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.
Silence Mes Anges
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y'a plus personne
Silence
Y'a plus d'homme dans ton cabas
Au marché les salades
Ont le coeur batavia
Se réconcilient
Si on se taisait
Silence je pense
Et puis non
Ce matin un croissant mal luné
M'est tombé dans le café
Quel programme
Quelle performance
Un sitcom
Pour une angine de poitrine
Si on se taisait...
Si on se taisait...
Et puis non, et puis non...
Silence mes anges
Se réconcilient
J'suis pas devin
J'suis pas divine
Mais je rêve derrière mes barreaux
D'une nouvelle grille
Silence mes anges
Silence mes anges
Se réconcilient
Sion se taisait
Et puis non
Et puis non...
L'écran floconne
Si on se taisait
Le silence...
Le silence,Et puis NON
The song "Silence Mes Anges" by Alain Bashung speaks of a state of silence, a moment of reflection, and reconciliation. The first verse, "L'ecran floconne, Y'a plus personne, Silence," creates a scene of snow on the screen, and there is no one around, thus all is silent. The image of the snowflakes signifies the idea of quietness as something beautiful, and is often associated with creating a moment of stillness and introspection. The second verse, "Y'a plus d'homme dans ton cabas Au marché les salades Ont le coeur batavia," describes a deserted marketplace where the heart of the lettuce is beating, echoing the idea that there are still signs of life even in stillness. In the chorus, Bashung asks for silence, and for his angels to reconcile, and then questions whether silence is truly the best option by repeating "et puis non" (and then no).
The third verse, "Ce matin un croissant mal luné M'est tombé dans le café Quel programme Quelle performance," introduces a comical moment, where Bashung accidentally drops his croissant in his coffee, and he comments sarcastically on the situation, calling it a performance for an angina in his chest. The fourth verse, "J'suis pas devin J'suis pas divine Mais je rêve derrière mes barreaux D'une nouvelle grille," speaks to the idea that Bashung is not all-knowing nor perfect, but still dreams of a new direction, which may be found through silence and introspection.
"Silence Mes Anges" is a song full of symbolism and imagery that encourages the listener to contemplate the beauty of silence, and its ability to provide clarity and peace of mind. The song's meaning can also be interpreted as a call for reflection, self-realization, and inner peace.
Line by Line Meaning
L'ecran floconne
The screen is snowy
Y'a plus personne
There is no one left
Silence
Silence
Y'a plus d'homme dans ton cabas
There are no more men in your shopping bag
Au marché les salades
At the market, the lettuce
Ont le coeur batavia
has a Batavian heart (a type of lettuce)
Silence mes anges
Silence my angels
Se réconcilient
Reconcile
Si on se taisait
If we were silent
Silence je pense
Silence, I think
Et puis non
And then no
Ce matin un croissant mal luné
This morning a moody croissant
M'est tombé dans le café
Fell into my coffee
Quel programme
What a program
Quelle performance
What a show
Un sitcom
A sitcom
Pour une angine de poitrine
For a chest cold
Si on se taisait...
If we were silent
Si on se taisait...
If we were silent
Et puis non, et puis non...
And then no, and then no...
Silence mes anges
Silence my angels
Se réconcilient
Reconcile
J'suis pas devin
I'm not a prophet
J'suis pas divine
I'm not divine
Mais je rêve derrière mes barreaux
But I dream behind my bars
D'une nouvelle grille
Of a new gate
Silence mes anges
Silence my angels
Silence mes anges
Silence my angels
Se réconcilient
Reconcile
Sion se taisait
If we were silent
Et puis non
And then no
Et puis non...
And then no...
L'écran floconne
The screen is snowy
Si on se taisait
If we were silent
Le silence...
The silence...
Le silence,Et puis NON
The silence, and then NO
Contributed by Dylan F. 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
…