Born in Paris on 7 April 1961, Axel Bauer grew up in a talented musical family, which included a classical concert pianist (his aunt) and a professional jazz musician (his father). Axel's father honed his musical skills playing drums with Django Reinhardt and went on to work with the crème de la crème of the jazz world. Surrounded by music from an early age, Axel acquired an extensive musical culture and a passion for British and American groups.
Axel took piano lessons as a child, but without any great enthusiasm. The instrument which was to prove the love of his life was the guitar. Throughout his teenage years the budding young musician spent considerably more time hanging out in local rock clubs than he did studying at his lycée. Nevertheless, Axel passed his baccalauréat with no trouble at all and went on to enrol at art school, where he developed another great passion in life, drawing.
Music won out over art in the end, however, and by the late 70s Axel had bought his first guitar and was spending most of his time playing chords and songwriting. Axel went on to trade his first guitar in for a Stratocaster while on a trip to Africa and this legendary make of guitar seemed to act as a lucky charm on his career.
On The Waterfront
In the early 80s Axel was introduced to the songwriter Michel Eli and the pair embarked upon successful songwriting collaboration together. In fact, it was one of their early numbers that launched Axel's career.
By 1983 pop videos were all the rage on the French music scene and any artist who wanted to make their way in the world had to have an eye-catching video clip. Axel Bauer excelled in this department, enlisting the services of French video-maker and fashion photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino. Taking inspiration from the movie "Querelle de Brest", Mondino shot an elegant 80s twist on the film classic in which Axel strode through the streets of a deserted French port dressed in a sexy polo neck, braces and cloth cap. Bauer's single "Cargo de nuit" proved to be a huge hit with the French public and over the next few months half of France walked round singing "Trente-cinq jours sans voir la terre / Pull rayé, mal rasé" (35 days and still no sight of land/ Here I am on deck, unkempt and unshaven in my stripy sailor's top).
"Cargo de nuit" went on to sell a staggering 700,000 copies, catapulting Axel to fame within a few weeks of its release. This lightning rise to fame turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing, however. It was difficult enough for a 22-year-old singer to be thrust into the media spotlight, but Axel's other problem was that he quickly became the victim of a 'one-hit wonder' phenomenon, music fans associating his success with a well-tuned marketing machine rather than the good, honest slog of a singer-songwriter. What's more, the look Mondino had created for Axel in his "Querelle de Brest" video soon became a subject of mockery.
Axel attempted to repeat the success of "Cargo de nuit" with "Phantasmes", but his second single sold just 200,000 and sales of his third single, "Jessy", plummeted to 60,000. In short, Axel's fall from grace proved to be as rapid as his lightning rise to fame. One stroke of bad luck was followed by another and after his record company, Vogue, went bankrupt, Axel found himself totally abandoned by the French music industry.
The Exile Years
Following this string of disappointments and disasters in France, Axel decided to re-locate to London in 1987. The wind of fortune changed for him once he had crossed the Channel, however, and after sending out a tentative demo tape Axel was offered a recording deal with EMI. (This was a major achievement in itself, for Axel was the first French artist to be signed by the label which had launched The Beatles).
Axel concentrated on his live career from this point on, touring extensively throughout the UK. Five years after his first hit, he went on to bring out a debut album "Les Nouveaux seigneurs", which half-heartedly experimented with techno. But Axel failed to repeat his early success - "Les Nouveaux seigneurs" sold a mere 20,000 copies.
Meanwhile, Axel had not been forgotten in France (although he seemed to be forever associated in most people's minds with "Cargo de nuit" and his "Querelle de Brest" video). While the record-buying public failed to see beyond Axel's public image, several French musicians recognised his talent. And when Axel returned to France in 1989 one of the first people to call him was Jean-Louis Aubert (the former lead singer of Téléphone), who invited him into the studio to work on his forthcoming album. Axel ended up guesting on two tracks on Aubert's album, "Bleu Blanc Vert".
Encouraged by the fact that he had not been forgotten on the French music scene, Axel, by now in his thirties, returned to the studio. In 1990 he released a second album entitled "Sentinelles" (which many people actually took to be his first). Apart from several songs penned by Axel himself, "Sentinelles" featured tracks written by a host of well-known French songwriters including Boris Bergman, Catherine Ringer (from Rita Mitsouko), Jean-Louis Aubert and Christine Lidon.
This second album, a combination of rock, guitar riffs and romantic ballads, appeared to be much better-suited to Axel's personality and, although "Sentinelles" failed to score a huge hit with French music critics, it did produce one chart-topping single, "Eteins la lumière". This melodic electric guitar ballad (written and composed by Bauer himself), proved that a genuinely talented musician lay beneath the one-hit wonder image of "Cargo de nuit".
Following the success of the single, Axel Bauer embarked upon an extensive two-month French tour (October – November 1990), bringing the house down when he performed at l'Elysée Montmartre in Paris on October 25th.
The Travelling Life
Axel gradually began to shake off his "Cargo de nuit" image, but inventing a new persona in the French public's mind proved to be a long and arduous image. Keen to stay out of the showbiz spotlight the second time round, Axel decided to go off travelling for a while and shortly after his "Sentinelles" tour he disappeared into the Sahara, going off to live with the Touareg community for several months. When he returned from his adventures in the desert, he went off to live in the French countryside where he took up his songwriting activities once again.
Axel spent most of his three years in the countryside working on material for a new album, entitled "Simple mortel". Mixed and produced by UK studio wizard Steve Forward, this album featured a return to 70s-style rock and brought Axel's descant vocals to the fore. Released in March '98, "Simple mortel" got an enthusiastic reception in the French media but failed to produce a chart-topping single.
Axel appeared satisfied with his new album however and, after taking time off to spend with his girlfriend and new-born baby, he set off on tour again in 1999, appearing on the French club circuit with a three-piece backing band.
It had been a long uphill struggle for Axel to shake off "Cargo de nuit", but by the end of his 1999 tour he finally appeared to have done so. This break with the past left him free to embark upon new projects and in 2000, Axel re-surfaced on the French music scene with a new album entitled "Achille".
Axel's 11-track album featured a richer, fuller, more mature style and contributions from guest vocalists Miossec and Zazie (a long-term friend). Axel's songwriting had come a long way since "Cargo de nuit" and he wrote much of the material on his new album himself. "Achille" also featured songs written by Juan Tamayo, Arnaud Giroux and his girlfriend Ilhem Kadid. Axel began touring his new album in December 2000 and brought the house down when he appeared in Paris, performing at La Scène (a 'bar-restaurant' in Bastille) on January 23rd 2001.Axel returned to La Scène to play three concerts in May.
Gold disc
Axel rocketed back to the top of the charts after "A ma place", a duet he recorded with Zazie, was released as a single at the start of the summer. The single went on to reach no.6 in the French singles chart in June. Following his new chart success, Axel kicked off a mini-tour in the autumn of 2001 with a concert in Paris at the Elysée Montmartre on 22 October. The concert, an absolute sell-out, featured guest appearances by a variety of artists including Zazie, Jean-Louis Aubert and the musicians from Parisian band Aston Villa. At the end of the tour Axel's record company presented him with his first gold disc, after sales of his album (which had since been re-released with a new cover and a new title "Personne n'est parfait") topped the 100,000 mark.
In January 2002 the single "A ma place" went on to win the NRJ Music Award for Best Francophone Song of the Year. Following this new success Axel joined the Enfoirés tour, performing a series of fund-raising concerts for French charity "Restaurants du Cœur". Then on 12 February he continued his fund-raising activities for Survival (an organisation fighting to protect indigenous peoples). Later that month Florent Pagny released his new album, "2", which included a duet recorded with Bauer entitled "Terre".
Bauer remained busy with live concerts throughout the spring of 2002, performing a mini-tour which included an appearance in Francis Cabrel's native village, Astaffort (near Toulouse) on 30 March.
Having reached the 20-year milestone in his career, 2003 seemed to be an appropriate year for Axel Bauer to release a greatest hits album. Needless to say "La Désintégrale", released in April of that year, included his biggest chart hit "Cargo."
A few months after the release of his greatest hits compilation, Axel was already hard at work writing material for a new album. He ended up composing the majority of the music for this new opus, which featured his usual mix of rock and mainstream sounds. Working in collaboration with producer Daniel Presley, Axel did try and move back towards his musical roots, however, keeping the overall sound on the album as raw and live as possible. A number of well-known songwriters contributed lyrics to the album including Ilhem Kahid, Pierre-Yves Lebert – who wrote the first single release "Tu me tues" (featuring music by Philippe Uminski) - Kemar (a former member of No One is Innocent) and Fred (from the group Aston Villa). This musical 'family' appeared to suit Axel Bauer down to the ground. His new album, "Bad Cowboy", would finally be released in April 2006.
The following month, Axel Bauer made a welcome return to the live circuit, performing a series of concerts across France.
(excerpt from http://www.rfimusique.com/siteen/biographie/biographie_6249.asp)
Cargo de nuit
Axel Bauer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pull rayé, mal rasé
On vient de débarquer (cargo de suie)
Trente-cinq jours de galère
Et deux nuits pour se vider
(La nuit, te suis, change de port, cargo de nuit)
J'avance sur ce quai humide
La sueur brûle comme l'acide
Bière chaude et narguilé
Chez Mario, tout oublier (la nuit te nuit, change de port)
Mais cette machine dans ma tête
Machine sourde et tempête
Mais cette machine dans ma tête
Leitmotiv, nuit secrète
Tatoue mon âme à mon dégoût
(Cargo de nuit)
Lanterne rouge : je guette l'entrée
L'alcool est mon allié
L'amour, il faut payer (cargo d'ennui)
Virée grasse, elle m'entraîne
Vers l'angoisse et la rengaine
(La nuit, d'ennui, change de port)
Da da da daya, da da da daya...
Mais cette machine dans ma tête
Machine sourde et tempête
Mais cette machine dans ma tête
Leitmotiv, nuit secrète
Tatoue mon âme à mon dégoût
J'ai voulu tout chaviré
Mon espoir s'est échoué
J'en ai marre de ramer
La détresse polluée
L'océan de mes pensées
Et cette machine dans ma tête
Machine sourde et tempête
Et cette machine dans ma tête
Leitmotiv, nuit secrète
Tatoue mon âme à mon dégoût
Da da da daya da da da daya...
(Cargo de nuit, la nuit, cargo de nuit...)
Axel Bauer's song "Cargo de nuit" is a story of a sailor who has just disembarked from a long journey. He has spent 35 days without seeing land and has arrived disheveled and unkempt. Despite the exhaustion, the sailor is lured by the vibrant nightlife onshore, and we see him trying to forget his difficulties by drinking beer and smoking a hookah at Mario's. The lyrics of the song have a repetitive quality, and we hear the chorus, "La nuit te nuit, change de port, cargo de nuit" (The night follows you, change port, cargo of the night) which adds to the song's hypnotic effect.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the sailor is struggling with his own demons. The repetitive lyrics, "Mais cette machine dans ma tête, machine sourde et tempête" (But this machine in my head, deaf and stormy machine) paint a picture of a restless and anxious mind. Despite trying to drown his sorrows, the sailor realizes that he cannot escape his thoughts. He admits feeling disgusted with himself and yearns to escape the endless cycle of despair. The lyrics "L'océan de mes pensées" (The ocean of my thoughts) suggest that the sailor is trapped in his own mind and cannot find a way out.
Axel Bauer's "Cargo de nuit" is a poetic portrayal of a sailor's journey and his inner turmoil. The song's hypnotic beat and haunting melodies are a perfect match for the sailor's unstable mental state. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man struggling with himself and trying to find a way to escape his thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
Trente-cinq jours sans voir la terre
After 35 long days on a ship without any sight of land, the singer is exhausted and worn out.
Pull rayé, mal rasé
The singer's appearance is messy with a striped shirt and unshaven facial hair.
On vient de débarquer (cargo de suie)
The singer has just disembarked from a ship carrying cargo covered in soot.
Trente-cinq jours de galère
The artist has endured 35 days of hardship and difficulty during their time on the ship.
Et deux nuits pour se vider
They have only had two nights to recover from their journey.
(La nuit, te suis, change de port, cargo de nuit)
The darkness follows them wherever they go, urging them to leave and start anew in a different place.
J'avance sur ce quai humide
The singer walks on a damp wharf.
La sueur brûle comme l'acide
Their sweat is like acid, stinging their skin and making them uncomfortable as they continue on.
L'enfer va commencer (cargo de nuit)
Their personal hell is just about to begin as they venture out into the night.
Bière chaude et narguilé
To forget their troubles, the artist indulges in warm beer and smokes a water pipe.
Chez Mario, tout oublier (la nuit te nuit, change de port)
The singer goes to Mario's place to forget everything and start afresh in a different place, but the night still haunts them.
Mais cette machine dans ma tête
The artist has a metaphorical machine in their head.
Machine sourde et tempête
This machine is a deafening storm that rages within them.
Leitmotiv, nuit secrète
It plays a secret melody that only they can hear and relates to their night-time activities.
Tatoue mon âme à mon dégoût
This machine tattoos their soul with self-disgust.
(Cargo de nuit)
The machine is a product of the cargo trip endured by the artist.
Lanterne rouge : je guette l'entrée
The artist watches for the entrance, which is marked by a red light.
L'alcool est mon allié
Alcohol is their only friend, a companion to help them forget their painful experiences.
L'amour, il faut payer (cargo d'ennui)
The singer has learned that love comes at a cost, just like the boredom on the cargo trip.
Virée grasse, elle m'entraîne
The artist indulges in a wild night that drags them down with its excessiveness.
Vers l'angoisse et la rengaine
This wild night leads towards anxiety and the same familiar tune.
(La nuit, d'ennui, change de port)
The night of boredom urges them to leave and find a different port where the boredom hasn't set in yet.
Da da da daya, da da da daya...
A meaningless, repeating tune is introduced to signify their life's monotony.
J'ai voulu tout chaviré
The artist has wanted to upend everything in their life to enact changes.
Mon espoir s'est échoué
Their hope has been dashed against the rocks of reality.
J'en ai marre de ramer
They don't want to keep struggling anymore.
La détresse polluée
Their distress has been polluted and made worse by their experiences.
L'océan de mes pensées
Their thoughts are like an ocean, wild and untamable.
Et cette machine dans ma tête
And amidst all this, the machine in their head still goes on.
Machine sourde et tempête
It thrums along like a terrible storm.
Leitmotiv, nuit secrète
It plays its secret melody regarding their night-time activities once more.
Tatoue mon âme à mon dégoût
Despite all their efforts, the machine still makes them hate their own self.
Da da da daya da da da daya...
The meaningless tune repeats ad nauseam, highlighting the artist's repetitive cycle of life and how they are stuck in it.
(Cargo de nuit, la nuit, cargo de nuit...)
The cargo trip underlies all their experiences, and the night is a constant reminder of that trip.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@etinarcadiaego7480
40 ans plus tard je suis toujours aussi bluffé! N’en jetez plus ce morceau est parfait! Musicalement en 1983 ce titre est un ovni, chaque instrument, chaque note, tout est parfait! Et ce solo guitare… Compo d’exception!!!
@MadgikB
Je suis chef mécanicien depuis 27 ans en marine marchande ,j’ai grandi avec ce son !⚓️🔧🔩🏴☠️⚓️
@viviane.chavasse
Elle est pour t’oit cherté chanson ,joyeux noël à tout l’équipage .👩✈️👩✈️👩✈️👩✈️
@MsTachke
Je m'en doute bien
@kefran2a
tatoue mon âme à mon dégoût 😊👍
@nross3101
J'adore cette chanson ! A l'epoque je devais avoir 15 ans et a 51 ans c'est toujours le même bonheur !💗💗💗
@twinloc2832
Pareil !
@foooooob
Idem!
@veriteclub
ma mère aussi !!!
@mekeskimfe
@@veriteclub Et at sœur ? ;)