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".
Ton Etoile
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et dans l'ombre en silence
Si tu cherches un abri
Inaccessible
Dis toi qu'il n'est pas loin
Et qu'on y brille
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
Petite sœur de mes nuits
Ça m'a manqué tout ça
Quand tu sauvais la face
À bien d'autre que moi
Sache que je n'oublie rien
Mais qu'on est face
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
Toujours à l'horizon
Des soleils qui s'inclinent
Comme on a pas le choix, il nous reste le cœur
Tu peux cracher même rire
Et tu le dois
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
À Marcos
À la joie
À la beauté des rêves
À la mélancolie
À l'éspoir qui nous tient
À la santé du feu
Et de la flamme
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
À ton étoile
The opening verse of Noir Désir's song Ton Etoile describes a sense of seeking refuge and solace, amidst the glaring light and the deafening silence. The singer implies that there is a place where we can find comfort and feel celebrated, a place where we shine like a star. This starry abode is aptly called 'Ton Etoile' (Your Star), indicating that it may be a personalized and individualistic space for the person addressed in the song.
The next verse speaks directly to the 'petite sœur de mes nuits' (little sister of my nights), presumably the person whom the singer is addressing or reminiscing about. The singer admits that he misses the times when his little sister used to save face for him and others. However, he also suggests that despite the fading memories, there is one thing that will remain—'ton étoile'. The star appears to be a symbol of constancy and light, a source of hope even when the sun has set and the shadows grow longer.
The final verse is a series of dedications, where the singer offers a salute to different things that may evoke various emotions in him, ranging from joy to melancholy. It is unclear who or what Marcos symbolizes, but it is possible that he may refer to the Marxist revolutionary and politician, Marcos Vanegas. The singer then raises a toast to 'la mélancolie', hinting perhaps that he may value the element of sadness in his life as much as the fleeting moments of happiness. Finally, he dedicates all these salutes to 'ton étoile', affirming the importance of this star in his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Sous la lumière en plein
Under the bright light
Et dans l'ombre en silence
And in the silence of the darkness
Si tu cherches un abri
If you're searching for a shelter
Inaccessible
Out of reach
Dis toi qu'il n'est pas loin et qu'on y brille
Tell yourself that it's not far away and that we shine there
A ton étoile
To your star
Petite sœur de mes nuits
Little sister of my nights
Ça m'a manqué tout ça
I missed all of that
Quand tu sauvais la face
When you saved face
À bien d'autre que moi
For many others than me
Sache que je n'oublie rien mais qu'on efface
Know that I don't forget anything but that we erase
A ton étoile
To your star
Toujours à l'horizon
Always on the horizon
Des soleils qui s'inclinent
Suns that bow down
Comme on a pas le choix il nous reste le cœur
As we have no choice, we have only our heart left
Tu peux cracher même rire, et tu le dois
You can spit, even laugh, and you must do it
A ton étoile
To your star
A Marcos
To Marcos
À la joie
To joy
À la beauté des rêves
To the beauty of dreams
À la mélancolie
To melancholy
À l'éspoir qui nous tient
To the hope that holds us
À la santé do feu
To the health of fire
Et de la flamme
And of the flame
A ton étoile
To your star
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jean-Paul Roy, Denis Guy Marc Barthe, Bertrand Lucien Cantat, Serge Marius Pierre Teyssot Gay
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind