Their cover of Claude François' Alexandrie Alexandra gets a little success, a success too predictable to the band taste that chooses to focus on their own (funny) songs and release a first album in 1989. Their lyrics reflect their state of mind, rather crazy. No political content, Les VRP are not serious (except maybe about French language with which they love to play with).
Les VRP are then absorbed in the rising French alternative rock scene (Mano Negra, Wampas, Satellites, etc…) and end up working with other bands from this scene on some of their songs (Stellamentable with the belgian duet Sttellla, La misère des voix vulgaires with Gina et les Pires, Sidney with the Babylon Fighters). the year 1990 sees the release of their 2nd album. Les VRP play in the famous concert hall L'Olympia and then go traveling with their one of a kind show in Europe, Japan, Canada or Senegal. Their success is growqing fast, most of their concerts are sold out and they play in many festival sharing the bill with more serious but equally successfull acts such as Mano Negra or Noir Désir.
Their third and final album is Vacances Prolongées (Prolounged Holidays released in 1992) and tells what the band has decided to do : split up at the peak of their fame! They decide to do so by fear of becoming another gimmick band and not having fun doing so. In 1993, playing at the Zenith in Montpellier, they say their farewell in a concert at the end of which their throw their instruments into the audience. They never came back since.
MUSIC
Two acoustic guitars are the only classical instruments Les VRP used. The other are all made up of various objects : contre-bassine for Stéphane (broom stick, rope and a plastic bucket make a sort of double bass), a brush to wash dishes, a suitcase, some spoons for the percussionist Marc, a toy piano for Gilbert and a little more whenever needed (cans, etc...).
Their music is quite hard to define, it mixes classic French chanson with humour both on musical an lyrical sides of it.
Above all, Les VRP were a live band though they often said being even more at ease in small bars or even on the street. They loved to improvise, play with the audience, etc... Each concert was a new experience for the band and those watching it. Nevertheless each of their three albums remain a quite enjoyable experience (even more if you understand French).
Line-up:
Stéphane (dit « Néry ») : chant, contrebassine, instruments divers...
Gilbert : chant, ukulélé, xylophone, instruments divers...
Gilberd : chant, piano d'enfant (« Michelsonne »), accordéon, instruments divers...
Marc : chant, harmonica, percussions, instruments divers...
Fabrice : chant, guitare, banjo, instruments divers...
Cannes
Les VRP Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Il est temps de rejoindre le cimetière des éléphants
On a assez d'argent pour se payer une suite
Des couches culottes de luxe pour colmater nos fuites
Faut a tout prix depenser notre fric avant de canner
Dans les machines a sous, une dernière fois gagner
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
Se faire griller nos petites guiboles
Se faire masser nos vieilles peaux molles
On va se faire des bouffes, manger des glaces
Le premier qui s'étouffe gagne la première place
Sinon, comme des gros cons, on peut sur la croisette
Mourir d'insolation, ce serait vraiment très chouette
Ou encore sous le poids des bijoux on pourrait
S'écrouler a genoux et crever milliardaires
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
Se faire griller nos petites guiboles
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
Se faire masser nos vieilles peaux molles
Cannes ville de vieux, ou de cadavres blêmes
Gisent dans les rues farcis de chrysanthèmes
Cannes ville de bourges, ou des enfants obèses
Se gavent de glucose dans de trop longues chaises
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
Se faire griller nos petites guiboles
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
Se faire masser nos veilles peaux molles
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
Dans la mer on va patauger
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
Et sur le sable on ira s'échouer
The song "Cannes" by Les VRP is a satirical take on the attitudes and behaviors of wealthy individuals in their golden years. The song opens with the singer addressing their partner, stating that since they are both in their eighties, it is time to join the "cemetery of elephants," a metaphor for the rich and famous who have passed away. The couple has enough money to indulge in luxury items such as designer adult diapers to manage their incontinence. They feel the need to spend their money before they die and decide to go to Cannes, the city associated with wealth, gossip, and celebrity culture.
The song illustrates how the couple plans to spend their remaining days on earth. They plan to gamble and try their luck one last time in a casino. They also plan to lounge on the beaches and receive massages as they indulge in lavish meals and eat ice cream. The lyrics suggest that they would like to make the most of their time on earth as billionaires, a goal they may not have achieved in life. The couple wants to enjoy their wealth to the fullest, regardless of how vacuous their pursuits may seem.
However, the song's tone takes a darker turn when the couple is viewed as corpses rather than elderly lovers. The city of Cannes is depicted as a place where wealthy individuals go to die, and the streets are filled with chrysanthemums, flowers commonly used for funerals. The song ends with the couple's morbid fantasy of dying on the beach, wealthy and adorned with heavy jewels.
Overall, "Cannes" is a critique of the empty pursuits of celebrity culture and the relentless pursuit of wealth. It highlights the hollowness of such endeavors and reminds listeners of the transience of life, wherein a person can be wealthy but still face the inevitability of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Ecoute chéri, on a quatre-vingts ans
We're old, dear, we're eighty years old
Il est temps de rejoindre le cimetière des éléphants
It's time to join the elephant graveyard
On a assez d'argent pour se payer une suite
We have enough money to pay for a suite
Des couches culottes de luxe pour colmater nos fuites
Luxury diapers to plug our leaks
Faut a tout prix depenser notre fric avant de canner
We must spend our money before we kick the bucket
Dans les machines a sous, une dernière fois gagner
Win one last time at the slot machines
On va a Cannes, on va a Cannes
We're going to Cannes, we're going to Cannes
Se faire griller nos petites guiboles
Get our little legs burnt
Se faire masser nos vieilles peaux molles
Get our old soft skin massaged
On va se faire des bouffes, manger des glaces
We'll eat, we'll have ice cream
Le premier qui s'étouffe gagne la première place
The first one to choke wins first prize
Sinon, comme des gros cons, on peut sur la croisette
Otherwise, like big idiots, we can on the Croisette
Mourir d'insolation, ce serait vraiment très chouette
Dying of sunstroke, that would be really cool
Ou encore sous le poids des bijoux on pourrait
Or under the weight of jewelry we could
S'écrouler a genoux et crever milliardaires
Collapse on our knees and die billionaires
Cannes ville de vieux, ou de cadavres blêmes
Cannes city of old people, or pale corpses
Gisent dans les rues farcis de chrysanthèmes
Lying in streets filled with chrysanthemums
Cannes ville de bourges, ou des enfants obèses
Cannes city of snobs, or obese children
Se gavent de glucose dans de trop longues chaises
Stuff themselves with glucose in too long chairs
Dans la mer on va patauger
We're going to paddle in the sea
Et sur le sable on ira s'échouer
And we'll wash up on the sand
Contributed by Jordyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pad Gaillard
Trop bon !!!
FLORENCE LEMARCHAND
Hi hi !!! Bons souvenirrs de jeuneseeessse
Amadot
Drapeau de Nems planté.
Alessandro Noel
I realize I am kind of off topic but do anyone know of a good site to stream new tv shows online ?