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]
Midnight Blues
Francoise Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the hurry and the heartache of day disappear
like a curtain of dreams
giving forth and so it seems
I must be getting ready to lose
my midnight blues
and you're here with me
the moon is bright, the night is warm
and it's for free
I don't like the day
I get bored in every way
and if I had the choice
I would choose my midnight blues
if you live for the day
you know what I mean
those who live for the night
can hang on to a dream
midnight is the time that I love to love you
and nothing could be better if you feel the same way too
when the hands on the clock
travel round and meet at the top
I know I'll never live without feeling
midnight blues
and let me tell you how I need
midnight blues
Françoise Hardy’s song “Midnight Blues” is a poignant ode to the magic of the night, with its ability to transform the world around us and bring out emotions that are often tucked away beneath the hustle and bustle of daytime life. She speaks of a time of night when she comes alive and the stresses of the day seem to disappear, leaving her with a sense of freedom and possibility. This feeling is beautifully captured in the metaphor of a “curtain of dreams” that envelops her, as she prepares to experience the midnight blues.
Hardy goes on to sing of the night being made for lovers, and of the joy of spending it with someone special. She contrasts this with her dislike of the daytime, which she finds boring and unfulfilling. To live for the night, she suggests, is to hold onto a dream that can only be fully realized in the midnight hours. The song ends with a powerful affirmation of the value and necessity of midnight blues in Hardy’s life – she cannot imagine living without them.
Overall, the lyrics of “Midnight Blues” capture the sense of transformation that can happen when we step away from the demands of daytime living and allow ourselves to be moved by the magic of the night. It’s a testament to the power of music to evoke emotion and transport us to another world.
Line by Line Meaning
there's a time of night when I come alive getting near
I feel alive during a particular time of the night that is approaching.
the hurry and the heartache of day disappear
All the rush and sadness that the day comes with fades away.
like a curtain of dreams giving forth and so it seems I must be getting ready to lose my midnight blues
As I feel as though I’m ready to lose my midnight sadness, I feel like dreams are flowing in right in front of me, giving me hope that the sadness will soon fade away like a dream.
the night is made for lovers and you're here with me the moon is bright, the night is warm and it's for free
The night is perfect for spending time with your loved one, and as you're here with me, the moon is shining bright, the night is warm and we don’t have to pay for it.
I don't like the day I get bored in every way and if I had the choice I would choose my midnight blues
The daytime is not my favorite as it gets tiring, and if I had an option, I would choose to feel sad during midnight instead.
if you live for the day you know what I mean those who live for the night can hang on to a dream
If you enjoy the daytime, then you’ll understand what I’m talking about, but if you live for the nighttime, you can hold onto a dream throughout the hours of the night.
midnight is the time that I love to love you and nothing could be better if you feel the same way too
I love spending time with you at midnight, and it would be the best thing ever if you feel the same way about it.
when the hands on the clock travel round and meet at the top I know I'll never live without feeling midnight blues
Whenever the hands of the clock meet at the top, I know that I will never live without feeling sad at midnight.
and let me tell you how I need midnight blues
I just want to tell you straightforwardly that I need to feel sad at midnight.
Contributed by Ian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.