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".
Chaleur
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans les ruelles où la poussière vole
Aïe, c'est l'heure où vont danser
Ceux que la chaleur ne peut laisser
C'est un endroit où on voit
Courir dans les veines, cette chaleur
Elle a vu ce qui vient de nulle part
Elle a crispé la main sur la lame
Attention à la blessure, madame
Ooh, mais on n'sent pas la douleur
Sinon, dans les cœurs, cette chaleur
C'est ce démon dans son sang à elle
Qui a rongé lentement ses ailes
Aïe, c'est dans le ventre, là
Marie sait ce qui arrivera
Dans cet endroit où on laisse aller
Elle se lève et prend
Son arme si blanche
C'est pour crever le corps
De ce fils de pute si blanc
Pendant qu'il en est encore temps
Allez, respire bien, avance
Encore, mais avance
Il n'sentira pas la douleur
Peut-être la peur, cette chaleur
Sous les draps trop blancs
L'auréole grandit, c'est le sang
Et Marie a les yeux qui brillent
Elle part sur les rails des tramways
Elle court, légère, légère
Et la pluie lave ses mains
Et la pluie lave les rues
Elle est propre enfin
Elle est propre enfin
Cette chaleur
The lyrics of Noir Désir's song Chaleur depict a hot summer night in the city, where people are out dancing in the streets despite the heat. The heat is described as "running through the veins," and Marie has an intense, sharpened focus as she sees something coming from nowhere. She tightens her grip on a weapon, wary of potential danger.
The song takes a darker turn as it's revealed that Marie has a demon in her blood that has slowly eaten away at her wings. She knows what is coming and takes action, picking up a white weapon to kill a "son of a bitch" before it's too late. The pain of this act is only felt in the heart, within the heat of the moment, and no physical pain is felt by the victim.
The lyrics continue to describe the aftermath, where Marie leaves the scene and runs lightly through the rain, finally clean after her violent act. The blood on the white sheets grows as she leaves, and her hands are washed clean by the rain. The lyrics are rich in imagery and suggest that, in the heat of the moment, actions can be taken that are irreversible and carry heavy consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est le soir et le vent s'est levé
It's nighttime and the wind has started blowing.
Dans les ruelles où la poussière vole
In the alleys where dust is flying.
Aiiii c'est l'heure où vont danser
This is the time when those who cannot resist the heat will dance.
Ceux que la chaleur ne peut laisser
Those who cannot resist the heat.
C'est un endroit où on voit
It's a place where we can see
Courir dans les veines, cette chaleur
This heat running through their veins.
Et Marie aiguise son regard
And Marie sharpens her eyes.
Elle a vu ce qui vient de nulle part
She has seen something coming from nowhere.
Elle a crispé la main sur la lame
She clenches her hand tightly around the blade.
Attention à la blessure madame
Be careful not to get hurt, Madame.
Ooh mais on n'sent pas la douleur
But we cannot feel the pain.
Sinon dans les coeurs
Except for in our hearts.
Cette chaleur
This heat.
C'est ce démon dans son sang à elle
It's the demon in her blood.
Qui a rongé lentement ses ailes
That slowly ate away at her wings.
Aiii, c'est dans le ventre là
Ahh, it's in her stomach.
Marie sait ce qui arrivera
Marie knows what will happen.
Dans cet endroit où on laisse aller
In this place where things just happen on their own.
Elle se lève
She gets up.
Et prend
And takes.
Son arme
Her weapon.
Si blanche
So white.
C'est pour crever
It's to stab
Le corps
The body
De ce fils de pute
Of this son of a bitch.
Si blanc
So white.
Pendant qu'il en est
While there's still
Encore temps
Time.
Allez respire bien
Come on, take a deep breath.
Avance
Move forward.
Encore
Again.
Mais avance
But keep moving forward.
Il n'sentira pas la douleur
He will not feel the pain.
Peut-être la peur
Maybe he will feel the fear.
Cette chaleur
This heat.
Sous les draps
Under the sheets.
Trop blancs
Too white.
L'auréole
The halo.
Grandit
Grows.
C'est le sang
It's the blood.
Et Marie
And Marie.
A les yeux qui brillent
Has shining eyes.
Elle part
She leaves.
Sur les rails des tramways
On the rails of the trams.
Elle court
She runs.
Légère
Light.
Légère
Light.
Et la pluie lave
And the rain washes.
Les rues
The streets.
Et la pluie lave
And the rain washes.
Ses mains
Her hands.
Elle est propre
She is clean.
Enfin
Finally.
Elle est propre
She is clean.
Enfin
Finally.
Cette chaleur
This heat.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bertrand Cantat, Denis Barthe, Frederic Vidalenc, Serge Gay-Teyssot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dominique Dupraz
Rien a été fait de mieux, en tous cas en france, et même. Difficile de faire mieux aussi, respect pour cette maitrise en live et ces compositions
Major Tom
30 ans que je trouve ça énorme
Tessa Fredriksen
toujours le même frisson ... quelle puissance !!! énorme !!
Ernoul Florent
Peut etre LA meilleur chanson rock français de tous les temps!?!? En tous les cas loin devant Cendrillon the Voice...
Dominique Dupraz
C'est vrai, je parlais surtout de leur puissance en live, des paroles de Cantat...J'ai vu aussi FFF ici en Suisse (à Montreux Jazz festival) en 1997 si je ne me trompe pas, incroyable live. J'ai beaucoup aimé le premier album de Dolly c'est juste^^
Marie-thé Bardin
BERTRAND TU NOUS MANQUE REVIENS NOUS VITE ON T AIME FORT ♥♥
louloute77300
J adore !!! ca fait 20 ans qu'ils me font vibrer, j aimerais tellement les revoir en concert ensemble!! en tous cas trop bon, ca c est de la musique, de la vraie!
clembo Udarna Dunob
Tout simplement énorme
Major Tom
vous nous manquez!
Major Tom
Major Tom mince y en a 2