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
Le Magicien
Tété Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Le beau temps, parfois ça dépend
Du mood, de l'humeur du moment
Je ne choisis pas forcément
A défaut de vivre
A défaut d'aimer
A défaut de rire
Est-ce que ça m'ennuie ?
Non ce n'est qu'un drôle de moment à passer
C'est juste une phase
Prestidigitateur à mes heures
Je suis magicien comme garçon
Ainsi je change la pâte en pain
Et les chenilles en papillons
Les œufs en poules, les veaux en bœufs
Les femmes en eau, les bois en sons
Le son en blé, le blé en pain, le chagrin en alexandrins
A défaut de vivre
A défaut d'aimer
A défaut de rire
A défaut d'aimer
Est-ce que ça m'ennuie ?
Crois-tu que cela me nuise ?
Déjà cela s'amenuise
Non ce n'est qu'un drôle de moment à passer
C'est juste une phase
C'est juste une phase
C'est juste une phase
In Tété's song Le Magicien, the singer shares that he has the ability to create both sunshine and rain in his life, but it ultimately depends on his mood and the moment. He doesn't always make intentional choices, but rather goes with the flow of life. The lyrics also highlight the various things that Tété is able to change as a magician, including turning dough into bread, caterpillars into butterflies, and women into water. Despite not living, loving, or laughing as he might wish to, Tété seems content to move through this phase with a sense of curiosity and playfulness.
The first verse reveals that Tété doesn't always have control over whether he experiences good or bad weather in his life. He acknowledges that his moods and feelings dictate what kind of day he will have. He goes on to say that even though he may be lacking in the things that he wants most in life, he doesn't necessarily find it boring. He sees it as simply passing through a phase that will eventually come to an end. The second verse of the song is where Tété approaches the idea of being a magician. He describes how he can transform things from one state to another, such as turning eggs into chickens or wood into music. He even transforms feelings of sadness or loss into poetry.
Overall, the lyrics to Tété's Le Magicien seem to be about experiencing life in a creative and playful way, even when things don't seem to be going quite as planned. Tété acknowledges that he doesn't always have control over his life circumstances but sees himself as a magician, able to conjure joy and magic out of whatever situation he finds himself in. The playful lyrics and upbeat melody add to the sense of fun and whimsy in the song, making it an enjoyable listen for anyone who can relate to Tété's outlook on life.
Line by Line Meaning
Je fais la pluie souvent
I have control over my emotions and thoughts, and can be happy or sad as I choose
Le beau temps, parfois ça dépend
Sometimes it's easy to be happy, other times it's more difficult
Du mood, de l'humeur du moment
My emotions and mood at any given moment can impact how I feel and react to situations
Je ne choisis pas forcément
My emotions are not always under my control, and I don't always choose how to feel
A défaut de vivre
When I am not really living
A défaut d'aimer
When I am not really loving
A défaut de rire
When I am not really laughing
Est-ce que ça m'ennuie ?
Does it bother me?
Non ce n'est qu'un drôle de moment à passer
No, it's just a funny moment that will pass
C'est juste une phase
It's just a temporary phase
Prestidigitateur à mes heures
At times, I am like a magician
Je suis magicien comme garçon
I have the power to transform things like a boy magician
Ainsi je change la pâte en pain
Just like that, I can turn dough into bread
Et les chenilles en papillons
And I can turn caterpillars into butterflies
Les œufs en poules, les veaux en bœufs
I can turn eggs into chickens, and calves into cows
Les femmes en eau, les bois en sons
I can transform women into water, and the sound of the woods into music
Le son en blé, le blé en pain, le chagrin en alexandrins
I can turn sound into wheat, wheat into bread, and even turn sadness into poetry
Crois-tu que cela me nuise ?
Do you think it harms me?
Déjà cela s'amenuise
Already, it is fading away
C'est juste une phase
It's just a temporary phase
C'est juste une phase
It's just a temporary phase
C'est juste une phase
It's just a temporary phase
Contributed by Hannah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SamSam à l'ouest
Toujours un plaisir d'entendre tous ses son ^^
Marie Marchal
Tété, que ca fait du bien de l'écouter!
Stephen Harper
This is a great song. He is quite the talented guy.
gabylane1
"c'est juste une phase"... n'est-ce pas ce qu'on se dit pour se rassurer....merci tété de si bien comprendre!
Sarah Houari
I love tété le meilleur artiste!
sarah fraichit
Tété, tu m'émeus !
OMB
Une de mes préférés. (Oui, j'ai décidé de venir des années plus tard pour dire ça)
rwandeuk
Et tu as entièrement raison !
David Chapron
j'adore
Sarah Houari
I love tété