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".
La Chaleur
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans les ruelles où la poussière vole
Aiiii 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 coeurs
Cette chaleur
C'est ce démon dans son sang à elle
Qui a rongé lentement ses ailes
Aiii, 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
Les rues
Et la pluie lave
Ses mains
Elle est propre
Enfin
Elle est propre
Enfin
Cette chaleur
The song "La Chaleur" by Noir Désir speaks of a hot summer night, where people are out dancing in the streets despite the oppressive heat. The singer paints a picture of a gritty and dusty alleyway where people are congregating, and we are introduced to Marie, who is keeping a watchful eye on things. This is a place where people feel the heat coursing through their veins, and it's evident that there is more to this place than meets the eye.
Marie is revealed to have a weapon hidden up her sleeve, and while we aren't told what her intentions are, the tension in the lyrics suggests that it's not for self-defense. The heat is referred to as a demon in her blood, which has slowly stripped her of her wings. In other words, the heat has driven Marie to the brink, and she is ready to take action.
As the song progresses, we learn that Marie is seeking revenge on someone who has wronged her. She takes her weapon, which we now know to be a knife, and sets out to kill someone. In the end, she leaves their blood on the sheets before taking off into the night. While the song remains somewhat cryptic in its message, it's clear that it's about the destructive power of unchecked emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est le soir et le vent s'est levé
It's evening and the wind has picked up
Dans les ruelles où la poussière vole
In the alleys where the dust is blowing
Aiiii c'est l'heure où vont danser
It's the time when those who cannot resist the heat will dance
Ceux que la chaleur ne peut laisser
Those who are unaffected by the heat will not join
C'est un endroit où on voit
It's a place where we can see
Courir dans les veines, cette chaleur
The heat runs through the veins
Et Marie aiguise son regard
And Marie sharpens her gaze
Elle a vu ce qui vient de nulle part
She has seen something come out of nowhere
Elle a crispé la main sur la lame
She clenches her hand on the blade
Attention à la blessure madame
Be careful not to hurt yourself, madam
Ooh mais on n'sent pas la douleur
Oh, but we do not feel the pain
Sinon dans les coeurs
Otherwise, only in our hearts
Cette chaleur
This heat
C'est ce démon dans son sang à elle
It's that demon in her blood
Qui a rongé lentement ses ailes
That slowly gnawed at her wings
Aiii, c'est dans le ventre là
Ahhh, it's there in the belly
Marie sait ce qui arrivera
Marie knows what will happen
Dans cet endroit où on laisse aller
In that place where anything goes
Elle se lève
She gets up
Et prend
And takes
Son arme
Her weapon
Si blanche
So white
C'est pour crever
To stab
Le corps
The body
De ce fils de pute
Of that son of a bitch
Si blanc
So white
Pendant qu'il en est
While there is still
Encore temps
Time left
Allez respire bien
Now breathe well
Avance
Move forward
Encore
Still
Mais avance
But keep advancing
Il n'sentira pas la douleur
He won't feel the pain
Peut-être la peur
Maybe 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 tramway tracks
Elle court
She runs
Légère
Lightly
Légère
Lightly
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 LUCIEN CANTAT, DENIS GUY MARC BARTHE, FREDERIC VINCEN VIDALENC, GAY SERGE MARIUS PIERRE 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