Noir Désir was a French rock band. The band was founded in Bordeaux, France… Read Full Bio ↴Noir Désir was a French rock band. The band was founded in Bordeaux, France, in 1985 by singer Bertrand Cantat, drummer Denis Barthe, guitarist Serge Teyssot-Gay and bassist Frédéric Vidalenc (replaced in 1996 by Jean-Paul Roy). Over the years, they became famous in France, releasing albums every few years.

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".

Sweet Mary
Noir Désir Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She's always smiling
On her golden bed
Lying under ghosts and calls

You can't always sleep, Mary
Sweet Mary
Sweet Mary

She always turns off
If you call her name
Back to a wasted ocean

You can't always sleep, Mary
Sweet Mary
Sweet Mary

They're waiting for you
They're waiting for you
Ghosts are waiting for you
They're waiting for you
Sweet Mary, Sweet Mary
Sweet Mary, Sweet Mary

Sweet Mary, Sweet Mary

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Sweet Mary" by Noir Désir are somewhat cryptic, but they portray a melancholic and eerie atmosphere. The first lines describe a woman, named Mary presumably, who is lying on a golden bed, surrounded by ghosts and calls. The imagery of ghosts suggests that Mary is haunted by something, possibly her own inner demons or guilt. The phrase "lying under ghosts and calls" could also be interpreted as Mary being overwhelmed by regrets and memories that keep creeping into her mind.

The next lines suggest that Mary is unable to escape the haunting thoughts and is unable to sleep peacefully. The repeated chorus "You can't always sleep Mary, Sweet Mary" is a reminder of Mary's inability to rest her mind and find peace. The idea of Mary turning off and ignoring calls might suggest that she is withdrawing from the world and shutting down emotionally. The repetition of her name, "Sweet Mary," suggests a turning point or shift in tone towards a more empathetic depiction of her struggles.

Overall, "Sweet Mary" conveys a sense of despair and internal struggles that many people may experience in life. Whether it is guilt, regrets, or other emotional burdens, the song shows that it is not always possible to escape them. The use of poetic and enigmatic lyrics adds to the eerie and haunting atmosphere of the song, making it a poignant portrayal of the human condition.

Line by Line Meaning

She's always smiling
No matter what happens in her life, Mary always puts on a happy face.

On her golden bed
Mary is extremely wealthy and enjoys the luxurious lifestyle that comes with it.

Lying under ghosts and calls
Mary is haunted by her past mistakes and constantly hears the voices of those she has wronged.

You can't always sleep Mary
Mary struggles to find peace and calmness in her life.

Sweet Mary
Despite her flaws and struggles, Mary is still a beloved and cherished person to those around her.

She always turns off
When faced with difficult emotions or situations, Mary shuts down and disappears from the world.

If you call her name
Mary doesn't want to be found and hides away from those who try to reach out to her.

Back to a wasted ocean
Mary feels like her life has become meaningless and all her efforts have been wasted.

They're waiting for you
Those that Mary has wronged are waiting for her to make amends or face the consequences of her actions.

Ghosts are waiting for you
Mary's past mistakes continue to haunt her and she can't escape them.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bertrand Cantat, Denis Barthe, Frederic Vidalenc, Serge Gay-Teyssot

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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