Mostly shunned by television and radio, he has built through word of mouth and frequent touring a considerable following over the years, which allowed him to fill the 17,000-seater Palais Omnisport de Bercy for an anniversary concert in 1998. In recent years he has been increasingly name-dropped as an influence by the latest generation of performers in France, and was the subject of a tribute album of covers in 2002. He has been performing since the late 1960s and releasing records since 1978.
His parents sent him to a catholic boarding school. He spent few years there, where being singled out by his schoolmates started to be interested in great poets (such as Rimbaud) and writers. The catholic education he received will leave its mark on him. He became nonconformist; he wrote blasphemous lyrics, such as "Au nom du Pere, au nom du vice, au nom des rades et des mégots" (In the name of the Father, in the name of vice, in the name of the cafés and the (cigarette) butts), made biblical and latin references in "Femme de Loth" and many others. Musically, H-FT draws mostly from classic rock, with rare nods to the latest musical trends, and generally leaves the arranging to a collaborator. But his songs are most notable for instantly recognisable lyrics, with their trademarks streams of consciousness, surreal and often extreme or dark imagery, often tinged with comedy, cynicism, literary references, neologisms and liberal use of scientific, long or foreign words. The lyrical mayhem sometimes spreads into comically long song titles, such as Enfermé dans les cabinets (avec la fille mineure des 80 chasseurs), or Exercice de simple provocation avec 33 fois le mot « coupable ».
His avowed influences include Léo Ferré, Lou Reed, and many French, Anglo-saxon and German novelists and poets, with a preference for romantic litterature.
Discography
* 1978 - Tout corps vivant branché sur le secteur étant appelé à s'émouvoir
* 1979 - Autorisation de délirer
* 1980 - De l'amour, de l'art ou du cochon
* 1981 - Dernières balises (avant mutation)
* 1982 - Soleil cherche futur
* 1983 - En concert - live (double album)
* 1984 - Alambic/sortie-sud
* 1986 - En concert vol.2 - live
* 1986 - Météo für nada
* 1988 - Eros über alles
* 1988 - 1978-1983 - compilation
* 1988 - Routes 88 - live
* 1989 - 1984-1988 - compilation
* 1990 - Chroniques bluesymentales
* 1993 - Fragments d'hébétude
* 1995 - Paris-Zénith - live (double album)
* 1996 - La tentation du bonheur
* 1998 - Le bonheur de la tentation
* 1998 - 1978-1998 - compilation
* 1999 - En Concert A Bercy - live (double album)
* 2001 - Défloration 13
* 2002 - Au Bataclan - live
* 2005 - Scandale mélancolique
Diogène série 87
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ou à Rockabilly-Picpus,
Tu cuis ton cœur au bourre-couillon
Et l'offre aux filles des abris-bus.
Poch'tron 24 heures sur 24,
Joyeux bignole de l'inferno,
Tu fais tes rallyes de 4 x 4
Dans les égouts de nos cerveaux.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Glaireux blaireau.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Héros de la classe moins zéro.
Et tu rigoles des histrions
Qui cherchent dans l'opéra mundi
Le succès-sucette à crampons
Qui les f'ra goder pour la nuit...
Pinocchios des arts médaillés,
Stropias du mérite rock 'n' roll,
Docteurs honoris variété,
Branlés à blanc par la gloriole.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Glaireux blaireau.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Héros de la classe moins zéro.
Trop lessivé pour faire le beau
Avec ces pitres besogneux
Et l'cœur trop niqué trop pseudo
Pour te prendre encore au sérieux,
Tu viens rêver sous les glaviots
Ricanant putois solitaire
Et me faire vibrer de tes rots
Et de tes rires crépusculaires.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Glaireux blaireau.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Héros de la classe moins zéro.
The lyrics to Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine's song "Diogène série 87" depict an admiration for the titular character, who is represented as a homeless person living in various locations like Buzenval-Station and Rockabilly-Picpus. Despite his destitute state, Diogène is portrayed as someone who has rejected the values of mainstream society, as evidenced by his dismissal of the "Pinocchios des arts médaillés" and the "Stropias du mérite rock 'n' roll", both seen as emblematic of the inauthenticity and cynicism of the cultural world. In contrast to them, Diogène is celebrated for his independence and his ability to find humor in his situation, reflected in his "vibrant burps" and "crepuscular laughs".
The portrayal of Diogène echoes the ancient Greek philosopher of the same name, who was known for his opposition to societal conventions, living in poverty, and embracing asceticism. In the song, Diogène is again celebrated as a "hero of the class less than zero". This characterization speaks to the song's broader theme of rejecting the oppressive structures of society and finding meaning outside of mainstream culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Clochard à Buzenval-Station
Homeless person at Buzenval-Station
Ou à Rockabilly-Picpus,
Or at Rockabilly-Picpus,
Tu cuis ton cœur au bourre-couillon
You cook your heart in the fool's stew,
Et l'offre aux filles des abris-bus.
And offer it to girls at bus shelters.
Poch'tron 24 heures sur 24,
Drunk 24 hours a day,
Joyeux bignole de l'inferno,
Happy fool of the inferno,
Tu fais tes rallyes de 4 x 4
You do your 4x4 rallies
Dans les égouts de nos cerveaux.
In the sewers of our brains.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Diogenes! I salute you,
Glaireux blaireau.
Greasy badger.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Diogenes! I salute you,
Héros de la classe moins zéro.
Hero of the less than zero class.
Et tu rigoles des histrions
And you laugh at the histrions,
Qui cherchent dans l'opéra mundi
Who search in the opéra mundi,
Le succès-sucette à crampons
The spike-lollipop success
Qui les f'ra goder pour la nuit...
That will make them cum all night...
Pinocchios des arts médaillés,
Medaled arts' Pinocchios,
Stropias du mérite rock 'n' roll,
Rock 'n' roll merit's liars,
Docteurs honoris variété,
Honorary doctors of variety,
Branlés à blanc par la gloriole.
Shaken down by the glory.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Diogenes! I salute you,
Glaireux blaireau.
Greasy badger.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Diogenes! I salute you,
Héros de la classe moins zéro.
Hero of the less than zero class.
Trop lessivé pour faire le beau
Too washed-out to show off,
Avec ces pitres besogneux
With these hardworking clowns,
Et l'cœur trop niqué trop pseudo
And the heart too screwed, too fake
Pour te prendre encore au sérieux,
To take you seriously again,
Tu viens rêver sous les glaviots
You come to dream under the spit,
Ricanant putois solitaire
Laughing alone like a skunk,
Et me faire vibrer de tes rots
And make me shiver with your belches,
Et de tes rires crépusculaires.
And your twilight laughter.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Diogenes! I salute you,
Glaireux blaireau.
Greasy badger.
Diogène ! Je te salue,
Diogenes! I salute you,
Héros de la classe moins zéro.
Hero of the less than zero class.
Contributed by Lila V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.