[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.

Promenade sur Mars
Offenbach Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Je vous espionne de ma fenêtre
Promeneuse qui avez un chien
Vous progressez
Et l'air autour de vous
Construit des cercles
Contre les lequels
Mon regard se heurte
Sans pouvoir why trouver la porte

Je vous espionne de ma fenêtre
Promeneuse qui avez un chien
Vous et le chien
Vivant sans doute sur une autre planète
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin

Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin
(solo)
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense
N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin
Où l'homme que je suis
Quoiqu'il en pense

N'a pas accès
Ni de près ni de loin

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Offenbach's song Promenade sur Mars describe the singer's observations of a woman and her dog from his window. He notes that the woman and the dog seem to be living on a different planet, one that he cannot access or understand. The circles that surround the woman as she walks her dog seem to be impenetrable to the singer's gaze, and he is unable to find a way in. The man acknowledges that he is not part of their world, and he can only watch from afar with a sense of longing and isolation.

This song is a commentary on the human experience of longing for connection and understanding. It suggests that there are aspects of the world that remain beyond our reach, and that we must learn to accept this limitation. The lyrics also point to the idea that we are all living in our own unique worlds, and that there is a sense of mystery and wonder that we can never fully comprehend.

Line by Line Meaning

Je vous espionne de ma fenêtre
I spy on you from my window

Promeneuse qui avez un chien
You who are out walking your dog

Vous progressez
You are making progress

Et l'air autour de vous
And the air around you

Construit des cercles
Creates circles

Contre lesquels
Against which

Mon regard se heurte
My gaze clashes

Sans pouvoir why trouver la porte
Unable to find the way out

Vous et le chien
You and the dog

Vivant sans doute sur une autre planète
Living no doubt on another planet

Où l'homme que je suis
Where the man I am

Quoiqu'il en pense
No matter what he thinks

N'a pas accès
Has no access