Coulais began his musical education on the violin and piano, aiming to become a composer of contemporary classical music. However, a series of acquaintances gradually re-oriented him towards film music. Coulais was particularly influenced by director François Reichenbach, who asked him in 1977 to write the soundtrack to his new documentary Mexico Magico. The first full-length production he composed the score for was the 1986 film La femme secrète by Sébastien Grall. Until the end of the 1990s, he remained low-profile, composing mainly for television. His name can often be found from TV films by Gérard Marx and Laurent Heynemann. He also composed the soundtracks for Christine Pascal's 1992 film Le petit prince a dit, and Agnès Merlet's Le fils du requin in 1993.
In 1994, he met the television producer Josée Dayan, who let him write a theme for the TV series La rivière Esperance, aired on the France 2 network in autumn 1995. He worked with Dayan again with other major productions such as Le comte de Monte-Cristo, Balzac, and Les nuiteux.
The largest turning point of his career came in 1996, when he worked with directors Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou of the documentary Microcosmos. This single film, which gave a great significance to the music in it, was a great success and made Coulais one of the most wanted composers of French film music. In 1997, he won the César award for the best musical score in a film, as well as a Victoire de la Musique. His reputation was confirmed by the soundtracks to Himalaya (1999) and Les rivières pourpres (2000), and after that Bruno Coulais's name was to be found on most new French blockbusters, such as Belphégor and Vidocq.
After producing the soundtrack to Winged Migration in 2001, Coulais announced that he wanted to significantly reduce his contributions to film music, and instead concentrate on other projects, such as the creation of an opera for children, and collaborations with Akhenaton, Akhenaton's group IAM and the Corsican group A Filetta, with whom he had worked since he had made the soundtrack for Jacques Weber's film Don Juan in 1998.
In 2002, his name was found on the ending credits of the animation L'enfant qui voulait être un ours, and in 2004, on Frédéric Schoendoerffer's Agents secrets. The same year, he wrote the soundtrack to the film Les choristes by Christophe Baratier, which subsequently became an international hit. The music for this film received as great praise as the film itself, and it won Coulais his third César award. Since then, Coulais's collaborations in cinema seem to be limited to works by directors with whom he already shares some history, in particular Jacques Perrin, Frédéric Schoendoerffer, and James Huth.
Bruno Coulais's musical style may vary significantly between different projects, but there are some constant factors visible: his taste for opera and for human voice (in particular that of children), for a search for original sonority, for world music and mixing different musical cultures, and finally, a certain tendency to give preference to the ambience created by lighting rather than the film's narration.
Good Ol
Bruno Coulais Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Il s'en fut à la chasse, à la chasse aux perdrix Carabi
Titi Carabi totot carabo compère Guilleri
Te laisseras-tu, te laisseras-tu, te laisseras-tu mourir
Il s'en fut à la chasse, à la chasse aux perdrix Carabi
Il monta sur un arbre pour voir ses chiens courir Carabi
Titi Carabi toto carabo compère Guilleri
The lyrics to Bruno Coulais's song "Good Ol' Guilleri" tell the story of a small man named Guilleri Carabi who goes on a hunting trip to catch partridges. Throughout the song, there is a recurring refrain of "Titi Carabi totot carabo compère Guilleri" which translates to "Little Carabi totot carabo, comrade Guilleri". The song is sung in a playful, sing-song rhythm that matches the light-hearted nature of the story being told.
As the song progresses, Guilleri climbs up a tree to watch his dogs chase after the partridges. The refrain continues, asking if he will let himself die. While the lyrics themselves seem simple and nonsensical, they create an almost childlike story of a man enjoying a playful day of hunting with his dogs.
One interpretation of this song could be that it highlights the joy and simplicity of spending a day in nature, surrounded by friends and animals. It may represent a desire to escape the complexities of everyday life and find happiness in the little moments. Overall, "Good Ol' Guilleri" is a whimsical and charming song that captures the essence of carefree enjoyment.
Line by Line Meaning
Il était un p'tit homme appelé Guilleri Carabi
There was a short man named Guilleri Carabi
Il s'en fut à la chasse, à la chasse aux perdrix Carabi
He went hunting, hunting for partridges, Carabi
Titi Carabi totot carabo compère Guilleri
Little Carabi, dear friend Guilleri
Te laisseras-tu, te laisseras-tu, te laisseras-tu mourir
Will you let yourself, let yourself, let yourself die?
Il s'en fut à la chasse, à la chasse aux perdrix Carabi
He went hunting, hunting for partridges, Carabi
Il monta sur un arbre pour voir ses chiens courir Carabi
He climbed a tree to watch his dogs run, Carabi
Titi Carabi toto carabo compère Guilleri
Little Carabi, dear friend Guilleri
Te laisseras-tu, te laisseras-tu, te laisseras-tu mourir
Will you let yourself, let yourself, let yourself die?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUNO COULAIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind