Alain Bashung (born Alain Baschung on 1 December 1947 in Paris and died on … Read Full Bio ↴Alain Bashung (born Alain Baschung on 1 December 1947 in Paris and died on 14 March 2009) was a French singer, songwriter, and actor; he was the son of a Brittany born mother and a Kabyle father he never knew.

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.

Chanson Du Loup
Alain Bashung Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Je suis un loup qui jadis était très méchant
Mais qui par malheur un jour s'est cassé les dents
Sur une grand-mère solide comme un roc
Tout est à l'envers c'est une triste époque

J'étais loup méchant je suis maintenant gentil chien
Elle me promène et je lui mange dans la main
Si je ne file pas droit ou bien si j'ai tort

Tout est à l'envers c'est elle qui me mord

Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux

J'ai jamais vraiment mangé le Chaperon Rouge
Ça c'est des histoires qu'on raconte au fond des bouges
Ce petit enfant blond était loin d'être bête
Il n'a jamais tiré cette putain de chevillette

Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux

Ecoutez la complainte d'un loup qui vit l'enfer
Et débarrassez-moi vite de cette grand-mère
Je suis prêt à tout
A ramper, à me tordre
Mais je vous en prie qu'elle cesse de me mordre

Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux

Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux

Pauvre loup...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Alain Bashung's "Chanson du Loup" tell the story of a wolf who was once very mean but has since become a gentle dog. The wolf broke his teeth trying to attack a tough old grandmother who could not be defeated. In this sad time, everything is turned upside down. Now, the wolf is a good dog who is being walked by the grandmother and is fed by her hand. However, if he does something wrong, she turns the tables and bites him instead. The wolf expresses his frustration and misery at being unable to break free from this life.

The wolf goes on to deny the popular story of him eating Little Red Riding Hood, claiming it to be nothing more than a tale told in disreputable places. The wolf praises Little Red Riding Hood for not being foolish enough to open the latch and let him in. He begs to be rescued from the grandmother's biting and is willing to do whatever it takes to escape, including crawling and contorting himself. The song paints a picture of a tragic figure trapped in a life he never wanted and desperately seeking freedom.

Line by Line Meaning

Je suis un loup qui jadis était très méchant
I am a wolf who used to be very mean

Mais qui par malheur un jour s'est cassé les dents
But who unfortunately broke its teeth one day

Sur une grand-mère solide comme un roc
On a grandmother as strong as a rock

Tout est à l'envers c'est une triste époque
Everything is upside down, it's a sad time

J'étais loup méchant je suis maintenant gentil chien
I was a mean wolf, now I am a nice dog

Elle me promène et je lui mange dans la main
She walks me and I eat out of her hand

Si je ne file pas droit ou bien si j'ai tort
If I don't behave or if I'm wrong

Tout est à l'envers c'est elle qui me mord
Everything is upside down, she's the one who bites me

J'ai jamais vraiment mangé le Chaperon Rouge
I never really ate Little Red Riding Hood

Ça c'est des histoires qu'on raconte au fond des bouges
Those are the stories they tell in the back alleys

Ce petit enfant blond était loin d'être bête
That little blond child was far from stupid

Il n'a jamais tiré cette putain de chevillette
He never pulled that damn little lever

Ecoutez la complainte d'un loup qui vit l'enfer
Listen to the lament of a wolf who lives in hell

Et débarrassez-moi vite de cette grand-mère
And get rid of that grandmother quickly

Je suis prêt à tout
I am ready for anything

A ramper, à me tordre
To crawl, to contort myself

Mais je vous en prie qu'elle cesse de me mordre
But I beg you, make her stop biting me

Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Poor wolf, poor wolf

Pas même un loulou, non un loup doux
Not even a little wolf, no a gentle wolf

Pauvre loup doux
Poor gentle wolf

Contributed by Madelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Camille fun

LOUP:
Je suis un loup qui jadis était très méchant
Mais qui par malheur un jour s'est cassé les dents
Sur une grand-mère, solide comme un roc
Tout est à l'envers, c'est une triste époque
J'étais loup méchant, je suis maintenant gentil chien
Elle me promène et je lui mange dans la main
Si je ne file pas droit, ou bien si j'ai tort
Tout est à l'envers, c'est elle qui me mord
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non, un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux
J'ai jamais vraiment mangé le Chaperon Rouge
Ça, c'est des histoires qu'on raconte au fond des bouges
Ce petit enfant blond était loin d'être bête
Et n'a jamais tiré cette sacrée chevillette

Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non, un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux

Écoutez la complainte d'un loup qui vit l'enfer
Et débarrassez-moi vite de cette grand-mère
Je suis prêt à tout, à ramper, à me tordre
Mais je vous en prie, qu'elle cesse de me mordre

Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non, un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pas même un loulou, non, un loup doux
Pauvre loup, pauvre loup
Pauvre loup doux
Pauvre loup!

EMILIE:
Pardon, grand-mère, vous n'avez pas vu le prince charmant?

LA GRAND-MÈRE:
Dans ce livre-là, je ne l'ai jamais rencontré...

LE LOUP:
Sauve-moi, Emilie, je sais que tu es la fée de ce livre!

EMILIE:
Tu promets de ne plus manger personne?

LE LOUP:
Je promets, je promets!

EMILIE:
Bon. Grand-mère, le loup a été assez puni comme ça.
Faites la paix.

LA GRAND-MÈRE:
C'est entendu. Viens, le loup, on rentre à la maison!

LE LOUP:
Oui, grand-mère.

EMILIE:
Et voilà!

LE CONTEUR:
Mais, mais c'est fou ce problème est en suspens depuis des
années et toi tu le règles en quelques mots.

EMILIE:
C'est que le temps presse. Viens vite, on tourne la page.