Gonzalez and Fromageau parted ways shortly after touring their second album Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. Gonzalez records primarily on his own, with other artists as guest musicians. The band is signed to Mute Records and found international success in 2011 with the single "Midnight City". Their most recent album Fantasy was released on 17 March 2023.
Anthony Gerard Gonzalez (born March 13, 1980) grew up in Antibes, France together with his brother Yann. His family had a great interest in football and Gonzalez had trials with AS Cannes, while his maternal grandfather is the French international Laurent Robuschi. At the age of 14 he got injured and turned to music instead after his parents bought him a guitar. Gonzalez developed his interest in music and American culture while at secondary school. Together with Fromageau he formed a post-rock outfit called My Violent Wish.
At the age of 17, Gonzalez bought a synth to record a demo, which he sent to a number of French labels. When the Paris-based Gooom Records appeared interested, he recruited Fromageau to "help me because I didn't feel like I had the shoulders to carry the project on my own". The band is named after the galaxy of the same name.
The band's musical aesthetic is characterized by extensive use of reverb effects and lyrics spoken softly over loud instruments. Gonzalez has been inspired by aspects of the American Dream and his songs have been outlined as themed around "adult-scripted teen dreams". Inspiration for the 1980s style found in much of Gonzalez’s music includes bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Pink Floyd, and Tangerine Dream. Between various electronic music properties and album artwork, M83’s style includes a mix of both contemporary pop and 1980s dream pop.
Farewell/Goodbye
M83 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hand in a hand, killing the fiend
I'll write my love on more
Than a thousand weeping willows
Walk on your voice so far so close
Whispering child so cold so mild
All the colors mixed up in falls of rainbows
Tears on your neck, holding you near
Sparkling shells, three comet tails
Hoping for some magic
To make your heart beat next to mine
Shiny island, blue underground
My everyday is fading away
I fly through the wind and whistling
Some strange melody
Hang on to me, getting out of my corpse
Please don't leave me
Watching you from the clouds
Melancholy, you'll join me soon, my love
Feeling frozen, I'll warm you every night
Falling asleep, I'll travel in your dreams
The lyrics of M83's “Farewell/Goodbye” exude deep emotions of love and loss while incorporating vivid metaphors to convey a sense of longing and desire. The opening line "Kiss on the mouth, bliss of a touch" sets the tone for the rest of the song, as we are drawn into a moment of passion. The second line "Hand in a hand, killing the fiend" refers to how the closeness of being with the person you love can make all your worries disappear. The third line "I'll write my love on more than a thousand weeping willows" is a powerful metaphor that suggests how intense and everlasting the writer's love is.
The chorus is a mix of abstract images and dream-like depictions. The line "All the colors mixed up in falls of rainbows" evokes the purity of love amidst chaos and confusion. It then moves towards a concrete image of tears and the physical intimacy of holding the loved one close to oneself when it says "Tears on your neck, holding you near". The line "Hoping for some magic to make your heart beat next to mine" indicates a longing for a mutual reciprocation of love.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more otherworldly and imaginative, with lines such as "Shiny island, blue underground" and "Watching you from the clouds". They are juxtaposed with the underlying melancholy of the song. The lyric "Melancholy, you'll join me soon, my love" suggests an acceptance of loss and inevitability of death. The final lines of "Falling asleep, I'll travel in your dreams" are romantic and signify the immortality of love that transcends even death.
Line by Line Meaning
Kiss on the mouth, bliss of a touch
A passionate kiss and touch that brings immense joy
Hand in a hand, killing the fiend
Holding hands and defeating the inner demons and struggles
I'll write my love on more
Than a thousand weeping willows
The depth of my love is beyond measure, and I'll express it in more ways than one
Walk on your voice so far so close
Whispering child so cold so mild
All the colors mixed up in falls of rainbows
Even though you are far away, your voice resonates within me, offering comfort and a feeling of being near. The emotions within me are a mixture of vivid colors that are as beautiful as the sight of rainbows
Tears on your neck, holding you near
Sparkling shells, three comet tails
Hoping for some magic
To make your heart beat next to mine
I hold you close, feeling the warmth of your tears on my neck. The beauty of the moment is enhanced by sparkling shells symbolic of the rare, beautiful moments we have shared that feel like precious comet tails. All I hope for is magic to bring us even closer, to feel your heart beat in harmony with mine
Shiny island, blue underground
My everyday is fading away
I fly through the wind and whistling
Some strange melody
A unique and serene environment with shining blue waters, where my daily life fades away. Engulfed in this setting, I surrender myself to the wind, and my soul imitates the melody that accompanies me
Hang on to me, getting out of my corpse
Please don't leave me
Watching you from the clouds
Hold me close, as I fight to put my inner demons and the past behind me. I plead with you not to leave me as I watch you from afar, with an image of your beauty clouded by my own struggles
Melancholy, you'll join me soon, my love
Feeling frozen, I'll warm you every night
Falling asleep, I'll travel in your dreams
I sense the melancholy in your heart, and I await the day you'll join me. I'll keep you warm every night, and in your dreams, we'll travel to places beyond our imagination
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Msn Rmz
Lyrics
Kiss on the mouth, bliss of a touch
Hand in a hand, killing the fiend
I'll write my love on more
Than a thousand weeping willows
Walk on your voice so far so close
Whispering child so cold so mild
All the colors mixed up in falls of rainbows
Tears on your neck, holding you near
Sparkling shells, three comet tails
Hoping for some magic
To make your heart beat next to mine
Shiny island, blue underground
My everyday is fading away
I fly through the wind and whistling
Some strange melody
Hang on to me, getting out of my corpse
Please don't leave me
Watching you from the clouds
Melancholy, you'll join me soon, my love
Feeling frozen, I'll warm you every night
Falling asleep, I'll travel in your dreams
AT092
[Verse 1: Ben Pleng & Lisa Papineau]
Kiss on the mouth
Bliss of a touch
Hand in a hand
Killing the fiend
I'll write my love on more than a
Thousand weeping willows
A walk on your voice
So far, so close
A whispering child
So calm, so mild
All the colors mixed up in
Falls of rainbows
[Verse 2: Ben Pleng & Lisa Papineau]
Tears on your neck
Holding you near
Sparkling shells
Three comet tails
Hoping for some magic
To make your heart beat next to mine
Shiny island
Blue underground
My everyday
Is fading away
I'm flying through the wind
And whistling some strange melody
[Verse 3: Ben Pleng & Lisa Papineau]
Hang on to me
Getting out of my corpse
Please dont leave me
Watching you from the clouds
Melancholy
You'll join me soon my love
Feeling frozen
I'll warm you every night
Falling asleep
I'll travel in your dreams
Christopher D
Thank you dad for showing me M83 and for showing me this song specifically. you are forever missed and remembered <3 This song touches my soul hard
Maria Mejia
Christopher Derooy sounds like your dad was a hell of a guy, sorry for your sorrow.
Tamra Helmerson-Parent
Your old man was a good man and had good taste in music. RIP dad
RC
RIP Christopher's father
USSA NAVY
5 years later, still thinking about you buddy. Hope all is well, if not keep your head up high my friend!
Guy Rico
Some of us didn't particularly want it to happen. But here we are, doomed to live this mystery life. This is the kind of music that helps us through.
David C
The mystery? Death is the meaning of life.
DisneySuperheroTV
U must fight against life this song kills life
SoundtrackOfOurLives
You are spot on, "this mystery life". So what is the reason or purpose that we are here on this earth? That is probably a question with no answer, but all we can do is make the best of our time here and spread love and joy.
I know you’re Right
@SoundtrackOfOurLivesThere is an answer. In my opinion anyway. We are here because existence must BE…..there is no way existence cannot occur.
And our only job here it to experience (as a doing word).
We must experience every day, wether it’s good or bad an any other emotion/description anyone could possibly come up with. This is the most amazing thing that could ever have happened…….existence. One day we won’t exist but we’ll still have awareness, and we’ll beg to experience even the worst day we ever could again