Tellier's first album, L'incroyable Vérité (The Incredible Truth), was released in 2001. Tellier went on tour with Air in support of the album. The track " Fantino" off the album was chosen by Sofia Coppola for the soundtrack to her 2003 film "Lost in Translation". Tellier followed L'incroyable Vérité with his second studio album Politics (2005). A particularly popular song from Politics was "La Ritournelle", a string-led tune, which featured Nigerian drummer, Tony Allen of Fela Kuti fame. "La Ritournelle" was remixed by various artists, notably in Britain by Metronomy.
Since the release of Politics, Tellier has also recorded an acoustic album of his more popular songs, Sessions (2006). The album was repackaged for the British market as Universe (2006), to include both highlights from the French CD, as well as compositions from Tellier's score for the film Narco.
His third studio album Sexuality was produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk. Like his previous album Politics, Tellier used a single term as title and theme of the album.
On 7 March 2008, it was announced by Bruno Berberes, head of EBU delegation in France, that Tellier would represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. It was held in Belgrade on 24 May 2008. Tellier sang "Divine". This was the first time in the history of the contest that the nominated French entry was to be performed largely in English, which caused controversy, leading to Tellier pledging to increase the amount of French in the song prior to the competition itself.
Benny
Sébastien Tellier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With stout women with monster faces
Put on our boots and grab our billy-cans
Wa walk to the hill with the fellas
Shovels and pics on our shoulders
Pitful suits and smutty jokes
Down a deep hole that makes us sick
And every night we're back washed out
Am I not blessed I don't have to rise
When it's raining I can stay home a while
I will not share a meal with your colleagues
Won't date the girl in charge of human ressources
Part time work, part time leisure, and all will end in a videogame
Oh no no no please allow me to puke
I'd sure vote to reduce the working time
Oh no no no please tell me where I puked
Roll on roll on roll on put your brains on strike
Part time work, part time leisure, and all will end in a videogame
Oh no no no the worst of my fears
Winos arguing rough at the canteen
Oh no no no beyond all strategies
The retired said goddbye toutou corporate parties
It's such a shame to be an activist
The lyrics to Sébastien Tellier's song "Benny" tell a story of a man who works in a difficult and unsatisfying job. He describes his daily routine of waking up early, working alongside unpleasant colleagues, and feeling physically exhausted every night. He then contrasts his life with that of someone who doesn't have to work in such conditions, who can stay home when it rains and refuse to socialize with work colleagues.
The idea of "part-time work, part-time leisure" suggests that the singer desires a better work-life balance, and he ultimately imagines a world in which people can work less and enjoy more free time. The final line - "It's such a shame to be an activist" - may suggest that the singer feels powerless to effect change or improve his situation, despite his desire for a better life.
Overall, the lyrics to "Benny" convey a sense of dissatisfaction with the daily grind of working life and a longing for more freedom and autonomy. The singer may represent a larger group of people who feel trapped in their jobs and dream of something more fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
Every morning we get landed
We are forced to start our day
With stout women with monster faces
We have to work with unpleasant women
Put on our boots and grab our billy-cans
We prepare our tools for work
Walk to the hill with the fellas
We go to work together with our colleagues
Shovels and pics on our shoulders
We carry our equipment on our shoulders
Pitful suits and smutty jokes
We wear poor quality suits and share inappropriate jokes
Down a deep hole that makes us sick
We work in a place that makes us feel uncomfortable
And every night we're back washed out
We return home exhausted from work
Am I not blessed I don't have to rise
I am grateful I don't have to start my day early
When it's raining I can stay home a while
I can take a break from work when it rains
I will not share a meal with your colleagues
I won't socialize with your coworkers
Won't date the girl in charge of human ressources
I won't get romantically involved with someone in a position of power at work
Oh no no no please allow me to puke
I feel nauseous and sick about the situation
I'd sure vote to reduce the working time
I would support reducing the amount of time spent working
Oh no no no please tell me where I puked
I am disgusted and want to know where my vomit is
Roll on roll on roll on put your brains on strike
We need to stop using our brains and rebel against the system
Oh no no no the worst of my fears
I am scared of the worst possible outcome
Winos arguing rough at the canteen
People are fighting and being aggressive at the cafeteria
Oh no no no beyond all strategies
This situation is beyond any plans or solutions
The retired said goodbye toutou corporate parties
Retired individuals are saying goodbye to corporate parties and events
It's such a shame to be an activist
It's disappointing that one has to become an activist to improve their work situation
Contributed by Jayden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maxtundra
His masterpiece.
@eddieallen6401
The spiritual successor of Hocus Pocus by Focus. Magnificent.
@kone91
The battery is a hit. Tony Allen's battery.
@nr655321
This is like being in Jim Carrey's head.
@eddieallen6401
😂