As a teen, Tété drew his musical inspiration from the pop and rock music of the day. Using the guitar given him by his mother, he assembled small bands with friends and began experimenting with songwriting, composing mainly in English.
In 1998 Tété moved to Paris, playing cafés and busking before forming a successful trio with drummer Alberto Malo and bassist Evy Moon. Thanks to luck and a unique sound the young men were quickly signed to Sony/Epic, releasing their debut record, L'Air de Rien, in 2001.
While working on the record, Tété maintained a busy performing schedule as a solo artist, building a healthy-sized fan base via small Paris clubs and cafés. His polished, infectious live presence was captured on 2003's Par Monts et Vallons, which featured recordings from three different live shows.
A year later Tété's second studio production hit the airwaves with a series of well-liked singles. A la Favuer de l'Automne generated radio hits such as "Emma Stanton" and the title track, "A la Faveur de l'Automne."
Large venue performances and international touring the following summer brought Tété from the underground scene to the mainstream market. His 2006 release Le Sacre des Lemmings et Autres Contes de la Lisiere addressed an array of social themes, his first overtly political project.
Albums to date:
2001 L' Air de Rien
2003 Par Monts et Vallons (Live)
2004 A la Faveur de l'Automne
2004 L' Air de Rien/Par Monts et Vallons
2006 Le Sacre des Lemmings
2007 A La Faveur de l'Automne/Le Sacre des Lemmings
La Tchave
Tété Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Une Bentley et un chien
Hélas, à mon grand dame
L'infortune, le destin
Un jour de fée vrillé
S'en sont mêlés, maillet
Et voilà sur l'engin
La Tchave!
Me laisse et vas-t'en
Nous n'avons plus rien à nous dire
La Tchave!
Me laisse et n'attends rien de moi
Tu peux bien mourir
La Tchave!
Ainsi la mort dans l'âme
Las, chez quelque copain
Je suis allé madame
Chercher un peu d'entrain
De joie, de réconfort mais
Arrivé sur les lieux
On ne m'oppose alors
Que ce refrain odieux
La Tchave!
Me laisse et vas-t'en
Nous n'avons plus rien à nous dire
La Tchave!
Me laisse et n'attends rien de moi
Tu peux bien mourir
La Tchave!
Tout petit déjà à l'école
Je n'avais pas d'amis, pas de bol
"Dégage-toi t'as pas d'copain"
C'était ma pitance, mon quotidien
Alors
N'y tenant bientôt plus
J'avise sur-le-champ
De m'ôter la vie, vu
D'abréger mes tourments mais
Arrivé sur le seuil
je n'trouve en guise d'accueil
Qu'une manière d'écriteau
Portant ces quelques mots
La Tchave!
Me laisse et vas-t'en
Nous n'avons plus rien à nous dire
La Tchave!
Me laisse et n'attends rien de moi
Tu peux bien mourir
La Tchave!
La Tchave!
A présent tu peux bien mourir
The song "La Tchave" by Tété is a poignant narrative about a man who has lost everything he once had. The lyrics take the listener through the man's journey of grief and despair, beginning with the loss of his wife, Bentley, and dog. The singer tells us that he had it all at one point, but fate intervened, and he lost everything that he held dear. The use of the phrase "l'infortune, le destin" suggests that the man believes that it was not his fault that he lost his loved ones, but rather the work of fate.
The song then moves on to the singer's search for comfort and solace. He seeks out friends in the hopes of finding some joy or relief from his pain. However, he is met with the same words every time, "La Tchave! Me laisse et vas-t'en Nous n'avons plus rien à nous dire." The phrase "La Tchave" means "The Key," and it is used in this context as a dismissive response to the singer's attempts to connect with others. The repetition of this phrase suggests that the man is being rejected by those around him because of his grief and loss. The lyric "Tu peux bien mourir" adds to the sense of isolation and despair, implying that the man is so alone that he might as well be dead.
The final verse of the song reveals that the singer's loneliness and sense of rejection began long before he lost his wife, Bentley, and dog. He tells us that even as a child, he had no friends and was constantly told to "Dégage-toi t'as pas d'copain." The use of the phrase "c'était ma pitance, mon quotidien" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that this was an everyday occurrence for him. The repetition of the phrase "La Tchave" at the end of each verse becomes more significant as we realize that it has been a lifelong experience for the singer, not just a recent response to his loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans le temps j'avais une femme,
Once upon a time I had a wife,
Une Bentley et un chien
A Bentley and a dog,
Hélas, à mon grand dame
Alas, to my great sorrow,
L'infortune, le destin
Misfortune, fate,
Un jour de fée vrillé
One twisted fairy day,
S'en sont mêlés, maillet
A hammer got mixed in,
Et voilà sur l'engin
And suddenly on the machine,
Ma bonne femme et mon chien
My good wife and my dog.
La Tchave!
The key!
Me laisse et vas-t'en
Leave me and go away,
Nous n'avons plus rien à nous dire
We have nothing left to say to each other,
La Tchave!
The key!
Me laisse et n'attends rien de moi
Leave me and expect nothing from me,
Tu peux bien mourir
You might as well die,
La Tchave!
The key!
Ainsi la mort dans l'âme
Thus, with death in my soul,
Las, chez quelque copain
Weary, at some friend's place,
Je suis allé madame
I went, madam,
Chercher un peu d'entrain
To find a little cheer,
De joie, de réconfort mais
Of joy, of comfort, but,
Arrivé sur les lieux
Upon arriving on the scene,
On ne m'oppose alors
All that was offered to me then,
Que ce refrain odieux
Was this odious refrain.
Tout petit déjà à l'école
Already small at school
Je n'avais pas d'amis, pas de bol
I had no friends, no luck,
"Dégage-toi t'as pas d'copain"
"Get out, you have no friends,"
C'était ma pitance, mon quotidien
That was my ration, my daily routine,
Alors
So
N'y tenant bientôt plus
Unable to bear it any longer
J'avise sur-le-champ
I quickly decide
De m'ôter la vie, vu
To take my own life, since
D'abréger mes tourments mais
To put an end to my sufferings, but
Arrivé sur le seuil
Upon arriving at the entrance,
Je n'trouve en guise d'accueil
I find no welcoming,
Qu'une manière d'écriteau
Only a sign,
Portant ces quelques mots
Bearing these few words.
La Tchave!
The key!
Me laisse et vas-t'en
Leave me and go away,
Nous n'avons plus rien à nous dire
We have nothing left to say to each other,
La Tchave!
The key!
Me laisse et n'attends rien de moi
Leave me and expect nothing from me,
Tu peux bien mourir
You might as well die,
La Tchave!
The key!
A présent tu peux bien mourir
Now you can die,
Lyrics © SM PUBLISHING FRANCE, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MAHMOUD NIANG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind