Françoise Hardy signed her first contract with the record label Vogue in November 1961. In April 1962, shortly after finishing school, her first record Oh Oh Chéri appeared, written by Johnny Hallyday's writing duo. Her own flip side of the record, "Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles" became a success, riding the wave of Yé-yé music in France, with two million sales.
Hardy sang in French, English, Italian, Spanish, and German. In 1963 she came fifth for Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest with "L'amour s'en va". In 1963, she was awarded the Grand Prix Du Disque of the Charles Cros Academy.
In 1981, she married her long-time companion Jacques Dutronc, with whom she had had a son, Thomas Dutronc, in 1973. In 1994, she collaborated with the British pop group Blur for their "La Comedie" version of To The End. In May 2000, she made a comeback with the album Clair Obscur. Her son played guitar and her husband sang the duet "Puisque Vous Partez En Voyage." Iggy Pop and Étienne Daho also took part. Hardy lives near Paris and Dutronc lives in Monticello, Corsica, although they remain a couple.[citation needed]
Contre-Jour
Francoise Hardy Lyrics
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ca et là quelques contours
Quelques ombres floues, noir et or
L'odeur sucrée des glycines
La douceur que l'on devine
Menacante comme l'eau qui dort
Qu'il voulait ce qu'elle voulait
Elle le voulait plus près d'elle
Il lui disait dans un souffle
Gentiment, comme à regret
Qu'il ne fallait pas qu'elle l'aime
Un murmure, à peine un souffle
Pour éteindre le feu qui nait
Ou pour incendier les veines
Dans la bouche un goût de cendre
Combien d'années à attendre
Que les souvenirs s'évaporent ?
Combien d'années de mort lente ?
Pour qui remonter la pente ?
Esclave en son âme, en son corps
Il lui disait dans un souffle
De ne pas l'abandonner
De le garder sous son aile
Elle répondait dans un souffle
Les toujours et les jamais
De la passion qui déferle
Quelquefois les hommes qui souffrent
Préfèrent les lieux tempérés
Les tons gris ou bleu pastel
Comme ces fleurs bardées d'épines
Sa douceur est assassine
Éloignez de vous l'eau qui dort
Quand arrive la fin du jour
Regrette-t-il les amours
Aux couleurs de feu, noir et or ?
The lyrics to Francoise Hardy's song "Contre-Jour" describe a scene where the sun is setting behind the main character, casting a shadow on everything in front of her. The contours of any objects are easily visible due to the light, although there are still some hazy shadows in darker tones that are visible. The scent of the blooming glycines is in the air, and it seems both sweet and threatening at the same time. Her partner whispers to her that he wants what she wants, but also warns her not to love him. This contradictory statement is softly said, as if trying to smother the flame of their passion, but also add fuel to the fire.
As the song continues, the main character and her partner continue to whisper to each other in hushed tones about what they want and what they cannot have. There is a taste of ashes in her mouth as she wonders how many years it will take for her memories to fade away. She also questions if it is worth it to keep going when it is a slow death. Despite this, she still has feelings for her partner and will not abandon him, while he still whispers to her not to love him. This is the tumultuous relationship that is described in the lyrics, filled with passion and pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Le soleil en contre-jour
The sun in backlight
ça et là quelques contours
Here and there some outlines
Quelques ombres floues, noir et or
Some blurry shadows, black and gold
L'odeur sucrée des glycines
The sweet smell of wisterias
La douceur que l'on devine
The sweetness that is felt
Menacante comme l'eau qui dort
Threatening like still water
Il lui disait dans un souffle
He told her in a whisper
Qu'il voulait ce qu'elle voulait
That he wanted what she wanted
Elle le voulait plus près d'elle
She wanted him closer to her
Gentiment, comme à regret
Gently, as if regretful
Qu'il ne fallait pas qu'elle l'aime
That she shouldn't love him
Un murmure, à peine un souffle
A murmur, barely a whisper
Pour éteindre le feu qui nait
To put out the rising fire
Ou pour incendier les veines
Or to ignite the veins
Dans la bouche un goût de cendre
In the mouth, a taste of ashes
Combien d'années à attendre
How many years to wait
Que les souvenirs s'évaporent ?
Until memories fade away?
Combien d'années de mort lente ?
How many years of slow death?
Pour qui remonter la pente ?
For whom to climb uphill?
Esclave en son âme, en son corps
Enslaved in his soul, in his body
De ne pas l'abandonner
Not to abandon him
De le garder sous son aile
To keep him under her wing
Elle répondait dans un souffle
She replied in a whisper
Les toujours et les jamais
The always and the nevers
De la passion qui déferle
Of the passion that surges
Quelquefois les hommes qui souffrent
Sometimes men who suffer
Préfèrent les lieux tempérés
Prefer temperate places
Les tons gris ou bleu pastel
The gray or pastel blue tones
Comme ces fleurs bardées d'épines
Like these flower covered in thorns
Sa douceur est assassine
Its sweetness is deadly
Éloignez de vous l'eau qui dort
Keep away from you the still water
Quand arrive la fin du jour
When the end of the day comes
Regrette-t-il les amours
Does he regret his loves
Aux couleurs de feu, noir et or ?
With colors of fire, black, and gold?
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Hardy Francoise, Burger Rodolphe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind