Their tracks often feature acoustic guitar and accordion, as well as some tracks containing many other 'traditional' instruments such as piano and brass. Their style is fairly upbeat and energetic on the majority of their tracks, with unusual rhythms, vocals delivered with a generous dose of zeal and vibrant energy, and accompaniment melodies ranging from lilting and distant to eccentric and fast-paced. These two factors give many of their pieces a strong sense of direction.
Les Négresses Vertes arose from the alternative music scene in Paris. The original line-up included singer Helno (born Noël Rota in Paris, December 25, 1963 - January 22, 1993, also known as Helno Rota de Lourcqua), Jo Roz (also known as l'Ami Ro; real name Joe Ruffier des Aimes) (piano), Stéfane Mellino (guitar), Jean-Marie Paulus (bass), Gaby (drums), Matthias Canavese (accordion), Michel Ochowiak (trumpet), Abraham Sirinix (also known as Abraham Braham) (trombone) and Iza Mellino (backing vocals).
The original members were a group of friends, many of whom had not played their instruments before forming the band. The group's name translates as "green black women"; it arose from abuse hurled at them at one of their first concerts. They were initially signed to the independent Off The Track label, and released the punk protest song "200 Ans D'Hypocrisie" in response to their country's French Revolution bicentennial celebrations.
In 1989 they released their first album, Mlah, to good reviews in both France and the UK, where the single "Zobi La Mouche" just failed to reach the charts and where they toured and played the WOMAD festival. They also made a controversial tour of Lebanon. Their second album, Famille Nombreuse, in 1991, featured new drummer Zé Verbalito.
Helno was by this time struggling with serious heroin addiction, and Stéfane Mellino and Canavese replaced him as the main songwriters. Helno died at his parents' house on January 22, 1993.
Several members left the band after Helno's death, but Les Négresses Vertes continued around the nucleus of Mellino, Canavese, Ochowiak and Paulus. In 1995 they released the album Zig-Zague, followed by the live album Green Bus. By 2000's Trabendo, the group's style had shifted to a dub-orientated lounge style. They disbanded in 2001.
Albums
* Mlah (1988)
* Famille Nombreuse (1991)
* 10 Remixes (1993)
* An Aperitif (1994)
* Zig-Zague (1994)
* Green Bus (1996), live
* Trabendo (1999)
* Acoustic Clubbing (2001)
* Les grand deballage (2002) ('Best of' album)
* L'essentiel (2004)('Best of' album)
* À l'Affiche (2006)
Singles
* Il (1989)
* Zobi La Mouche (1989)
* Voila L’ete(1989)
* Hou! Mamma Mia (1992)
* Sous Le soleil de bodega (1992)
* Apres La pluie (1994)
* Mambo Show (1994)
* A Quoi Bon (1995)
* Easy Girls (1999)
* Leila (1999)
* Hasta Llegar (2000) ('Promo' CD - was never released)
* Spank / Abuela (2000)
Les mégots
Les Négresses Vertes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ils sont là par dizaine
Ils ont fait leur devoir
sans soucis, sans problème
Tous ces mégots
Que l'on regarde de haut
Le blond ou brun
Ils regrettent l'époque
des délires entre clopes
L'amertume au bout des lèvres
La gauloise au bout des doigts
Les mégots ont une histoire
que d'autres non pas
Les mégots ont une histoire
que d'autres non pas
Pendant leurs heures de gloire
Ils faisaient un tabac
Sans y penser
se consummaient tout bas
Tous ces mégots
que l'on regarde de haut
Plus d'une fois
ont occupé les doigts
Et donné des vertiges
à ceux qui n'osaient pas
L'amertume au bout des lèvres
La gauloise au bout des doigts
Les mégots ont une histoire
que d'autres non pas
Les mégots ont une histoire que d'autres non pas
Le teint cendré
dans la sciure et la fumée
on les piétine
ils ont pris perpétuité
Tous ces mégots
que l'on regarde de haut
au pied du comptoir
ils sont là par dizaine
Les mégots ont une histoire
que d'autres non pas (x4)
The song Les Megots by Les Négresses Vertes paints a picture of cigarette butts being overlooked and unrecognized for their life experiences. The opening lines describe the butts as being present in large numbers at the foot of the bar, having fulfilled their duty without worry or trouble. The significance of this is that cigarettes have been used and discarded so frequently over time that they have become an unnoticed and environmentally damaging component of social life. The following lines use the contrast between the superiority of individuals and the lower status of cigarette butts to emphasize how valuable and unique every individual story is, including those of the discarded butts. The bitter taste of the cigarette butt on the lips and the Gauloises at the end of the fingertips are mentioned to highlight the experience of the smoker and the personal connection formed with each individual cigarette. The repetition of the phrase “Les mégots ont une histoire que d'autres non pas” (Cigarette butts have a history that others do not) throughout the song asserts how every cigarette butt is unique in the same way that people are.
The song also mentions how cigarette butts have played a role in social interactions and memories, referring to “delirious cigarettes” that may have been enjoyed in the past. The line “and given vertigo to those who dared not” suggests that smoking was once associated with a certain level of rebellion and excitement. The references to the “hours of glory” when cigarettes were all the rage, and “making a tapas”, which is a reference to a traditional Spanish custom of enjoying cigarette breaks, also imply that smoking has been a significant part of socializing and culture in the past. In the final lines, the song brings to light the disregard people have for cigarette butts, describing them as being “trampled on” and given a life sentence in the dirt. The immortality of cigarette butts and the significant environmental damage they cause are highlighted here.
Line by Line Meaning
Au pied du comptoir
At the foot of the counter,
ils sont là par dizaine
There are dozens of them there,
Ils ont fait leur devoir
They have done their duty,
sans soucis, sans problème
Without worries or problems,
Tous ces mégots
All these cigarette butts,
que l'on regarde de haut
That we look down upon,
Le blond ou brun
Blond or brown,
ce ne sont plus des gamins
They are no longer kids,
Ils regrettent l'époque
They regret the time,
des délires entre clopes
Of the fun between cigarettes,
L'amertume au bout des lèvres
Bitterness at the end of their lips,
La gauloise au bout des doigts
The Gauloises at the end of their fingers,
Les mégots ont une histoire
Cigarette butts have a story,
que d'autres non pas
That others don't have,
Les mégots ont une histoire
Cigarette butts have a story,
que d'autres non pas
That others don't have,
Pendant leurs heures de gloire
During their glory days,
Ils faisaient un tabac
They were a hit,
Sans y penser
Without thinking about it,
se consummaient tout bas
They burned out silently,
Tous ces mégots
All these cigarette butts,
que l'on regarde de haut
That we look down upon,
Plus d'une fois
More than once,
ont occupé les doigts
Have kept their fingers busy,
Et donné des vertiges
And made them dizzy,
à ceux qui n'osaient pas
To those who did not dare,
L'amertume au bout des lèvres
Bitterness at the end of their lips,
La gauloise au bout des doigts
The Gauloises at the end of their fingers,
Les mégots ont une histoire
Cigarette butts have a story,
que d'autres non pas
That others don't have,
Les mégots ont une histoire
Cigarette butts have a story,
que d'autres non pas
That others don't have,
Le teint cendré
Ashen complexion,
dans la sciure et la fumée
In sawdust and smoke,
on les piétine
They are trampled,
ils ont pris perpétuité
They have been given life imprisonment,
Tous ces mégots
All these cigarette butts,
que l'on regarde de haut
That we look down upon,
au pied du comptoir
At the foot of the counter,
ils sont là par dizaine
There are dozens of them there,
Les mégots ont une histoire
Cigarette butts have a story,
que d'autres non pas
That others don't have.
Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
David M.
Au pied du comptoir
Ils sont là par dizaine
Ils sont fait leur devoir
Sans souci, sans probléme
Tous ces mégots
Que l’on regarde
De haut
Blonds ou bruns
Ce n’sont plus des gamins
Ils regrettent l’époque
Des délires entre clopes
L’ammertume au bout des lèvres
La gauloise au bout des doigts
Les mégots ont une histoire
Que d’autres n’ont pas
Pendant leurs heures de gloire
Ils faisaient un tabac
Sans y penser
Se consumaient tous bas
Tous ces mégots
Que l’on regarde
De haut
Plus d’une fois
Ont occupé les diogts
Et donné des vertiges
A ceux qui n’osaient pas
L’ammertume au bout des lèvres
La gauloise au bout des doigts
Les mégots ont une histroire
Que d’autres n’ont pas
Le tent cendre
Dans la sciure et la fumée
On les pietine
Ils ont pris perpétuite
Tous ces mégots
Que l’on regarde
De haut
Au pied du comptoir
Ils sont là par dizaine
Marius Bichellis
Merci 🙏
Raffaele Sessa
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