Tiersen has been honing his musical aesthetic since he could stand on two legs. He started learning piano at the age of four, taking up violin at the age of six and receiving classical training at musical academies in Rennes, Nantes and Boulogne. Then, at the age of 13, he chose to alter his destiny, breaking his violin into pieces, buying a guitar and forming a rock band.
Yann Tiersen has collaborated with vocal artists like Claire Pichet ("Le phare" and "Rue des cascades"), Elizabeth Fraser ("Les retrouvailles") and Shannon Wright ("Yann Tiersen and Shannon Wright"). Other musicians he has worked with include The Divine Comedy, Noir Désir, Dominique A., Francoiz Breut, Les Têtes Raides, The Married Monk and Sage Francis
Tiersen got a musical education from the city of Rennes' annual Transmusicales festival, seeing acts like Nirvana, Einstürzende Neubaten, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, The Cramps, Television and Suicide. When his band broke up a few years later, instead of hunting for some new musicians, he bought a cheap mixing desk, an eight-track reel, and started recording music solo with a synth, sampler and drum machine, poring over the grooves of old records on the hunt for loops and orchestral strings to plunder.
As it turned out, though, the key to his new approach lay in his own past. "One day I thought, instead of spending days on research and listening to tons of records to find the nearest sound of what I have in mind, why don't I fix this fucking violin and use it?" Through the summer of 1993, Tiersen stayed in his apartment, recording music alone with guitar, violin and accordion, guided not by the classical canon, but by intuition and his vision of "a musical anarchy".
By the end of the summer of 1993, Tiersen had recorded over 40 tracks, which would form the bulk of his first two albums. 1995's La Valse Des Monstres, inspired by Tod Browning's Freaks and Yukio Mishima's The Damask Drum was the second album to be released on Nancy-based label Ici, d'ailleurs. It would be followed six months later by Rue Des Cascades, a collection of short pieces recorded with toy piano, harpsichord, violin, accordion and mandolin. Six years later, the record would find a much larger audience when several tracks, along with a couple of Tiersen originals, would be used on the soundtrack to Jean-Pierre Jeunet's film Amelie (2001).
Tiersen's commercial breakthrough would come earlier, though, and off his own back. 1998's Le Phare (The Light House) was recorded in self-imposed seclusion on the isle of Ouessant, where Tiersen spent two months living in a rented house. At night, he watched the Creach'h, the most powerful lighthouse in Europe, as it illuminated the surrounding scenery. "I was amazed how the rays of lights from the lighthouse revealed some hidden details of the land, how we can rediscover something we have everyday, just in front of us, by a light pointing on it," says Tiersen.
Le Phare went on to sell over 160,000 copies, confirming Tiersen's status as one of the most pioneering and original artists of his generation and commencing a run of successful albums like 2001's L'Absente (featuring orchestral group Synaxis, Lisa Germano and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon) and 2005's Les Retrouvailles (with guests Stuart Staples of Tindersticks, Jane Birkin and Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins). In this period, Tiersen also took his music out around the world, playing shows with a full orchestra and an amplified string quartet – a set-up captured on 2002's electrifying live album C'etait ici. And following the box-office success of Amelie, Tiersen's skills as a soundtracker were much in demand, leading to scores for the likes of Wolfgang Becker's tragicomedy Good Bye Lenin! (2003) and Tabarly (2008), a documentary about the French sailor Éric Tabarly, who ate his final meal on Ouessant Island before he meeting a watery end in the Irish sea.
Discography:
La valse des monstres (1995)
Rue des cascades (1996)
Le phare (1998)
Tout est calme (1999)
Black session (1999, radio concert)
L'absente (2001)
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001, Soundtrack)
C'était ici (2002, Live and Best Of)
Good Bye Lenin! (2003, Soundtrack)
Yann Tiersen and Shannon Wright (2004)
Les Retrouvailles (2005)
On Tour (2006, Live)
Tabarly (2008)
Dust Lane (2010)
Life On Mars
Yann Tiersen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the girl with the mousey hair
But her mummy is yelling, "No"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seats with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dancehall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show.
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lenin's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
The opening lines of Yann Tiersen's song, "Life on Mars" create a vivid image of a young girl with mousey hair who is caught in a difficult situation that is beyond her control. Her mother is yelling at her, and her father wants her to go. The girl is alone, and her friend is nowhere to be seen. She walks through her sunken dream to the seats with the clearest view, where she finds solace in the silver screen. However, the film is a saddening bore, and she has lived it ten times before. She could spit in the eyes of fools as they ask her to focus on sailors fighting in the dance hall. The song is a commentary on the struggles of the powerless against an overwhelming system that seeks to control every aspect of life. It is a song about being trapped in a cycle of despair, unable to break free from the monotony of existence.
The chorus "Is there life on Mars?" is a metaphor for the search for something new, something different, something more than what is currently available. The search for life on another planet is the ultimate quest for something new, something different, something more. It is a reflection of the human spirit, which seeks to explore and discover, to push the boundaries of what is possible. The song is a call to break free from the limitations of the past and to explore new horizons. It is a reminder that life is short, and the time to act is now.
Overall, "Life on Mars" is a powerful song that speaks to the human condition. It is a reminder that life is precious, and that we should make the most of every moment. It is a call to action, a reminder to break free from the shackles of the past, and to explore new horizons. The song is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a godawful small affair
The situation is insignificant.
To the girl with the mousey hair
Addressing a girl who is often overlooked and underestimated.
But her mummy is yelling, "No"
Her mother disapproves of her behavior.
And her daddy has told her to go
Her father is telling her to leave.
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Her friend is absent when she needs them.
Now she walks through her sunken dream
She is living a depressing reality, feeling defeated.
To the seats with the clearest view
She seeks solace by deliberately placing herself in the best position to view things.
And she's hooked to the silver screen
She is addicted to watching movies.
But the film is saddening bore
The movie is a repetitive, uninteresting and depressing experience.
For she's lived it ten times or more
She's watched the same movie countless times.
She could spit in the eyes of fools
She is angry and hostile towards those who do not understand her situation.
As they ask her to focus on
Others are demanding her attention even though they do not try to understand her situation.
Sailors fighting in the dancehall
Men in uniform getting into a fight in a club.
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
The people present seem primitive and barbaric.
It's the freakiest show.
The environment and actions of others are bizarre and unsettling.
Take a look at the lawman
Drawing attention to the authority figure in the situation.
Beating up the wrong guy
The authority figure is mistreating an innocent person.
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
Questioning whether the abuser will ever realize their mistake.
He's in the best selling show
The actions of the lawman make for good entertainment and profit.
Is there life on Mars?
Questioning the reality of the situation and whether there is a different world out there.
It's on America's tortured brow
America is going through a difficult time.
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Popular culture is losing its luster and appeal.
Now the workers have struck for fame
People are rebelling against the status quo and fighting for recognition.
'Cause Lenin's on sale again
Drawing attention to the commercialization of political revolutionists.
See the mice in their million hordes
People are foolishly following the crowd and losing their individuality.
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
People from all walks of life are participating in this phenomenon.
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
The traditional way of life is no longer acceptable.
To my mother, my dog and clowns
The things that used to bring comfort no longer have value in the new reality.
But the film is a saddening bore
The scene is monotonous and depressing.
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
The scene is written in repetition to emphasize its monotony.
It's about to be writ again
Indicating that the situation is about to be repeated again.
As I ask you to focus on
Asking the listener to pay attention.
Contributed by Julia Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@melsheimy
It's a God-awful small affair
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling no
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a saddening bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
@AlmostAnimixers
This may just be the best cover of anything ever. In all fairness though, it'd be impossible to do a bad cover of this song. It's just so perfect. You could recreate it with flatulence and still end up with a masterpiece.
@Stiffkittens01
Kate Bush's cover of Rocket Man has been voted best cover by one newspaper
@MXOY99
@Stiffkittens: It's a jewel...
@Stiffkittens01
not taking anything away from this. it's fantastic
@MXOY99
@Stiffkittens: I know that darl... I just tend to use dots a lot.
@purpuradecoraciones8174
Me encanta ...esta versión ...
@Ideasquevalelapenadifundir
Thanks to this cover I found Neil hannon and the divine comedy ♥️♥️
@galgata
Creo que éste es el mejor cover de esta canción <3
@solehernandez8569
Fantástico, amo a David, amo a Neil.perfecto con Yan ...
@alexashalala8415
I love your magic Neil Hannon.