplin's centenary (Joplin's birth has been established now as sometime in 1868) and a rebirth of interest in the noted ragtime composer. All three men were Air signs in the zodiac, and so adopted the name.
They performed first around Chicago, while maintaining residency with Muhal Abrams group, which also featured Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and Wallace McMillan, both reed players. The Air "brand" remained a side project until all three reunited in New York in 1975, and began recording under that name for India Navigation, Nessa, Black Saint, and Novus. The trio broke up when Steve McCall left in the early 1980s, and when Pheroan Aklaff joined in 1982, they recorded as New Air, and recorded several albums under that name, including Air Show No. 1 in 1986, which featured Cassandra Wilson on vocals. Andrew Cyrille ultimately replaced akLaff before the band eventually was superceded by the burgeoning careers of its members: Threadgill with his groups Sextett and Very Very Circus, and Hopkins as the go-to bassist for Threadgill, David Murray, and Hamiet Bluiett. McCall's health forced his retirement from touring around 1980, and the dynamic drummer and effusive and gracious man who was a cofounder of the AACM with Muhal Abrams and Fred Anderson, died of a stroke in 1989.
This Air is listed as Air (4) on Discogs and is also been identified on last.fm as Air (Fred Hopkins, Steve McCall, Henry Threadgill) and Air with Fred Hopkins, Steve Mccall, Henry Threadgill (sic: McCall's name misspelt), and possibly also other alternative spellings of the group's name exist.
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Air was a psychedelic folk rock band featuring Googie and Tom Coppola, John Siegler and Mark Rosengarden. They released their first self titled album in 1971.
Roses Are Free
Air Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cut a slab of melon and pretend that you still love me
Carve out a pumpkin and rely on your destiny
Get in your car and cruise the land of the brave and the free
But don't forget to understand exactly what you put on the tree
Don't believe the florist when he tells you that the roses are free
Push it into third if you know you're gonna climb a hill
Eat plenty of lasagna 'til you know that you've had your fill
Resist all the urges that make you want to go out and kill
But don't forget to understand exactly what you put on the tree
Don't believe the florist when he tells you that the roses are free
[Repeat: x2]
Throw that pumpkin at the tree
Unless you think that pumpkin holds your destiny
Cast it off into the sea, bake that pie and eat it with me
The first verse of Air's song "Roses Are Free" describes a series of actions that seem unrelated but, upon closer examination, suggest a longing for a lost love. The singer suggests cutting a slice of melon and pretending that the other person still loves them, as if invoking a memory of happier times. However, the next line advises carving a pumpkin and relying on destiny, suggesting that perhaps the relationship was not meant to be. The final suggestion is to go for a drive, to cruise "the land of the brave and the free," perhaps suggesting a desire to escape and start anew. However, the singer also urges caution, reminding the listener to "understand exactly what you put on the tree" and not to be fooled by false promises.
The second verse of the song similarly suggests a kind of reckoning with the past, with a series of instructions that seem to emphasize the importance of self-control: take a wrinkled raisin and do with it what you will, push yourself to new heights, eat until you're full but resist the urge to harm others. The same refrain returns, with the warning not to believe the florist's promise of free roses.
Taken together, the lyrics of "Roses Are Free" suggest a desire to move on from the past and a struggle to reconcile the desire for love with the realities of life. The repeated refrain, cautioning against believing in something that seems too good to be true, reinforces this sense of ambivalence and difficulty in finding closure.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a piece of tinsel and put it on the tree
Add a small, insignificant decoration to the grand and beautiful Christmas tree
Cut a slab of melon and pretend that you still love me
Attempt to rekindle a dying relationship with a simple gesture that's largely superficial
Carve out a pumpkin and rely on your destiny
Find comfort in the idea that fate will guide you, but take action to create your own destiny
Get in your car and cruise the land of the brave and the free
Hit the open road and explore the vast and diverse country that is America
But don't forget to understand exactly what you put on the tree
Remember to reflect on the significance of your actions, even if they seem small and unimportant
Don't believe the florist when he tells you that the roses are free
Be skeptical of those who offer you something for nothing or claim that there are no hidden costs
Take a wrinkled raisin, and do with it what you will
Use your creativity to transform something old and unappealing into something new and exciting
Push it into third if you know you're gonna climb a hill
Shift gears and prepare yourself for a challenge that lies ahead
Eat plenty of lasagna 'til you know you've had your fill
Indulge in life's pleasures, but know when to stop and avoid overindulgence
Resist all the urges that make you want to go out and kill
Control your emotions and prevent negative impulses from driving you to harmful actions
Throw that pumpkin at the tree
Let go of preconceptions and take an unconventional approach to problem-solving
Unless you think that pumpkin holds your destiny
Consider the potential impact of your actions, even if they seem insignificant
Cast it off into the sea, bake that pie and eat it with me
Let go of the past and enjoy the present moment with loved ones
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AARON FREEMAN, MICHAEL MELCHIONDO, MICHAEL MELCHIONDO, JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bunsonh
Thanks for posting this! I've been waiting for a couple years for a karaoke version to make it's way to YouTube!
Karaoke Nerds
Glad to hear!
Constance Turner
You are the best karaoke account I have ever found oh my god. Thank you so much. So many good songs, so much ween! Yay!
Karaoke Nerds
I'm glad you like it!
Hardly any diggity
Based
unregisteredhypercam 12
Didn't expect to see you here, hi