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.
Elégance
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sommes tous bien arrivé, amitiés
D'ici on pourrait croire que la vue est imprenable
Tout est si calme ce soir
Puis-je hurler?
Faudra bien rentrer améliorer le schuss
Pour glisser vous séduire, of course
L'hypothèse d'un malentendu est exclue
Échantillon décolleté en V
Pourquoi m'as-tu quitté?
Flèche assortie
Seule particularité élégance
Du bout de ma planche j'observe la fin de l'été
Tout est si calme ce soir
Puis-je frimer?
Arrivera t-on seulement à tout goudronner
Mon absolution, puis-je cogner?
Faudra bien rentrer améliorer le schuss
Madame n'a cessé d'être douce
Sommes-nous certains d'être sûrs d'être détendus
Tout est si calme ce soir
Puis-je être ému?
Échantillon décolleté en V
Pourquoi m'as-tu quitté?
Flèche assortie
Seule particularité élégance
Du bout de ma planche, j'observe la fin de l'été
Madame n'a cessé
Echantillon décolleté en V
Pourquoi m'as-tu quitté ?
Flèche assortie
Seule particularité élégance
The song "Elégance" by Alain Bashung is a reflection on observing others from a distance and the emotions that come with it. The lyrics begin with the singer observing women's V-neck dresses from his board, where he is snowboarding, in a contemplative mood. He questions whether he should scream out loud while marveling at the view or keep the silence. The song moves on to pondering the uncertain future, with the singer questioning whether he'll ever make it back home, wondering if forgiveness is possible, or if he should just give up.
The phrase "Echantillon décolleté en V" is repeated throughout the song, which translates to "sample V-neck." This phrase is significant as it highlights the objectification of women by men. The women become a sample, an object to be observed, and not individuals. The song's mood is melancholic, and the lyrics are introspective, conveying a sense of disillusionment with modern society's fleeting pleasures and lack of substance.
Overall, the lyrics explore themes of contemplation, disillusionment, and objectification. The song's melancholic tone and poetic imagery create a sense of introspection and artistry that's characteristic of Alain Bashung's music.
Line by Line Meaning
Du bout de ma planche, j'observe les décolletés en V
From the edge of my board, I watch the V-necklines
Sommes tous bien arrivé, amitiés
We all made it safely, greetings
D'ici on pourrait croire que la vue est imprenable
From here, one could believe the view is unattainable
Tout est si calme ce soir
Everything is so calm tonight
Puis-je hurler?
May I scream?
Faudra bien rentrer améliorer le schuss
We'll have to go back and improve our downhill technique
Pour glisser vous séduire, of course
To slide and seduce you, of course
L'hypothèse d'un malentendu est exclue
The possibility of a misunderstanding is ruled out
Madame n'a cessé d'être douce
Madam has remained sweet
Échantillon décolleté en V
Sample V-neckline
Pourquoi m'as-tu quitté?
Why did you leave me?
Flèche assortie
Matching arrow
Seule particularité élégance
The only elegance feature
Du bout de ma planche j'observe la fin de l'été
From the edge of my board, I observe the end of summer
Puis-je frimer?
May I show off?
Arrivera t-on seulement à tout goudronner
Will we be able to asphalt everything?
Mon absolution, puis-je cogner?
My absolution, may I hit?
Sommes-nous certains d'être sûrs d'être détendus
Are we certain that we're sure we're relaxed?
Puis-je être ému?
May I be moved?
Lyrics © SM PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: ALAIN BASHUNG, PASCAL JACQUEMIN
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
…