They began performing in the early 1980's in alternative spaces such as the Pali-Kao, a squatted factory building in Belleville, Paris. Their first hit single was Marcia Baila off the Rita Mitsouko album, a song about the Argentinian choreographer and dancer Marcia Moretto who had died of cancer in 1981 and with whom they had performed on several occasions. This album was creative and eccentric (produced by Conny Plank, sound engineer and producer of Neu! and Kraftwerk) combining elements of punk, rock, cold electro pop and jazz, and coupled with their colorful, wild, over-the-top image caught the interest of some important anglophone listeners.
American record producer and musician Tony Visconti produced the following two albums, The No Comprendo and Marc et Robert, while polishing and perfecting their sound. The American band Sparks collaborated with them on the latter record and Russell Mael sings lead vocals with Ringer on three tracks, Singing in the Shower, Live in Las Vegas and Hip Kit. These two albums feature both French and English lyrics. The most successful singles were C'est comme ça and Andy.
Jean-Baptiste Mondino directed most of their music videos in the 1980's and Jean-Luc Godard filmed a short documentary Soigne ta droite about the group during the recording of The No Comprendo in 1986.
On Wednesday November 28th 2007, Fred Chichin died from cancer while the band had just cancelled their previous concert dates in Paris. He was only diagnosed with the disease two months before.
Mais c'est la mort qui t'a assassinée, Marcia
C'est la mort qui t'a consumée, Marcia
C"est le cancer que tu as pris sous ton bras
Maintenant, tu es en cendres, cendres
La mort, c'est comme une chose impossible
Et même à toi, qui est la vie même, Marcia
Et même à toi qui est forte comme une fusée
C'est la mort qui t'a emmenée
Mandolino City
Les Rita Mitsouko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
c'était une vraie passion
pour tes grolles
celles en cuir noir
avec des bours pointus
Les coups et les embrouilles
bistouille
sans intérêt!
par les trottoirs, à pinces
Tu connais la musique
Tu aimes pas que celle
la belle,
des Café-tabac parisiens
Si ta grand-mère est paysanne,
tes pieds
ont résonné
plus d'une fois
sul' pavé
des rues
quand tu chantais
à tue-tête
des airs enroulés
A Paris
les italiens d'Auber
savent rigoler ferme
et si Mandolino City
passe par le bout de leurs lèvres
ils vous la siffleront
ou vous le chanteront
de tout leur coeur
The lyrics of Les Rita Mitsouko's song "Mandolino City" describe the story of a person who has always been passionate about their shoes, which were black leather with pointed tips. The singer of the song recalls their past in school, where they used to dance on their way back home, walking on sidewalks. The singer has had their fair share of fights and troubles, but that never stopped them from dancing their heart out. The song describes the character's genuine love for music but not just any music, the beautiful music played in Cafe-tabacs parisien. The singer is a descendant of a peasant woman, and their feet have strolled through many streets while singing melodies out loud. The song mentions Mandolino City, an Italian song that the singer believes the Italians in the streets of Paris can whistle with fervor and sing out loud from their hearts.
"Mandolino City" is a tribute to the Italian immigrant community that settled in Paris. The song reflects how music crosses borders and its universality. It highlights the passion for music, dance, and how it connects people from different countries, social backgrounds, and cultures. The song's themes deal with individuality, the love of music, the celebration of diversity, and the power it has to connect people. The song's overall meaning is about how people can feel at home, even if they are far away from where they come from, as long as there is music to connect, inspire, and support them.
Line by Line Meaning
Et déjà, à l'école, c'était une vraie passion
From a young age, you harbored a deep passion, which even then manifested itself in the way you dressed.
pour tes grolles, celles en cuir noir
This passion, it was for your shoes, particularly the ones made of black leather.
avec des bours pointus, Les coups et les embrouilles, bistouille, sans intérêt!
Your shoes had pointy ends, and earned you a lot of uninteresting trouble and fights.
Tu dansais en rentrant par les trottoirs, à pinces
You would dance your way through the streets, walking on your toes.
Tu connais la musique
You love and understand music well.
Tu aimes pas que celle la belle, des Café-tabac parisiens
You don't like the beautiful music played in Parisian cafes and bars.
Si ta grand-mère est paysanne, tes pieds ont résonné plus d'une fois sul' pavé des rues quand tu chantais à tue-tête des airs enroulés
Due to your country heritage, your feet have often stomped on the streets in the rendition of traditional folk melodies.
A Paris les italiens d'Auber savent rigoler ferme
The Italian community in the Auber district of Paris is known for their hearty laughter.
et si Mandolino City passe par le bout de leurs lèvres, ils vous la siffleront ou vous le chanteront de tout leur coeur
If the song Mandolino City is on their lips, they'll either whistle it or sing it with all their hearts.
Contributed by Anthony F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Evanoor Sola
Un chef d'oeuvre tellement peu compris, des mélodies coulante vers la folie. De l'art à l'essence même de la vie.
ciscomars
J'ai accroché à cette chanson complètement décalée dès sa sortie! 30 ans après, j'en suis toujours dingue!!!
Une chanson marginale un peu comme La Ventura de Mano Negra.
Bob BZH
Gravité les mains barges tout à fait d accord . Cette chanson !!! Grrrrr j en ai des frissons
NoMatterWhat
Petit musique ressemblant aux musiques de l’Est j’adore triste et gaie à la fois
fan d'animé
Un petit bijou, éternel....
Catherine Chavroche
J'adore toujours autant
New Phone2020
C'est énorme ce son
Valdo Casa
Exceptionnel
Lombricompostage Facile
Album inécoutable et détestable la première fois, potable à la troisième, adorable à la 9ème, et petit bijou ensuite.
Sevinno Sobretti
Playlist de Jis en la chora interminable me trajo aqui