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...
La Picardie
Les VRP Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Des vacances toujours réussies
Venez respirer le grand air
Derrière la centrale nucléaire
Bienvenue en Picardie
La cote d'Azur a moitié prix
Plus de place dans le camping
Il faut dormir sur le parking
Passée passés à travailler
Un repos bien mérité
Vive les congés!
Congés payés!
Accident mortel
Porte de la chapelle
La caravane est ruinée
et la grand mère est (couic!)
Enterrée!
Oui enterrée en Picardie
Enterrée en Picardie
Fini les vacances pour Mamie
Elle qui aimait tant les fleurs
Elle a d'la chance dans son malheur
Enterrée en Picardie
C'est le bonheur pour la vie
Pas de problème pour l'enterrement
L'assurance marche... a 100%!
Apres le cimetière
Un bon plateau d'fruits d'mer
Au restaurant du port
Peut être qu'on a eu tort
Sur la plage après midi
Le doute n'est plus permis
On cours a la pharmacie voila la pluie
Quel ennui en Picardie! (x2)
Quel ennui en Picardie
Pas de soleil aujourd'hui
Les journées ne sont pas si mièvres
Aujourd'hui on a de la fièvre
Quel ennui en Picardie
Il faut rentrer sur Paris
Plus que six mois de calvaire
En attendant...
Les sports d'hiver en Picardie!
The song "La Picardie" by Les VRP is about a family’s vacation experience in the northern French region of Picardy. The song depicts the realities of taking a budget-friendly holiday in the area. The family eventually faces a tragic incident where their caravan is ruined, and the grandmother passes away during their vacation. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the family finds a bright side in the fact that the grandmother was buried in Picardy. The song also touches on the unpredictable weather and the disappointment of not having sunny days, resulting in the family leaving their vacation early.
Throughout the song, Les VRP use humor to depict the family’s experiences. The lyrics are sung in a playful and upbeat tone, making the story entertaining to listen to. Despite the song’s light-heartedness, it provides a commentary on the realities of economic limitations for families wanting to go on vacation. It also shows how difficult it can be for people to disconnect from their work routines and truly relax.
Overall, "La Picardie" is a vibrant and playful song that highlights the realities of budget-friendly vacations and the need for proper relaxation, even if it is challenging to achieve.
Line by Line Meaning
Bienvenue en Picardie
Welcome to Picardy
Des vacances toujours réussies
Always successful vacations
Venez respirer le grand air
Come breathe the fresh air
Derrière la centrale nucléaire
Behind the nuclear power plant
La cote d'Azur a moitié prix
Half price of the French Riviera
Plus de place dans le camping
No more space in the campground
Il faut dormir sur le parking
Have to sleep in the parking lot
Onze mois de l'année
Eleven months of the year
Passée passés à travailler
Spent working
Un repos bien mérité
Well-deserved rest
Vive les congés!
Long live the holidays!
Congés payés!
Paid holidays!
Accident mortel
Fatal accident
Porte de la chapelle
At the Porte de la Chapelle
La caravane est ruinée
The caravan is ruined
et la grand mère est (couic!)
And grandma is (kaput!)
Enterrée!
Buried!
Oui enterrée en Picardie
Yes, buried in Picardy
Fini les vacances pour Mamie
Grandma's vacation is over
Elle qui aimait tant les fleurs
She who loved flowers so much
Elle a d'la chance dans son malheur
She's lucky in her misfortune
Enterrée en Picardie
Buried in Picardy
C'est le bonheur pour la vie
Happiness for life
Pas de problème pour l'enterrement
No problem for the burial
L'assurance marche... a 100%!
The insurance pays...100%!
Apres le cimetière
After the cemetery
Un bon plateau d'fruits d'mer
A good seafood platter
Au restaurant du port
At the port restaurant
Peut être qu'on a eu tort
Maybe we made a mistake
Sur la plage après midi
On the beach in the afternoon
Le doute n'est plus permis
No doubt is permitted
On cours a la pharmacie voila la pluie
We run to the pharmacy, here comes the rain
Quel ennui en Picardie! (x2)
What boredom in Picardy! (x2)
Pas de soleil aujourd'hui
No sun today
Les journées ne sont pas si mièvres
The days are not that dull
Aujourd'hui on a de la fièvre
Today we have a fever
Il faut rentrer sur Paris
We have to go back to Paris
Plus que six mois de calvaire
Only six more months of agony
En attendant...
In the meantime...
Les sports d'hiver en Picardie!
Winter sports in Picardy!
Contributed by Xavier R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.