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.
Pyromanes
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
S'évade avec la femme au foyer
Quel effet ça lui fait
D'avoir un ange à tutoyer?
Tant que soufflera la tempête
Je saurai à quoi j'aspire
Et je soupire sur les qui suis-je
Je bute et j'égalise par surprise
Par surprise
Doux sortilège
Le duc n'en fait qu'à sa guise
Il aiguise, il aiguise
Les sentiments d'Anna-Lyse
Anna-Lyse, Anna-Lyse, Anna-Lyse
Tant que soufflera la tempête
Je saurai à quoi j'aspire
J'ai les mains prises, chérie va ouvrir
J'ai les mains prises, chérie va ouvrir
Un pyromane par nonchalance
A du génie et s'en met plein la lampe
Ignore les remontrances
Sa majesté et sa clémence
Tant que soufflera la tempête
Je saurai à quoi j'aspire
J'ai les mains prises, chérie va ouvrir
J'ai les mains prises, chérie va ouvrir
The lyrics of Alain Bashung's Pyromanes tell the story of a pyromaniac who falls in love with a married woman and decides to run away with her. The song asks the question of what it feels like for a pyromaniac to have an angel by their side. The pyromaniac is portrayed as someone who is brokenhearted and seeks to satisfy their desires through arson. The character is both dangerous and appealing, suggesting that the idea of danger can be alluring.
The lyrics also describe a sense of restlessness and the desire for something more. The repeated refrain of "tant que soufflera la tempête" ("as long as the storm is blowing") suggests a sense of change and a desire for adventure. The pyromaniac seems to feel trapped and seeks to escape through their actions. The line "j'ai les mains prises, chérie va ouvrir" ("my hands are tied, honey go open [the door]") implies that the singer is unable to escape on their own and relies on their lover to help them.
The song ends with a nod to the pyromaniac's disregard for authority and the consequences of their actions. The line "un pyromane par nonchalance / a du génie et s'en met plein la lampe / ignore les remontrances" ("a pyromaniac, nonchalantly / has genius and indulges himself / ignores reprimands") suggests that the pyromaniac is not concerned with the consequences of their actions, but rather enjoys the thrill of the act.
Overall, the lyrics of Pyromanes paint a picture of a dangerous and captivating character who seeks escape and satisfaction through arson and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Un pyromane au cœur brisé
A broken-hearted pyromaniac
S'évade avec la femme au foyer
Escapes with the homemaker
Quel effet ça lui fait
What effect does it have on him
D'avoir un ange à tutoyer?
To have an angel to address?
Tant que soufflera la tempête
As long as the storm blows
Je saurai à quoi j'aspire
I will know what I aspire to
Et je soupire sur les qui suis-je
And I sigh about who I am
Sans négliger l'épisode où vais-je
Without neglecting the episode of where I am going
Je bute et j'égalise par surprise
I stumble and equalize by surprise
Doux sortilège
Sweet spell
Le duc n'en fait qu'à sa guise
The duke does as he pleases
Il aiguise, il aiguise
He sharpens, he sharpens
Les sentiments d'Anna-Lyse
The feelings of Anna-Lyse
Anna-Lyse, Anna-Lyse, Anna-Lyse
Anna-Lyse, Anna-Lyse, Anna-Lyse
Un pyromane par nonchalance
A pyromaniac out of nonchalance
A du génie et s'en met plein la lampe
Has genius and makes the most of it
Ignore les remontrances
Ignores the reprimands
Sa majesté et sa clémence
His Majesty and his clemency
J'ai les mains prises, chérie va ouvrir
My hands are full, darling go open
J'ai les mains prises, chérie va ouvrir
My hands are full, darling go open
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ALAIN BASHUNG
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
…