He first started out in 1980 when he formed the band "Grauzone" with his brother. From 1982 on he sang solo and had his breakthrough in Switzerland in 1985 with the album "I tell this night".
In April 2007 he released his newest album: Eldorado. From his website:
"It seems that Stephan Eicher had this album in mind for a long time; almost fifteen years… Since « Carcassonne », when he was already thinking about reinventing himself, after six years of real success (Two people in a room, Combien de temps, Déjeuner en paix, Pas d’ami (comme toi…).
With 2003's generous "Taxi Europa", marked by continental climates, he went in a different direction, around the old continent. “By the end of this long tour, I couldn’t stand the idea of singing out loud. I felt like singing for myself or for someone. As a coincidence, I began to compose new songs in places where I couldn’t make so much noise. In the Camargue, there was a dog barking each time I started to sing. In Brussels, I had almost to whisper melodies to avoid waking up the child sleeping next to me. Progressively, I began to place my voice differently”.
Eldorado was born like that, in hushed silence, in the secret of the nights. And as usual with Stephan, the voice has opened the way. Softened, contained in intimacy, it drove all the instruments choices implicitly. It had to be organic, with grain, matter, in order to give more space to silences, a figurative instrumentation, almost a real original soundtrack which could tell what the voice was concealing."
Going Home
Stephan Eicher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Laisse-moi me lever
Jette l'éponge
Ça y est
La date a expiré
J'ai fait ce que j'avais à faire
Je suis fatigué
Laisse-moi partir
Compte
Huit,
Neuf,
Sonne la cloche!
Je prépare ma valise
Je laisse les clés
Prends un train
Souhaite-moi bonne chance
Ai-je entendu sept ?
Huit,
Neuf ?
Sonne la cloche,
S'il-te-plait sonne la cloche!
Je veux rentrer chez moi
Où que cela puisse être
Je veux rentrer chez moi
Quoi que cela implique
Je veux rentrer chez moi
Où que cela soit
Laisse-moi simplement rentrer chez moi
Où est l'endroit
Où ma bien aimée dort ?
A ses côtés
Laisse-moi me réveiller
Son corps
Chaud et calme
Laisse-moi couler
Pour mon bien
Pourquoi, oh pourquoi
Trainer cette vie
Sur cette colline
Et disparaître
A travers le passé
L'espace de joie
C'était de la sueur
Maintenant ce ne sont que des larmes
Ai-je entendu sept,
Huit,
Neuf ?
Sonne la cloche
S'il-te-plaît sonne la cloche !
Je veux rentrer chez moi
Où que cela puisse être
Je veux rentrer chez moi
Quoi que cela implique
Je veux rentrer chez moi
Où que cela soit
Laisse-moi simplement rentrer chez moi
Words and music by Stephan Eicher
The lyrics to Stephan Eicher's song Going Home express a strong desire to leave a place or situation that has become tiresome and draining. The singer has done all that he was supposed to do and is now ready to move on. He asks for permission to leave and take a train to an unknown destination, wishing for good luck on his journey.
The repetition of the countdown from eight to ten and the plea to ring the bell suggest a sense of urgency and impatience, as if the singer is anxious to be gone as soon as possible. The desire to return home is a recurring theme throughout the song, accompanied by a longing for the warmth and calmness of a loved one's embrace. The nostalgia for a happy past is also present, suggesting that the singer may be leaving behind more than just a physical location or situation.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of restlessness and yearning for a place of comfort and familiarity, a place where the singer can let go of his worries and find peace.
Line by Line Meaning
J'en ai assez
I have had enough
Laisse-moi me lever
Let me get up
Jette l'éponge
Throw in the towel
Ça y est
That's it
La date a expiré
The date has expired
J'ai fait ce que j'avais à faire
I've done what I had to do
Je suis fatigué
I am tired
Laisse-moi partir
Let me go
Compte Huit, Neuf, Sonne la cloche!
Count eight, nine, ring the bell!
Je prépare ma valise
I am packing my suitcase
Je laisse les clés
I am leaving the keys
Prends un train
Take a train
Souhaite-moi bonne chance
Wish me good luck
Ai-je entendu sept ? Huit, Neuf ? Sonne la cloche, S'il-te-plait sonne la cloche!
Did I hear seven? Eight, nine? Ring the bell, please ring the bell!
Je veux rentrer chez moi Où que cela puisse être
I want to go home Wherever that may be
Je veux rentrer chez moi Quoi que cela implique
I want to go home Whatever it takes
Je veux rentrer chez moi Où que cela soit
I want to go home Wherever that may be
Laisse-moi simplement rentrer chez moi
Just let me go home
Où est l'endroit Où ma bien aimée dort ?
Where is the place Where my beloved sleeps?
A ses côtés Laisse-moi me réveiller
By her side Let me wake up
Son corps Chaud et calme Laisse-moi couler Pour mon bien
Her warm and calm body Let me sink into it For my own good
Pourquoi, oh pourquoi Traine cette vie Sur cette colline
Why, oh why Am I dragging this life Up this hill
Et disparaître A travers le passé L'espace de joie C'était de la sueur Maintenant ce ne sont que des larmes
And disappear Through the past The space of joy Was sweat Now it's just tears
Contributed by Audrey T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.