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".
One Trip One Noise
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De la course
Remonte jusqu'à
À la source
One trip
One noise
One noise
Circuit
Nuit bleue
Spécialiste
De l'enjeu
One trip
One noise
One trip
One noise
Longue attente avant de s'elancer, one trip
Longue vie et tout à recracher, one noise
Carrosse
D'acier
Cendrillon
À jeter
One trip
One noise
One trip
One noise
Longue attente avant de s'elancer, one trip
Longue vie et tout a recracher, one noise
He toi
Répond à
Qui sont
Ou va moi?
One trip
One noise
One trip
One noise
Longue attente avant de s'elancer, one trip
Longue vie sans jamais s'ecraser, one noise
The lyrics to Noir Désir’s song One Trip One Noise are enigmatic and abstract, but through a poetic and visual language, convey a sense of urgency and the constant motion of life. The repeating refrain of “One trip, one noise” is like a mantra, driving home the idea that life is a journey full of experiences, both good and bad, that ultimately make up our personal soundtrack.
The lines, “Au bout de la course, remonte jusqu’à la source” (At the end of the race, go back to the source) suggest that in order to understand and appreciate our journey, we must revisit our beginnings and origins. The use of the word “source” feels almost spiritual, as if there is some deeper purpose or meaning to our existence.
The middle section of the song introduces the idea of a “blue night circuit” and a “specialist of the stakes.” The language here is more obscure, perhaps hinting at a dangerous or illicit activity. The lyrics “Carrosse d’acier, cendrillon à jeter” (Carriage of steel, Cinderella to throw away) imply a harsh reality or truth that one must face. Ultimately, the song poses a question to the listener: “Hey you, respond to who are or where I’m going?” suggesting a need for self-reflection and introspection in the midst of life's "one trip, one noise."
Line by Line Meaning
Au bout
At the end
De la course
Of the race
Remonte jusqu'à
Go back up to
À la source
To the source
One trip
One journey
One noise
One sound
Circuit
Circuit
Nuit bleue
Blue night
Spécialiste
Specialist
De l'enjeu
Of the stake
Longue attente avant de s'elancer, one trip
Long wait before taking off, one journey
Longue vie et tout à recracher, one noise
Long life and everything to spit out, one sound
Carrosse
Carriage
D'acier
Of steel
Cendrillon
Cinderella
À jeter
To be thrown away
He toi
Hey you
Répond à
Answer to
Qui sont
Who are
Ou va moi?
Where am I going?
Longue vie sans jamais s'ecraser, one noise
Long life without ever crashing, one sound
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Denis Guy Marc Barthe, Bertrand Lucien Cantat, Jean-paul Roy, Gay Serge Marius Pierre Teyssot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind