Offenbach… Read Full Bio ↴[see Jacques Offenbach for the French classical composer]
Offenbach is a Canadian blues rock band formed in Quebec in 1969 by Gerry Boulet, Michael Lamonthe, Jr., and Wezo. The band signed with the independent Barclay label in 1972 and released the French album Offenbach Soap Opera. Four years later, A&M provided a record deal and released the band's self-titled album in 1977. Also released that year was Never Too Tender and another self-titled LP. Lamonthe and Wezo left around that time and were replaced by Pierre Lavoie and Norman Kerr (though Kerr left soon after). In 1979, Offenbach recorded Traversion and added more new members, Breen LeBoeuf and John McVale. Four more studio albums followed — En Fusion (1980), Tonnedebrick (1983), Live a Fond D'Train (1984) and Rockorama (1985) — before the band split up in 1986. Recorded live in Montreal, the Offenbach album, Le Dernier Show, appeared in 1986. Gerry Boulet recorded two solo albums, Presque 40s in 1984 and Rendezvous Doux in 1988.
n 1996, McGale, Gravel and Leboeuf reunited as Offenbach Inc. for a reunion tour. Due to Boulet's death, they selected Martin Deschamps, who had recently won Quebec's L'Empire des futures stars competition, as the band's new vocalist. They toured extensively for two years, and released a greatest hits compilation in 1999. A second volume of hits followed in 2002.
In 2005, the band released Nature, which consisted of acoustic versions of their classic hits. It also includes one new song "L'amour est cruel" (Love is cruel). The music was written by Gravel in the 1980s and the words were later added by Deschamps. A concert at Montrteal's Bell Center on April 1, 2005, marked the 25th anniversary of Offenbach's first Forum show.
In 2018, Offenbach released Renaissance the first disc of new material in 33 years.
Dimanche Blues
Offenbach Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Par un dimanche après midi
Tout seul avec mon bébé
Par un dimanche après midi
Stone depuis le matin
Qu'on était donc ben couché
Couché sur un divan jaune
Couché sur un divan journée
On faisait rien d'la journée
Y avait des oranges sur la table
Pis ses jeans su'l plancher
Jasais tranquillement avec mon p'tit bébé
Y a mes chums qui cogne à porte
Tock, tock tock
J'en train jaser tranquillement avec mon p'tit bébé
Y a mes chums qui crient l'autre bord à porte
Envoye donc mets dont tes bottes
Vient-en avec nous viens jouer du blues
The lyrics of Offenbach's "Dimanche Blues" describe a lazy Sunday afternoon spent with a baby. The singer is alone with the baby, feeling "stoned" from having stayed in bed all morning. They are lounging on a yellow couch, surrounded by oranges on the table and the baby's jeans on the floor. As they speak quietly to the baby, the singer's friends suddenly knock loudly on the door, interrupting their peace. The friends are shouting and urging the singer to come out and play the blues with them, but the singer is content to stay inside with the baby.
On a deeper level, the lyrics of "Dimanche Blues" reflect the contrast between the relaxation and simplicity of spending time with loved ones, versus the chaos and stress of social obligations. The singer chooses to ignore the demands of the outside world in favor of spending time with their baby, embodying the idea that sometimes the most valuable moments are the ones spent doing nothing in particular. The mention of playing the blues also represents the idea of finding comfort and release through music, a common theme in the genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Seul avec mon bébé
Alone with my baby
Par un dimanche après midi
On a Sunday afternoon
Tout seul avec mon bébé
All alone with my baby
Par un dimanche après midi
On a Sunday afternoon
Stone depuis le matin
Stoned since the morning
Qu'on était donc ben couché
We had been lying down for so long
Couché sur un divan jaune
Lying on a yellow sofa
On faisait rien d'la journée
We were doing nothing all day
Couché sur un divan journée
Lying on a sofa all day
On faisait rien d'la journée
We were doing nothing all day
Y avait des oranges sur la table
There were oranges on the table
Pis ses jeans su'l plancher
And his jeans were on the floor
Jasais tranquillement avec mon p'tit bébé
I was calmly chatting with my little baby
Y a mes chums qui cogne à porte
My friends knock on the door
Tock, tock tock
Knock, knock, knock
J'en train jaser tranquillement avec mon p'tit bébé
I was still calmly chatting with my little baby
Y a mes chums qui crient l'autre bord à porte
My friends are shouting from the other side of the door
Envoye donc mets dont tes bottes
Come on, put on your boots
Vient-en avec nous viens jouer du blues
Come with us, let's play some blues
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gérald Boulet, Jean Albert Gravel, Michel Lamothe, Pierre Delphis Harel, Roger Belval
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Le BazaràMax
Un chef-d'oeuvre! 🤘🏻🤘🏾🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Frank Lefebvre
Masterpiece
ThePhilhusson
j'ai eût l'immense plaisir de vous voir à strasbourg vers 1980 ! big kiss
Jellos
Une pièce d'anthologie pour ceux qui la connaissent... achetée chez en spécial chez La Baie de la Place Versailles circa 1980.
Paul de Guise
un dilemme infernal un blues
Ouellet Martin
Y avait des oranges sur la table
Pis ses jeans sur le plancher
Génial.
Jellos
..... mon père m'a dit : <<c'est la dernière fois que je te refile 3 piasses pour acheter des disques de fous de même>>... il mange le pissenlit par la racine depuis 1982... mais Offenbach is still alive.....
Frank Lefebvre
RIP Michel
Docteur La Piastre
Un Dimanche de zombie ambulant, juste après la messe Catholique...