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.
Shibuya Station
Louise Attaque Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Enjoy Tokyo's emulation
Here goes
Time has come for action
Relish Tokyo's emulation
We'll play at Shibuya Station
Enjoy Tokyo's emulation
Here goes
Relish Tokyo's emulation
The lyrics to Louise Attaque's song Shibuya Station is a call to action and an invitation to enjoy the vibrancy and energy of Tokyo's emulation. Shibuya Station is one of the busiest train stations in Tokyo, Japan, and the lyrics invite the listener to be a part of the hustle and bustle of the city. The repetition of the line "We'll play at Shibuya Station" emphasizes the excitement and anticipation of being in a new and foreign place.
The phrase "relish Tokyo's emulation" may refer to the way the city of Tokyo copies and reproduces aspects of other cultures and makes it their own. Tokyo is known for its trendsetting fashion and music scenes, and the lyrics of the song encourage the listener to embrace the excitement of being in a city that is constantly evolving and changing. The line "Here goes, time has come for action" intensifies the anticipation of exploring and experiencing Tokyo's unique and vibrant culture.
Line by Line Meaning
We'll play at Shibuya Station
We will engage in fun activities at Shibuya Station as part of our Tokyo experience
Enjoy Tokyo's emulation
Appreciate the imitation of culture and trends in Tokyo
Here goes
We are ready to start our adventure in this bustling city
Time has come for action
It is now the moment for us to take action and make the most out of our time in Tokyo
Relish Tokyo's emulation
Enjoy and savor the unique qualities of Tokyo's imitation of popular culture
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT (FRANCE)
Written by: ALEXANDRE MARGRAFF, ARNAUD SAMUEL, GAETAN ROUSSEL, ROBIN FEIX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind