Gainsbourg made her motion picture debut playing Catherine Deneuve's daughter in the film Paroles et musique (1984). In 1986, Gainsbourg won a César Award for "Most Promising Actress" for L'effrontée, and, in 2000, she won "Best Supporting Actress" for the film La Bûche.
Gainsbourg made her musical debut with her father on the song "Lemon Incest" in 1984. Two years later, she released her debut album Charlotte for Ever, which was produced by her father.
In 2007, Gainsbourg appeared alongside Gael Garcia Bernal in Michel Gondry's La Science des rêves and as Claire in the Todd Haynes directed Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There, also contributing a cover of the Dylan song "Just Like A Woman" to the film's soundtrack.
In 2006, Gainsbourg released her second album 5:55 to critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching the top spot on the French charts and achieving platinum status in the country. In the UK, the album was moderately successful, reaching #78 (The single The Songs That We Sing only made #129).
Gainsbourg has recently released her third studio album, IRM, which was produced by Beck. One of the influential factors in the album's creative process was her time spent filming Antichrist.
Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping
Charlotte Gainsbourg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There is no sight
You'd see further
If you'd only close your eyes
In unconsciousness
I can find peace
Inside prison walls
There is a place
That I've seen
Somewhere between
Waking and sleeping
Down at the water's edge
Somebody waits for me
Is it too late for me?
"It's never too late", he says
Without blindness
There is no sight
There is a place
That I've seen
Somewhere between
Waking and sleeping
Leaning over theside
Trailing my fingertips
Watching the water slip
Into the quiet night
Viewed from the wrong end of a
Telescope
I see myself
So far below
Still and silent
Rest in peace
A thread unravels
Such merciful release
There is a place
That I've seen
Somewhere between
Waking and sleeping
Now I can all but see
Figures upon the shore
He's gathering enemies
Where are you taking me?
The song "Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping" by Charlotte Gainsbourg is a contemplative reflection on the paradoxical nature of existence, where finding peace and release can come from unexpected places. The opening lines, "Without blindness, there is no sight, you'd see the further if you'd only close your eyes," highlight the idea that sometimes, in order to see more clearly, we need to let go of our preconceptions and expectations. The metaphor of blindness is used to emphasize the importance of accepting ourselves and the world around us as they are, without judgments or limitations. The next lines, "In unconsciousness, I can find peace, inside prison walls I can find release," further explore this idea that freedom can be found even in confinement, and that moments of vulnerability and surrender can lead to unexpected breakthroughs.
The chorus of the song, "There is a place that I've seen, somewhere between waking and sleeping," captures the sense of an otherworldly space where Charlotte has found solace, a "liminal" zone between the conscious and the subconscious mind. The verses continue with images of being by the water's edge, watching the world pass by, feeling disconnected and yet somehow connected at the same time. The lines, "Viewed from the wrong end of the telescope, I see myself, so far below," suggest a feeling of dissociation, of feeling removed from one's own life and identity, and yet observing it with a sense of detachment. This is followed by a final verse that seems to offer a sense of hope, or at least a willingness to keep moving forward, even if the destination is unknown, "Now I can all but see, figures upon the shore, he's gathering enemies, where are you taking me?"
Overall, "Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping" is a haunting and introspective song that invites the listener to reflect on their own relationship with the world and their place in it. The imagery and language used by Charlotte Gainsbourg are evocative and powerful, creating a sense of longing, melancholy, and yet also resilience and courage. As we navigate our own journey through life, we can all relate to the feeling of being lost or uncertain, but also to the possibility of finding beauty and meaning in unexpected places.
Line by Line Meaning
Without blindness
In order to truly see, one must be aware of their blindness
There is no sight
Without acknowledging one's blindness, they can't fully see
You'd see the further if you'd only close your eyes
By accepting one's blindness, one can see beyond what's in front of them
In unconsciousness
By being unaware or unresponsive, one can find peace
I can find peace
Unconsciousness brings a sense of calmness
Inside prison walls I can find release
Even when confined, one can still find freedom within
There is a place that I've seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
There's a space between consciousness and unconsciousness where peace is found
Down at the water's edge
By the river
Somebody waits for me
There's something peaceful waiting for me
Is it too late for me?
Is it too late for me to find peace?
"It's never too late", he says
Peace and freedom can always be found, regardless of the circumstances
Without blindness
Acknowledging one's blindness
Without blindness
Being aware of one's blindness
there is no sight
Without acknowledging one's shortcomings, one can't truly move forward
there is failure
Focusing on one's shortcomings leads to feelings of failure
I'd see further
Acknowledging one's blindness allows for clearer perspective
people gather
People come together to discuss shortcomings
if I
by the river
Reflecting on one's blindness by the river
close my eyes
Acknowledging one's blindness and taking a moment of reflection
they were talking
about the failure
Others were discussing their shortcomings and failures nearby
There is a place that I've seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
A space between consciousness and unconsciousness where peace is found
Leaning up (?) overside
Standing at the edge of water
Trailing my fingertips
Touching the water with one's fingertips
Watching the water slip
Into the quiet night
Observing the water move calmly in the peaceful night
Viewed from the wrong end of the telescope
Seeing oneself from the wrong perspective
I see myself
So far below
Feeling disconnected from oneself
Still and silent
Rest in peace
Finding peace in stillness and silence
A thread unravels
Such merciful release
Letting go and finding relief
There is a place that I've seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
There's a space between consciousness and unconsciousness where peace is found
Now I can all but see
Figures upon the shore
Almost being able to see figures on the shore
He's gathering enemies (?)
Someone is accumulating enemies nearby
Where are you taking me?
Feeling lost or unsure about where one is heading in life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jarvis Cocker, Jean-Benoit Dunckel, Neil Hannon, Nicolas Godin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pembekuzu
@cooldudes bonus songs from 5:55 album
@simongd
the whole 5:55 was produced/composed by AIR, it isn't surprising that she wanted to do some kind of tribute for their work :3
@georgezsebe9794
Thank you for sharing! ^_^
@pneumologie6655
Without blindness
There is no sight
You'd see the further if you'd only close your eyes
In unconsciousness
I can find peace
Inside prison walls I can find release
There is a place that I've seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Down at the water's edge
Somebody waits for me
Is it too late for me?
"It's never too late", he says
Without blindness
Without blindness
there is no sight
there is failure
I'd see further
people gather
if I
by the river
close my eyes
they were talking
about the failure
There is a place that I've seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Leaning up (?) overside
Trailing my fingertips
Watching the water slip
Into the quiet night
Viewed from the wrong end of the telescope
I see myself
So far below
Still and silent
Rest in peace
A thread unravels
Such merciful release
There is a place that I've seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Now I can all but see
Figures upon the shore
He's gathering enemies (?)
Where are you taking me?
@sudeeprg
Can someone share the piano chords for this song ? Not able to make out the chords when she says "There is a place that I have seen"
@ComradeCrusty
I love you, Ahlem. There is a place we've seen, and it is ours.
@cooldudes6025
Lovely cover! Where is this from?
@murielrinaldi1281
Can someone tell me why this title and Set yourself on fire are not on the 2LP+CD. They are bonus tracks of the album 5:5 but don't appear in it... I'm disappointed.
@GarnetDust24
I usually prefer breathy female vocals, but this version doesn't work for me. Oh well.