Raphael were a visual kei band from Japan. Forming in 1997, the members wer… Read Full Bio ↴Raphael were a visual kei band from Japan. Forming in 1997, the members were only 15 when the band was formed. They were signed to a major label in 1999, and their major debut single, "Hanasaku Inochi Aru Kagiri", was a moderate success, reaching number 25 on the Oricon charts. They were known for their impressive style, which had an aggressive, progressive tone, with angelic melodies by frontman Yuki. By the summer of 2000, they were at their career peak, and their albums were selling pretty well for such a young band. However, on Halloween 2000, the guitarist and main songwriter of the band, Kazuki, died at the young age of 19. Soon after that, the band decided it was time to split. The vocalist (Yuki) and the drummer (Kazuhiro) formed Rice later that year, while the bassist (Yukito) embarked on a solo project. The band was resurrected for a short time in 2012 with all remaining members to celebrate Kazuki's 13th memorial.

Comme un homme à la mer
Raphael Lyrics

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Longtemps sur les chemins
La nuit est encore loin
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Voyager sans billet
Un œil à la lucarne
La grande ville
Et défiler les rêves
Le soleil dans les reins

Les voilures gonflées
La rumeur des quartiers
Aux étoiles de papiers
Dans le grand désert
A la file indienne

Comme un homme à la mer
Allez Dis- la nous ta prière
Et allons plus loin mon frère

Dis c'est quand qu'on revient

Marcher dans les blés lourds
Sur la ligne de front
Au-dessous du volcan
Au-devant des maisons
Mon amie, mon amour
C'est le grand bond en avant
Dont nul ne revient
Nul ne connaît la fin

Et un homme à la mer
Allez Dis la nous ta prière
Et allons plus loin mon frère

Dis c'est quand qu'on revient

Tous les équipages
Fini le voyage
Morts d'insomnie
Dans la nuit de garde
Si jamais je m'égare
Mon amour mon amie

Et un homme à la mer
Comme un homme à la mer
Comme un homme à la mer

Allez Dis la nous ta prière
On est bien amers

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Raphaël's song, Comme un homme à la mer, talks about the journey of life, the feeling of being lost, and the search for a higher purpose. The opening lines describe the long and winding roads of life, where the night is still far away. The journey is exhausting, and one has to keep on walking and striving to achieve one's goals. The next line, "Voyager sans billet" (travel without a ticket), talks about the unpredictability of life, where we don't know what happens next, and we have to travel without knowing where we'll end up.

The singer describes the city in the next line, "La grande ville," where we see our dreams parade before our eyes. The sun on our back and the sails of our ship inflated with the winds of change. The city's noise can be heard around us like the rustling of paper stars in a quiet night. We walk in single file in the vast desert of life, where we are vulnerable and alone.

The chorus of the song, "Comme un homme à la mer," talks about feeling lost in the sea of life, searching for direction and purpose. The singer asks for guidance and direction, "Dis- la nous ta prière" (Tell us your prayer), and urges his friend to go further and not turn back.

Line by Line Meaning

Longtemps sur les chemins
I spent a long time traveling on roads

La nuit est encore loin
The night is still far away

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Walking until one is tired

Voyager sans billet
Traveling without a ticket

Un œil à la lucarne
One eye on the window

La grande ville
The big city

Et défiler les rêves
And dreaming of things to come

Le soleil dans les reins
The sun in my back

Les voilures gonflées
The sails billowing

La rumeur des quartiers
The hum of the neighborhoods

Aux étoiles de papiers
To the paper stars