South Froggies was formed in 2000 by Jean-Luc Prosperi alias DJ Rubio. He had been a member of Cormano Y El Grupo, a Latino underground band. DJ Rubio wanted to explore electronic nu-jazz and so he founded South Froggies.
He first collaborated with a young popular French DJ from the south, Alan Parker Lewis. Later on they were joined by mixing engineer Colonel Nico, who had been a guitar player for the French reggae band Poupa Claudio in the 80's and would now bring his magic touch. Colonel Nico introduced DJ Rubio to guitar player Christophe Guiraud alias Mr Cheb, who was a grand prize winner in the jazz section at the Marseille Conservatory. When the band isn't playing Mr Cheb is very sought after by many French artists for live as well as studio recordings. Between 2001 and 2005 the band produced tracks for various compilations including the very popular Saint Germain Cafe Vol.1. In 2005 the band welcomed William Davood, a young virtuoso sax player and a grand prize winner of the Toulon Conservatory who brought his fantastic talent and very strong classical jazz influences. Finally in 2006, DJ Rubio and his childhood friend, music and movie producer Laurent Hatchwell decided to create their own label in order to provide complete creative freedom to the SOUTH FROGGIES.
While much electronic music seemingly comes with an expiration date and built-in obsolescence, the sound of South Froggies on "Nu Jazz Factory" is enduring and undoubtedly takes a cue from the jazz masters in terms of longevity. Smooth, down-tempo grace flows through the veins of their music.
'1911
South Froggies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the blinking stardust of a pale blue light
You′re comin' thru to me in black and white
When we were made of dreams.
You′re blowing down the shaky street,
You're hearing my heart beat
In the record breaking heat
Not one more night, not one more kiss,
Not this time baby, no more of this,
Takes too much skill, takes too much will,
It's revealing.
You came, you saw, just like the law
You married young, just like your ma,
You tried and tried, you made me slide
You left me reelin′ with this feelin′.
On the rising curve
Where the ways of nature will test every nerve,
You won't get anything you don′t deserve
Where we were born in time.
You pressed me once, you pressed me twice,
You hang the flame, you'll pay the price,
Oh babe, that fire
Is still smokin′.
You were snow, you were rain
You were striped, you were plain,
Oh babe, truer words
Have not been spoken or broken.
In the hills of mystery,
In the foggy web of destiny,
You can have what's left of me,
Where we were born in time.
The lyrics of "1911" by South Froggies seem to convey a sense of nostalgic longing for the past, as well as a feeling of being trapped and doomed by the circumstances of the present. The song's opening lines ("In the lonely night / In the blinking stardust of a pale blue light / You're comin' thru to me in black and white / When we were made of dreams") set a dreamy, almost surreal tone that persists throughout. The repetition of the phrase "where we were born in time" further underscores this connection to the past and a sense of being rooted in a particular era or moment in history.
Despite this sense of nostalgia, there is also a sense of frustration and even anger present in the lyrics. The lines "Not one more night, not one more kiss, / Not this time baby, no more of this" suggest a desire to break free from something or someone that is holding the singer back. The reference to "the record breaking heat" also hints at a sense of pressure or intensity, as if the singer is trying to escape from something that is bearing down on them.
Overall, "1911" seems to be a song about conflicting emotions: a desire to escape or break free, balanced against a deep longing for a lost past. The lyrics are rich with imagery and emotion, and invite the listener to reflect on their own relationship to the past and the present.
Line by Line Meaning
In the lonely night
During a night spent in solitude
In the blinking stardust of a pale blue light
In the midst of twinkling stars shining dimly in the sky
You′re comin' thru to me in black and white
I can see you through a fuzzy, unclear lens
When we were made of dreams.
During a time when hopes and aspirations were all that we had
You′re blowing down the shaky street,
You're traversing a shaky, unstable path
You're hearing my heart beat
You can sense my emotions and feelings
In the record breaking heat
During an intense, unprecedented heat wave
Where we were born in time.
During an era in which we came to exist
Not one more night, not one more kiss,
No more time spent together, no more affection exchanged
Not this time baby, no more of this,
This is the end of our relationship
Takes too much skill, takes too much will,
It's too difficult to keep going
It's revealing.
This experience shows something important about our relationship
You came, you saw, just like the law
You entered into my life and acted with authority
You married young, just like your ma,
You followed in your mother's footsteps and tied the knot early
You tried and tried, you made me slide
You attempted to persist, but you caused me to suffer
You left me reelin′ with this feelin′.
You caused me to experience a tumultuous sensation
On the rising curve
As circumstances develop and grow more unpredictable
Where the ways of nature will test every nerve,
As natural forces put everything to the test
You won't get anything you don′t deserve
You will only receive what you have earned
Where we were born in time.
During a time period in which we first came into existence
You pressed me once, you pressed me twice,
You exerted pressure on me twice
You hang the flame, you'll pay the price,
You set a fire and you'll have to face the consequences
Oh babe, that fire
The passion that once existed between us
Is still smokin′.
It hasn't disappeared completely
You were snow, you were rain
You represented both purity and turbulence
You were striped, you were plain,
You had qualities that were both eye-catching and unremarkable
Oh babe, truer words
I'm speaking the absolute truth now
Have not been spoken or broken.
What I'm saying is both true and hasn't been contradicted
In the hills of mystery,
In a place of intrigue and unknowns
In the foggy web of destiny,
Trapped in a murky and intricate web of fate
You can have what's left of me,
You can have the remainder of my being
Where we were born in time.
In the era in which we first became alive
Writer(s): Bob Dylan
Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.