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.
L'enfant vert
Sébastien Tellier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De l'autre côté de la Terre
Un pays
Ce pays de huit millions cinq-cent quatorze mille
Huit-cent soixante seize kilomètres carré
Abrite une espèce d'oiseau unique
Et immense!
Ce pays est vert
Ce pays c'est l'Aventura
Le Brésil Aventura
L'aventura,
Le Brésil, la samba
C'est mon enfance
Moi j'ai grandi là-bas
L'aventura,
Le Brésil et la joie
On vit comme on danse
Moi j'ai grandi comme ça
La première fois,
L'ambiance était magique
Une tarte aux fraises et
Un jus de fruits,
De la passion
L'aventura,
Le Brésil, la samba
Ça c'est mon enfance
Moi j'ai grandi là-bas
L'aventura,
Les splendeurs et la joie
On vit comme on danse
Moi j'ai grandi comme ça
La deuxième fois,
L'ambiance ne fut pas magique
Outré,
Par mérite,
Sacré
The lyrics to Sébastien Tellier's song L'enfant vert describe a magical place that exists across the world in a land called Aventura, also known as Brazil. This land, measuring over 8.5 million square kilometers, is home to a unique, massive bird and is covered in verdant greenery. The singer reminisces about their childhood spent in Brazil, where they grew up with the sounds of samba music, joy, and adventure. The singer speaks of how the country's vibrant culture is a reflection of the way its people live and dance.
The song's first verse sets the scene of a fabled place that is reminiscent of a fairy tale. The land is depicted as being so far away that it's on the "other side of the Earth" and possesses a natural beauty that is "unique" and "immense". The second verse then brings us into the singer's personal experience growing up in Aventura/Brazil, where they reminisce about their childhood. The lyrics represent a nostalgic reflection on a time and place that was both joyful and rife with wonder.
In conclusion, Sébastien Tellier's song L'enfant vert speaks to the beauty of Brazil and the magical atmosphere it can provide, both in the fantastical sense and as a lived experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Il était une fois
Once upon a time
De l'autre côté de la Terre
On the other side of the Earth
Un pays
A country
Ce pays de huit millions cinq-cent quatorze mille Huit-cent soixante seize kilomètres carré
This country is eight million five hundred fourteen thousand eight hundred seventy-six square kilometers
Abrite une espèce d'oiseau unique Et immense!
It houses a unique and immense species of bird!
Ce pays est vert Comme la Terre
This country is green, like the Earth
Ce pays c'est l'Aventura Le Brésil Aventura
This country is Aventura – Brazil Aventura
L'aventura, Le Brésil, la samba C'est mon enfance Moi j'ai grandi là-bas
Aventura, Brazil, samba – that's my childhood. I grew up there.
L'aventura, Le Brésil et la joie On vit comme on danse Moi j'ai grandi comme ça
Aventura, Brazil, and joy – we live like we dance. I grew up like that.
La première fois, L'ambiance était magique Une tarte aux fraises et Un jus de fruits, De la passion
The first time, the atmosphere was magical. There was strawberry pie, fruit juice, and passion.
L'aventura, Le Brésil, la samba Ça c'est mon enfance Moi j'ai grandi là-bas
Aventura, Brazil, samba – that's my childhood. I grew up there.
L'aventura, Les splendeurs et la joie On vit comme on danse Moi j'ai grandi comme ça
Aventura, the wonders and joy – we live like we dance. I grew up like that.
La deuxième fois, L'ambiance ne fut pas magique Outré, Par mérite, Sacré
The second time, the atmosphere wasn't magical. Outrageous, by merit, sacred.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Darry Booper
T'es un escroc mais je t'aime