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.
She Belongs To Me
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's an artist, she don't look back
She's got everything she needs
She's an artist, she don't look back
She can take the dark of night time
And paint the daytime black
You will start out standing
You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees
But you will wind up peeking through her keyhole
Down upon your knees
She never stumbles
She's got no place to fall
She never stumbles
She's got no place to fall
She's nobody's child
The law can't touch her at all
She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks
She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks
She's an hypnotist collector
You are a walking antique
Bow down to her on Sunday
Salute her when her birthday comes
Bow down to her on Sunday
Salute her when her birthday comes
For Halloween, buy her a trumpet
And for Christmas, give her a drum
She's got everything she needs
She's an artist, she don't look back
She's got everything she needs
She's an artist, she don't look back
She can take the dark of night time
And paint the daytime black
The song "She Belongs to Me" by Alain Bashung is a cover of the Bob Dylan classic. Bashung's version features a unique arrangement that’s a fusion of Americana, blues, and rock. The lyrics are a tribute to a woman with an enigmatic personality that the singer seems almost intrinsically drawn to.
The opening verse, "She's got everything she needs, she’s an artist, she don't look back," is an ode to the confident, self-sufficient personality of the woman in question. She's someone who has everything she needs to succeed, someone who is fiercely independent and doesn't need to look back at anyone else for guidance or assistance.
The line "she can take the dark of night time and paint the daytime black" is a testament to the power of her artistry. She can take the negative situations and turn them into something beautiful, something that can be appreciated, even in the darkest of times. The chorus is a repetition of the opening lines, underscoring the idea that she is all-knowing and everything that she needs for success.
The second verse is about the singer's experience with the woman. He's proud to be with her, but ultimately, she's the one who has the power. He’ll end up "peeking through her keyhole down upon his knees" which suggests he'll be left feeling vulnerable and supplicant. He has given her power, and she’s taken it.
As for the last verse, "she wears an Egyptian ring that sparkles before she speaks, she's an hypnotist collector, you are a walking antique," the woman is portrayed as almost a mystic character. The singer is in awe of her, and the ring is the source of her power. She collects and controls people, and the singer is just another antique she's managed to add to her collection. The last two lines of the song repeat the first verse, bringing the song full circle and ultimately implying that the woman in question doesn't need anyone, and is successful in her own right.
Line by Line Meaning
She's got everything she needs
She is content with who she is and what she has
She's an artist, she don't look back
She is focused on her art and doesn't pay attention to her past mistakes
She can take the dark of night time
And paint the daytime black
She can create beauty out of the most difficult and challenging situations
You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees
You will be infatuated with her and try to impress her by buying her anything she desires
But you will wind up peeking through her keyhole
Down upon your knees
Eventually, you will be reduced to spying on her and begging for her attention
She never stumbles
She's got no place to fall
She is in control of her life and does not make mistakes
She's nobody's child
The law can't touch her at all
She is independent and free from any constraints or obligations
She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks
She has a mysterious and captivating aura that draws attention to her
She's an hypnotist collector
You are a walking antique
She has the power to mesmerize and manipulate those around her, while you are outdated and obsolete
Bow down to her on Sunday
Salute her when her birthday comes
She deserves respect and admiration for her talent and creativity, even on ordinary days
For Halloween, buy her a trumpet
And for Christmas, give her a drum
She loves music and art, so giving her instruments as gifts would make her happy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
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
…