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.
Faisons Envie
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
tellement joué à se toucher
à s'effleurer
personne n'a rien vu
faisons envie
jusqu'au dégoût
pas de pitié
pas de quartier
afin que rien ne meure
tant que l'on se désire
avant que l'on se déchire
pour ne pas un jour se découvrir
faisons comme si je n'aimais que toi
faisons l'amour comme jamais
tout est si léger
laissons ça entre guillemets
faisons les difficiles
refusons en bloc les sentiments figés
restons en vie
même en dents de scie
restons uniques
restons en vie
les doux mots du passé
tout est si léger
oublions sur quel air il faut danser
faisons envie
faisons envie
jusqu'au dégoût
pas de pitié
pas de quartier
afin que rien ne meure
pour que jamais tu ne m'oublies
avant que l'on ne prenne peur
faisons envie
restons en vie
restons-en là
In Alain Bashung's song "Faisons Envie", the lyrics describe a passionate, physical relationship that is kept hidden from the world. The two lovers have played with each other's bodies and touched each other in a way no one else has seen, but they want to make sure that the fire between them never dies. They want to continue to make each other desire and lust after one another, even if it means taking risks and being bold. The lyrics convey the idea of living in the moment and seizing the passion that exists between the two individuals, as they understand that this spark may not last forever.
The song also touches on the idea of rejecting conforming to societal expectations and traditional values, including emotions and love. The lovers want to remain unique and refuse to conform to a set way of experiencing relationships because they believe in living life to the fullest, even if it appears unconventional. They embrace the fleetingness of their connection and find solace in the fact that they do not have to fit neatly into the categorizations society sets. Furthermore, the lyrics suggest that perhaps the two lovers will not end up together long term and could potentially move on from each other, but they will always remember the passion they shared.
Line by Line Meaning
nos corps ont joué
Our bodies have played
tellement joué à se toucher
Played so much touching each other
à s'effleurer
Caressing each other
personne n'a rien vu
No one saw anything
faisons envie
Let's make people envious
jusqu'au dégoût
Until disgust
pas de pitié
No mercy
pas de quartier
No quarter
afin que rien ne meure
So that nothing dies
tant que l'on se désire
As long as we desire each other
avant que l'on se déchire
Before we tear each other apart
pour ne pas un jour se découvrir
So as not to discover one day
faisons comme si je n'aimais que toi
Let's pretend that I only love you
faisons l'amour comme jamais
Let's make love like never before
tout est si léger
Everything is so light
laissons ça entre guillemets
Let's leave that in quotes
faisons les difficiles
Let's act like we're hard to get
refusons en bloc les sentiments figés
Let's refuse all fixed feelings
restons en vie
Let's stay alive
même en dents de scie
Even if it's a bumpy ride
restons uniques
Let's stay unique
les doux mots du passé
The sweet words of the past
tout est si léger
Everything is so light
oublions sur quel air il faut danser
Let's forget how we should dance
faisons envie
Let's make people envious
jusqu'au dégoût
Until disgust
pas de pitié
No mercy
pas de quartier
No quarter
afin que rien ne meure
So that nothing dies
pour que jamais tu ne m'oublies
So that you never forget me
avant que l'on ne prenne peur
Before we become scared
faisons envie
Let's make people envious
restons en vie
Let's stay alive
restons-en là
Let's leave it at that
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL FRANCE
Written by: ALAIN BASHUNG, CHRISTOPHE CALPINI, FREDERIC HACHADOURIAN, CHRISTOPHE JEAN MIOSSEC
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
…