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.
Au Pavillon Des Lauriers
Alain Bashung Lyrics
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Des érudits m'abreuvent de leurs fioles
À quoi c'est dû cette assiduité?
À sillonner sans répit ma macédoine
À quoi c'est dû?
Au pavillon des lauriers
Il est tard pour se demander
À quoi c'est dû ces chaluts qui n'entravent que l'océan?
Au pavillon des lauriers
Il faut voir à ne célébrer
Que l'insensé
Je veux rester fou
Derrière mes paupières
Filent des régates
Mes années-lumière sont pas des lumières
Mais je veille
Sur un grain de toute beauté
Un grain de toute beauté
À quoi c'est dû
Ces attributs?
À quoi c'est dû
Ce duvet pachyderme?
Ces alizés camisolés
À quoi c'est dû?
Au pavillon des lauriers
Il est tard pour se demander
À quoi c'est dû ces corvées?
À quoi c'est dû ces résidus d'amour aveugle?
Au pavillon des lauriers
Il faut croire qu'on a savonné
La liberté
Je veux rester fou
J'adresse aux rivières
Des lettres de brume
Les anniversaires j'ai l'air dans la lune
Mais je veille
Sur un grain de toute beauté
Un grain de toute beauté
À quoi c'est dû?
À quoi c'est dû?
À quoi c'est dû?
À quoi c'est dû?
À quoi c'est dû?
The lyrics of Alain Bashung's song "Au Pavillon Des Lauriers" speak about the pressures and expectations placed on the singer by society and intellectuals. The singer is constantly being scrutinized and examined, with scholars pouring their knowledge and ideas onto him. The lyrics ask why there is such an intense focus on him, and why people are so interested in his Macedonian heritage. The titular pavilion of laurels represents the success and accolades that the singer has achieved, but as the lyrics state, it is too late to wonder why he has received them. The singer emphasizes his desire to remain "insane" or "foolish," rather than complying with societal expectations.
The lyrics also touch on the singer's inner world, where "regattas" and "light years" exist behind his eyelids. He watches over a "grain of beauty," which could be interpreted as a metaphor for his creative or inner world. The singer questions the "attributes" and "pachyderm fuzz" that comes with fame and success, wondering why they are necessary. The lyrics ultimately suggest that the true freedom and beauty comes from embracing one's own madness and inner world, rather than trying to meet the expectations of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Des toges me toisent
I am weighed down by the expectations and judgments of scholars and experts.
Des érudits m'abreuvent de leurs fioles
These scholars constantly inundate me with their knowledge and opinions.
À quoi c’est dû cette assiduité
I wonder why they are so dedicated to studying and analyzing me.
À sillonner sans répit ma macédoine
Perhaps they are searching endlessly through the maze that is my mind.
À quoi c’est dû
Why is this happening to me?
Au pavillon des lauriers
In the hall of fame.
Il est tard pour se demander
It's too late to wonder why.
À quoi c'est dû ces lauriers
Why have I been honored with this achievement?
À quoi c’est dû ces chaluts qui n’entravent que l’océan
Why am I caught in a net that only entangles the sea?
Il faut voir à ne célébrer
We must only celebrate
Que l'insensé
The madness within.
Je veux rester fou
I want to remain crazy.
Derrière mes paupières
Behind my eyelids.
Filent des régates
Sailboats race by.
Mes années-lumière sont pas des lumières
The vast distances within my mind are not what they seem.
Mais je veille
But I am ever vigilant.
Sur un grain de toute beauté
Guarding something of great beauty.
Ces attributs
These traits and characteristics.
Ce duvet pachyderme
This thick and protective covering.
Ces alizés camisolés
These smooth and steady winds that constrain me.
À quoi c'est dû
Why do I possess these qualities?
À quoi c'est dû ces corvées
Why am I burdened with these tasks and responsibilities?
À quoi c'est dû ces résidus d'amour aveugle
Why am I left with these remnants of blind love?
Il faut croire qu’on a savonné
Perhaps we have been deceived.
La liberté
In the name of freedom.
J'adresse aux rivières
I send letters into the rivers.
Des lettres de brume
Letters made of mist.
Les anniversaires j'ai l'air dans la lune
I seem to be distracted during birthdays.
Sur un grain de toute beauté
Guarding something of great beauty.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alain Bashung, Jean Marie Fauque, Richard Mortier
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
…