Theo Hakola from Passion Fodder produced their first LP in 1987 Où veux-tu qu'je r'garde ?. This 6 tracks album shows what would become a Noir Désir trademark: finely crafted lyrics with powerful rock sound.
Noir Désir's second album, Veuillez rendre l'âme (à qui elle appartient), released in 1990, introduced punk rock elements to their sound. This continued with their next album, Tostaky, which contained the successful song Tostaky.
One of the most popular rock groups in France, their success continued with the release of the dance-influenced 666.667 Club, and the remix album One Trip One Noise. Their last album, 2001's Des visages des figures, was a slower, more ambitious affair. This album also contained a collaboration with a fellow francophone Manu Chao. "Des visages, des figures" was the album of the consecration for the group which won the music award (Victoire de la Musique) of the best rock album of year 2002, as well as the award of best clip for "Le Vent nous portera". Although their last album seemed to be the slowest one, the following gigs were huge rock shows where thousands of fans came to see the group.
In 2003, allegedly on a drug binge, Bertrand Cantat slapped his girlfriend, Marie Trintignant during an argument in a hotel room in Lithuania. As she fell, her head hit the bed, and she consequently bled to death. Marie Trintignant was a popular French actress and was working on a movie. A Lithuanian judge sentenced Cantat to 8 years in prison after a jury convicted him of manslaughter. He was sentenced in Lithuania and served his sentence in a prison near Toulouse in France.
In September 2005, an album, En public, which contains highlights of their last tour. They also released a DVD set, Noir Désir en images, which contains various live performances, footage and videos. Special permission was obtained in order to allow the imprisoned Cantat to participate in the development of those.
Noir Désir members have not ruled out the possibility of re-forming once Cantat is released from jail. Cantat was released early on account of good behaviour on October 16th, 2007, but immediately retreated to his house near Bordeaux. At the time, he would not speak to the press regarding his musical future.
In November 2008, two free tracks were released. The band wished to show, with this release, that productive and cathartic, works from Noir Désir still impregnate the French scene with intellectual and emotional abuse.
Teyssot-Gay has stated that the group is currently in the process of composing and recording a new album which he feels should be finished in 2009. However according to a May 14, 2009 article in Le Parisien the album will not be ready until January 2010.
On November 29, 2010 it was announced that guitarist Serge Teyssot-Gay was leaving the band citing "emotional, human and musical differences" with lead singer Cantat.
On November 30, 2010 band's drummer Denis Barthe announced that Noir Désir is disbanded for good and that is useless to let the band live with "artificial respiration".
7 Minutes
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This land in midnight lights
Cold summer, cold summer
Till the end of time
The earth's like a belly
An heavy sleeping beast
But with her big eyes open
Yes cities are inside
Still standing on the hill
This city's like an ocean
Enjoy the metal waves
In which we drawn ourselves
Don't you breathe anymore
Are you far from the next corner?
Your race is burning the pavement
Welcome to the city
The city's done for you
Yell with the underdogs
The lyrics of Noir Désir's song "7 Minutes" paint a vivid picture of a city and its surroundings. The opening lines, "Between skies and field, this land in midnight lights, cold summer, cold summer till the end of time," sets a solemn tone as if the environment is experiencing a constant chill that doesn't seem to disappear. The imagery in the verse is of a vast, open landscape with the night sky as the only source of light. The lines create a sense of fragility by painting an image of nature as at once vast and threatening.
The second verse, "The earth's like a belly, a heavy sleeping beast, but with her big eyes open, and cities are inside. Yes, cities are inside," contrasts the first verse by introducing the idea that the landscape is sleeping but birthing something important. The cities inside of it suggest that they are interdependent and the earth has to be nourished for human beings to thrive. Furthermore, the contrast between "heavy sleeping beast" and "big eyes open" could suggest that the earth is waking up to the destruction humans have caused.
The third verse shifts the focus to a city and its downtown core, "Still standing on the hill, this city's like an ocean, enjoy the metal waves in which we drown ourselves." The phrase "city's like an ocean" brings to mind the concept of a concrete jungle, with waves of traffic, people, and buildings. However, the usage of "metal waves" suggests a hostile environment, which the people of the city have gradually pushed themselves into. The explicit reference to drowning evokes a sense of desperation, panic, and loss of control. The powerful imagery and metaphors used in "7 Minutes" suggest the idea that people have a deep connection with their environment, and it is reflected in the way they have evolved and interacted with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Between skies and field
The area in between the sky and the fields
This land in midnight lights
The land illuminated by the darkness of night
Cold summer, cold summer
Although it is summer, it feels cold and unwelcoming
Till the end of time
Forever and always
The earth's like a belly
The earth is like a large, sleeping creature
An heavy sleeping beast
A large and cumbersome animal that is peacefully sleeping
But with her big eyes open
Despite appearing asleep, the earth is very much awake and aware
And cities are inside
There are entire cities and their inhabitants living on the earth
Yes cities are inside
Confirming the existence of multiple cities on the earth
Still standing on the hill
Remaining on top of the hill
This city's like an ocean
The city is vast and seemingly endless, like the ocean
Enjoy the metal waves
Relish in the loud and overwhelming sounds of the city
In which we drawn ourselves
We are immersed and consumed by the chaotic energy of the city
Don't you breathe anymore
The air is thick and polluted, making it difficult to breathe
Are you far from the next corner?
Have you traveled a great distance and are still nowhere near your destination?
Your race is burning the pavement
You are moving quickly and with fervor, leaving behind marks on the pavement
Welcome to the city
A greeting to newcomers to the bustling metropolis
The city's done for you
The city is prepared and ready to fulfill your needs and desires
Yell with the underdogs
Join forces with those who are overlooked and marginalized
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Denis Guy Marc Barthe, Bertrand Lucien Cantat, Jean-paul Roy, Gay Serge Marius Pierre Teyssot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind