Alain Bashung (born Alain Baschung on 1 December 1947 in Paris and died on … Read Full Bio ↴Alain Bashung (born Alain Baschung on 1 December 1947 in Paris and died on 14 March 2009) was a French singer, songwriter, and actor; he was the son of a Brittany born mother and a Kabyle father he never knew.

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.

Squeeze
Alain Bashung Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Minuit dans la cuisine
Y a un robinet qui couine
Je sirote un magnum
Sur le linoléum
L'ampoule fait du strip
Au fil électrique

Balance-moi une bouée Gisèle

Mais Gisèle me tend ses jarretelles
Squeezé, squeezé

Peut-être me piquer une tête
Vers la salle des fêtes
Deux gorilles m'embrassent dans l'entrée
Je peux plus passer

Balance-moi une bouée Gisèle
Mais Gisèle me tend ses jarretelles
Squeezé, squeezé
Squeezé

Minuit dans la cuisine
Y a un robinet qui couine
J'ai foutu un doigt
Dans le lait du chat

Pendant ce temps-là le chanteur baloche
Ferme les yeux balance les trois cloches
Squeezé, squeezé
Je suis squeezé
Squeezé

Minuit dans la cuisine
Y'a un robinet qui couine
Je sirote un magnum
Sur le linoléum
L'ampoule fait du strip
Au fil électrique

Balance-moi une bouée Gisèle
Mais Gisèle me tend ses jarretelles
Squeezé, squeezé

Squeezé, squeezé
Je suis squeezé

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Alain Bashung's "Squeeze" tell a story of a seemingly mundane evening spent in a kitchen, accompanied by the constant sound of a squeaky faucet. The singer is sipping a magnum and observing the strip tease-like movement of a light bulb, suspended by an electrical cord. The mood becomes slightly more surreal as the singer requests a life buoy from a person named Gisèle, only to be offered her garters instead. The narrative jumps to a plan to visit a local party, which is obstructed by two bouncers that give the singer a kiss. The scene then returns to the kitchen with the singer putting a finger in the cat's milk, while someone else plays three bells with their eyes closed. The chorus repeats throughout the song, describing the sensation of being "squeezed."

At first glance, the lyrics of "Squeeze" may seem nonsensical and random. However, the song is a perfect example of Alain Bashung's style, which incorporates cryptic lyrics and bits of poetry to create a unique atmosphere. The surrealism in the song is built by the juxtaposition of common objects and situations with bizarre elements, such as the lightbulb strip tease, the life buoy request, and the bouncer's kiss. The use of the word "squeezed" emphasizes the uneasy feeling of being trapped or cramped, further enhancing the surreal tone of the song.

One fact about "Squeeze" is that the song is a cover of a track titled "Twist à Saint-Tropez" by Les Chats Sauvages, a French rock and roll band from the 1960s. Alain Bashung reworked the song, adding his distinct poetic touch and giving it a new title. The song was included in his 1982 album, "Play Blessures," which was a critical and commercial success in France. The album was produced by Philippe Constantin and Dominique Blanc-Francart, and it marked a turning point in Bashung's career, establishing him as a prominent figure in the French music scene.

Another interesting fact is that "Squeeze" was not released as a single, which may explain why it is not as well-known as some of Bashung's other songs. However, the track has become a cult favorite among his fans, known for its catchy chorus and cryptic lyrics. The song has also been covered by other artists, including La Grande Sophie and Robert Gordon, showcasing its enduring appeal.

The chords to "Squeeze" are relatively simple and can be played with a guitar or a piano. The main chord progression consists of G, A, and D, with variations throughout the song. Here is one possible chord progression for the song:

Verse: G A D G
Chorus: D A G D

Line by Line Meaning

Minuit dans la cuisine
It's midnight in the kitchen.

Y a un robinet qui couine
There's a squeaky tap.

Je sirote un magnum
I'm sipping on a magnum.

Sur le linoléum
On the linoleum floor.

L'ampoule fait du strip
The bulb is doing a strip tease.

Au fil électrique
Along the electric wire.

Balance-moi une bouée Gisèle
Throw me a life buoy, Gisèle.

Mais Gisèle me tend ses jarretelles
But Gisèle hands me her garters.

Squeezé, squeezé
Squeezed, squeezed.

Peut-être me piquer une tête
Maybe take a dip.