He first came to the music industry's attention with his collaboration with, and arrangements for, Keren Ann and his sister Coralie Clément. Finally earning a solo contract after many years of struggle, Biolay released his debut album, Rose Kennedy, in 2002. A concept album, Rose Kennedy looks at early 1960s America through the cataractic eyes of the late matriarch, who went from attending dinner parties to suffering the assassination of two of her sons.
Next up was Négatif, a double CD full of sometimes violent imagery surrounding a group of drifters, which included a disaffected, oddly sympathetic, american named Billy Bob. Biolay released two albums in 2005, A L'origine (translated: In The Beginning) is a darker, denser work than his previous outings, while Home is a light, sunny duet album with his wife, started when they noticed that they needed good road trip CD to listen to while on vacation. He has also written film scores, songs and arrangements for such beloved french stars as Francoise Hardy, Juliette Greco and Henri Salvador.
He worked with Elodie Frégé on her second album Le Jeu des 7 erreurs
(including lead single "La Ceinture") which was released in autumn 2006.
Nuits Blanches
Benjamin Biolay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Il y a des avalanches
Et des skieurs qui font du hors pistes
Dans mes nuits blanches
Les photos de vacances
Sont les seuls souvenirs qui subsistent
Il y a des comanches
Des kamikazes et des terroristes
Dans mes nuits blanches
Il y a des apaches
Des natures mortes et des chansons tristes
Dans la nuit noire
J'apercois des voitures
Sur le boulevard
De ceinture
Dans la nuit claire
Je perçois le murmure
D'un canadair
Dans l'azur, dans l'azur, dans l'azur
Dans mes nuits blanches
Il y a des pages blanches
Les mots croisés du reader digest
Dans mes nuits blanches
Il y a des turbulences
Des messages en morse, des SOS
Dans mes nuits blanches
Les baigneurs font la planche
Les grands requins blancs font le reste
Dans mes nuits blanches
Je vois les Appalaches
J'entends souffler le vent de l'ouest
Dans la nuit noire
J'apercois les voitures
Sur le boulevard
De ceinture
Dans la nuit claire
Je perçois le murmure
D'un canadair
Dans l'azur, dans l'azur, dans l'azur
Dans l'azur, dans l'azur
Dans mes nuits blanches
Les baigneurs font la planche
Les grands requins blancs font le reste
Dans mes nuits blanches
Je vois les Appalaches
J'entends souffler le vent de l'ouest
Dans mes nuits blanches
Il y a des avalanches
Et des skieurs qui font du hors pistes
Dans mes nuits blanches
Les photos de vacances
Sont les seuls souvenirs qui subsistent
The lyrics of Benjamin Biolay's song "Nuits blanches" paints a vivid picture of the singer's sleepless nights. The phrase "nuits blanches" literally translates to "white nights," a term often used to describe periods of insomnia. The opening lines reflect this, as the singer says that there are "avalanches" and off-piste skiers in his sleepless nights. The use of the skiing metaphor is an effective way to convey the sense of chaos and unpredictability that often defines insomnia.
As the song progresses, the lyrics reveal more about the singer's mindset during his sleepless nights. The only memories that seem to linger are those of vacations and trips, as evidenced by the line "les photos de vacances sont les seuls souvenirs qui subsistent" ("vacation photos are the only memories that remain"). Other thoughts and images that haunt the singer's sleepless nights include "comanches," "kamikazes," "terrorists," "apaches," "natures mortes" (still life paintings), and "chansons tristes" (sad songs). These images are all quite disparate, yet they seem to share a sense of violence or foreboding.
The song's chorus anchors the scattered thoughts and images of the verses with the repeated refrain of a nocturnal car journey on the "boulevard de ceinture" and the sound of a "canadair" plane in the distance. The vividness of the imagery and the uncertainty conveyed by the lyrics all combine to create a sense of restlessness and unease.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans mes nuits blanches
During my sleepless nights
Il y a des avalanches
I experience overwhelming emotional breakdowns
Et des skieurs qui font du hors pistes
And I feel out of control, like a skier skiing off-piste
Les photos de vacances
All that's left in my mind are the memories of past vacations
Sont les seuls souvenirs qui subsistent
Which are the only memories remaining with me
Il y a des comanches
I feel like I'm being attacked by my own thoughts
Des kamikazes et des terroristes
I have negative thoughts which make me feel helpless
Il y a des apaches
This reminds me of the loss I've had in life
Des natures mortes et des chansons tristes
I feel a sense of melancholy and emptiness
Dans la nuit noire
In the dark of the night
J'apercois des voitures
I can see some cars passing by
Sur le boulevard de ceinture
On the beltway
Dans la nuit claire
In the clear night
Je perçois le murmure
I hear the murmuring
D'un canadair
Of an aircraft
Dans l'azur, dans l'azur, dans l'azur
Against the blue sky, against the blue sky, against the blue sky
Il y a des pages blanches
I feel lost and uncertain about the future
Les mots croisés du reader digest
This symbolizes the puzzles of life I have yet to solve
Il y a des turbulences
I feel anxious and uncertain, with negative thoughts clouding my mind
Des messages en morse, des SOS
I feel like I'm calling out for help
Les baigneurs font la planche
This symbolizes the way I feel like I'm just trying to keep my head above water
Les grands requins blancs font le reste
While everything around me is still dangerous and scary
Je vois les Appalaches
I'm reminded of the vastness and beauty of nature
J'entends souffler le vent de l'ouest
And the winds of change that may come with it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Benjamin Biolay
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@isabellelevy-banchereau3271
Merci pour ce partage
Benjamin Biolay est un artiste d'exception
Magnifique
@eloiseenfmalt7454
Immense artiste 🖤🖤🖤
@tonyjj6786
J écoutait l album dans le métro de Toulouse j étais jeune 😢 2 1 ans
@hidoinealain
Sur un album magnifique, cette perle que Benjamin avait envoyé à Jacques Dutronc, je crois, et qu'il a finalement enregistré lui-même. Vraiment superbe.
@janineblanchet2494
sublime
@geraldinevial7025
magnifique
@anthonylafleur2570
Quel talent.
@BigSexyAlBundy
Most underrated musician in the world
@sylviafortes4407
I totally agree :-( pour moi l'un des meilleur en France
@leilaOue
Simplement l'album qui m'a fait découvrir Benjamen Biolay en 2003 !