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".
Marlène
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Les cœurs saignent
Et s'accrochent en haut
De tes bas
Oh, Marlène
Dans tes veines
Coule l'amour
Et quand ils meurent ou s'endorment
C'est la chaleur de ta voix
Qui les apaise, et les traîne
Jusqu'en dehors des combats
Oh, Marlène, c'est la haine
Qui nous a amené là
Mais Marlène, dans tes veines
Coulait l'amour des soldats
Eux, quand ils meurent
Ou s'endorment
C'est dans le creux de tes bras
Qu'ils s'abandonnent
Et qu'ils brûlent
Comme un clope
Entre tes doigts
Oh, Marlène
Les cœurs saignent
Et s'accrochent en haut
De tes bas
Mais, Marlène
Dans tes veines
Coule l'amour
Des soldats
Et quand ils meurent ou s'endorment
Dans la chaleur de tes bras
Ça les apaise, ça les traîne
Jusqu'en dehors des combats
Hier und immer
Da kennt man sie
Kreuz unter kreuzen
Marlène immer liebt
The song Marlène by Noir Désir tells the story of a woman named Marlène who provides comfort to soldiers during wartime. The opening lines "Oh Marlène, les cœurs saignent, et s'accrochent en haut de tes bas" roughly translate to "Oh Marlène, the hearts bleed, and cling to the top of your stockings." This line sets the tone for the rest of the song, emphasizing Marlène's attractiveness and the longing of the soldiers to be close to her.
The lyrics reveal that Marlène's voice and touch have a calming effect on the soldiers, bringing them solace and relief from the violence of the battlefield. "Dans la chaleur de tes bras ça les apaise, ça les traine" translates to "In the warmth of your arms it soothes them, drags them away." The song acknowledges that the soldiers are in a hopeless situation, and the only comfort they can find is through Marlène's love.
Through these lyrics, the song certainly possesses an anti-war message. However, it also delves into the idea that sometimes love is the only positive thing that can come out of war. For the soldiers in the song, the love they receive from Marlène is the only good that they can take away from their experiences. The song highlights the duality of love and hate, hope and despair, and how they often coexist during times of war.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Marlène
Addressing Marlène
Les cœurs saignent
Hearts are bleeding
Et s'accrochent en haut
And holding on high
De tes bas
To your stockings
Dans tes veines
In your veins
Coule l'amour
Flows the love
Des soldats
Of the soldiers
Et quand ils meurent ou s'endorment
And when they die or fall asleep
C'est la chaleur de ta voix
It's the warmth of your voice
Qui les apaise, et les traine
That soothes them and takes them
Jusqu'en dehors des combats
Outside of battles
Oh Marlène, c'est la haine
Oh Marlène, it's hatred
Qui nous a amené là
That brought us here
Mais Marlène, dans tes veines
But Marlène, in your veins
Coulait l'amour des soldats
Flowed the love of soldiers
Eux quand ils meurent
When they die
Ou s'endorment
Or fall asleep
C'est dans le creux de tes bras
It's in the crook of your arms
Qu'ils s'abandonnent
That they surrender
Et qu'ils brulent
And they burn
Comme un clope
Like a cigarette
Entre tes doigts
Between your fingers
Mais Marlène
But Marlène
Dans tes veines
In your veins
Coule l'amour
Flows the love
Des soldats
Of the soldiers
Et quand ils meurent ou s'endorment
And when they die or fall asleep
Dans la chaleur de tes bras
In the warmth of your arms
Ça les apaise, ça les traine
That soothes them and takes them
Jusqu'en dehors des combats
Outside of battles
Hier und immer
Here and always
Da kennt man sie
She knows it
Kreuz unter kreuzen
Cross under crosses
Marlène immer liebt
Marlène always loves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bertrand Cantat, Denis Barthe, Frederic Vidalenc, Serge Teyssot-Gay
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind