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.

Le Secret Des Banquises
Alain Bashung Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

J'ai des doutes sur le changement de l'heure en été
J'ai des doutes sur qui coule les bateaux, qui jette les pavés
Des réserves quant à la question d'angle pour le canapé

J'ai des doutes sur la notion de longévité
Sur la remise à flot de la crème renversée

J'ai des doutes, est-ce que vous en avez?

Est-ce que vous en avez?
Des doutes, des idées, des rondes, des carrées, des allongées?
Est-ce que vous en avez, des devises des pensées de l'Asie et du coeur?
J'ai des doutes sur l'heure à laquelle tu viens de rentrer
La certitude de t'avoir si fort désirée
J'ai des doutes, est-ce que vous en avez?

Je milite au parti Zone B, je milite mais je m'ennuie
J'ai la détente sensible, l'étiquette fragile, le champagne "douts?"
J'honore la passion du Sans-une-seule-virgule

Est-ce que vous en avez?
Est-ce que vous en avez, des doutes des idées des rêves des douceurs éveillés?
Le goût du danger des routes à prendre ou à laisser?
Est-ce que vous en avez, du réseau, des rougeurs et des nerfs d'acier?
Est-ce que vous en avez?
Déchiffrez les affaires les valises
Dénoyautez les médias les cerises
Coupez court à l'appel de la bise
Et livrez le secret des banquises

Est-ce que vous en avez?
Est-ce que vous en avez?
Est-ce que vous en avez?
Est-ce que vous en avez?

Est-ce que vous en avez?

Est-ce que vous en avez?
Est-ce que vous en avez?

Overall Meaning

In Alain Bashung's song "Le secret des banquises," the lyrics describe the singer's doubts and reservations about various aspects of life. The first verse talks about doubts regarding the changing of the clock for daylight savings time, who sinks ships and throws stones, and the proper angle for a sofa. The second verse continues with doubts about longevity and the idea of fixing spilled cream. The chorus then asks the listener if they also have doubts, ideas, and thoughts about life and the world around them. The last verse talks about the singer's involvement in a political party and their honor for the passion of writing without any punctuation. It then ends with a call to action to decipher the secrets of the ice caps.

The song seems to reflect the idea of questioning and challenging the status quo. The doubts expressed in the lyrics are not necessarily significant in and of themselves, but they represent a wider skepticism towards the way things are and the decisions made by those in power. The line "déchiffrez les affaires les valises" can be interpreted as a call to uncover the hidden agendas and secrets of those in power.

Line by Line Meaning

J'ai des doutes sur le changement de l'heure en été
I am uncertain about the rationale for daylight savings time

J'ai des doutes sur qui coule les bateaux, qui jette les pavés
I have doubts about the origins of societal chaos and unrest

Des réserves quant à la question d'angle pour le canapé
I am apprehensive about the perfect angle for a sofa

J'ai des doutes sur la notion de longévité
I question the existence of longevity

Sur la remise à flot de la crème renversée
On the revival of spilled cream

J'ai des doutes, est-ce que vous en avez?
I have doubts, do you have any?

Est-ce que vous en avez?
Do you have any?

Des doutes, des idées, des rondes, des carrées, des allongées?
Doubts, ideas, rounded, square, or elongated ones?

Est-ce que vous en avez, des devises des pensées de l'Asie et du coeur?
Do you possess proverbs and thoughts originating from Asia or the heart?

J'ai des doutes sur l'heure à laquelle tu viens de rentrer
I am uncertain about the time you returned

La certitude de t'avoir si fort désirée
The certainty of desiring you immensely

Je milite au parti Zone B, je milite mais je m'ennuie
I belong to Zone B party, I participate but I am bored

J'ai la détente sensible, l'étiquette fragile, le champagne "douts?"
I have a sensitive touch, a fragile label, champagne called 'doubts?'

J'honore la passion du Sans-une-seule-virgule
I honor the passion of not using a single comma

Est-ce que vous en avez, des doutes des idées des rêves des douceurs éveillés?
Do you have any doubts, ideas, dreams, or awakened pleasures?

Le goût du danger des routes à prendre ou à laisser?
The taste of danger, the roads to take or to leave?

Est-ce que vous en avez, du réseau, des rougeurs et des nerfs d'acier?
Do you have a network, blushes and nerves of steel?

Déchiffrez les affaires les valises
Decode business, suitcases

Dénoyautez les médias les cerises
Pit the media, cherries

Coupez court à l'appel de la bise
Reject the call of the wind

Et livrez le secret des banquises
And deliver the secret of the ice floes

Est-ce que vous en avez?
Do you have any?

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MINA BABUL, GAETAN ROUSSEL, ALAIN BASHUNG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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