Pascal Obispo started singing in 1980. He got his first record deal in 1990, Le long du fleuve. With his second album, Plus que tout au monde, selling over 2 million albums, his songs became a popular success. Some of his most famous songs are "Plus que tout au monde", "Laurelenn", "Tombé pour elle", "L'important c'est d'aimer", "Personne" and "Fan". With his 2007 release of Les Fleurs du Bien (a play on Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal) he makes allusions to Rosa Parks, Pablo Picasso and others. He is also well known for his various escapades, his unconservative behavior, his haircut, etc. His name is an anagram of painter Pablo Picasso's name. Most of his albums have now sold more than 1 million copies.
Obispo used his popularity to help with humanitarian work and particularly with work to stop the AIDS epidemic. He has worked with many other well-known artists such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, Florent Pagny, Johnny Hallyday, Patricia Kaas, Amel Bent, and Natasha St-Pier.
Pascal Obispo was born in Bergerac in Southwest France. The son of a football star (his father used to play for the Girondins team in Bordeaux), young Pascal had originally dreamed of becoming a basketball player. But when in 1978 he moved to Rennes with his mother, he discovered a new passion in life: music.
In the early 80's Rennes had a thriving music scene and the town even produced its own annual festival, the famous Transmusicales. This hotbed of music talent soon spawned a whole host of French new wave pop stars such as Etienne Daho and the group Niagara.
Growing up in this highly creative atmosphere it was not long before the young Pascal formed his own group, Senzo, in 1988, teaming up with Franck Darcel (who had made his name with the Breton group Marquis de Sade).
Obispo went on to record a first single which soon earnt him a recording contract with Epic (an offshoot of the Sony label). In 1992 the up-and-coming star went into the studio to work on his début album, "Plus que tout au monde". Produced by Nick Patrick (renowned for his work with the Gipsy Kings, Bashung, Alain Souchon etc), this album was an instant hit with the French public, the title track proving extremely popular with all the main radio stations.
Following this enormous success, Obispo embarked upon a series of extensive tours, playing numerous dates across France between September and December 93. At the end of the year the singer performed his first Paris gig, appearing at the now-defunct Passage du Nord Ouest.
Pascal Obispo's recording career continued to go from strength to strength, his singles "Tu vas me manquer" and "La moitié de moi" rocketing straight to the top of the French charts and remaining in prime positions for several months.
"Zen"
Obispo returned to the studio in 1994 to record his second album entitled "Un jour comme aujourd'hui". Released in October of that year, the album continued in the same catchy pop vein as Obispo's début and, not surprisingly, proved just as great a hit. Following the release of the album, Obispo promptly embarked upon another tour (which kicked off in February 95 and continued through March of that year). This tour included performances in over 60 French lycées, where the singer proved extremely popular in music lessons.
Between September and December 95 Obispo continued his hectic touring schedule, performing a series of concerts across France and then embarking upon an international tour. One of the highlights of this particular tour was the singer's impressive concert at La Cigale in Paris on 15 November. That same year Obispo would also reveal his songwriting talent, penning the hit single "Zen" for his close friend Zazie.
At the start of 1996 Obispo was back on the road again, supporting Quebecois star Céline Dion on her French tour. This tour included 4 dates at Bercy Stadium (the largest concert venue in Paris) where Obispo performed in front of capacity crowds.
When this mammoth tour (which included 40 dates) was finally over Obispo returned to the studio to set to work on his third album, "Superflu". Released on 29 October 1996, this album spawned two hit singles "Personne" and the best-selling smash "Lucie" (which sold a staggering 80,000 copies in just one month) and went on to become a kind of anthem on the promotional tour which followed.
By February 1997 the album "Superflu" had proved a phenomenal hit, selling over 300,000 copies. Following this success Obispo was invited to perform at the legendary Olympia in Paris, where he performed six sell-out concerts. The singer then went on to appear at the Zénith on 21 May, 4,000 fans greeting his performance with rapturous applause.
Obispo, who had by this point established himself as one of the most popular figures on the French music scene, was invited to perform at the famous Francofolies festival in La Rochelle on Bastille Day (14 July 1997).
At one of his most recent concerts, in Ajaccio on 28 July 1997, Obispo and one of his backing group were hit by a shower of buckshot fired from a gun in the audience. Extremely shaken but not seriously injured, the pair were nevertheless taken to a nearby hospital where they were discharged within 24 hours. Obispo fans breathed a huge sigh of relief - losing such a talented singer/songwriter at the height of his career would have left a huge void at the heart of the contemporary French music scene.
1997 would prove to be an extremely eventful year for Obispo, for later that year the young star's songwriting talents were much in demand. Indeed, Obispo went on to work with two of France's top music stars, Florent Pagny and Johnny Hallyday. Obispo would pen several tracks on Florent Pagny's new album, including the best-selling single "Savoir aimer" which rocketed to the top of the French charts in the autumn of 97. The young songwriter was then invited to write an entire album for the French megastar Johnny Hallyday. Obispo's excellent work on both albums established him as one of the most sought-after songwriter/composers on the French music scene.
Sadly Obispo's professional success was not echoed at this year's Victoires de la Musique awards (held in Paris in February). In spite of being nominated for three major awards, Obispo walked off empty-handed from the prestigious French award ceremony once again. Obispo's only comfort this year was that Florent Pagny scooped Best Male Artist of the Year and received the Best Video award for the top selling single "Savoir aimer".
Ubiquitous
Obispo may not have triumphed at the Victoires de la Musique awards, but his recent record sales have certainly proved that his fans have not deserted him. Indeed, Obispo's latest album "Superflu" recently topped the million mark, earning Monsieur Obispo a coveted diamond disc. Recently the SACEM (the French association of songwriters and composers) awarded Obispo the Prix Vincent Scotto for Florent Pagny's best-selling single "Savoir aimer".
Confirming his status as one of France's most hyperactive artists, Obispo was back in the music news in '98, masterminding a compilation album to raise funds for AIDS charities. "Ensemble" turned out to be a highly original album featuring an interesting and extensive mix of French music stars. The album proved to be a big hit with the French public, selling around 700,000 copies.
Obispo turned his attention to songwriting and producing in 1999, composing several songs for Patricia Kaas's new album "le Mot de passe" and producing nine tracks on Florent Pagny's album "Récréation" (an innovative work featuring covers of French chanson classics reworked with techno-style dance beats).
Besides continuing his fund-raising work with Restos du Cœur and Sol en Si, Obispo somehow found time to begin work on a new album entitled "Soledad". Released in December '99, Obispo's new album - as the title "Soledad" (Solitude) suggests - revolves around the theme of loneliness. Obispo wrote the majority of the songs on the album himself (penning more songs on one album than ever before) but he also called on the services of Etienne Roda Gil ("Ce qu'on voit, allée Rimbaud"), Serge Guirao ("l'Important c'est d'aimer") and Lionel Florence who penned the Spanish-sounding title track "Soledad", chosen as the first single release.
Being too busy, Pascal Obispo decided to postpone his "Soledad" tour until 2001. Indeed for the French star, the millennium goes off to a flying start with a very tight timetable. Amongst other things, the artist took on the penning of the musical, Les Dix Commandements that Elie Chouraqui, the famous film director, was going to direct. The hype around the show kicked off in spring with a flourish of trumpets, although it was not scheduled before autumn-winter 2000-2001. That season also saw the revival of the 'musical' in France, a revival certainly inspired by the recent triumph of Notre-Dame de Paris.
Despite so much activity, the singer managed to find some time for his private life and on April the 4th he married his girlfriend Isabelle Funaro. The celebration was attended by a host of their friends, Zazie was of course one of their guests of honour.
The couple had got engaged in Tahiti on New Year's Eve.
Triumph
Then, for Obispo the summer of 2000 rhymed with the rehearsals of The Ten Commandments. Even before the first performances, its single "L'envie d'aimer" ("Lust for love") hit the million sales, raising very high expectations for the show itself. Those weren't dashed by the performances which, as soon as the opening night on the 4th of October, took place before a full house. On the evening of the dress rehearsal (12.10.00), Pascal Obispo became the father of a young boy called Sean.
At the climax of his professional career and quite happy in his private life as well, Obispo eventually hit the road for a tour across France that he began with a few days at the Zenith in Paris (November 17th-22th). He also recorded the song "Christmas Together" for the association Ensemble contre le sida (Together Against Aids). It will be the leading title of the association's collective Christmas album. Pascal Obispo is one of this association's most active members.
In 2001, the singer was presented with the NRJ Music Award for Best singer—a likely yet unexpected reward for an artist who had always been ignored by the Victoires de la Musique (the French equivalent of the Brit Awards). Following the award, Obispo went back on the road to resume his tour. Then in November, he brought out a live album entitled "Millesime". Among the fourteen tracks on the album, one had been yet unreleased. A very personal song , it deals with the theme of fatherhood, mirroring the artist’s private life.
In July 2002, Obispo took part in the charity concert for the Restaurants du Coeur given by the Enfoirés in Marseilles. Then he went back to the studio to work on a benefit title that is to be sung by the French football team to collect funds for the fight against AIDS. The Senegalese artist Youssou N’Dour, who is a big fan of football, is expected to sing the chorus, accompanying the French football players.
Fan
The press has often remarked on the influence of Michel Polnareff on Pascal Obispo, so it was no surprise when the latter decided to pay homage to former in the form of a concert tour. Obispo undertook a sixty-date tour across France from October 2003 to August 2004, with several stopovers in Paris (November 18-19, then December 18-20, 2003 at the Zénith, followed by Bercy on January 27, 2004. He put on a real show with the first half entirely devoted to Polnareff songs. In the second half he sang a number of cherished covers as well as new songs such as the aptly titled "Fan". The tour was a homage to all the artists who had inspired him when he was younger, from Téléphone to Queen and Madonna. This mammoth tour attracted some 300,000 people and received a Victoires de la Musique award in February 2004 for the best show of the year.
A double album entitled "live fan/studio fan" came out on March 15, 2006, featuring the singles "Fan", "Zinedine" and "La prétention de rien" – three new and original tracks.
Albums
■Le long du fleuve (1990)
■Plus Que Tout au Monde (1992)
■Un Jour Comme Aujourd'hui (1994)
■Superflu (1997)
■Live 98 (1998)
■Soledad (1999)
■Millésime Live 00/01 (2001)
■Studio Fan – Live Fan (2004)
■Les Fleurs du Bien (2006)
■Les Fleurs de forest(live)(2007)
■Welcome to the Magic World of Captain Samourai Flower (2009)
Musicals:
■Les Dix Commandements (2000) – Music: Pascal Obispo, Book and Lyrics: Lionel Florence and Patrice Guirao
As of the end of 2011, Pascal was working on "Adam et Eve, La Seconde Chance". The musical comedy was set to open on Jan. 31, 2012 at the Palais Des Sports in Paris, France.
Quand j'entends la musique
Pascal Obispo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et le noir autour de soi.
A peine un souffle qui s’avance,
Un murmure à demi-voix.
Comme pour marquer la cadence,
Juste un claquement de doigts,
Qui rappelle en évidence,
Que le rythme vient de là,
Et plus rien n’a d’importance
Plus rien ne compte autour de soi
Comme si tout devenait magique.
Hm, quand j’entends la musique
Tu es ailleurs quand elle t’appelle
Comme beaucoup d’autres hommes infidèles.
(Quand j’entends la musique)
Quand elle est là, j’existe pas
Te souviens-tu encore de moi?
(Quand j’entends la)
Tu es ailleurs et plus le même
Comme un homme à qui l’on dit je t’aime.
(Quand j’entends j’entends la musique)
Quand elle est là, je sais déjà
Plus rien ne compte, tu m’oublieras!
Puis un accord qui s’élance,
Une guitare qu'emboîte le pas,
Sans battage ni violence,
Sans trop savoir où elle va.
Et puis soudain se déclenche
Des cuivres qu’attendaient que ça
Comme on attend une avalanche
Avec tous un cœur qui bat
Et plus rien n’a d’importance
Plus rien ne compte autour de soi
Comme si tout devenait magique.
Oh, quand j’entends la musique.
Tu es ailleurs, et plus le même
Comme un homme à qui l’on dit je t’aime.
(Quand j’entends la musique)
Quand elle est là, j’existe pas
Te souviens-tu encore de moi?
(Quand j’entends la)
Tu es ailleurs, tu as des ailes
Comme quand on monte un autre ciel.
(Quand j’entends j’entends la musique)
Quand elle est là, je sais déjà
Plus rien ne compte, tu m’oublieras!
Tu m'oublieras
Musique
Hm
J'entends la musique (chut)
La musique
Tadadada
Plus rien d’autre n’a de sens.
Plus de barrières ni de lois.
T'es plus le même à chaque fois
A chaque fois
A chaque fois
Quand j’entends la musique
Quand j’entends la musique
(Quand j’entends la)
Tu es ailleurs et plus le même
Comme un homme à qui l’on dit je t’aime.
(Quand j’entends j’entends la musique)
Quand elle est là, je sais déjà
Plus rien ne compte, tu m’oublieras!
(J’entends j’entends la musique)
J’entends, j'entends
(J’entends j’entends la musique)
J’entends la musique
J’entends, j'entends
J’entends la musique
La musique
Musique
Musique
La musique
The lyrics of Pascal Obispo's song "Quand j'entends la musique" (When I Hear the Music) describe the transformative power of music, the way it can transcend the mundane and elevate the listener to a realm where nothing else matters. The song opens with the silence and darkness that precede the music, and the subtle sound of fingers snapping to mark the beat. As the music gains momentum, the instruments join in, each one adding its own voice to the collective sound. The lyrics suggest that the music has the power to transport the listener, to make them forget about everything else and lose themselves in the moment.
The second half of the song introduces the idea that music can be a source of conflict in relationships, as the singer's partner becomes distant and unresponsive when consumed by the music. The lyrics imply a sense of jealousy or resentment on the part of the singer, who feels left out and forgotten when the music takes over. Ultimately, the song celebrates the power of music to create a shared experience, while acknowledging the potential pitfalls that come with this power.
Overall, "Quand j'entends la musique" is a passionate tribute to the emotional and transformative power of music, and an acknowledgment of the way it can both bring people together and drive them apart.
Line by Line Meaning
Tout commence dans le silence,
The magic of music begins with silence.
Et le noir autour de soi.
It darkens around, setting the mood for the music.
A peine un souffle qui s’avance,
Barely a whisper, as if the music is tiptoeing towards us.
Un murmure à demi-voix.
A murmur with soft intensity.
Comme pour marquer la cadence,
As if to set the rhythm for us to follow.
Juste un claquement de doigts,
A simple snap of the fingers, setting the pace.
Qui rappelle en évidence,
Showing us clearly where the music comes from.
Que le rythme vient de là,
The source of the rhythm is in the snap of the fingers.
Et plus rien n’a d’importance
All the worries and concerns disappear when we hear the music.
Plus rien ne compte autour de soi
Nothing else matters but the music surrounding us.
Comme si tout devenait magique.
As if everything else fades away, and only the magic of the moment remains.
Hm, quand j’entends la musique
Ah, when I hear the music...
Tu es ailleurs quand elle t’appelle
You are transported to another realm when the music calls you.
Comme beaucoup d’autres hommes infidèles.
Like so many other unfaithful men.
(Quand j’entends la musique)
(When I hear the music)
Quand elle est là, j’existe pas
When the music is present, everything else ceases to exist.
Te souviens-tu encore de moi?
Do you still remember me?
(Quand j’entends la)
(When I hear it)
Tu es ailleurs et plus le même
You are somewhere else, transformed.
Comme un homme à qui l’on dit je t’aime.
Like a man who has just heard 'I love you.'
(Quand j’entends j’entends la musique)
(When I hear, I hear the music)
Quand elle est là, je sais déjà
I know that when the music is present,
Plus rien ne compte, tu m’oublieras!
Nothing else matters, and you will forget me.
Puis un accord qui s’élance,
Then a chord takes off.
Une guitare qu'emboîte le pas,
A guitar joins in, following closely.
Sans battage ni violence,
No fuss or violence about it.
Sans trop savoir où elle va.
Not quite sure where it's headed.
Et puis soudain se déclenche
Suddenly, it all clicks into place.
Des cuivres qu’attendaient que ça
The brass section erupts, as if waiting for their cue.
Comme on attend une avalanche
Like waiting for an avalanche.
Avec tous un cœur qui bat.
All our hearts beating together in anticipation.
Plus rien n’a d’importance
All else fades away, and only the music remains.
Plus rien ne compte autour de soi
Everything else ceases to exist, except the music around us.
Comme si tout devenait magique.
As if everything else fades away, and only the magic of the moment remains.
Oh, quand j’entends la musique.
Oh, when I hear the music...
Tu es ailleurs, et plus le même
You are somewhere else, transformed.
Comme un homme à qui l’on dit je t’aime.
Like a man who has just heard 'I love you.'
(Quand j’entends la musique)
(When I hear the music)
Quand elle est là, j’existe pas
When the music is present, everything else ceases to exist.
Te souviens-tu encore de moi?
Do you still remember me?
(Quand j’entends la)
(When I hear it)
Tu es ailleurs, tu as des ailes
You are elsewhere, soaring like an eagle.
Comme quand on monte un autre ciel.
Like ascending to another world.
(Quand j’entends j’entends la musique)
(When I hear, I hear the music)
Quand elle est là, je sais déjà
I know that when the music is present,
Plus rien ne compte, tu m’oublieras!
Nothing else matters, and you will forget me.
Tu m'oublieras
You will forget me.
Musique
Music.
Hm
Ah.
J'entends la musique (chut)
I hear the music (shh).
La musique
Music.
Tadadada
Dadada.
Plus rien d’autre n’a de sens.
Nothing else makes sense.
Plus de barrières ni de lois.
No more boundaries or rules.
T'es plus le même à chaque fois
Every time you're different.
A chaque fois
Every time.
Quand j’entends la musique
When I hear the music...
(Quand j’entends la)
(When I hear it)
Tu es ailleurs et plus le même
You are somewhere else, transformed.
Comme un homme à qui l’on dit je t’aime.
Like a man who has just heard 'I love you.'
(Quand j’entends j’entends la musique)
(When I hear, I hear the music)
Quand elle est là, je sais déjà
I know that when the music is present,
Plus rien ne compte, tu m’oublieras!
Nothing else matters, and you will forget me.
(J’entends j’entends la musique)
(I hear, I hear the music)
J’entends, j'entends
I hear, I hear.
(J’entends j’entends la musique)
(I hear, I hear the music)
J’entends la musique
I hear the music.
J’entends, j'entends
I hear, I hear.
J’entends la musique
I hear the music.
La musique
Music.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Pascal Obispo, Pierre Lorain
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind