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.
Spiele Mich An Die Wand
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Du alter schauspieler
Spiele mich an die wand
Spiele mich an die wand
Du alter schauspieler
Spiele mich an die wand
Kinder, schwindler, wieviel?
Bitte bitte bitte bitte bitte bitte
Noch ein bier
Spiele mich an die wand
Du alter schauspieler
Spiele mich an die wand
Kinder, bilder, berlin
Augen, augen, zufiel
Freunde, freunde, wievel?
Spiele mich an die wand
Du alter schauspieler
Spiele mich an die wand
Spiele mich an die wand
Du alter schauspieler
Spiele mich an die wand
Shower, spieler, wieviel?
Beine, beine, zuviel
Bitte bitte bitte, Berlin
Spiele mich an die wand
Du alter schauspieler
Spiele mich an die wand
The song Spiele Mich An Die Wand by Alain Bashung is a repetitive and enigmatic song with a few recurring phrases. The lyrics are in German, which is not the singer's native language but demonstrate a solid command of the language. The song has a simple repetitive melody, which serves as the background to the main theme of the lyrics, which is a plea to a person addressed as "Du alter schauspieler" to play the singer himself against the wall. The repetition of this phrase is both intimidating and intriguing, as it suggests a peculiar relationship of dominance and submission between the two characters.
The first verse, "Kinder, schwindler, wieviel? Geuner, zigeuner, wieviel?" expresses a sense of nihilism, asking how many children, liars, criminals, and gypsies there are. The preceding "Bitte bitte bitte bitte bitte bitte noch ein bier" is an attempt to soften the tone while still acknowledging that things are going poorly. The second verse, "Kinder, bilder, berlin Augen, augen, zufiel Freunde, freunde, wievel?" adds a surreal twist to the song, mentioning children, pictures, Berlin, and friends, but it remains unclear what the singer is trying to convey.
The final verse, "Shower, spieler, wieviel? Beine, beine, zuviel Bitte bitte bitte, Berlin" circles back to the earlier themes of repetition and drinking, sounding like a drunken plea to the "alter schauspieler" to finish the game of "Spiele Mich An Die Wand." Overall, the song's enigmatic and hypnotic melody with repetitive lyrics only add to its mysterious aura, making it a classic and unique piece of the artist's discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Spiele mich an die wand
Challenge me to the point of defeat and humiliation
Du alter schauspieler
You old actor who uses manipulative tactics
Kinder, schwindler, wieviel?
How many children and con artists are involved in your schemes?
Geuner, zigeuner, wieviel?
How many thieves and gypsies are involved in your schemes?
Bitte bitte bitte bitte bitte bitte
Please, please, please, please, please, I'll do anything
Noch ein bier
Give me another beer
Kinder, bilder, berlin
Children, images, Berlin
Augen, augen, zufiel
Eyes, eyes, too much
Freunde, freunde, wievel?
Friends, friends, how many?
Shower, spieler, wieviel?
How many showmen and players are involved?
Beine, beine, zuviel
Legs, legs, too many
Bitte bitte bitte, Berlin
Please, please, please, Berlin
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maria Cecilia Lima Barbeiro
Vi um documentário sobre a Alemanha dividida, e a consequente queda do muro, e tocava essa música. Já pesquisei, e não consigo achar esse documentário. Acho que é francês. Se alguem achar, por favor me passem o link.
A música é demais de boa !!!
Marc aus R.
"Schbiel misch an die Wand, Du altär Schauspielör"....divine!
femmecorbeau
love this song. xoxoxo
Jocelyn Salomé
A-t-elle vraiment été enregistrée en 1983 année de sortie de Figure Imposée ?
Michel GHIBERT
oui!!
micasa65
Figure Imposée (nouvelle version) 83
Crombezg Roland
Musique du film L' argent du mur. Berlin