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.
Scènes De Manager
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans le bitume
Quoi, ça dérange
On s'enclume
Bulldozer, brillantine
Pour quoi faire?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Quoi, une tension
Entre nous deux
Tu veux me dire quoi
Tu me dis que
Banlieue sud, banlieue nord
Je vais me les faire
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Bulldozer, brillantine
Pour quoi faire?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Quoi, des visions
Animales
Des confusions
Cérébrales
Dinosaure moustiquaire
Quoi encore?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Bulldozer, brillantine
Pour quoi faire?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Quoi, ça reptile
En haut lieu
Le fond de la piscine
Pas pour eux
Vivarium verre blindé
Foutre en l'air
Toutes ces scènes de manager
Quoi, c'est l'enfer
Tu as vu où?
Indispensables
C'est pas nous
C.I.A. et K.G.B.
Rien à faire
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Bulldozer, brillantine
Pour quoi faire?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
The lyrics of Alain Bashung's "Scènes De Manager" paint a picture of a world filled with violence, aggression, and confusion. The opening lines, "Quoi, la défonce / Dans le bitume / Quoi, ça dérange / On s'enclume," speak to the prevalence of drug use and the desensitization to its effects. The use of the word "enclume" (anvil) suggests a heavy burden, or perhaps the idea of being weighed down by drug addiction.
The chorus, with its repeated line "Ce sont des scènes de manager," suggests a sense of detachment and alienation. The bulldozer and brillantine mentioned throughout the song represent an attempt to maintain an image of power and control in a chaotic world. The lyrics suggest that these "scenes" are being orchestrated by someone in a position of authority, but the reason for their actions remains unclear.
The final verses suggest a sense of hopelessness and despair, as the singer laments the influence of powerful organizations like the CIA and KGB. The use of animal imagery and references to fortified glass and steel suggest a world where violence and aggression reign supreme, where even the most vulnerable are not safe.
Overall, "Scènes De Manager" is a commentary on the often-violent world we live in, and a condemnation of those in power who uphold the system that allows such violence to persist.
Line by Line Meaning
Quoi, la défonce
Dans le bitume
Quoi, ça dérange
On s'enclume
What, the high
driving into the pavement
What, it bothers
We ignore it
Bulldozer, brillantine
Pour quoi faire?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Bulldozer, hair gel
What's the point?
These are management scenes
Quoi, une tension
Entre nous deux
Tu veux me dire quoi
Tu me dis que
Banlieue sud, banlieue nord
Je vais me les faire
Ce sont des scènes de manager
What, a tension
Between us two
What do you want to tell me?
You tell me that
South suburb, north suburb
I'm gonna get them
These are management scenes
Quoi, des visions
Animales
Des confusions
Cérébrales
Dinosaure moustiquaire
Quoi encore?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
What, animal visions
Cerebral confusion
Dinosaur mosquito net
What else?
These are management scenes
Quoi, ça reptile
En haut lieu
Le fond de la piscine
Pas pour eux
Vivarium verre blindé
Foutre en l'air
Toutes ces scènes de manager
What, it's reptilian
In high places
Bottom of the pool
Not for them
Bulletproof glass vivarium
Screw up
All these management scenes
Quoi, c'est l'enfer
Tu as vu où?
Indispensables
C'est pas nous
C.I.A. et K.G.B.
Rien à faire
Ce sont des scènes de manager
What, it's hell
Where have you seen it?
Indispensable
It's not us
C.I.A. and K.G.B.
Can't do anything
These are management scenes
Bulldozer, brillantine
Pour quoi faire?
Ce sont des scènes de manager
Bulldozer, hair gel
What's the point?
These are management scenes
Lyrics © SM PUBLISHING FRANCE, ALLO MUSIC EDITIONS
Written by: Alain Bashung, Serge Gainsbourg
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
…