When Alain Bashung was one year old he was sent to the Strasbourg area, in Wingersheim, to stay with his grandparents. He spent his childhood in the country in a conservative environment. When he was five years old he discovered Music most notably Kurt Weill, as he played harmonica. He was also a Choirboy in the church at Wingersheim and played basket-ball. At School he was regarded serious child.
He returned to Paris in 1959, where he discovered the great names of Chanson Française, the radio, American Rock with Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. Whilst studying to become an accountant, he started a short lived Band with friends “les Dunces” whose style swong between Folk and Rockabilly. He quickly dropped his studies.
Bashung started a band with musicians met in Royan, a new band playing in Restaurants, Hotels and most of all the American bases. his career started with some difficulties with the release of his first single at 19 years of age “Pourquoi rêvez-vous des États-Unis ?” in 1966. He released a dozen singles, one using the pseudonym David Bergen, and two others. In 1971/1972 under the pseudonym "Hendrick Darmen" compositor and singer of the band “Monkey Bizness”. He wrote a number of songs for stars of the time like Noël Deschamps, but doesn't appear to have reached success.
In 1973, he played Robespierre in the Musical “La Révolution française” written by Claude-Michel Schönberg. He met Dick Rivers the singer of Les Chats Sauvages, for whom he composed and produced music.
He met musician Andy Scott and the songwriter Boris Bergman, and in 1977 wrote his first innovative LP “Romans photos”, though it was a Commercial failure in the context of Punk storming music.
In 1979, he released “Roulette russe”, a very dark and more Rock orientated album.
He confirmed his talent with critical acclaim and public success in 1981, with the rock influenced album “pizza”, mainly with one single from the album “Gaby, oh Gaby” that finally got Bashung success in the charts in 1981 followed by the single “Vertige de l'amour”, and started touring the bigger venues Notably “l'Olympia” in Paris.
In 1982, Bashung collaborated with Serge Gainsbourg on the complex album “Play blessures”, that did not achieve commercial success.
In 1983, he confused his fan base with an album deviating from the previous rock style, “Figure imposée”. In 1985, he came back with a number of titles written for “SOS Racisme” (anti-racism organisation).
In 1986, he released “Passé le Rio Grande”, which won him a “Victoire de la Musique”. Two singles achieved some success over the airwaves: “Malédiction” and “L'arrivée du tour”. However the album itself did not sell much.
In 1992, he started a long partnership with writer Jean Fauque, for “Osez Joséphine”, an album which also contains some cover of classic Rock such as “Night in White Satin”. His fan base grew and the album sold 350 000 copies. In 1994, he followed up with “Chatterton,” collaborating with Sonny Landreth, Ally McErlaine, Link Wray, Marc Ribot and Stéphane Belmondo. The key single extracted from this album is “Ma petite entreprise.” He started a two-year tour that results in the 1995 live album, “Confessions publiques.”
After recording a duet with Brigitte Fontaine "City" for her album "Les Palaces", Bashung returned to the musical world following a stint acting and in 1998 with “Fantaisie militaire”. While making this album in collaboration with Rodolphe Burger, Les Valentins and Jean-Marc Lederman. He will receive three Victoires de la Musique for the Album in 1999.
In 2002, he released the “L'imprudence” album to further critical acclaim. During the same year, he recorded with his wife, actress and comedian Chloé Mons “le Cantique des cantiques”. They created this title for their wedding in 2001, on a music written by Rodolphe Burger and on the basis a a new translation of the “Cantique des cantiques” from the Bible by the Author Olivier Cadiot.
In 2004, he released live double album “La tournée des grands espaces."
In 2005, for the twentieth Victoires de la Musique, he received an award for the best album of the last 20 years for “Fantaisie militaire.”
In the beginning of 2007, he participates in the tour “Les Aventuriers d'un autre Monde” with Jean-Louis Aubert (Téléphone), Cali, Daniel Darc, Richard Kolinka (Téléphone) and Raphaeël.
In March 2009, he recieved three Victoires de la Musique for his last album "Bleu Pétrol".
He passed away on March 14th, 2009 of complications of metastatic lung cancer.
Angora
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Apprendre à manier la fourche
Pour retrouver le vrai
Faire table rase du passé
La discorde qu'on a semée
À la surface des regrets
N'a pas pris
La gorge irritée
Je m'époumonais
Sans broncher
Angora
Montre-moi
D'où vient la vie
Où vont les vaisseaux maudits
Angora
Sois la soie
Sois encore à moi
Les pluies acides
Décharnent les sapins
J'y peux rien, j'y peux rien
Coule la résine
S'agglutine le venin
J'crains plus la mandragore
J'crains plus mon destin
J'crains plus rien
Le souffle coupé
La gorge irritée
Je m'époumonais
Sans broncher
Angora
Montre-moi
D'où vient la vie
Où vont les vaisseaux maudits
Angora
Sois la soie
Sois encore à moi
The lyrics to Alain Bashung's song Angora can be interpreted as a reflection on the search for truth and meaning in a tumultuous world. The opening lines, "Il m'aura fallu faucher les blés / Apprendre à manier la fourche / Pour retrouver le vrai" (It took mowing the wheat / Learning to handle the fork / To find the truth), suggest that the singer has had to work hard and struggle to find clarity and authenticity in their life. They have had to let go of the past and the conflicts that they may have created in order to move forward.
The chorus of "Angora, montre-moi / D'où vient la vie / Où vont les vaisseaux maudits / Angora, sois la soie / Sois encore à moi" (Angora, show me / Where life comes from / Where the accursed vessels go / Angora, be the silk / Be mine again) seems to be an appeal to some kind of higher power or guiding force. Angora is a fabric made from the hair of the Angora rabbit, which is soft and warm. This could be a metaphor for the comfort and guidance that the singer is seeking. They want to know where life comes from and where it's going, and they want Angora to be the guide that helps them make sense of it all.
The lines about acid rain and poisoned resin in the trees suggest an ecological and environmental theme. The singer seems resigned to the fact that they can't change the damage that's been done, and they no longer fear fate or the mandrake plant (a symbol of supernatural power and danger). The repetition of "Le souffle coupé / La gorge irritée / Je m'époumonais / Sans broncher" (Breathless / Irritated throat / I shouted myself hoarse / Without flinching) reinforces the idea that the singer has been through a lot and is still standing strong.
Overall, the lyrics to Angora are cryptic and open to interpretation, but they seem to be about finding truth and guidance in a chaotic world, and persevering through adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Il m'aura fallu faucher les blés
It took me cutting the wheat to realize that I needed to reassess my life.
Apprendre à manier la fourche
I had to learn how to use the tools at my disposal to make a change.
Pour retrouver le vrai
To find my true self.
Faire table rase du passé
I had to leave the past behind and start anew.
La discorde qu'on a semée
The disagreements we sowed.
À la surface des regrets
On the surface of regrets.
N'a pas pris
Did not take hold.
Le souffle coupé
Breathless.
La gorge irritée
Sore throat.
Je m'époumonais
I was shouting myself hoarse.
Sans broncher
Without flinching.
Angora
An appeal to a lover, perhaps comparing them to the soft warmth of angora wool.
Montre-moi
Show me the way.
D'où vient la vie
Where does life come from?
Où vont les vaisseaux maudits
Where do cursed ships go?
Sois la soie
Be the silk.
Sois encore à moi
Stay with me.
Les pluies acides
Acid rain.
Décharnent les sapins
Stripped the pines.
J'y peux rien, j'y peux rien
I can't do anything about it, I can't do anything.
Coule la résine
The resin flows.
S'agglutine le venin
The poison clings together.
J'crains plus la mandragore
I'm no longer afraid of the mandrake plant.
J'crains plus mon destin
I'm no longer afraid of my fate.
J'crains plus rien
I'm no longer afraid of anything.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alain Bashung, Jean Marie Fauque
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alain B.
on La fille de la maison des dunes
Elle verra la vie qu’il me faut
Dans du marc de thé chaud
Car elle sait tous les secrets du tarot
Je me noie dans ses cheveux noirs
(je) Suis enfin au pouvoir
Car elle m’apprend à aimer et à voir
Elle m’apprend à aimer et à voir
La fille de la maison des dunes
La fille des brumes
La fille de la maison des dunes
La fille des brumes
Je me vois comme un bout d’étoile
Dans sa boule de cristal
Et je ne vois pas bien ou est le mal
Où est le mal
D’accord elle est un peu sorcière
La fille aux mains de pierre
Mais elle m’apprend à aimer et à voir
Elle m’apprend à aimer et à voir
La fille de la maison des dunes
La fille des brumes
La fille de la maison des dunes
La fille des brumes
Plus je me la mets dans la tête
Plus j’deviens une sorte de mouette
Plus je vole dans son monde de flou
Plus je m’éloigne de vous
Je me brûle à son soleil noir
Terriens, bonsoir…
Oui elle m’apprend à aimer et à voir
Elle m’apprend à aimer et à voir
La fille de la maison des dunes
La fille des brumes
La fille de la maison des dunes
La fille des brumes
…