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.
That's All Right Mama
Alain Bashung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That' s all right to you
That' s all right mama
Just anyway you do
That' s all right
That' s all right
That' s all right now ma ma
Mama she done told me
Papa done told me too
Boy, that girl you're feeling with
She ain't no good for you, but…
That' s all right
That' s all right
That' s all right now ma ma
Anyway you do
Leavin' town tomorrow
Leavin' town for sure
Then you won't be bothered with me
Hangin' round your door
That's all right
That' s all right
That' s all right now ma ma
Anyway you do
The lyrics to Alain Bashung's song "That's All Right Mama" are simple but convey a deep sense of resignation and acceptance. The singer seems to be telling someone - perhaps a lover or partner - that whatever they do, it's okay with him. The repetition of the phrase "That's all right" reinforces this message, while the verses tell the story of the singer's hopelessness in the face of his situation.
In the first verse, the singer reiterates that no matter what the other person does, it's "all right." This may seem like a positive affirmation, but the tone of the song suggests that the singer has given up on trying to change the situation. He accepts that he has no control over how the other person behaves and is resigned to the outcome, whatever it may be. The repetition of "That's all right" further reinforces this sense of powerlessness.
In the second verse, the singer reveals that others close to him have warned him about the person he's involved with. His mother and father have told him that she's "no good for" him, but again, he seems resigned to this knowledge. He doesn't argue or defend the other person; instead, he simply repeats the chorus, as if to say, "Yes, I know, but it's okay anyway."
The final verse contains a sense of finality, with the singer declaring that he's leaving town the next day. He implies that the other person will be relieved when he's gone and won't have to deal with him "hangin' round [her] door." Even here, though, the sense of resignation persists, with the singer stating that he's leaving "for sure," as if there were no other option. The final repetition of "That's all right" suggests that he's accepted that he has to leave and that whatever happens will be "all right."
Line by Line Meaning
Well, that's all right mama
It's okay, mother
That' s all right to you
You're okay with it
That' s all right mama
It's okay, mother
Just anyway you do
However you choose to do it
That' s all right
It's alright
That' s all right
It's alright
That' s all right now ma ma
It's alright now, mother
Anyway you do
However you choose to do it
Mama she done told me
Mom has already told me
Papa done told me too
Dad has also told me
Boy, that girl you're feeling with
The girl you like, boy
She ain't no good for you, but…
She's not good for you, but...
That' s all right
It's alright
That' s all right
It's alright
That' s all right now ma ma
It's alright now, mother
Anyway you do
However you choose to do it
Leavin' town tomorrow
Leaving town tomorrow
Leavin' town for sure
Definitely leaving town
Then you won't be bothered with me
Then you won't have to deal with me
Hangin' round your door
Hanging around your doorstep
That's all right
It's alright
That' s all right
It's alright
That' s all right now ma ma
It's alright now, mother
Anyway you do
However you choose to do it
Contributed by Ethan D. 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
…