After growing up in a small town on the coast of Brittany, in 1955 Barrière enrolled in the École nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers in Angers. As a student he bought a guitar and started to write songs. On graduating in engineering in 1960, he moved to Paris to take up employment, and started to perform in the evenings at small clubs around the capital. He won a song contest in 1961 with the self-penned song "Cathy"; his style was chanson-based with no concession to the burgeoning yé-yé scene, but nonetheless he was soon signed to a recording contract and started to release singles regularly, enabling him to give up his job and make at least a modest living from music.
In 1963, Barrière was chosen to represent France at the eighth Eurovision Song Contest in London. His song Elle était si jolie came 5th out of the 13 entries.
Elle était si jolie turned out to be by far the biggest seller of Barrière's career to that point. He released his first album, Ma vie, in 1964 and the title-track, Ma Vie became a huge hit. In 1965 he was offered, and accepted, a leading role in a heist thriller, "Pas de panique", alongside Pierre Brasseur. This would be his only venture into acting, but his singing career reached its peak in the latter part of the decade with a string of hits making him one of France's biggest stars and a sell-out live attraction.
Barrière had gained a reputation for being uncompromising and at times difficult to work with. In the early 1970s he left his record company to set up his own label. He kept his fanbase, which ensured his records and concerts continued to provide a good living, despite his being overlooked by sections of the French broadcast media. "Tu t'en vas", a 1975 duet with fellow Eurovision veteran Noëlle Cordier, topped the French chart, and was the third biggest-selling single of the year in Switzerland.
Barrière married in 1975 and he and his wife opened a nightclub-restaurant in a converted castle in Brittany. Although it proved a successful and popular venue, Barrière soon found himself facing severe tax problems, a result of dubious advice. In 1977 he took his family to the USA, where they remained for four years.
After spending four years living in the USA, Barrière returned to france in 1981 and made several comeback attempts, to little avail. After another period spent overseas, this time in Quebec, the family were back in Brittany when Barrière's career was unexpectedly rejuvenated by the 1997 release of a CD containing remastered versions of his old hits, which proved to be a money-spinner. Shortly afterwards, Barrière released an album of new material, which also sold well.
He published an autobiography in 2006 and continues to release both retrospective and newly-recorded albums.
http://www.alainbarriere.com/
Angela
Alain Barrière Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Angela j'ai couru toutes les ruelles Angela
Jusqu'au pied jusqu'au pied de la citadelle Angela
Le village est mort et sans voix
Angela mais réponds-moi, réponds-moi
Parle-moi d'elle Angela
Mais pourquoi ne réponds-tu pas
Angela Angela
Tu le sais bien, tu le sais bien je l'aime Angela
Je ne suis revenu revenu que pour elle Angela
Mais où est-t-elle réponds-moi
Angela Angela
Je sais je suis rester longtemps loin d'elle
Angela Angela
Mais ce n'était que pour mieux être digne d'elle Angela
Mais pourquoi ne réponds-tu pas
Angela cette larme là, là sur ton visage Angela
Comme le pire des présages Angela
Je t'en supplie dis-moi pourquoi
Angela ce long cortège là, là vers le cimetière Angela
Mais dis-moi donc, dis-moi qui l'on enterre Angela
Je crois que je comprends déjà
Angela Angela
Mais dis-moi donc, dis-moi que je délire Angela
Que je n'ai jamais su imaginer le pire Angela
Mais pourquoi ne réponds-tu pas
Angela Angela
Mais dis-moi donc, dis-moi que je délire Angela
Que tout ceci n'est qu'une histoire à rire Angela
Mais avons-nous mérité ça
Angela
Angela
The song "Angela" by Alain Barrière is a heartbreaking ballad in which the singer addresses Angela, who seems to be a close friend or possibly a relative of the woman he loves. The lyrics are full of desperation and confusion as the singer tries to understand what has happened to his beloved. He describes running through the deserted village to the citadel, but finding no answers there. He begs Angela to tell him about the woman he loves, whether she waited for him or where she is, but Angela remains silent. The singer remembers how long he stayed away from the woman, but only to make himself worthy of her. He sees a single tear on Angela's face and fears the worst. When he sees a funeral procession heading to the cemetery, he realizes the truth and asks Angela to tell him he's imagining things, that it's all just a joke. The song ends with the singer questioning whether they deserved this pain.
The lyrics of "Angela" are hauntingly beautiful and convey a deep sense of loss and sorrow. The singer's desperation and confusion are palpable, and the repetition of Angela's name emphasizes his need for answers. The song has been covered by various artists and is considered a classic in French chanson.
Line by Line Meaning
Angela j'ai couru toutes les ruelles Angela
He ran through all the alleys looking for her.
Jusqu'au pied jusqu'au pied de la citadelle Angela
He searched until he reached the foot of the citadel.
Le village est mort et sans voix
The village was silent and lifeless.
Angela mais réponds-moi, réponds-moi
He pleads for her to answer him.
Parle-moi d'elle Angela
He wants to hear about her.
M'a-t-elle attendu où est-t-elle Angela
He wonders if she waited for him or where she is now.
Mais pourquoi ne réponds-tu pas
He laments her silence.
Tu le sais bien, tu le sais bien je l'aime Angela
He declares his love for her.
Je ne suis revenu revenu que pour elle Angela
He came back for her and for no other reason.
Mais où est-t-elle réponds-moi
He pleads for her whereabouts.
Je sais je suis rester longtemps loin d'elle
He acknowledges that he was away from her for a long time.
Mais ce n'était que pour mieux être digne d'elle Angela
He justifies his absence as a means to become worthy of her.
Angela cette larme là, là sur ton visage Angela
He notices and questions the tear on her face.
Comme le pire des présages Angela
He fears the worst.
Je t'en supplie dis-moi pourquoi
He begs for an explanation.
Angela ce long cortège là, là vers le cimetière Angela
He sees a funeral procession and asks who has passed away.
Mais dis-moi donc, dis-moi qui l'on enterre Angela
He insists on knowing who has died.
Je crois que je comprends déjà
He realizes the truth on his own.
Mais dis-moi donc, dis-moi que je délire Angela
He denies the reality of the situation and asks for confirmation.
Que je n'ai jamais su imaginer le pire Angela
He hopes that his worst fears aren't true.
Mais avons-nous mérité ça
He questions if they deserved this fate.
Angela
He continues to call out to her.
Contributed by Parker B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.