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.
Chaque nuit bébé
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cherche et retrouve
Tendres livreuses
Gentilles patrouilles
Baisers soldés
Fin de l'hiver
Passé futur imparfait
Beauté passive
Juste agressive
S'voir tout donner
Effleurer sans cesse
L'heure du goûter
Passé futur imparfait
Etrange est la nuit
On fait des rêves
D'éminents duels
Accords de fous
Etreintes si denses
Crosse à l'appui
S'voir tout donner
Baisers soldés
Descente de lit
Passé futur imparfait
Chaque nuit
Chaque nuit bébé
Cherche et retrouve
Tendres virées
Acidulées
Je survivrai
À tes caresses
Passé futur imparfait
Fiancée
Poisson d'avril
Moi bissextile
S'voir tout donner
Baisers soldés
Rien qu'des amis
Passé futur imparfait
Chaque nuit bébé
Cherche et retrouve
The lyrics to Alain Bashung's song "Chaque Nuit Bébé" describe a search for tenderness in the night, with the singer seeking out affection, kisses, and intimate encounters. The opening lines refer to the pursuit of "tender delivery girls" and "kind patrols," suggesting a sense of longing and wanting for connection. This is reinforced by the repeated refrain of "Chaque nuit bébé cherche et retrouve," which translates to "Every night baby searches and finds."
The song also touches on themes of memory and nostalgia, with the use of the phrase "passé futur imparfait" to describe the present moment as a combination of past, future, and imperfection. The lyrics allude to memories of past encounters and dreams of future ones, with descriptions of "eminent duels" and "crosse à l'appui" (a reference to lacrosse). The line "je survivrai à tes caresses" ("I will survive your caresses") suggests both a fear of being overwhelmed by emotion and a determination to keep seeking out these moments of tenderness and passion.
Overall, "Chaque Nuit Bébé" is a song about the search for love and intimacy in a world that can be both beautiful and aggressive, passive and intense. The lyrics evoke a sense of yearning and a desire to connect, even as they acknowledge the complexities and challenges of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Chaque nuit bébé
Every night, the singer feels a strong need.
Cherche et retrouve
They search for something and find it.
Tendres livreuses
They receive loving deliveries.
Gentilles patrouilles
They encounter kind patrols.
Baisers soldés
They exchange kisses as if they were currency.
Fin de l'hiver
The end of winter, possibly representing a change or a new beginning.
Passé futur imparfait
The past, future, and imperfect tenses all mixed together, implying uncertainty and ambiguity in the events being described.
Filles de kermesses
Women who attend fairs and festivals.
Beauté passive
Their beauty is something that simply is, not something they actively strive for.
Juste agressive
They have a precise, focused aggression about them.
S'voir tout donner
The singer gives everything they have without holding back.
Effleurer sans cesse
To constantly touch or graze lightly.
L'heure du goûter
The time for a snack, which could represent a moment of pleasure or indulgence.
Etrange est la nuit
The night is strange and mysterious.
On fait des rêves
The singer experiences dreams.
D'éminents duels
High-stakes duels or battles.
Accords de fous
Agreements or deals that may be crazy or irrational.
Etreintes si denses
Intensely tight embraces.
Crosse à l'appui
The French phrase 'crosse à l'appui' literally means 'with a resting stick', but in this context it is unclear what it signifies.
Descente de lit
A 'descente de lit' is a decorative rug or mat placed at the side or foot of a bed.
Tendres virées
They go on tender, affectionate outings or adventures.
Acidulées
Something that is a little tart or sour, which could represent a more complex or bittersweet experience.
Je survivrai
The singer will survive, possibly indicating past struggles or traumas.
À tes caresses
To your caresses, or the physical touch of another person.
Fiancée
A female engaged to be married.
Poisson d'avril
French for 'April Fool's Day'.
Moi bissextile
The singer is leap year, which could either represent a sense of being out of sync or a rare and special quality.
Rien qu'des amis
Nothing but friends, potentially suggesting a desire for more or a sense of limitation in the current relationship dynamic.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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
…