Arthur H first performed in 1988 in clubs in Paris, as leader of a trio with bassist Brad Scott and drummer Paul Jothy. His first album, Arthur H (1990), combined rhythmic experimentation and bal-musette elements with a vocal style which has been compared to Tom Waits. He toured widely around this time, particularly in France and Japan, adding a fourth band member, Jon Handelsman (saxophone), and produced a second album, Bachibouzouk (1992). In early 1993, he did a six week season at the Magic Mirrors, an antique circus big top, which was later put on as a touring show and recorded on the live album En chair et en os. In 1996, he released the album Trouble Fête, following which he performed a season at the Gymnase in Paris. The live album Fête Trouble (1997) included some tracks from these shows as well as others recorded on tour in Africa. He toured the USA and Canada in 1998.
In 2000, he wrote the soundtrack for Michel Couvelard’s film, Inséparables, before touring in Asia and Canada. His next album, Pour Madame X (2000), featured the touring band of Nicolas Repac (guitar), Brad Scott (double bass) and Laurent Robin (drums). In 2001, he took part in the show "Cabaret Imprudent" with "Le Cirque Cahin-caha". The following year, he released the album Piano Solo, recorded live in a studio and mainly consisting of solo interpretations of earlier songs. This was followed by a band album, Négresse Blanche (2003), comprising tracks dedicated to the memory of famous women such as "Marilyn Kaddish" and "Bo Derek". In 2005, a planned tour of China was cancelled, and he returned to the studio to record the album Adieu Tristesse. This was the most commercially successful of his career, and included several duets, one with his father and another, "Est-ce que tu aimes?", with the musician -M- (Matthieu Chedid). He subsequently toured widely in France, Lebanon and Canada. In 2006 he published a book, "Onirique attaque", containing lyrics, reflections and photographs. He also composed the soundtrack for the film "L’homme qui rêvait d'un enfant", directed by Delphine Gleize. The soundtrack was performed by an ensemble of children from a local music school. The album "Show Time", issued late in 2006, was recorded live on tour and includes duets with Matthieu Chedid, Pauline Croze, Lhasa de Sela and Jacques Higelin. In June 2008 he released the album "L'Homme du Monde".
Discography
* 1990 : Arthur H
* 1991 : Cool Jazz (remixes)
* 1992 : Bachibouzouk
* 1993 : En chair et en os (live)
* 1996 : Trouble-Fête
* 1997 : Fête Trouble (live)
* 1999 : Inséparables (soundtrack)
* 2000 : Pour Madame X
* 2002 : Piano Solo (live)
* 2003 : Négresse Blanche
* 2005 : Adieu Tristesse
* 2006 : Show Time (live)
* 2008 : L'Homme du Monde
www.arthurh.net
Adieu Tristesse
Arthur H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un samedi soir
Et j'ai jeté sur ta silhouette
Une poignée d'épices colorées
Mon but était clair
T'envoûter
Tout en restant
Libre moi et libre toi
N'a plus besoin d'esclaves.
Refrain :
Adieu, adieu la nuit
Adieu tristesse, adieu les larmes
Je ne suis plus celui
Que tu as connu, plus le même
Ô belle enfant
Qui a tant pleuré
Adieu tout est fini
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit.
Et le soleil de minuit a brillé pour nous
Jusqu'à l'arrivée du jour
Alors nous nous sommes séparés
Comme déjà saturés des délices du futur
Et j'ai marché seul
Guidé par ton ombre
J'ai traversé la ville déserte
Encore étincelante
Du voyage des rêveurs
Adieu, adieu la nuit
Adieu tristesse, adieu les larmes
Je ne suis plus celui
Que tu as connu, plus le même
Ô belle enfant
Qui a tant pleuré
Adieu tout est fini
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit.
Je t'ai croisé un samedi soir
Et déjà j'aimais l'odeur de ton rire
Et le soleil de minuit a brillé pour nous
Jusqu'à l'arrivée du jour
Adieu
Adieu la nuit
Adieu, Adieu
Adieu, adieu tristesse
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit
Adieu
Adieu, adieu
Adieu tout est fini
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit
Adieu
Adieu
Adieu la nuit
In Arthur H's song "Adieu Tristesse," the singer reminisces about a chance encounter with a woman on a Saturday night. He threw a handful of colorful spices at her silhouette, hoping to enchant her while remaining free himself. He declares his independence, stating that the king of love no longer needs slaves. They spent the night enjoying each other's company until the arrival of the day. As they parted ways, he walked alone, guided by her shadow, through the still-buzzing city of dreamers. The singer laments the end of the night, saying goodbye to sadness, tears, and the past. He repeats "adieu" as a farewell to the night.
The song talks about the idea of fleeting love and the euphoria that comes with it. The singer's encounter with the woman was beautiful and exotic, but it was also fleeting, as they both had their own independent lives. The sense of freedom is a recurring theme in the song, with the singer emphasizing that he did not want to be with the woman as her slave but rather as a free man.
Line by Line Meaning
Je t'ai croisée
I crossed paths with you
Un samedi soir
On a Saturday night
Et j'ai jeté sur ta silhouette
And I threw on your silhouette
Une poignée d'épices colorées
A handful of colorful spices
Mon but était clair
My goal was clear
T'envoûter
To enchant you
Tout en restant
While staying
Libre moi et libre toi
Free me and free you
Car le roi de l'amour
Because the king of love
N'a plus besoin d'esclaves.
No longer needs slaves.
Refrain :
Refrain:
Adieu, adieu la nuit
Goodbye, goodbye night
Adieu tristesse, adieu les larmes
Goodbye sadness, goodbye tears
Je ne suis plus celui
I am no longer the one
Que tu as connu, plus le même
That you knew, not the same
Ô belle enfant
Oh beautiful child
Qui a tant pleuré
Who cried so much
Adieu tout est fini
Goodbye everything is finished
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit.
Goodbye tears, goodbye night.
Et le soleil de minuit a brillé pour nous
And the midnight sun shone for us
Jusqu'à l'arrivée du jour
Until the arrival of the day
Alors nous nous sommes séparés
So we separated
Comme déjà saturés des délices du futur
As already saturated with the delights of the future
Et j'ai marché seul
And I walked alone
Guidé par ton ombre
Guided by your shadow
J'ai traversé la ville déserte
I crossed the deserted city
Encore étincelante
Still sparkling
Du voyage des rêveurs
From the journey of dreamers
Adieu, adieu la nuit
Goodbye, goodbye night
Adieu tristesse, adieu les larmes
Goodbye sadness, goodbye tears
Je ne suis plus celui
I am no longer the one
Que tu as connu, plus le même
That you knew, not the same
Ô belle enfant
Oh beautiful child
Qui a tant pleuré
Who cried so much
Adieu tout est fini
Goodbye everything is finished
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit.
Goodbye tears, goodbye night.
Je t'ai croisé un samedi soir
I crossed paths with you on a Saturday night
Et déjà j'aimais l'odeur de ton rire
And I already loved the smell of your laughter
Adieu
Goodbye
Adieu la nuit
Goodbye night
Adieu, Adieu
Goodbye, goodbye
Adieu, adieu tristesse
Goodbye, goodbye sadness
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit
Goodbye tears, goodbye night
Adieu
Goodbye
Adieu
Goodbye
Adieu la nuit
Goodbye night
Contributed by Katherine N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.