Following the demise of él in 1989, he turned to Japan to pursue his career, with the support of celebrity fans such as Cornelius. A number of albums followed, all of them released on the über-chic Trattoria label: 'Rainfall', 1991; 'Jean Renoir', 1992, both of them recorded with multi-instrumentalist Dean Brodrick; 'Delta Kiss', 1993; 'Sunshine', produced by Bertrand Burgalat, 1994; 'Jackie Girl', 1996, the first of his records to feature XTC guitarist Dave Gregory; 'Azure', 1999; recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and 'Nusch', a collection of Francis Poulenc mélodies, 1999. All these albums were conceived and realised with the help of long-time collaborator, pianist and double-bassist Danny Manners. Trattoria's help enabled him to find licenses for these records, first in France, Britain and Spain, then in the USA, where he'd assembled a limited but devoted fanbase. These critically well-received records consolidated his 'cult' status in the indiepop world; a couple of them charted: 'L'Hiver te va bien' reached the Top 30 in France in 1994, while 'She Means Everything To Me' reached the no.1 spot on the Campus Radios Charts in the USA in 1998, following an appearance at New York's CMJ Music Marathon. However, crossover success still proved, and proves elusive, despite the accessibility of his music and the regard he's held in among pop connoisseurs.
Later releases include 'My Favourite Part of You' (2002) and 'The Wonder of it All' (2004). A live album was released in February 2007, and a new studio album, 'An Unknown Spring' released in June 2007. His latest album, a collaboration with The Night Mail, is called Thunderclouds (2020).
Collaborations
Louis Philippe has enjoyed a parallel career as an arranger, producer and instrumentalist since the late 80's. The artists he's worked with, or for, include Valerie Lemercier, April March, P.J. Proby, Martin Newell, Nina Morato, Cinnamon, Laïla Amezian, La Buena Vida, The Clientele and many others. A collaboration of note was the album '9th & 13th' (Tricatel, 2001), in which he teamed up with Danny Manners and novelist Jonathan Coe, to produce musical settings for the latter's writings. Jonathan Coe, who'd contributed the sleevenotes to 'Azure', and had used a verse of his song 'Yuri Gagarin' as an epigraph for his best-seller 'What a carve up!', has also written a number of lyrics for him since 'My Favourite Part of You' (2002).
Louis Philippe has lately been working with ex-Young Marble Giants leader Stuart Moxham, with whom he regularly plays live, and now runs his own record label, Wonder Records, in London. After two records with Moxham,
Boy
Louis Philippe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So don't talk about the things you know I can't explain
I strike a match and light another cigarette
Hoping for the kind words I'm sure I will not get
"Go, my love, and think you're not alone"
"I'll wait right here, in the promised land of our home"
I thought I'd lay down all the worries past
Nothing's really happened to prove me wrong
Only days when we get tired of singing the same song
So park the car and let your best friend go
Best was good enough for you not that long ago
Boy
With so little time spare
It's a miracle you should care
For your boy
I'm not the kind of man to walk the streets
With a picture of the loved one he's left between the sheets
Should I need an image to remember you
You'd know the string had snapped and I'd drift away for good
on my fingers lingers your smell
To all unknown I still caress the gentle swell
Boy
With so little time to spare
It's a miracle you should care
For your boy
In Louis Philippe's song "Boy", the singer is in a state of emotional turmoil as he contemplates leaving his lover. The opening line, "Little time is left to catch my train", sets the tone of urgency and finality - this is a decisive moment in his life, and he cannot delay any longer. He begs his lover not to talk about things he cannot explain, suggesting that there are deep-seated issues or conflicts that they have been unable to resolve. The singer is self-aware enough to know that he cannot expect kind words that he desperately craves, and instead lights up a cigarette in a bid to calm his frazzled nerves.
As the singer continues to contemplate whether to leave or not, he conveys a sense of disbelief that a love like theirs has come to this. He thought that they were meant to be together for the long haul, that their love was strong enough to endure anything. However, he admits that nothing has happened to prove him wrong - it's simply the monotony of daily life that has taken its toll. He asks his lover to park the car and let his best friend go, indicating that he needs space to think and to find himself again.
Despite the tense and fraught emotions expressed in the song, there is a note of tender vulnerability in the repeated refrain of "Boy, with so little time to spare, it's a miracle you should care for your boy". Instead of leaving with anger or bitterness, the singer realizes that his lover's care and affection for him is worth holding onto, even if everything else has fallen apart. The word "miracle" suggests that this love is something special and extraordinary - something that shouldn't be taken for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Little time is left to catch my train
I am in a rush, and I don't have enough time to waste on trivial conversations
So don't talk about the things you know I can't explain
Please don't ask about things I am not comfortable sharing or cannot possibly comprehend myself
I strike a match and light another cigarette
I use my habit to distract myself from the reality that I cannot escape
Hoping for the kind words I'm sure I will not get
I yearn for comforting words that I know won't come from you
"Go, my love, and think you're not alone"
"I'll wait right here, in the promised land of our home"
You offer me empty promises and false assurances, while I am left to face my solitude
I thought I'd lay down all the worries past
I believed our love would erase all my past troubles and concerns
I thought a love like ours was surely meant to last
I believed our love would withstand the test of time and all challenges
Nothing's really happened to prove me wrong
There hasn't been any major event to make me doubt us yet
Only days when we get tired of singing the same song
We've become complacent and tired in our relationship, and it's evident in our daily routines
So park the car and let your best friend go
We need to stop clinging to our current situation and let go of anything holding us back
Best was good enough for you not that long ago
You were content with mediocrity before, but that has to change
Boy
With so little time spare
It's a miracle you should care
For your boy
I am in a dire situation, and despite all odds, I am surprised that you still show love and concern for me
I'm not the kind of man to walk the streets
With a picture of the loved one he's left between the sheets
I don't need physical reminders to keep you in my heart and mind
Should I need an image to remember you
You'd know the string had snapped and I'd drift away for good
If I ever need a physical reminder of you, it means I've reached the end of my emotional ties to you
On my fingers lingers your smell
To all unknown I still caress the gentle swell
I still hold onto tangible memories of you, and those intimate moments that only we shared
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES SPAULDING GLADFELTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind