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.
cerf volant
Bruno Coulais Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Volant au vent
Ne t'arrête pas
Vers la mer
Haut dans les airs Un enfant te voit Voyage insolent Troubles enivrants cmours innocentes Suivent ta voie Suivent ta voie
En volant
Cerf-volant
Volant au vent
Vers la mer
Haut dans les airs
Un enfant te voit
Et dans la tourmente
Tes ailes triomphantes
N'oublie pas de revenir
Vers moi
The lyrics to "Cerf-volant" by Bruno Coulais & Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc evoke a sense of freedom, adventure, and innocence through the metaphor of a kite flying in the wind. The song is addressed to the kite, encouraging it to keep soaring towards the sea, high up in the air. An audacious journey, filled with exhilarating and intoxicating moments, captivates the watchful eyes of a child. The child follows the kite's path, driven by innocent love and curiosity.
As the kite continues to fly, the lyrics emphasize its triumph and the turbulence it goes through. The triumph is portrayed through the majestic and conquering wings of the kite, while the turbulence represents the challenges faced along the way. Despite the tumult, the song reminds the kite not to forget to return to the singer, emphasizing a longing for connection and for the kite to find its way back after its daring escapade.
Overall, the lyrics of "Cerf-volant" celebrate the spirit of exploration and adventure, encouraging the kite to embrace its freedom while reminding it of the importance of a loving connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Cerf-volant
Oh, majestic kite
Volant au vent
Gracefully soaring in the wind
Ne t'arrête pas
Don't ever stop
Vers la mer
Towards the endless sea
Haut dans les airs
So high up in the sky
Un enfant te voit
A child catches a glimpse of you
Voyage insolent
Boldly embarking on a journey
Troubles enivrants, Amours innocentes
Intoxicating troubles, innocent loves
Suivent ta voie
They follow your path
Suivent ta voie
They follow your path
En volant
While flying
Cerf-volant
Oh, majestic kite
Volant au vent
Gracefully soaring in the wind
Ne t'arrête pas
Don't ever stop
Vers la mer
Towards the endless sea
Haut dans les airs
So high up in the sky
Un enfant te voit
A child catches a glimpse of you
Et dans la tourmente
And amidst the turmoil
Tes ailes triomphantes
Your triumphant wings
N'oublie pas de revenir
Do not forget to come back
Vers moi
Towards me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bruno Coulais, Christophe Barratier
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@meiying_xu
Cerf-volant
Volant au vent
Ne t'arrête pas
Vers la mer
Haut dans les airs
Un enfant te voit
Voyage insolent
Troubles enivrants
Amours innocentes
Suivent ta voie
Suivent ta voie
En volant
Cerf-volant
Volant au vent
Ne t'arrête pas
Vers la mer
Haut dans les airs
Un enfant te voit
Et dans la tourmente
Tes ailes triomphantes
N'oublie pas de revenir
Vers moi
@lulu491250
Je pense que c'est la plus belle chanson du film avec Caresse sur l'océan.
@Fiona-ri6oe
lulu491250 j'suis très d'accord#CaSeDisPas
@breizhmanoukian5623
et vois sur ton chemin ??
@edenproductions6290
Moi aussi. J’suis très d’accord aussi!
@Naydono
Pépinot est aussi un très joli morceau
@jarvisluzinea.1635
avec : La nuit pour un top 3 des plus plaisants ;)
@zekiyildirim814
I remember this Scene...
Children Saying Goodbye to Clement Mathieu ;(
@adrianelias2365
au revoir
@ale1667
I cried...
@guiancarlobarrazaserje9319
Holy... I cry only remembering that scene.