He is best known in Britain for his appearence on the number 11 Saint Etienne hit single "He's On The Phone", which is an English-language adaptation of his 1984 French-language hit "Weekend à Rome". He also collaborated with Saint Etienne on the Resurrection EP, his album Eden, and his single "Le Premier Jour", itself based on the track "Ready or Not" from Sarah Cracknell's 1997 solo album "Lipslide".
His duets and collaborations both on stage and in the studio with other artists have been extensive and he has worked with the likes of Chris Isaak, Marianne Faithfull, Elli Medeiros, Astrud Gilberto, Vanessa Daou, the Swingle Singers, and more. Most recently, he released a duet ("If") with Charlotte Gainsbourg in 2004.
His 1996 album Eden displayed a diverse array of electronic-oriented songs that included downtempo ballads, drum 'n' bass-influenced tracks, and HiNRG dance.
After a 20-track greatest hits compilation (Singles) in 1998, Corps & armes in 2000 saw Daho return to a more orchestral sound fuelled by traditional instruments: piano, acoustic guitar, horns.
Daho shifted gears once again for his 2004 album Réévolution, which featured a guitar-heavy rock sound.
In 2012, he produced and composed songs for French comedian/singer Lou Doillon for her first album Places.
Ouvertüre
Etienne Daho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
il est des rendez-vous,
pas de coïncidence
Aller vers son destin,
l'amour au creux des mains,
la démarche paisible
Porter au fond de soi,
l'intuition qui flamboie,
Celle qui nous révèle,
superbes et enfantins,
au plus profond de l'âme
Porté par l'allégresse,
et la douceur de vivre,
de l'été qui commence
La rumeur de Paris,
comme une symphonie,
comme la mer qui balance
J'arrive au rendez-vous,
dans l'épaisse fumée,
le monde me bouscule
Réfugié dans un coin
et observant de loin
la foule qui ondule
Mais le choc imminent
sublime et aveuglant
Sans prévenir arrive
Je m'avance et je vois,
que tu viens comme moi,
d'une planète invisible
Où la pudeur du cœur,
impose le respect
la confiance sereine
Et plus tu t'ouvres à moi
et plus je m'aperçois
que lentement je m'ouvre
Et plus je m'ouvre à toi
et plus je m'aperçois
que lentement tu t'ouvres
Il fut long le chemin
et les pièges nombreux
avant que l'on se trouve
Il fut long le chemin
les mirages nombreux
avant que l'on se trouve
Ce n'est pas un hasard,
c'est notre rendez-vous
pas une coïncidence.
In Etienne Daho's song Ouverture, the lyrics paint a picture of destiny and love. The song begins by stating that there is no such thing as chance in life, only predetermined rendez-vous, or meetings. The singer is going towards his destiny, holding love in his hands, with a peaceful demeanor. He is following his intuition, which is burning brightly within him, leading him towards a beautiful and pure adventure that will ultimately reveal his true, childlike self within the depths of his soul. The arrival of summer is a welcomed moment, buzzing with the joy of life.
The singer arrives at his rendezvous, battling through the crowd, in thick smoke of Paris, and finds himself pushed into a corner, watching the people move and sway as if in a symphony. Suddenly, an impending, blinding, and life-transforming jolt arrives, as he sees that his mysterious counterpart has also arrived, unexpectedly. He realizes that they both come from an invisible planet, one where the heart's modesty dictates the utmost respect and serene trust. As they both open up to each other, they both begin to slowly awaken and grow more significant. The road was long and full of traps before they found each other, but it was no coincidence, merely a long-awaited, predetermined meeting.
Line by Line Meaning
Il n'est pas de hasard,
There is no coincidence,
il est des rendez-vous,
There are appointments,
pas de coïncidence
No coincidence
Aller vers son destin,
Go towards your destiny,
l'amour au creux des mains,
Love in the palm of your hands,
la démarche paisible
The peaceful approach
Porter au fond de soi,
Carry deep within oneself,
l'intuition qui flamboie,
The intuition that blazes,
l'aventure belle et pure
The beautiful and pure adventure
Celle qui nous révèle,
The one that reveals to us,
superbes et enfantins,
Superb and childlike,
au plus profond de l'âme
Deep within the soul
Porté par l'allégresse,
Carried by joy,
et la douceur de vivre,
And the sweetness of living,
de l'été qui commence
Of the summer that begins
La rumeur de Paris,
The noise of Paris,
comme une symphonie,
Like a symphony,
comme la mer qui balance
Like the swaying sea
J'arrive au rendez-vous,
I arrive at the meeting,
dans l'épaisse fumée,
In the thick smoke,
le monde me bouscule
The world pushes me around
Réfugié dans un coin
Refuge in a corner
et observant de loin
And observing from afar
la foule qui ondule
The undulating crowd
Mais le choc imminent
But the imminent shock
sublime et aveuglant
Sublime and blinding
Sans prévenir arrive
Arrives without warning
Je m'avance et je vois,
I advance and I see,
que tu viens comme moi,
That you come like me,
d'une planète invisible
From an invisible planet
Où la pudeur du cœur,
Where the modesty of the heart,
impose le respect
Commands respect
la confiance sereine
Serene confidence
Et plus tu t'ouvres à moi
And the more you open up to me
et plus je m'aperçois
And the more I realize
que lentement je m'ouvre
That I am slowly opening up
Et plus je m'ouvre à toi
And the more I open up to you
et plus je m'aperçois
And the more I realize
que lentement tu t'ouvres
That you are slowly opening up
Il fut long le chemin
The road was long
et les pièges nombreux
And the pitfalls numerous
avant que l'on se trouve
Before we find each other
Il fut long le chemin
The road was long
les mirages nombreux
And the many mirages
avant que l'on se trouve
Before we find each other
Ce n'est pas un hasard,
This is no coincidence,
c'est notre rendez-vous
This is our appointment
pas une coïncidence.
Not a coincidence.
Contributed by Colton M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.