In 1977, besides participating at the Ontario Festival, Richard Séguin made a tour of Switzerland, France, and Quebec. The next year he collaborated with Serge Fiori of the group Harmonium on the LP Deux cents nuits à l'heure (CBS PFS-90456), which sold 100,000 copies and won three Félix Awards at the first ADISQ gala in 1979. His first solo album was followed by a tour in Quebec and in New-Brunswick. His 'Chanson pour durer' won three awards at the Spa Festival in 1981. That year, Séguin also won the second prize for the 'jeune chanson' at the Festival mondial de la chanson française held in Antibes, Côte d'Azur. He then sang in some 40 Quebec cities and at Montreal's Spectrum.
Of folk inspiration initially, Richard Séguin's style slowly evolved toward rock without renouncing its sources, however. His is the legacy of the 1960s. As stated by Micheline Lortie in the magazine Wow, 'those who consider him converted granola have not understood anything; in truth, for many years, Séguin has pursued simple folk-rock, with guitar touches, vocal harmonies on a human scale, and a preoccupation with others who are not success crazy' (August 1989). His album Double vie, inspired by a greater emphasis on rock, marked a new stage in his career. It was listed on the Radio activité chart for more than 50 weeks and won the Félix award for best rock album of 1986, when Séguin was crowned best songwriter. Journée d'Amérique won the Félix Award for best rock album of 1988 and the public's award at the Festival d'été international de Québec 1989. The record was followed by four videoclips and became a gold record. Séguin took part, in Sénégal, in the program 'D'accord-Dakar,' as part of the Sommet de la francophonie (1988). His song 'Ici comme ailleurs' won the CBC competition 'Notre chanson' in 1989. Séguin then performed at the Francofolies in La Rochelle and in the Botaniques in Brussels.
Author: Christian Rioux
Rester debout
Richard Séguin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
au milieu des passants
mourir de soif
au milieu de l'océan
plein d'images dans ma tête
pressées d'aller nulle part
plein d'misères de partout
plein d'misères
avec du feu dans la peau
au bout de la rue
je vais chercher l'horizon
MALGRÉ, MALGRÉ TOUT
MALGRÉ LE TEMPS QUI MENT
LE TEMPS QUI DIT VRAI
MALGRÉ, MALGRÉ TOUT
JOUR APRÈS JOUR ET MALGRÉ TOUT
RESTER DEBOUT
Trop tôt, trop tard
à moi de décider
la route est longue
j'en ai les poings serrés
la grille ouverte
j'sais plus où aller
j'aurais pu, j'aurais dû
qui viennent me hanter
Dans le fil de la vie
J'veux m'y retrouver
les yeux ouverts
un premier pas
un peu de lumière
MALGRÉ, MALGRÉ TOUT
MALGRÉ LE TEMPS QUI MENT
LE TEMPS QUI DIT VRAI
MALGRÉ, MALGRÉ TOUT
JOUR APRÈS JOUR ET MALGRÉ TOUT
RESTER DEBOUT
J'laisserai pas le torrent
dormir dans l'étang
J'laisserai pas les heures
dans l'enclos de la peur
J'laisserai pas mes pleurs
pour un bonheur tranquille
Au bout de la rue
j'vas chercher
chercher, chercher
j'laisserai pas mon coeur
mourir à petit feu
les yeux ouverts
un premier pas
un peu de lumière
RESTER, RESTER DEBOUT
MALGRÉ LE TEMPS QUI MENT
LE TEMPS QUI DIT VRAI
RESTER, RESTER DEBOUT
JOUR APRÈS JOUR ET MALGRÉ TOUT
RESTER DEBOUT
The Richard Séguin song "Rester debout" is a powerful ballad about perseverance and resilience in the face of personal struggle. The lyrics describe the feeling of loneliness even in a crowd, and the sense of being lost without direction. The singer talks about feeling like they are dying of thirst in the middle of the ocean, and having a head full of images that are going nowhere. The difficulties of life press in from all sides, but the singer hangs on, "j'colle les morceaux" (gluing the pieces together) with a fire in their skin. The idea of searching for the horizon is a recurring theme throughout the song, suggesting that there is something just beyond their reach that they are striving for.
Despite the challenges faced, the chorus of the song repeats the message of staying strong and standing tall, "malgré, malgré tout" (despite everything), day after day, no matter what life throws their way. The singer is determined, asserting that they will not let their heart die a slow death, and they will not let their tears go to waste in the pursuit of a tranquil happiness. The final lines of the song are a repetition of the chorus, urging the listener to remain standing in spite of the lies and truths of time.
Overall, the song is a powerful message of hope and determination, emphasizing the importance of persevering through difficult times and not giving up on one's dreams and goals, despite the obstacles in one's path.
Line by Line Meaning
On peut être seuls
It's possible to be alone
au milieu des passants
even when surrounded by people
mourir de soif
feel thirsty to the point of dying
au milieu de l'océan
in the middle of the ocean
plein d'images dans ma tête
my mind is full of images
pressées d'aller nulle part
they're in a hurry to go nowhere
plein d'misères de partout
there's misery everywhere
plein d'misères
there's so much misery
j'colle les morceaux
I glue the pieces together
avec du feu dans la peau
with fire in my skin
au bout de la rue
at the end of the street
je vais chercher l'horizon
I go search for the horizon
MALGRÉ, MALGRÉ TOUT
despite, despite everything
MALGRÉ LE TEMPS QUI MENT
despite time that lies
LE TEMPS QUI DIT VRAI
time that tells the truth
JOUR APRÈS JOUR ET MALGRÉ TOUT
day after day, despite everything
RESTER DEBOUT
to stay standing
Trop tôt, trop tard
too early, too late
à moi de décider
it's up to me to decide
la route est longue
the road is long
j'en ai les poings serrés
I clench my fists
la grille ouverte
the gate is open
j'sais plus où aller
I don't know where to go anymore
j'aurais pu, j'aurais dû
I could have, I should have
qui viennent me hanter
that come haunting me
Dans le fil de la vie
in the thread of life
J'veux m'y retrouver
I want to find myself there
les yeux ouverts
with open eyes
un premier pas
a first step
un peu de lumière
a little bit of light
J'laisserai pas le torrent
I won't let the torrent
dormir dans l'étang
sleep in the pond
J'laisserai pas les heures
I won't let the hours
dans l'enclos de la peur
in the pen of fear
J'laisserai pas mes pleurs
I won't let my tears
pour un bonheur tranquille
for a peaceful happiness
j'laisserai pas mon coeur
I won't let my heart
mourir à petit feu
die a slow death
RESTER, RESTER DEBOUT
to stay, to stay standing
Lyrics © Les Éditions de la Roche Éclatée
Written by: Richard Séguin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Claire O'Bskure
Une prestation touchante de Richard Séguin. J'en suis troublée car c'est tout à fait pertinent avec ce qui se passe présentement. Passons un message clair à nos dirigeants: restons debout...
Caroline Giroux
Une si belle chanson appuyée avec coeur, calme et sincérité
merci à vous🎶
Lily-Anne Pelletier
Merci ,les paroles de cette chanson sont magnifiques ,en plus c'est Richard ...
chouinard yvette
Le magnifique Richard et sa belle chanson !
Hawk Davison
Merci Richard. Is it possible to get better with time... Here is proof.... VSOP! Saw him live 350e . Awesome man.
Marc-André Lavoie
Super arrangement musical
Tommy Vasec
Deux guitares et Richard Séguin == Le Bonheur ;-)
Hélène Perreault
Très belle chanson
Nadia Ghalem
MERCI L'ARTISTE!
Rita Rivard
Je.vais.rester.debout!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️