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
Was ist das Rock'n'roll
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans le grognement lourd des groins qui s'entrechoquent.
De nature solitaire, je me terre pour me taire
Mais mon double pervers joue dans un groupe de rock.
J'ai quelques mauvais dons d'acrobatie verbale,
Surtout les soirs d'hiver quand j'suis black et d'équerre.
Tel un Douanier Rousseau du graffiti verbal,
J'fais des bulles et des rots en astiquant mes vers.
Was ist das... was ist das...
Was ist das rock'n'roll ?
J'suis un vieux désespoir de la chanson française
Qui fait blinder ses tiags pour marcher quand ça loose.
Ma langue natale est morte dans ses charentaises,
Faute d'avoir su swinguer au rythme de son blues.
Was ist das... was ist das...
Was ist das rock'n'roll ?
Mais je veux de la miouse qui braqu'marde et qui beugle.
Avec Beethov en sourd, je suis borgne à Toulouse.
En attendant d'chanter en braille chez les aveugles,
Je sors ma Winchester pour mieux cracher mon blues.
Fin d'autorisation de délirer sans fin
J'dois contrôler l'vu-mètre avant qu'ça passe au rouge.
Mes idoles defunctees se saoulent avec mon vin
Et traînent leurs feux follets hilares au fond des bouges.
Was ist das... was ist das...
Was ist das rock'n'roll ?
{und so weiter}
In "Was ist das Rock'n'roll," Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine ponders the meaning of rock and roll and its place in his life. He sings about his solitary nature and how his "perverse double" loves to play in a rock band, even as he struggles with his own limitations as a songwriter. Despite being a "vieux désespoir de la chanson française" (old despair of French song), Thiéfaine desires the power of music that throbs and bellows. He compares himself to a Douanier Rousseau of verbal graffiti, creating bubbles and burps while shining up his verses. His language and musical style are exiles from France (dead in its charentaises), but he reaches out to the world with the thrills of rock'n'roll: a rhythm that can't be tamed.
Line by Line Meaning
200.000 ans déjà que je zone sur la terre,
I have been wandering on this earth for 200,000 years already,
Dans le grognement lourd des groins qui s'entrechoquent.
In the heavy grunting of the snouts that collide.
De nature solitaire, je me terre pour me taire
By nature, I am solitary and conceal myself to keep silent,
Mais mon double pervers joue dans un groupe de rock.
But my perverse doppelganger plays in a rock band.
J'ai quelques mauvais dons d'acrobatie verbale,
I have some bad talents in verbal acrobatics,
Surtout les soirs d'hiver quand j'suis black et d'équerre.
Especially on winter nights when I am black and square.
Tel un Douanier Rousseau du graffiti verbal,
Like a Douanier Rousseau of verbal graffiti,
J'fais des bulles et des rots en astiquant mes vers.
I blow bubbles and burp while polishing my verses.
Was ist das... was ist das...
What is this... what is this...
Was ist das rock'n'roll ?
What is rock'n'roll?
J'suis un vieux désespoir de la chanson française
I am an old despair of French song,
Qui fait blinder ses tiags pour marcher quand ça loose.
Who armored his cowboy boots to walk when it fails.
Ma langue natale est morte dans ses charentaises,
My native language died in its slippers,
Faute d'avoir su swinguer au rythme de son blues.
Because it didn't know how to swing to the rhythm of its blues.
Mais je veux de la miouse qui braqu'marde et qui beugle.
But I want music that growls and yells.
Avec Beethov en sourd, je suis borgne à Toulouse.
With Beethoven turned deaf, I am one-eyed in Toulouse.
En attendant d'chanter en braille chez les aveugles,
While waiting to sing in braille to the blind,
Je sors ma Winchester pour mieux cracher mon blues.
I take out my Winchester to better spit out my blues.
Fin d'autorisation de délirer sans fin
End of permission to endlessly rave,
J'dois contrôler l'vu-mètre avant qu'ça passe au rouge.
I must check the meter before it goes red.
Mes idoles defunctees se saoulent avec mon vin
My deceased idols get drunk with my wine
Et traînent leurs feux follets hilares au fond des bouges.
And drag their laughing will-o'-the-wisps to the depths of dives.
Was ist das... was ist das...
What is this... what is this...
Was ist das rock'n'roll ?
What is rock'n'roll?
{und so weiter}
{and so on}
Contributed by Ava V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.