Arthur H is Arthur Higelin's stage name. Higelin (born Paris, France, 27 Ma… Read Full Bio ↴Arthur H is Arthur Higelin's stage name. Higelin (born Paris, France, 27 March 1966), is a French pianist, songwriter and singer. He is the son of the French singer Jacques Higelin and Nicole Courtois. After traveling in the West Indies, he studied music in Boston before returning to Paris and developing his eclectic but highly personal musical style, drawing on such influences as Thelonious Monk, Serge Gainsbourg, the Sex Pistols, jazz, blues, Middle Eastern music and the tango. He is best known in France for his live performances - four of his albums were recorded live - and remains relatively little-known in the English-speaking world.

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

La Fille De L'Est
Arthur H Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tu es monté dans ce train
Qui file vers Budapest
Comme toujours, ton instinct
T'amène au plus loin
Et le train s'engouffre
Dans la vallée obscure
Tu te laisses flotter, porter, bercer,
Par cette rivière électrique

Tu sais que jamais, jamais
Tu ne pourras te noyer

La vie, la vie a choisi
Le meilleur pour toi
Tu vas enfin découvrir
La fille de l'Est
La fille de Budapest

Tu es monté dans ce train
Qui file vers Budapest
Comme toujours ton destin
T'amène au plus près
Tu ne dors pas
Et tu te laisses porter, bercer, flotter
La nuit ta appris
A rêver les yeux ouverts
La nuit te guide
Sur la rivière électrique
Tu ne pourras
Plus jamais, jamais te noyer

La vie, la vie a choisi
Le meilleur pour toi
Tu vas enfin découvrir
La fille de l'Est
La fille de Budapest

Je suis déjà là
Je brille avec la lune
Je chante dans ton rêve
Je suis avec toi

Tu vas enfin découvrir
La fille de l'Est
La fille de Budapest

(Merci à Margot pour cettes paroles)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Arthur H's "La Fille De L'Est" talk about the singer's journey on a train headed to Budapest, where he believes he will finally discover the girl from the East that he's been searching for. The train is described as moving through a dark valley, with the electric river lulling him to sleep. The singer seems entranced by the idea of this girl, and he believes that fate has chosen her as the best thing for him. He is guided by the night and its dreams as he moves closer to his destination. The song expresses a sense of longing, adventure, and destiny all mixed together, creating a vivid picture of the singer's inner thoughts and emotions.

Through the lyrics, the artist creates an atmosphere filled with hope, anticipation, and a desire for adventure. The lyrics are simple yet resonate with anyone who has ever embarked on a journey in search of something they longed for. The singer's journey is both physical and emotional, and the song takes us along his ride to discover the girl of his dreams. Ultimately, the song speaks to the idea that life has a plan for us and that we are destined to find what we are searching for if we listen to our instincts and follow where life takes us.

Line by Line Meaning

Tu es monté dans ce train
You boarded this train

Qui file vers Budapest
Which runs towards Budapest

Comme toujours, ton instinct
As always, your instinct

T'amène au plus loin
Brings you further

Et le train s'engouffre
And the train rushes

Dans la vallée obscure
Into the dark valley

Tu te laisses flotter, porter, bercer,
You let yourself float, carry, and be rocked

Par cette rivière électrique
By this electric river

Tu sais que jamais, jamais
You know that never, never

Tu ne pourras te noyer
Can you drown

La vie, la vie a choisi
Life, life has chosen