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".
Le Zen Emoi
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et puis l'angoisse et puis le stress
On oublie rien de rien de rien
De demain ou d'après d'main
Il n'y'a plus qu'un seul choix
Il suffit de savoir freiner son émoi
Emoi
O sole mio
La tête en bas
Aaah l'infernale cholérique
Internationale et dramatique
Aaah c'est la confusion
L'ivresse et la passion
Vous n'avez qu'a faire comme ça
Il suffit de savoir freiner son émoi
Emoi
Emoi
O sole mio
Dans l'nez les doigts
The lyrics of Noir Désir's song Le Zen Emoi convey a sense of distress, anxiety and confusion due to the current crisis and the uncertain future. The repetition of "rien de rien de rien" emphasizes the feeling of helplessness and the inability to forget about what is happening. The chorus repeats the word "emoi" (which roughly translates to "emotion"), symbolizing the overwhelming and intense feelings that are hard to control.
The second stanza introduces a new element of chaos and drama, with the mention of an "infernale cholérique". The line "Vous n'avez qu'a faire comme ça" (you just have to do like that) suggests a lack of solutions to the problems and a feeling of resignation. The song ends with the mention of "les doigts dans l'nez" (fingers in the nose), which can be interpreted as a way of saying that everything is messed up and there's nothing that can be done to fix it.
The song can be seen as a reflection of the social and political climate of the time it was released (1992), with France going through a recession and high unemployment rates. The lyrics convey a general sense of disillusionment and frustration, but also suggest the possibility of finding inner peace and balance despite the external chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Aaah, aah c'est la crise et la tristesse
Ah, ah it's the crisis and the sadness
Et puis l'angoisse et puis le stress
And then the anxiety and then the stress
On oublie rien de rien de rien
We don't forget anything, anything, anything
De demain ou d'après d'main
From tomorrow or the day after
Il n'y a plus qu'un seul choix
There's only one choice left
Il suffit de savoir freiner son émoi
You just have to know how to control your emotions
Emoi
Emotion
Emoi
Emotion
O sole mio
Oh my sun
La tête en bas
Head down
Aaah l'infernale cholérique
Ah the infernal, choleric
Internationale et dramatique
International and dramatic
Aaah c'est la confusion
Ah it's the confusion
L'ivresse et la passion
The intoxication and the passion
Vous n'avez qu'a faire comme ça
You just have to do like this
Il suffit de savoir freiner son émoi
You just have to know how to control your emotions
Emoi
Emotion
Emoi
Emotion
O sole mio
Oh my sun
Dans l'nez les doigts
Fingers in the nose
Contributed by Micah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.