Jo disassembles the group and goes for resulting a solo career, g in the album "Concorde" ( 1983 ) which contains a face in French and a face in English (yes, it still was the time of the vinyl!). "Concorde" becomes a golden disc and confirms her talent and originality. In the same vein she produces the album "Jo Lemaire" (1984) completely in French and we find rock, pop - and funky songs as part of her repertoire.
After three golden discs and a small break, Jo Lemaire returns in force in 1990 with "Duelle", a remarkable album full of intimate French songs. Golden disc again, "Duelle" is warmly welcomed by the French public. It is in 1991 that Jo Lemaire sings for the first time in Dutch on the cd " Turalura " in honour of one of Belgium’s greatest male artists.
Meanwhile, Jo becomes more and more known and popular beyond the Belgian borders, notably in France (Transmusicales of Rennes, the Spring of Bourges, the tour Rock in France), in the Netherlands, in Switzerland and in Canada, where she is invited several times to perform at the festivals of Montreal and Quebec.
In 1992 the album "Aujourd’hui" is produced, followed in the same stride by the compilation " Jo Lemaire Master Serie". Two years later the CD "Liverpool" (recorded in the that same city and produced by Carmel Mc Court) scores well with the public. Then follows "Tranches de Vie", the first one of three successful tours in theatres and Cultural centres of Belgium and the Netherlands.
"Jour et Nuit" is the next album in 1997, co-produced with some well-known artists, like Frank Boeijen ( Nl), Wigbert Van Lierde ( B ) e.o.
After her election as " the most popular Walloon personality of Belgium" by the young readers of the newspaper "De Morgen" she also begins a concert tour in the Flemish schools where she incites, by songs in French, the young pupils to be interested in a playful way in the French language and she finds herself outlined as being a unique ambassadress of the French culture in Belgium.
The same year, Jo is the ‘surprise guest’ of the PROMS-concerts in Antwerp and performs 15 evenings in front of 18.000 spectators a night. She sings with the extended symphonic orchestra ' Il Novecento ' together with artists such as the Simple Minds, Deborah Harry (Blondy), Alan Parsons Projects....etc
Her success is of such a scale that the organizers see themselves obliged, after three representations, to change the order of passage. Jo’s popularity nears that of the mythical group " Simple Minds ".
In 1998 Jo makes her first steps as actress / singer in the musical "Brel Blues" in which 19 songs of the master (Jacques Brel) are translated into Dutch. A new proof of Jo's polyglotism. By way of thanking the Flemish and the Dutch public, she records the CD " Enkelvoud " on which we find translations of her best songs by famous Dutch and Belgian authors like Geert Van Istendael, Benno Barnard and Bart Moeyaert.
At the end of the year, in the LAK theatre of Leiden in the Netherlands, Jo presents a series of fantastic spectacles, together with Liesbeth List (Nl), where Jo approaches for the first time the Piaf repertoire.
1999...
is doubtless " the PIAF year " for Jo Lemaire. She begins her tour " Piaf - Une vie " in the renowned Brussels theatre, ‘l’ Ancienne Belgique’. Nobody ever expected that her personal interpretation (no imitation!) of the unforgettable Edith Piaf-songs would meet such a tremendous success. To date, Jo performed 250 concerts of ths show. The first ones in the Ancienne Belgique were also recorded "live" and put on CD in September of this year. The ‘Piaf’ performances were also the object of a video / program broadcasted on the Belgian television and the VAR takes care of the world distribution of this broadcast.
The success of her concerts ' Une Vie ' continues until December 2000. In the summer of that year, Jo Lemaire makes her fourth appearance at the " Summer festival of Quebec " during an honouring for Piaf and she receives the praises of the present (French-speaking) world press. The spectacle was diffused worldwide several times by TV5.
At the end of the year Jo underlines once again the flexibility of her vocal capacities by beginning a X-Mas tour in theatres, churches and museums of Flanders together with the ' Vlaams Radio Koor ' (Radio Choir of Flanders).
2001...
At first the year began in studio with the recording of a new CD (title: "Flagrants Délices") which was released in September and, according to the press, was ‘the best of Jo Lemaire.
After the success of the "Piaf / Une Vie" tour, Dirk Brossé (conductor of international fame) and Jo Lemaire decide to make some exclusive recitals with that repertoire, accompanied by symphonic orchestras. They prove to be another bull’s-eye. Besides, a new tour of concerts "Transit" was launched with very good critics in the press.
But the years 2001 and 2002 have mainly been "working"-years, with an average of 100 concerts per year.
The continuous search for optimal top-class and quality, combined with her polyglot capacities, results in a raising demand for Jo to perform more and more within the business-world. In such an extent that, today, about 65% of her concerts is situated in ths environment.
Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Quebec, Paris, Reims, New-York, Hong-Kong,....in all these cities Jo is asked to add lustre to private and/or business parties, seminars, inaugurations, openings, etc...
As time goes, by in the year, 2003, Jo records a double-album and creates a new show. For this she developed a beautiful sound and assembled a band of internationally renowned musicians. The CD was released in October. The international character of CD and show are enormously appreciated by the public and the Belgian press, resulting in sold-out theatres and ditto standing ovations.
Among the numerous special projects that Jo may perform we find, among others, the concert on January, 31st 2005 in the Bozar (former Palais des Beaux Arts) in Brussels. This concert was attended by the current queen Paola of Belgium. One more proof of Jo’s class which finds its resonance into the highest regions…..
Tentations
Jo Lemaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
T'es tenté par tes désirs
Soit fort baisse pas les bras
À chaque fois que tu chute
Bah le diable est content
Mais bon prend ta vie en main
Arrête de faire l′inconscient
On vie dans un monde en chien
À ne pas faiblir face au malin
Je ne cherche surtout pas à te plaire
Je fais la volonté du père
T'es adolescent et quoi encore?
T′as pas besoin de salir ton corps
C à la mode tu dis? Quoi répète encore
Ne vous conformez pas au siècle présent
Mais soyez transformés par le renouvellement de l′intelligence
Afin que vous discerniez qu'elle est la volonté de Dieu
Ce qui est bon, agréable et parfait
Refrain: les désirs, les plaisirs;
Je ne veux pas faiblir face aux tentations
Oui j′en ai marre
De me faire tenté chaque soir
Chui quand même pas un cadavre
Petit frère suis mon exemple
Je vais te parler de moi
Sois attentif
Écoute bien mon histoire
Un beau jour on me prophétise
Demande toi ce qui m'a été dit
Que je suis le pilier de ma famille
Que j′ai un grand ministère évangélique
Que je dois faire attention aux filles
Ça sera cela ma plus grande lutte
Tenté par tout mes envies
Je sais que je les surmonterai avec l'aide du saint esprit
Saint esprit saint esprit
Refrain: Refrain: les désirs,
Les plaisirs; je ne veux pas faiblir face aux tentations
Les désires charnel
Qui fondent comme du caramel
Qui sont sur la langues comme du miel
Qui t′attirent vers les ténèbres
Moi je ne cherche que la Lumiere
Me détacher de tous ce qui es mondain
De toute les musiques mondaines
Les influences qui craignent
Me détacher des mes chaînes
Retrouvez mes repères
Être le sel de la terre
Être le fils de mon père
Tentations sous terre
Ignoré ce monde éphémère
Recherché la vie éternel
Réf: Refrain: les désirs, l
Es plaisirs; je ne veux pas faiblir face aux tentations
The lyrics of Jo Lemaire's song "Tentations" tackle the challenges of staying true to one's Christian faith in a world that is dominated by temptations and desires. The song urges listeners not to give in to their weaknesses and to remain strong in their convictions. The first verse acknowledges the presence of temptation in one's life and encourages the listener not to be swayed by it. The line "Le diable est content" (the devil is happy) suggests that giving in to temptation is a victory for the devil. However, the song suggests that it is important to take control of one's life and not be reckless and foolish.
The second verse is a personal reflection on the singer's own struggles with temptation. The song talks about how the singer was prophesied to have a great evangelical ministry and was warned to be careful of girls. However, the singer admits to being tempted by his desires. The singer manages to overcome these desires and resist temptation with the help of the Holy Spirit.
In essence, "Tentations" is an affirmation of the difficulties and struggles encountered in the pursuit of a righteous life. The song is about the importance of remaining faithful to one's beliefs and fighting against the temptations and desires that arise in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
T′es chrétien ou pas?
Are you a Christian or not?
T'es tenté par tes désirs
You are tempted by your desires
Soit fort baisse pas les bras
Be strong, don't give up
À chaque fois que tu chute
Every time you fall
Bah le diable est content
The devil is happy
Mais bon prend ta vie en main
But take control of your life
Arrête de faire l′inconscient
Stop being careless
On vie dans un monde en chien
We live in a tough world
Oui j'exhorte tout les miens
Yes, I urge all of mine
À ne pas faiblir face au malin
Not to weaken in the face of evil
Je ne cherche surtout pas à te plaire
I'm not trying to please you
Je fais la volonté du père
I do the will of the Father
T'es adolescent et quoi encore?
You're a teenager, so what?
T′as pas besoin de salir ton corps
You don't need to defile your body
C à la mode tu dis? Quoi répète encore
It's fashionable, you say? What, say it again
Ne vous conformez pas au siècle présent
Do not conform to this present age
Mais soyez transformés par le renouvellement de l′intelligence
But be transformed by the renewal of your mind
Afin que vous discerniez qu'elle est la volonté de Dieu
So that you may discern what the will of God is
Ce qui est bon, agréable et parfait
What is good, pleasing, and perfect
Refrain: les désirs, les plaisirs;
Chorus: desires, pleasures;
Je ne veux pas faiblir face aux tentations
I don't want to weaken in the face of temptation
Oui j′en ai marre
Yes, I'm tired
De me faire tenté chaque soir
Of being tempted every night
Chui quand même pas un cadavre
I'm not a corpse after all
Petit frère suis mon exemple
Little brother, follow my example
Je vais te parler de moi
I'm going to talk to you about myself
Sois attentif
Be attentive
Écoute bien mon histoire
Listen to my story closely
Un beau jour on me prophétise
One fine day, I receive a prophecy
Demande toi ce qui m'a été dit
Ask yourself what was said to me
Que je suis le pilier de ma famille
That I am the pillar of my family
Que j′ai un grand ministère évangélique
That I have a big evangelical ministry
Que je dois faire attention aux filles
That I should be careful with girls
Ça sera cela ma plus grande lutte
That will be my biggest struggle
Tenté par tout mes envies
Tempted by all my desires
Je sais que je les surmonterai avec l'aide du saint esprit
I know that I will overcome them with the help of the Holy Spirit
Refrain: Refrain: les désirs,
Chorus: desires,
Les plaisirs; je ne veux pas faiblir face aux tentations
Pleasures; I don't want to weaken in the face of temptation
Les désires charnel
Carnal desires
Qui fondent comme du caramel
Which melt like caramel
Qui sont sur la langues comme du miel
Which are on the tongue like honey
Qui t′attirent vers les ténèbres
Which attract you towards darkness
Moi je ne cherche que la Lumiere
I only seek the Light
Me détacher de tous ce qui es mondain
Detach myself from all that is worldly
De toute les musiques mondaines
From all the worldly music
Les influences qui craignent
The influences that are fearful
Me détacher des mes chaînes
Break free from my chains
Retrouvez mes repères
Find my bearings again
Être le sel de la terre
Be the salt of the earth
Être le fils de mon père
Be the son of my Father
Tentations sous terre
Temptations underground
Ignoré ce monde éphémère
Ignore this temporary world
Recherché la vie éternel
Seek eternal life
Réf: Refrain: les désirs, l
Chorus: desires,
Es plaisirs; je ne veux pas faiblir face aux tentations
Pleasures; I don't want to weaken in the face of temptation
Writer(s): Jo Lemaire, Fa Van Ham
Contributed by Lucas N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.