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".
Comme elle vient
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
À hurler à la lune
À traquer la fortune
Tout ça pour trainer son poids
Au risque de s'y plaire
Au moment de s'y croire
Sonnez les courants d'air
Faites donner l'exutoire
Au fond, il a d'la classe
Ou alors qu'on prenne la sève
Comme elle vient
Encore et encore
Comme elle vient
Encore et encore
Tu la vois la belle bleue
Des feux de l'artifice
Et tu la sens même un peu mieux
À la faveur d'une éclipse
On voit du jour au lendemain
Que ça ne s'invente pas
Instantanément comme ça
Reprendre de volée d'aussi loin
Comme elle vient
Encore et encore
Comme elle vient
Encore et encore
Comme elle vient
Comme on peut
C'est cruel et sans fard
Ça choisit pas, merci pour eux
Comme une flèche
Comme un pieux
C'est bon pour la mémoire
Ça vous fait quoi d'être au milieu?
Hé camarade
Si les jeux sont faits
Au son des mascarades
On pourra toujours se marrer
Et tout le long des courants d'air
On voit des amoureux
Qui savent encore changer leurs nerfs
En un bouquet délicieux
On en aura des saisons
Des torrides et des blêmes
Je peux encore garder ton nom
Je peux aussi dire que je l'aime
Comme elle vient
Encore et encore
Comme elle vient
Encore et encore
The lyrics of Noir Désir's song "Comme elle vient" can be interpreted in different ways, but one common interpretation is about the struggles of an individual trying to find their place in the world, chasing fortune and success at the expense of their well-being. The first verse suggests that the individual tries to change themselves into something greater, becoming a king and howling at the moon, all in the pursuit of material success, even if it means carrying a heavy burden. However, despite the risks, they find temporary pleasure in achieving their goals, leading them to forget everything else. The chorus repeats "Comme elle vient" ("As it comes") which can be interpreted as taking life as it comes and not trying to control everything, accepting the unpredictability of life.
The second verse talks about the beauty of life and how it can be appreciated in unexpected situations, like during an eclipse, where things reveal themselves gradually without any effort on our part. The lyrics suggest that true beauty cannot be invented, but rather discovered, meaning that sometimes one must learn to take life as it comes instead of trying to force things to happen. The final verse talks about how life is sometimes unpredictable, and choices are not always fair, but we can still find joy in the simple moments. The last line of the song is a positive message, suggesting that even though life is full of ups and downs, there will always be good times ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
À se changer en roi
Trying to become a king
À hurler à la lune
Screaming at the moon
À traquer la fortune
Hunting for fortune
Tout ça pour trainer son poids
All that effort, just to carry one's burden
Au risque de s'y plaire
Even if it's dangerous, one might enjoy it
Au moment de s'y croire
When one starts to believe in oneself
Sonnez les courants d'air
Make the breezes ring
Faites donner l'exutoire
Provide an outlet
Il faudrait qu'on s'élève
We must rise
Au fond, il a d'la classe
Deep down, it's classy
Ou alors qu'on prenne la sève
Alternatively, let's take the sap
Comme elle vient
As it comes
Encore et encore
Over and over again
Tu la vois la belle bleue
Do you see the beautiful blue one?
Des feux de l'artifice
From the fireworks
Et tu la sens même un peu mieux
And you feel it even better
À la faveur d'une éclipse
Thanks to an eclipse
On voit du jour au lendemain
We see overnight
Que ça ne s'invente pas
That it can't be invented
Instantanément comme ça
Instantly, just like that
Reprendre de volée d'aussi loin
To catch it on the fly from so far away
Comme on peut
As one can
C'est cruel et sans fard
It's cruel and stark
Ça choisit pas, merci pour eux
It doesn't pick, thank you for them
Comme une flèche
Like an arrow
Comme un pieux
Like a stake
C'est bon pour la mémoire
It's good for the memory
Ça vous fait quoi d'être au milieu?
What does it feel like to be in the middle?
Hé camarade
Hey, comrade
Si les jeux sont faits
If the game is over
Au son des mascarades
To the sound of the masquerade
On pourra toujours se marrer
We can still laugh about it
Et tout le long des courants d'air
And throughout the breezes
On voit des amoureux
We see lovers
Qui savent encore changer leurs nerfs
Who still know how to change their nerves
En un bouquet délicieux
Into a delightful bouquet
On en aura des saisons
We will have many seasons
Des torrides et des blêmes
Some hot, some pale
Je peux encore garder ton nom
I can still keep your name
Je peux aussi dire que je l'aime
I can also say that I love it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bertrand Lucien Cantat, Denis Guy Marc Barthe, Gay Serge Marius Pierre Teyssot, Jean-Paul Roy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hugocayuela4070
Le meilleur groupe de rock français de tous les temps. Cette version est énorme !
@alexiszorba69
2:38 Les frissons avant l’éruption volcanique. Cette chanson n’a pas pris une ride. Elle attise toujours en moi la même énergie vitale.
@fabienmadoz6799
Version magnifique. Le meilleur groupe de la scène française. Des vrais textes qui font réfléchir et une musique qui touche les tripes.
@mimisuzyful
J'en suis...Toute retournée *-* Noir Désir, est et restera surtout, un groupe de musique, de poésie, d'engagement, bref, une chose à ne jamais oublier
@lladnarg
I'd do anything to see these guys LIVE!!! Fell in love with them when I lived in Paris for 4 years (1991-1994) and bought almost all their albums - thank you for putting this up : )
@GabzeGab
J'écoute Noir Désir depuis 1990. je lis vos commentaires et ça me faut chaud au coeur. Je me souviens d'un concert au zénith, il y a 1000 ans ! Où je tremblais d'émotions du haut de mes 16 ans. Et oui, Bertrand, tu nous manques. Ta voix, ton âme, tes tripes.
@virginiemaitre75
Elle déchire cette chanson en live. Certainement une de mes favorites. Quel talent!
@xx..tiasan
Inoubliable et indélébile morceau, qui avec cette version live sera à jamais inégalée... Toute une époque libre et magique.
@mrpoesta1
What a song! What a band! Thumbs up if you still love bertrand Cantat!
@marie-christopheleboucher7200
Oui j'aime toujours Bertrand Cantat