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.
Inside dope
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You give you wallet to the man
And suddenly you hook me there
I get to London town bath ways
Shining everywhere
You lead me on
Yeu don't know where to take me in
I get you under my skin
That old black magic has gotten me down
Can't give you anything but love
Shiny shiny stockings
l'm for you to go to work
ln misbehaving
That old black magic has got'me down
A foggy day in London town
You give you wallet to the man
An suddenly you hook me there
I get to London town bath ways
Shining everywhere
That old black magic has got me down
Can't give you anything but love
Shiny shiny stockings
The lyrics to Alain Bashung's song "Inside Dope" are cryptic and fragmented, but it seems to tell a story of a narrator's journey to London, where they are led through unfamiliar streets and underhanded dealings by an untrustworthy guide. The opening lines describe a foggy day in London town, with the singer giving their wallet to a man, which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The line: "You lead me on, you don't know where to take me in" suggests that the singer is being taken on a journey without any clear destination in mind, and the following line "Give me the inside dope" hints at the unscrupulous nature of their guide.
As the song continues, the lyrics become more abstract and freeform, referencing jazz standards such as "Can't Give You Anything But Love" and "Shiny Stockings". These titles form a kind of word association game or collage, blurring the boundaries between reality, fantasy, and song lyrics. The repeated refrain "That old black magic has got me down" may also add to this sense of surrealism or confusion, implying that the characters are under some kind of spell or have been caught up in a kind of dreamlike state.
Ultimately, "Inside Dope" is a complex and elusive song, filled with references and allusions that invite the listener to engage with the lyrics on multiple levels. It creates a vivid sense of place and character, but always keeps a sense of mystery and ambiguity about what is really happening.
Line by Line Meaning
A foggy day in London town
The setting is a misty day in London, UK
You give you wallet to the man
You give your wallet to someone, probably for an illegal transaction
And suddenly you hook me there
And suddenly you entrap or deceive me in some way
I get to London town bath ways
I arrive in London using various modes of transportation
Shining everywhere
The city is bright and sparkling with energy
You lead me on
You guide me or direct me, albeit aimlessly
Yeu don't know where to take me in
You lack a clear destination or purpose for our journey
Give me the inside dope
Tell me secrets or confidential information
I get you under my skin
I become emotionally attached to you
That old black magic has gotten me down
Unexpected events or negative forces have affected me adversely
Can't give you anything but love
I cannot offer anything materialistic or tangible, only love
Shiny shiny stockings
This could refer to a woman wearing stockings to attract attention
l'm for you to go to work
I am willing to work or please you in any way
ln misbehaving
I am willing to engage in naughty or risky behavior
Contributed by Josiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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
…