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
Toboggan
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Volées à des foules amnésiques
J'ai longtemps laissé ma conscience
Vagabonder sur sa musique
Les vents violents venus des villes
M'entraînent au cœur d'un ouragan
Et déjà je suis dans la file
Qui conduit vers le toboggan
Je me souviens d'étoiles filantes
Distordues dans les galaxies
D'où j'appelais l'horloge parlante
Pour avoir de la compagnie
Les feux de mes nuits éphémères
Tracent un point d'orgue sur mon chant
Je n'suis qu'un escroc solitaire
Un truand qui blanchit du vent
Qui blanchit des mots et du vent
Inutile, absurde et tremblant
Dans l'ordre d'un destin troublant
J'écoute le souffle de l'instant
Et l'accélération du temps
Là-bas devant le toboggan
Là-bas devant le toboggan
Poursuivi par des vieilles rengaines
Des mots d'amour des mails transis
J'abandonne à la faune urbaine
Les garanties de ma survie
Les vents violents venus d'ailleurs
Soufflent et sifflent en se lamentant
Et maintenant devrais-je avoir peur
Et fuir devant le toboggan?
Et fuir devant le toboggan?
The lyrics to Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine's song "Toboggan" depict the singer's reflections on his past and present experiences. He describes himself as a "trafficker of memories stolen from forgetful crowds," suggesting that he has taken inspiration for his art from the collective unconscious. Thiéfaine admits to having let his conscience wander aimlessly over his music for a long time ("J'ai longtemps laissé ma conscience vagabonder sur sa musique"), implying that his creative process used to be less intentional or focused. He then likens himself to a solitary thief who "whitens" (i.e., purloins or launders) words and wind, suggesting that his creativity now involves more calculated deception.
The singer goes on to reminisce about watching shooting stars from the distorted vantage point of distant galaxies and using the talking clock for company - experiences that hail from a time long gone by. Thiéfaine further reflects on the fleeting nature of his artistic output ("Les feux de mes nuits éphémères / Tracent un point d'orgue sur mon chant") and the troubled destiny that has shaped his life ("Dans l'ordre d'un destin troublant"). As he stands before the "toboggan," which is presumably a metaphor for the path leading to his future, the singer listens to the "breath of the moment" (i.e., his intuition) and the "acceleration of time," implying that he is becoming more attuned to his artistic vision and aspirations.
Line by Line Meaning
Trafiquant de réminiscences
I deal in memories stolen from forgetful crowds
Volées à des foules amnésiques
These memories are taken from people who have forgotten them
J'ai longtemps laissé ma conscience
For a long time, I have let my conscience wander
Vagabonder sur sa musique
Following the rhythm of my music
Les vents violents venus des villes
The strong winds that come from the cities
M'entraînent au cœur d'un ouragan
Pull me into the middle of a hurricane
Et déjà je suis dans la file
And already I'm in the line
Qui conduit vers le toboggan
Heading towards the slide
Je me souviens d'étoiles filantes
I remember shooting stars
Distordues dans les galaxies
Distorted in galaxies
D'où j'appelais l'horloge parlante
And there, I called the speaking clock
Pour avoir de la compagnie
To have someone to talk to
Les feux de mes nuits éphémères
The lights of my ephemeral nights
Tracent un point d'orgue sur mon chant
Trace a climax to my song
Je n'suis qu'un escroc solitaire
I'm just a lonely swindler
Un truand qui blanchit du vent
A crook who launders air
Qui blanchit des mots et du vent
Whitewashing words and air
Inutile, absurde et tremblant
Useless, absurd and trembling
Dans l'ordre d'un destin troublant
In the order of a disturbing destiny
J'écoute le souffle de l'instant
I listen to the breath of the moment
Et l'accélération du temps
And the acceleration of time
Là-bas devant le toboggan
Over there, in front of the slide
Poursuivi par des vieilles rengaines
Chased by old songs
Des mots d'amour des mails transis
Words of love from teary emails
J'abandonne à la faune urbaine
I abandon myself to the urban fauna
Les garanties de ma survie
The guarantees of my survival
Les vents violents venus d'ailleurs
The strong winds that come from elsewhere
Soufflent et sifflent en se lamentant
Blow and whistle as they lament
Et maintenant devrais-je avoir peur
And now should I be afraid
Et fuir devant le toboggan?
And run away from the slide?
Et fuir devant le toboggan?
And run away from the slide?
Lyrics © LILITH EROTICA
Written by: Christopher BOARD, Hubert-Félix THIEFAINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LeCorbeauQuiJoue
Une des plus belles chansons du plus grand artiste ...
Éternel Errant
Thiefaine est un surréaliste sublime.
Janine Blanchet
Toujours aussi bouleversant .Fabuleux partage merci de toutes ces chansons , grandiose Poète, Musique des âmes mélancolique
Chidaaaaaa
Merci d'avoir joué ce morceau, il manquait à la setlist de la précédente tournée.
'C'que cette chanson résonne en moi.. :'O
Jonagath J
Très belle interprétation ! ❤👍Merci !
LOUISIANE
Emotion assurément......🌞⭐🌞💖💖
julien roulant
Proche de la perfection nous sommes, alors merci Monsieur Thiéfaine...
Yann Kart68
Magnifique, cette version particulièrement ...
lionel chenot
J ' adore cette chanson ; - )
marcolinux
hypnotique !!!