Jean-Baptiste Robin (born 5 October 1976) is a French composer and organist… Read Full Bio ↴Jean-Baptiste Robin (born 5 October 1976) is a French composer and organist.

Robin studied composition and organ (with Michel Bouvard and Olivier Latry) at the Conservatoire de Paris, receiving five first prizes. He continued composition studies with George Benjamin (King's College London) and organ studies with Louis Robilliard (Conservatoire de Lyon, Prix de Perfectionnement), Odile Bailleux (Conservatoire de Bourg-la-Reine, Prix de Perfectionnement), and Marie-Claire Alain (regional conservatory of Paris). He was named organist at the Poitiers Cathedral in 2000 and "local" organist for the Chapel of Versailles. He currently teaches organ and composition at the conservatoire in Versailles.

Robin is particularly known for performances of French Baroque organ music, such as his recordings of the complete organ works of Louis Marchand and François Couperin, and also for his interpretations of the works of Jehan Alain and of Felix Mendelssohn . He has also recorded a recital on the EM Skinner Organ at Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal and he is considered as one of the best performer for American Symphonic Organs. He was distinguished artist in residence in Yale University and guest professor in Haarlem International Festival.

Robin has had compositions commissioned by Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble InterContemporain, the Orchestre National de Lyon, the Philharmonia Orchestra, and Radio France among many others. In 2010, Naxos Records released a CD of Robin playing his own organ works.

Romance
Jean-Baptiste Robin Lyrics

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I'll forget the story
I'll remember the feeling
And when the time says it's time to say goodbye

I won't remember how it felt to say goodbye
I'll forget the way you looked in my eyes
And when the time passes by
I'll be watching through rose gold eyes

I won't remember how it felt to say goodbye
I'll forget the way you looked in my eyes
And when the time passes by
I'll be watching through rose gold eyes

I'll think of this as a gift from you to me
A gift for lonely people with lonely things
And I'm not sure why you were so nice
Cause your kindness went away with time

I won't remember how it felt to say goodbye
I'll forget the way you looked in my eyes
And when the time passes by
I'll be watching through rose gold eyes

First we were strangers

Then we were lovers
Now we're strangers again

Overall Meaning

In Jean-Baptiste Robin's song "Romance," the lyrics explore the complex emotions of a relationship that has come to an end. The singer expresses their intention to let go of the specific details and narrative of the story, but they will hold onto the intense emotions they experienced during their time together. The lyrics suggest that time will eventually prompt a goodbye, but the singer emphasizes that they won't remember how it felt to say goodbye or how their partner looked in their eyes. Instead, they envision themselves watching the passing time with a perspective colored by a sense of nostalgia and beauty, symbolized by the phrase "rose gold eyes."

The singer then reflects on the relationship as a gift given to them by their partner. They see it as something that can be cherished by lonely individuals who possess their own loneliness. The lyrics express uncertainty about why their partner was so kind to them, suggesting that over time, their kindness has faded away. The repetition of the lines indicates a desire to hold onto the feelings and memories associated with the relationship, even if the nature of their connection has changed. The final lines of the song highlight the journey from being strangers to becoming lovers and eventually returning to being strangers once more.

Line by Line Meaning

I'll forget the story
I won't remember the details of our past

I'll remember the feeling
I will cherish the emotions we shared

And when the time says it's time to say goodbye
When the moment comes for us to part ways

I won't remember how it felt to say goodbye
I won't recall the emotions of bidding farewell

I'll forget the way you looked in my eyes
I won't retain the memory of your gaze

And when the time passes by
As time moves forward

I'll be watching through rose gold eyes
I'll observe from a nostalgic perspective

I'll think of this as a gift from you to me
I'll consider our experiences as a meaningful present

A gift for lonely people with lonely things
Something that brings solace to those who feel alone

And I'm not sure why you were so nice
I ponder the reason behind your kindness

Cause your kindness went away with time
Because your generosity faded as time passed