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.
Bijou bijou
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Te réveille pas surtout
Je vais pas faire de bruit, juste un café c'est tout
Je peux plus rester ici
Je dormirai je sais pas où
Bijou, bijou
Le temps ça pourrit tout
Puis tu prends ton bain
Avec de drôles de joujoux
Bijou, bijou
Y'a des feux rouges partout
Puis au coin de la rue l'Armée du Salut qui joue
À ma montre y'a plus de chaîne
À mes cols de chemise plus de baleine
Bijou, bijou
Pense à tes rendez-vous
Rappeler le gynéco, passer à la banque prendre des sous
Trouver quelqu'un d'autre
Moi je mets les bouts
Bijou, bijou
Je pourrai pas te dire au revoir, ce matin j'ai pas le bambou
Putain ce que t'as été belle
Quand tu te mettais à genoux
Bijou, bijou
Je vais pas faire de bruit, juste un café c'est tout
Je peux plus rester ici
Je dormirai je sais pas où
The lyrics to Alain Bashung's song Bijou Bijou are a poignant reflection on a relationship that has run its course. The singer is quietly leaving his lover, Bijou, in the early hours of the morning, trying not to wake her. He laments the passage of time and the decay that it brings - the hair in the sink, the crushed cigarette butts, and strange toys in the bathtub. As he leaves, he reminds Bijou of her upcoming appointments and the need to go to the bank. He acknowledges that he won't be there to say goodbye and reflects on her beauty when she used to kneel.
The song is a beautiful exploration of what it means to let go of someone you love, particularly someone who has been a constant for so long. The emotions are layered and complex, as the singer vacillates between sadness and detachment. The chorus, with its repetition of "Bijou, bijou", is a reminder of the connection that once was between the two, while the verses bring to light the realities of their everyday life and the challenges that come with being together.
Overall, the lyrics capture the fleeting nature of love and the inevitability of change. While it may be painful to move on, sometimes it is the only option.
Line by Line Meaning
Bijou, bijou
Addressing a pet or a loved one, the singer repeats the phrase to grab attention.
Te réveille pas surtout
The singer urges the addressed entity not to wake up, indicating a separation or the inability to stay in the current environment.
Je vais pas faire de bruit, juste un café c'est tout
As the singer prepares to leave, they assure the other entity that they will not make noise and only need a coffee before leaving.
Je peux plus rester ici
The artist explains their need to leave as they cannot stay in this place anymore.
Je dormirai je sais pas où
The artist is uncertain about where they will sleep as they won't stay in their current location.
Le temps ça pourrit tout
The singer observes that everything decays with time, including relationships and material objects, like hair and cigarette butts.
Les cheveux dans le lavabo, les mégots écrasés n'importe où
The singer describes the decaying physical environment around them, with hair in the sink and crushed cigarettes in random places.
Puis tu prends ton bain / Avec de drôles de joujoux
The artist references the unusual objects found in the bathroom, possibly belonging to the other entity, that they use in the bath.
Y'a des feux rouges partout
The artist comments on the prevalence of traffic lights in their environment, suggesting the confinement and structure of the city.
Puis au coin de la rue l'Armée du Salut qui joue
The artist describes a scene where the Salvation Army is playing music at the corner of the street.
À ma montre y'a plus de chaîne / À mes cols de chemise plus de baleine
The singer highlights the disrepair of their personal objects, like their watch missing a chain or their shirt collar missing a stiffener.
Pense à tes rendez-vous / Rappeler le gynéco, passer à la banque prendre des sous
The artist reminds the other entity to attend to their own errands, like calling the gynecologist or going to the bank for money.
Trouver quelqu'un d'autre / Moi je mets les bouts
The singer suggests finding someone else to fill their place as they plan to leave.
Je pourrai pas te dire au revoir, ce matin j'ai pas le bambou
The singer explains their inability to say goodbye due to feeling sad or regretful about leaving.
Putain ce que t'as été belle / Quand tu te mettais à genoux
The singer recalls the beauty of the other entity when they used to kneel down, indicating a religious or intimate moment between them.
Je vais pas faire de bruit, juste un café c'est tout / Je peux plus rester ici / Je dormirai je sais pas où
The song concludes with the artist reassuring the other entity of their quiet exit and reaffirming their need to leave, with the uncertainty of where they will go.
Lyrics © ALLO MUSIC EDITIONS
Written by: Alain BASHUNG, Daniel TARDIEU, Boris BERGMAN
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
…