Several of the group's albums were produced by Gordon Gano, lead singer of Violent Femmes, a band which Louise Attaque often cite as an influence and for whom their own band is named: "Louise" is a feminine name, taken from Louise Michel –a french anarchist militant in France in the nineteenth century– and "attaque" connotates violence, it literally means "attack" in French –in reference of the Violent Femmes.
History
Climb to the top (1990-2001)
Caravage (1990-1994)
Lead singer and guitarist Gaëtan Roussel and bassist Robin Feix met in high school in Montargis. They moved to Paris after graduation where they met drummer Alexandre Margraff and formed a rock band : Caravage (named after the famous Italian painter Caravaggio). After briefly hiring a lead guitarist, the band met violinist Arnaud Samuel while recording in a Parisian studio.
Louise Attaque's phenomenal success (1997-2001)
Louise Attaque was formed in 1994. The name means "Louise Attacks" in French and is in reference of Louise Michel, a 19th century anarchist, and of the American rock band The Violent Femmes (which means "violent women" in French). The Violent Femmes leader, Gordon Gano, has agreed to produce Louise Attaque's debut self-titled album.
Louise Attaque was released in april 1997, receiving a strong positive critical response. Despite low initial radio airplay, the reputation of the group spread rapidly, garnering particular praise for its innovative violin-based folk/rock compositions and witty lyrics. By the end of the year, Louise Attaque had already become a phenomenon, and with the help of a highly successful tour throughout France, the band had sold more than 400 000 units. Louise Attaque eventually went on to sale an impressive 2.5 million copies in France, a record for any French rock album (even outselling Noir Désir's highly popular 666667 Club album, released in 1996).
It took almost three years until Louise Attaque 's sophomore album Comme On A Dit was released (in january 2000), still produced by Gordon Gano. The album met expectations of fans and critics alike, a complex and daring effort that still evoked Louise Attaque 's now famous trademark. It was noted, however, that Comme On A Dit was darker than the debut album, and consequently less radio friendly. It still sold 700 000 copies in France. Yet in 2001, after touring for five months and appearing in various rock festivals, the band split up, explaining that they were temporarily out of inspiration and tired of the hype and pressure surrounding them.
From separation to reunion (2001-2005)
Tarmac & Ali Dragon
Louise Attaque actually broke in two different groups. Singer Gaëtan Roussel and violinist Arnaud Samuel formed Tarmac, while bassist Robin Feix and drummer Alexandre Margraff formed Ali Dragon. Tarmac is the name of a building products company, whose name is often used to refer to asphalt (bitume in French). The group aims to explore the starker sounds of acoustic instruments, while Ali Dragon has turned towards underground experimental music featuring jam sessions (mostly electro and hip-hop).
À Plus Tard Crocodile
The four members of the group reunited in 2003 to pen a few songs, though at this point they didn't know whether they would release their material. After recording for a few weeks in the Electric Ladyland studios in New York, Louise Attaque finally decided to release a (highly anticipated) third album. À Plus Tard Crocodile was released in september 2005. The title is in reference of the rock and roll song See You Later Alligator (funnily enough, "à plus tard crocodile" is a calque of the American catchphrase, which gives an unidiomatic expression in French).
À Plus Tard Crocodile was said to be quite a departure from Louise Attaque 's previous work, a lighter and more varied album. Still, the group met with critical and chart success once again.
Faut Se Le Dire
Louise Attaque Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'pensais pas que j'te reverrais
Après tout ce qu'on s'était fait
Moi je pensais pas que tu reviendrais
C'est pas compliqué de me garder
C'est pas sorcier de m'adopter
Après tous mes efforts donnés moi
Faut se le dire on pense à soi souvent
On pense qu'à soi tout'l'temps
On réfléchit si souvent
Notre égoïsme faudrait l'lâcher un p'tit peu
S'il vous plaît
J'pensais pas que j'te reverrais
J'pensais pas que j'te reverrais
Après tout ce qu'on s'était fait
Moi je pensais pas que tu reviendrais
Merci merci de patienter, merci merci de repasser
Si vous pouviez me les avancer
S'investir ça devait fonctionner
Faut se le dire on pense à soi souvent
On pense qu'à soi tout'l'temps
On réfléchit si souvent
Notre égoïsme faudrait
A des kilomètres moi je reste entier
A des kilomètres moi je reste entier
Malgré les terres les mers les baies
On se reverra dans quelques années
On n'aura pas vieilli on aura tous vingt ans
On n'aura pas vieilli on aura muri seulement
avec Marie qui aura marié Yvan
Et perpétuellement dans la vie on se ment
Y'a rien à gagner y'a tout à regretter
Mais c'est pas sûr qu'on ira en voyage
Y'a rien à gagner y'a tout à regretter
Mais c'est pas sûr qu'on ira en voyage
Souvent, à soi, tout le temps, penser...
The song "Faut Se Le Dire" by Louise Attaque is about the singer's surprise at seeing someone he thought he would never see again, and his realization of how selfish human beings can be. The first verse sets the stage for the surprise encounter, the singer never expected to see this person again after everything they had been through. He thought that the person had left his life for good, but here they are. The second verse expresses the singer's need for validation - he knows he was worthy of the other person's attention and affection, and he put in a lot of effort to show that. But he didn't think the other person would forget about him so easily.
The chorus is a call to self-awareness and self-reflection, admitting that people think of themselves first and foremost, and that egoism should be tamed. The last verse is a reflection on the passage of time, and the idea that people may cross paths again in the future, but things will have changed. The line "perpétuellement dans la vie on se ment" (perpetually in life we lie to ourselves) is a poignant admission of the lies people tell themselves every day.
Overall, "Faut Se Le Dire" is a reflection on the human experience, and how our emotions and perceptions can be upended by unexpected encounters and moments of realization.
Line by Line Meaning
J'pensais pas que j'te reverrais
I didn't think I would see you again
J'pensais pas que j'te reverrais
I didn't think I would see you again
Après tout ce qu'on s'était fait
After everything we had been through
Moi je pensais pas que tu reviendrais
I didn't think you would come back
C'est pas compliqué de me garder
It's not hard to keep me around
C'est pas sorcier de m'adopter
It's not magic to adopt me
Après tous mes efforts donnés moi
After all the effort I put in
J'pensais pas que tu m'oublierais
I didn't think you would forget me
Faut se le dire on pense à soi souvent
We have to admit that we often think of ourselves
On pense qu'à soi tout'l'temps
We only think of ourselves all the time
On réfléchit si souvent
We reflect so often
Notre égoïsme faudrait l'lâcher un p'tit peu
We should let go of our selfishness a little
S'il vous plaît
Please
Merci merci de patienter, merci merci de repasser
Thank you, thank you for waiting, thank you, thank you for calling back
Si vous pouviez me les avancer
If you could advance me
S'investir ça devait fonctionner
Investing was supposed to work
A des kilomètres moi je reste entier
I remain whole kilometers away
A des kilomètres moi je reste entier
I remain whole kilometers away
Malgré les terres les mers les baies
Despite the lands, seas, and bays
On se reverra dans quelques années
We will see each other in a few years
On n'aura pas vieilli on aura tous vingt ans
We won't have aged, we will all be twenty
On n'aura pas vieilli on aura muri seulement
We won't have aged, we will have only matured
avec Marie qui aura marié Yvan
with Marie who will have married Yvan
Et perpétuellement dans la vie on se ment
And perpetually in life we lie to ourselves
Y'a rien à gagner y'a tout à regretter
There's nothing to gain, everything to regret
Mais c'est pas sûr qu'on ira en voyage
But it's not sure we will go on a trip
Y'a rien à gagner y'a tout à regretter
There's nothing to gain, everything to regret
Mais c'est pas sûr qu'on ira en voyage
But it's not sure we will go on a trip
Souvent, à soi, tout le temps, penser...
Often, thinking of ourselves all the time...
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROBIN FEIX, ALEXANDRE MARGRAFF, GAETAN ROUSSEL, ARNAUD SAMUEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vamospensar7
Sou fan desse louise! Ele é show.
@athenahognon4364
fallait pas...