The group identifies itself as a world music group. They have performed live in Europe, North America and Australia.
In 2009, members Belle du Berry & David Lewis released a side project entitled Quizz.
In 2013, Paris Combo reformed and began touring again. They have since released two new studio albums and an album of remixes.
Istanbul
Paris Combo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
C'est dans le port d'Istanbul
Bercé par l'ivresse
Et les plis de la houle
Qu'un homme est en liesse
Tout au fond d'un canot
Il déguste et sirote
Des liqueurs au tonneau
De cette terre
Il a goûté
ô souvenir amer des saveurs d'une vie
bourlinguée
Et dans le port d'Istanbul
A l'heure où les mosquées
Adressent à la foule
Leurs prières, simultanément
Tous les chalands
De leurs poumons d'acier
Entonnent le chant
Le chant du départ
Le gros bourdon
Du désespoir
De tous les marins qui ne partiront pas
ce soir
{au Refrain}
C'est la bourlingue, des vieilles carlingues
Celles qui sont usées, d'avoir de tout abusé
C'est la bourlingue, des vieilles carlingues
Celles qui sont usées d'avoir été médusées
Et dans le port d'Istanbul
Comme les coques d'acier
Sont bouffées par la rouille
L'âme de l'homme est trouée
De souvenirs anciens
Qui, malgré lui, s'acharnent
A torturer son âme
Son âme de mataf
De mataf amer
Car l'avenir est maintenant
Derrière lui, il le sait, il ne repartira pas
{au Refrain}
The song "Istanbul" by Paris Combo is filled with poignant reflections on the lives of sailors living in the old port town of Istanbul. The refrain speaks of a sailor feeling unbridled happiness in a small boat amidst the rocking waves and his enjoyment of wine poured directly from the barrel. He has lived and tasted all the pleasures of the earth, but now his memories of a life at sea bring only bitter feelings. In the port of Istanbul, where the mosques call the faithful to prayer, the ships tied to the pier emit a mournful groan that echoes the despair of sailors leaving for their final voyage. Their lungs of steel resonate with the song of departure, a melancholy tune that permeates the atmosphere.
In the second verse, we learn that the song of departure is sung not just by the ships about to set sail but also by the old ones that have already spent their lives at sea. These battered old vessels, corroded by salt and rust, hold the memories of the sailors who once sailed on them. These sailors have experienced it all, both the joys and the sorrows of life at sea. However, now all they can do is wait for their own last journey, haunted by their memories.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est dans le port d'Istanbul
The song takes place in Istanbul's port
Bercé par l'ivresse
The man in the story is influenced by alcohol
Et les plis de la houle
He is moved by the waves of the sea
Qu'un homme est en liesse
The man is filled with joy
Tout au fond d'un canot
He is at the bottom of a boat
Il déguste et sirote
He is savoring and tasting
Des liqueurs au tonneau
He is drinking alcohol from a barrel
Car de tous les plaisirs
He has experienced all the pleasures
De cette terre
On this earth
Il a goûté
He has tasted
ô souvenir amer des saveurs d'une vie bourlinguée
Oh, bitter memory of the flavors of a life at sea
Et dans le port d'Istanbul
And in Istanbul's port
A l'heure où les mosquées
At the hour when the mosques
Adressent à la foule
Address the crowd
Leurs prières, simultanément
Their prayers, simultaneously
Tous les chalands
All the boats
De leurs poumons d'acier
With their steel lungs
Entonnent le chant
Are singing
Le chant du départ
The departure song
Le gros bourdon
The loud buzzing
Du désespoir
Of despair
De tous les marins qui ne partiront pas ce soir
Of all the sailors who won't be leaving tonight
C'est la bourlingue, des vieilles carlingues
It's the sailing life of the old ships
Celles qui sont usées, d'avoir de tout abusé
Those that are worn out from overindulging in everything
C'est la bourlingue, des vieilles carlingues
It's the sailing life of the old ships
Celles qui sont usées d'avoir été médusées
Those that are worn out from having been stunned
Et dans le port d'Istanbul
And in Istanbul's port
Comme les coques d'acier
Like the steel hulls
Sont bouffées par la rouille
Are eaten away by rust
L'âme de l'homme est trouée
The man's soul is full of holes
De souvenirs anciens
Of old memories
Qui, malgré lui, s'acharnent
Which, despite him, persist
A torturer son âme
To torture his soul
Son âme de mataf
His soul as a sailor
De mataf amer
Of a bitter sailor
Car l'avenir est maintenant
Because the future is now
Derrière lui, il le sait, il ne repartira pas
Behind him, he knows he won't sail away again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENEDICTE DANIELE GRIMAULT, DAVID ALAN LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
615am
Que voz!! Nadie como ella.
Anna Savvides
wonderful song. heard it live.☺️
macrohardh
¡¡Paris combo eternamente!!
Kevin Dasilva
WOWWWWW QUE LINDO 9!
Beautiful!! Simply MESMERIZING!
ジジ
This is a great song as I’m going to Paris and Istanbul in 2 weeks! 😂
Yusuf Alp
Çok güzel ☺
Nikolas SoDiant
Our lovely Belle du Berry has passed away....Immense sadness 😪🥺🎇 💎
B B
What?!?!?
Sudarshan Sarathy
Brilliant !
Valery Thompson
Belle du Berry will be singing from heaven...so sad.