Éric Serra's father Claude was a famous French songwriter in the 1950s and '60s, and, as such, Éric was exposed to music and its production at a young age. His mother died when he was just seven years old. In the early '80s, Serra met director Luc Besson and was asked to score his first movie Le Dernier Combat (1983). Serra has scored all of Besson's directed movies to date, except Angel-A (2005) (scored by Anja Garbarek), and several that Besson has written such as Wasabi.
In 1995, Éric Serra was chosen to compose the score to the James Bond film GoldenEye, and produced a much more modern-sounding avant-garde soundtrack compared to previous Bond films. It met with mixed reviews from film critics. Serra's score is often criticized by Bond fans, and is considered the farthest departure from a traditional Bond score and, by some, as the most inappropriate in the series history. Others find it highly innovative, with the main problem the lack of John Barry's traditional theme. The producers later hired John Altman to provide the music for the tank chase in St. Petersburg. Serra's original track for that sequence can still be found on the soundtrack as "A Pleasant Drive In St. Petersburg".
Occasionally, and mainly due to his album released by this name, he is known in credits as RXRA (pronounced like his name, in French). An example is "Little Light of Love" on The Fifth Element soundtrack, which is credited to RXRA.
From 1980 to 1988, Éric Serra played bass guitar for French singer Jacques Higelin.
Éric Serra is also a songwriter, notably having written "It's Only Mystery" for the film Subway and "My Lady Blue" for Le Grand Bleu. In 1988, Éric Serra released an album of rock music titled RXRA which resembles the artist's name when pronounced as initial letters in French.
Most recently he composed the music for the new Criss Angel/Cirque Du Soleil show 'Criss Angel: Believe' to open at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, in October 2008.
Serra has spent little time in front of the camera, choosing to work behind the scenes instead. However, on French television he has made a number of appearances performing music, and notably appeared in the Luc Besson movie Subway in which he plays 'Enrico the bassist'.
Howl
Eric Serra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Starting to wander
How can you dare having fear in your eyes
Tell me how how how
How can you carry the weight of your lies
Tell me how how how
Well I'm down again
Crawling back to my hows and whys
Tell me how how how
That's what generates my howl
Motivates my howl
Liberates my howl
Activates my howl
Accentuates my howl Aggravates my howl
Here is where to get off
But you create my howl
Originate my howl
Stimulate my howl
How can you talk about God all the time
Tell me how how how
How do you think he'll forgive each of your crimes
Tell me how how how
Here I go again
Creeping along to my hows and whys
You talk about love but you revel in slime
This is why I howl
You won't dominate my howl
Captivate my howl
Domesticate my howl
Penetrate my howl
Moderate my howl
Terminate my howl
Here is where to get off
But you create my howl
Originate my howl
Stimulate my howl
You won't dominate my howl
Manipulate my howl
Asphyxiate my howl
Decimate my howl
Eradicate my howl
Terminate my howl
Here is where to get off
For the only aim of love
For the blossom of love
In the Holy name of love
For the reign of love
I will celebrate my howl
Everyday I'll howl
No one will quell my howl
Like a prayer I'll howl
Everyday I'll howl
Until the end I'll howl
The song "Howl" by Eric Serra is an exploration of inner turmoil and frustration, expressed through the metaphor of a wolf's howl. The singer is clearly struggling with something, as evidenced by their repeated references to "my hows and whys." They seem to be searching for answers, but don't know where to find them. Throughout the song they struggle with fear, guilt, and shame, and seem to be looking for a way to free themselves from these negative emotions.
The chorus of the song provides some clues as to what might be driving these feelings. The singer seems to be frustrated with someone or something that they perceive as standing in the way of their happiness. They are tired of feeling dominated and controlled, and are looking for a way to break free. The howl, in this context, represents a release of this pent-up frustration and a refusal to be silenced.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more and more insistent that they will not be silenced. They are determined to celebrate their howl, to embrace it as a symbol of their strength and resilience. The final verses of the song suggest that this strength is rooted in love, and the desire to be free to express it fully.
Line by Line Meaning
Another lonely lonely night
Just like every other night, I am alone and feeling isolated.
Starting to wander
My thoughts are beginning to wander and drift away from reality.
How can you dare having fear in your eyes
Tell me how how how
I don't understand how you can be afraid when I am smiling at you. Please explain it to me.
How can you carry the weight of your lies
Tell me how how how
I'm curious how you are able to bear the burden of all the lies you tell. Explain it to me.
Well I'm down again
Crawling back to my hows and whys
I am feeling depressed and heading back to the same old questions of how and why.
How come you're scared when I give you a smile
Tell me how how how
Why do you react with fear when I'm just trying to be friendly? I need to understand.
That's what generates my howl
Motivates my howl
Liberates my howl
Activates my howl
Accentuates my howl
Aggravates my howl
These emotions and experiences are what drive and amplify my howl.
Here is where to get off
But you create my howl
Originate my howl
Stimulate my howl
I know I should stop, but you are the one who inspires me, motivates me, and makes me feel alive enough to howl.
How can you talk about God all the time
Tell me how how how
How do you think he'll forgive each of your crimes
Tell me how how how
You speak constantly of God, but I wonder how you expect him to forgive the sins you constantly commit. Please explain this to me.
Here I go again
Creeping along to my hows and whys
You talk about love but you revel in slime
I find myself once again lost in thought, contemplating why you profess to love but indulge in behavior that is immoral and revolting.
This is why I howl
You won't dominate my howl
Captivate my howl
Domesticate my howl
Penetrate my howl
Moderate my howl
Terminate my howl
My howl is my expression of freedom and power over your attempts to control and manipulate me, so you will not succeed in taming or silencing me.
You won't dominate my howl
Manipulate my howl
Asphyxiate my howl
Decimate my howl
Eradicate my howl
Terminate my howl
I am resolute in my determination to resist your efforts to influence or suppress my howl, even if it means facing destruction and extinction.
Here is where to get off
For the only aim of love
For the blossom of love
In the Holy name of love
For the reign of love
I will celebrate my howl
In the name of love, I will embrace and express my howl as a symbol of my passion, devotion, and commitment to this noble cause.
Everyday I'll howl
No one will quell my howl
Like a prayer I'll howl
Everyday I'll howl
Until the end I'll howl
I will continue to howl every day, unafraid of any attempt to silence or stop me, and my howl will be my prayer and my legacy until the end of my days.
Contributed by Adrian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ryan Gooslinger
Ooooo I like this. Looking up more of his stuff seeing as the Fifth Element soundtrack is phenomenal.
Exaltist Ethan
This album rules! Thanks for sharing it. A hidden gem from my favorite film composer. My favorite is "Anybody Hello". Thanks again! ^_^
Chris89
agree on everything you said. 'Anybody Hello' is definitely the best song on this album. The music and the lyrics complement each other so well. Eric Serra has a good sense of unique but beautiful melodies :)
VRIGNAUD Alban
Un album que j'ai toujours aimé. Dans mon 44 tonnes je l'ai écouté des heures jusqu'au jour où mon auto-radio à avalé la cassette. Vraiment trop bon de réentendre Eric Serra. Merci
FrequenSeeker - Atmosphere & Moods
hey sounds so similar to Trent Reznor
Ryan Gooslinger
Why is this in English? Isn't usually in French?
Chris89
This is from the international version of the album. The version released in france is quite different: No 'drumming for you' and some songs are in french language instead of english.