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".
What I Need
Noir Désir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I need is over
Even when I sleep
I just walk on the border
What I need too much is days
What I need too much is nights
What I need is lost in the lights
As long as I'm not satisfied, I try
But I don't even know what I try
What I need is not so simple
What I need is incredible
What I need is so much trouble
Where are you?
Sister, won't you appear?
Sister, sister, sister, won't you appear?
Oh, I give you all my love
Give you all my soul again
What I need is never found
What I need is never done
What I need is ever wasted
What I need is so much
What I need is over
Even when I sleep
I just walk on the border
What I need too much is days
What I need too much is nights
What I need is lost
But sometimes, I love you all
I'm so glad to live in this world
All your voices are gold
All your ideas come
From God, yeah
What I need is over
What I need is over
What I need is over
What I need is over
What I need is
What I need
What I need
What I need
The lyrics of Noir Désir's song What I Need explore a sense of longing and dissatisfaction that pervades the singer's life. The repetition of the phrase "What I need" emphasizes the singer's inability to articulate exactly what it is they are searching for. The lyrics suggest that the singer is constantly searching, walking on the border between wakefulness and sleep as they seek something that is always just out of reach.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer's search is both all-encompassing and impossible to satisfy. The lines "What I need too much is days / What I need too much is nights" suggest that the singer is always searching, day and night, and that their yearning for what they need is overwhelming. The repetition of the phrase "What I need is over" at the end of the song suggests that the singer has given up on their search, or at the very least has recognized that it can never be satisfied.
The repeated references to the singer's sister add another layer of meaning to the lyrics. The singer's sister is potentially a metaphor for the missing piece that the singer is seeking in their life. The lines "Where are you? / Sister, won't you appear?" suggest that the singer is longing for a connection, but is unable to find it.
Line by Line Meaning
What I need is so much
My desires are vast and unquenchable
What I need is over
My desires are exhausted and unfulfilled
Even when I sleep
My mind is preoccupied with desires even in my unconscious state
I just walk on the border
I live in limbo between desire and fulfillment
What I need too much is days
I wish for more time to fulfill my desires
What I need too much is nights
I wish for more time to indulge in my desires
What I need is lost in the lights
My desires are overshadowed by distractions
As long as I'm not satisfied, I try
I keep striving for fulfillment despite knowing it's unattainable
But I don't even know what I try
I lack clarity in my desires and actions towards fulfillment
What I need is not so simple
My desires are complex and intricate
What I need is incredible
My desires are unbelievable and astounding
What I need is so much trouble
My desires cause me distress and difficulty
Where are you?
Addressed to sister, longing for guidance and support
Sister, won't you appear?
The request for sister's support and guidance
Oh, I give you all my love
Expressing love and devotion to the sister
Give you all my soul again
Willing to dedicate all of self to sister's guidance
What I need is never found
Fulfillment of desires continues to elude me
What I need is never done
I am never truly satisfied by fulfilling my desires
What I need is ever wasted
My desires are ultimately meaningless and futile
But sometimes, I love you all
Despite struggles with desire, expressing love and gratitude towards others
I'm so glad to live in this world
Appreciating life for its positive aspects
All your voices are gold
The voices and opinions of others hold great value and importance
All your ideas come
Others provide creative and helpful ideas to support fulfillment of desires
From God, yeah
The belief that guidance and support comes from a higher power
What I need is over
Desires have finally come to an end, perhaps through fulfillment or resignation
What I need is
An acknowledging of the existence of desires
What I need
Continued longing and seeking for fulfillment of desires
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bertrand Cantat, Denis Barthe, Frederic Vidalenc, Serge Gay-Teyssot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
psychosadly
What I need is so much, what I need is over
Even when I sleep I just walk on the border
What I need too much is days
What I need too much is nights
What I need is lost in the lights
As long as I'm not satisfied, I try
But I don't even know what I try
What I need is not so simple
What I need is incredible
What I need is so much trouble
Where are you ? Sister, won't you appear ?
Sister, sister, sister, won't you appear ?
I give you all my love, give you all my soul again
What I need is never found
What I need is never done
What I need is ever wasted
What I need is so much, what I need is over
Even when I sleep I just walk on the border
What I need too much is days
What I need too much is nights
What I need is lost
But sometimes I love you all
I'm so glad to live in this world
All your voices are gold
All your ideas come from God !
What I need is over.
psychosadly
What I need is so much, what I need is over
Even when I sleep I just walk on the border
What I need too much is days
What I need too much is nights
What I need is lost in the lights
As long as I'm not satisfied, I try
But I don't even know what I try
What I need is not so simple
What I need is incredible
What I need is so much trouble
Where are you ? Sister, won't you appear ?
Sister, sister, sister, won't you appear ?
I give you all my love, give you all my soul again
What I need is never found
What I need is never done
What I need is ever wasted
What I need is so much, what I need is over
Even when I sleep I just walk on the border
What I need too much is days
What I need too much is nights
What I need is lost
But sometimes I love you all
I'm so glad to live in this world
All your voices are gold
All your ideas come from God !
What I need is over.
Valou bibi
Le 1er album, un pur chef d'œuvre !
Stephane Branday
Le 2ème. Mais un bijou je suis d'accord. Leur meilleur pour moi
Gerald Philippeau
Excellent que de souvenirs 😁😁
red wolf
une de leur meilleure chanson ! waouh !
Ildiko Bogdan
My favourite song from them.
Six Waves
Classic thanks. So energic, inspirating, elevating. Wondering if god would make better music? Dont think so:)
GTI 70
Superbe !!! Merci
Tol Was
toute ma jeunesse j avais acheté la bonne vieille cassette, ce qui sort aujourd'hui est cher et fout la nausée, plutôt crever qu'y foutre un centime, aaahh what i need...sister won't you be ?
FlakPanzer
OH BORDELE QUE CES BON!!!!!!