Les Rita Mitsouko is a French pop rock group formed in 1979 led by guitaris… Read Full Bio ↴Les Rita Mitsouko is a French pop rock group formed in 1979 led by guitarist Fred Chichin and singer Catherine Ringer known for their live performances. The husband and wife duo was one of the most successful musical acts of the 1980's in France.

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

Reverie
Les Rita Mitsouko Lyrics

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Depuis son tout jeune âge, elle est avec lui
Elle rêve du long voyage, celui d'elle et lui
Et de faire toute sa vie, sa vie à ses cotés
C'est l'amour,
D'une jeune femme en fleurs
Jeune femme d'aujourd'hui

Il est si drôle et tendre, veut rester petit

Et elle, elle veut l'attendre, pour qu'il ait grandi
Comme il a peur aussi de blesser sa chérie, il fuit
C'est l'amour, oui l'amour
D'un jeune homme en fleurs
C'est ça l'amour d'une jeune femme en fleurs
Jeunes gens d'aujourd'hui
Qui voudrait d'un naufrage, comme on en voit tant
Oh non le mariage n'est pas jeu d'enfant

Le mariage, ou équivalent
Le mariage, et pourtant...

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Les Rita Mitsouko’s “Rêverie” tell the story of a young woman who has been with her lover since they were very young. She dreams of embarking on a long journey alongside him, and of spending her entire life with him. This is the love of a young woman in her prime, a woman of her times. Her lover is funny and tender, but also fearful of hurting her, so he avoids her. This is the love of a young man in his prime, a man of his times.

Despite their deep affection for one another, they both fear the commitment of marriage. The lyrics speak of the possibility of marriage as an equivalent to a “shipwreck” that should be avoided at all costs. Marriage is not a child’s play, but a serious matter. The lyrics end on a tantalizing note, suggesting that even with these reservations, there might still be a chance for this couple to come together.

Overall, these lyrics capture the hesitancy and uncertainty that often accompanies young love. They remind the listener that even when affection runs deep, it can be a challenge to take the big leap towards commitment.

Line by Line Meaning

Depuis son tout jeune âge, elle est avec lui
She has been with him since she was very young

Elle rêve du long voyage, celui d'elle et lui
She dreams of a long journey, one that she and he will make together

Et de faire toute sa vie, sa vie à ses cotés
And of spending her entire life at his side

C'est l'amour,
This is love,

D'une jeune femme en fleurs
Of a young woman in bloom

Jeune femme d'aujourd'hui
A young woman of today

Il est si drôle et tendre, veut rester petit
He is so funny and tender, he wants to stay small

Et elle, elle veut l'attendre, pour qu'il ait grandi
And she wants to wait for him to grow up

Comme il a peur aussi de blesser sa chérie, il fuit
Because he is also afraid of hurting his sweetheart, he runs away

C'est l'amour, oui l'amour
This is love, yes love

D'un jeune homme en fleurs
Of a young man in bloom