[see Jacques Offenbach for the French classical composer]

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.

Hit An' Run
Offenbach Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

J′ai fait un hit an' run
Un délit d′fuite
On a pris toute not' fun
Un beau trip sans suite
C't′un p′tit souv'nir de rien
Oui, de rien, de rien
Mais là, les blues me r′pognent
Les blues du hit an' run

Un soir d′étoiles filantes
Pas gelé, même pas saoul
J'ai découvert l′amante
Au creux du mois d'août
C't′un beau souv′nir d'été
Qui veut pas s′en aller
Pis là, les blues me r'pognent
Les blues du hit an′ run

Moé, j'ai débarqué
Oui, j′ai déraillé

Des fois, j'la vois dans rue
Elle a pas changé
Mais a' me r′connaît pu
Comme si c′était pas moé
C't′un vieux souv'nir d′un soir
Qui m'laisse dans l′noir

Pis là, les blues me r'pognent
Les blues du hit an' run

Overall Meaning

The song "Hit An' Run" by Offenbach explores the feelings of regret and nostalgia of a person who has committed a hit and run. The lyrics reveal that the singer was reckless with their actions, leading to the loss of their fun and the blues taking over. The first stanza expresses a sense of emptiness and insignificance, where the hit and run was just a fleeting memory. Yet, the singer is now haunted by the consequences of their irresponsible behavior, leading to feelings of sadness and despair.

The second verse portrays a contrasting picture of a beautiful summer night where the singer discovered their lover. The memory of that night is cherished and refuses to fade away, unlike the memory of the hit and run. However, the blues still catch up with them, indicating that the guilt weighs heavily on their conscience. The final verse reflects on how the singer's life has changed since committing the hit and run. They still see their lover in the streets, but she no longer recognizes him, adding to his sense of loss and regret.

Overall, the song presents a poignant portrayal of a person who committed a mistake and now lives with the consequences, reflecting on what could have been or should have been.

Line by Line Meaning

J'ai fait un hit an' run
I committed a hit and run

Un délit d'fuite
A crime of running away

On a pris toute not' fun
We lost all our fun

Un beau trip sans suite
A beautiful trip without continuation

C't'un p'tit souv'nir de rien
It's a little memory of nothing

Oui, de rien, de rien
Yes, of nothing, of nothing

Mais là, les blues me r'pognent
But now, the blues are getting to me

Les blues du hit an' run
The blues of the hit and run

Un soir d'étoiles filantes
An evening of shooting stars

Pas gelé, même pas saoul
Not frozen, not even drunk

J'ai découvert l'amante
I discovered my lover