They are influenced by french writers like Georges Brassens, Pierre Perret, Renaud, the 80's french alternative scene like Mano Negra, and the music of Eastern Europe.
Matelot
Les Ogres de Barback Lyrics
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De galère en bateau
J'me présente : je suis moi
Un sacré matelot
Fils d'ivrogne militaire
Moi j'ai dit non aux armes
Et ma famille en larme
J'l'ai quittée pour la mer
J'arrive pas à dormir
Alors je fouille ma mémoire
Et me revient ce sacré souvenir
Ah, c'te sacrée cabane
Où l'on rêvait se foutant bien du monde
Nous on fumait les lianes
Et on s'bourrait la gueule à bière blonde
Ouais c'te putain d'cabane
Où se jouait du pipeau et parfois du couteau
C'est là qu'on ramenait nos femmes
Et toute la nuit on parlait de bateau
Mais voilà, c'est fini
Les temps ont bien changé
Plus j'avance plus j'suis pourri
J'navigue plus qu'pour le blé
Ça devient un cauchemar
Mon navire va couler
Et tous mes potes m'ont dit au r'voir
Et j'dégueule chaqu'fois qu'faut naviguer
Ce n'est pas mes habitudes
De penser faut s'flinguer
Alors, pour fuire la solitude
Je remue bien le fond de mes pensées
Ah ! c'te sacrée cabane
Où l'on rêvait se foutant bien du monde
Nous on fumait les lianes
Et on s'bourrait la gueule à bière blonde
Ouais, c'te putain d'cabane
Où se jouait du pipeau et parfois du couteau
C'est là qu'on ramenait nos femmes
Et toute la nuit on parlait de bateau
Un poivrot avachi voilà c'que j'suis dev'nu
Garçon, un aut' demi ! naviguer je peux plus
Alors l'soir sur les ports
C'est la tournée des rades
Où je traîne jusqu'à l'aurore
Au violon dingue où la Guinness se brade
Et j'reste collé des heures
A r'garder cette photo
Qui me rappelle mon bonheur
C'est le temps d'quand j'étais marmot avec Marco
Ah, c'te sacrée cabane
Où l'on rêvait se foutant bien du monde
Nous on fumait les lianes
Et on s'bourrait la gueule à bière blonde
Ouais c'te putain d'cabane
Où se jouait du pipeau et parfois du couteau
C'est là qu'on ramenait nos femmes
Et toute la nuit on parlait de bateau !
The opening lines of Les Ogres de Barback's "Matelot" set the scene for the song immediately: it's another three months (trois mois) on a boat in the navy, and our protagonist is a sailor who's said "no" to military service. As the song goes on, we learn more about him: he's the son of a military drunk, he's had to leave his family (who cried when he did), and now he can't sleep at night. Instead, he traverses his memories, recalling the good times he shared with friends in a cabin (cabane) where they smoked (fumait) and drank (s'bourrait la gueule à bière blonde) and told stories about boats (parlait de bateau).
As the song continues, the sailor gets more and more pessimistic about his present and future. He's not navigating (navigue) anymore just for the love of sailing, he's doing it for the money (navigue plus qu'pour le blé). He's losing his friends, he's getting sick at the idea of going back onto his ship (où j'dégueule chaqu'fois qu'faut naviguer), and he's starting to have thoughts of suicide (penser faut s'flinguer). But there's still that cabin, that cabin where they were happy, where they drank, where they talked about boats and brought their wives (c'est là qu'on ramenait nos femmes).
Line by Line Meaning
C'est r'parti pour trois mois
The singer is embarking on another three months of sailing, which will be filled with hardship.
De galère en bateau
The singer is expecting a difficult journey filled with challenges and struggles.
J'me présente : je suis moi
The singer introduces himself as an individual with unique experiences and emotions.
Un sacré matelot
The artist is a skilled sailor with a rebellious and adventurous spirit.
Fils d'ivrogne militaire
The artist's father was an alcoholic who served in the military.
Moi j'ai dit non aux armes
The singer chose not to become a soldier.
Et ma famille en larme
The singer's decision caused his family to be emotional and distressed.
J'l'ai quittée pour la mer
The artist left his family to pursue a life at sea.
Y'a des soirs comme ce soir
The artist experiences difficult nights where he struggles to sleep.
J'arrive pas à dormir
The artist is unable to fall asleep due to past memories haunting him.
Alors je fouille ma mémoire
The singer digs into his past to find comfort or escape from the present.
Et me revient ce sacré souvenir
A particular memory resurfaces that brings comfort and nostalgia to the artist.
Ah, c'te sacrée cabane
The singer remembers a cabin or hangout where he and his friends used to spend time together.
Où l'on rêvait se foutant bien du monde
The cabin was a place where they could forget their troubles and indulge in fantasies.
Nous on fumait les lianes
The singer and his friends smoked and drank alcohol to escape reality.
Et on s'bourrait la gueule à bière blonde
They drank lots of beer to the point of becoming intoxicated.
Ouais c'te putain d'cabane
The artist emphasizes the importance of the cabin in his past.
Où se jouait du pipeau et parfois du couteau
The cabin was a safe space where they could be themselves and not be judged.
C'est là qu'on ramenait nos femmes
The cabin was also a place where they could bring their partners and share their love of sailing and adventure.
Et toute la nuit on parlait de bateau
They spent many hours there discussing and dreaming about their adventures at sea.
Mais voilà, c'est fini
The artist recognizes that those days are over and are never coming back.
Les temps ont bien changé
The artist reflects on how much things have changed since then.
Plus j'avance plus j'suis pourri
The singer feels like he is deteriorating and losing his spirit as he gets older.
J'navigue plus qu'pour le blé
The artist is now motivated by financial gain, rather than adventure or passion.
Ça devient un cauchemar
The singer's current job is a nightmare and he hates doing it.
Mon navire va couler
The singer fears that his ship is going to sink or that he is going to fail in his job.
Et tous mes potes m'ont dit au r'voir
The singer has lost touch with his friends from the past.
Et j'dégueule chaqu'fois qu'faut naviguer
The artist hates his job so much that it makes him physically ill.
Ce n'est pas mes habitudes
The artist is not used to feeling so down and depressed.
De penser faut s'flinguer
The singer is having dark thoughts about killing himself as a way out of his situation.
Alors, pour fuire la solitude
To avoid feeling alone and isolated, the singer tries to distract himself with memories of the past.
Je remue bien le fond de mes pensées
The artist delves deep into his mind in search of comfort and escape.
Un poivrot avachi voilà c'que j'suis dev'nu
The artist is now a washed-up drunkard who has lost his way in life.
Garçon, un aut' demi ! naviguer je peux plus
The artist has given up on sailing and now spends his time drinking in bars instead.
Alors l'soir sur les ports
The singer spends his evenings wandering around ports, feeling lost and alone.
C'est la tournée des rades
He goes from one bar to another, drowning his sorrows away.
Où je traîne jusqu'à l'aurore
The singer stays out all night, unable to sleep or find peace.
Au violon dingue où la Guinness se brade
He frequents a bar called 'Le Violon Dingue,' where Guinness beer is sold cheaply.
Et j'reste collé des heures
The singer spends hours staring at a photo that reminds him of happier times.
A r'garder cette photo
The photo is a source of comfort and nostalgia for the artist.
Qui me rappelle mon bonheur
The photo reminds the artist of a time when he felt truly happy and fulfilled.
C'est le temps d'quand j'étais marmot avec Marco
The photo is a reminder of a childhood friend named Marco and a time when the singer felt carefree and innocent.
Ah ! c'te sacrée cabane
The singer concludes his reflections on the past by remembering the cabin and the good times he had there.
Contributed by Camden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.