There are more than one artist who uses this mononym : 1. Raphaël Haroche f… Read Full Bio ↴There are more than one artist who uses this mononym : 1. Raphaël Haroche from Paris, Î-d-F, France2. Phil Raphaël from New York, NY, United States3.

1) Raphaël Haroche, born on 7 November 1975 in Paris, Île-de-France, France, is a French singer who performs under the name Raphael. His father is Russian and his mother is from Argentina.

He began his public career with the song "Cela Nous Aurait Suffi (Dayenou)", featured on his critically-acclaimed debut album Hôtel de l'Univers in 2001. His first major public hit was "Sur La Route", a duet with French long-time rock legend Jean-Louis Aubert. His second album, La Réalité (2003), was met with successes both critical and commercial, and Raphael has been on the road ever since, playing gigs all over France. After the release of super-hit album Caravane, best-selling French LP of 2005 helped by catchy-yet-thought-provoking tunes such as "Caravane," "Ne Partons Pas Fâchés," "Et dans 150 ans," or "Schengen", he went on to win three 'Victoires de la Musique'.

His current partner is Mélanie Thierry (actress and model).

2) Pianist and composer Phil Raphaël was born in New York in 1930 and an active member of the capital of bop’s music scene during the 1950s, occasionally playing with Charlie Parker and saxophonist John Eardley. The only recorded trace of his activities is a session he did with the legendary trumpet player Red Rodney for the Prestige label in 1951. According to the liner notes, Phil Raphael also played in Tommy Dorsey and Stan Kenton’s big bands – although there is no recorded proof of this – and moved to Las Vegas for a while. It is unknown exactly when he appeared on the Belgian scene, nor when he disappeared from the musical life of Brussels, but he did play at the Pol’s club where his wife worked as a cloakroom assistant during the 1970s. The recording session for ‘Stop, Look, Listen’ took place on 3rd June 1972 and although the character and story of the leader remain a mystery, his Belgian accompanists were well-known figures on the Brussels scene. Drummer Robert Pernet, vibraphone player and percussionist Johnny Perret and double bass player Paul Dubois played and recorded with Toots Thielemans, Bobby Jaspar and many others for thirty years or so. Unfortunately, Paul Dubois, the only surviving member of the rhythm section, who played just this once with the pianist, has no memory of Raphael or of the opera singer Rose Thompson, whose voice lights up the arrangements. However, the real mystery surrounding this album - even more than the circumstances in which it came into existence - is the magical nature of the compositions. Raphael manages to create a unique alchemy on every track, a harmonious blend of very different musical styles: be-bop, opera, free jazz, and rock. Many musicians tried their hand at fusion around that time, but this album is unequalled in its lyrical, poetic chemistry. Stop, look, listen…

Collision
Raphaël Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tenir la ligne droite, serrer,
La voir vide, puis - danger.
Protéger les yeux des phares...
Qui se soucie de vivre tard?
Rentrer dans le tunnel,
Sortir, collé au siège.
Tu peux coller tes pare-chocs,
T'accrocher à nos cuires.

Serai Paris avant la nuit.
Pas frimer, c'est ça la vie.
Toute vie que j'ai plus de permis,
C'est l'heure de minuit, c'est ça, la vie.
Rentrer dans le tunnel,
Pare-brise taché de ciel.

Tu peux coller à la route,
T'accrocher à nos croûtes.

Overall Meaning

In the song Collision by Raphaël, the lyrics describe the experience of driving at night. The opening lines encourage the listener to stay in their lane and stay focused, to avoid any potential danger. The next line offers the image of an empty road, but this is quickly followed by a reference to the headlights of other cars, which serves as a reminder of the risks involved in driving. The lyrics then suggest protecting one's eyes from these lights, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for protecting oneself from the distractions and pressures of modern life.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the feeling of speed and excitement that can come with driving at night, as well as the sense of camaraderie that can develop between drivers on the road. There is a sense of urgency to get to one's destination before night falls completely, and a sense that this is what it means to truly live. The final verse is more reflective, with a hint of regret for past mistakes that have resulted in a loss of one's driver's license. However, the overall effect of the song is one of exhilaration and freedom, even as it acknowledges the risks and responsibilities that come with driving.

Line by Line Meaning

Tenir la ligne droite, serrer,
Maintain a straight line, grip the handlebars tight

La voir vide, puis - danger.
Seeing it empty, then - danger.

Protéger les yeux des phares...
Protect your eyes from the headlights...

Qui se soucie de vivre tard?
Who cares about living a long time?

Rentrer dans le tunnel,
Enter the tunnel,

Sortir, collé au siège.
Come out, glued to the seat.

Tu peux coller tes pare-chocs,
You can stick your bumpers,

T'accrocher à nos cuires.
Hold onto our leathers.

Serai Paris avant la nuit.
I'll be in Paris before night.

Pas frimer, c'est ça la vie.
Not showing off, that's life.

Toute vie que j'ai plus de permis,
All the life I have without a license,