Two months ago I have been deeply moved by the videoclip of "La boxeuse amoureuse" ('the boxer in love') from Arthur H, that was only a foretaste of his new album Chien fou (Crazy Dog) that will be released next week (the 26th). I would like to briefly introduce all of them. The guy, the album, and this very touching song.
It is not so important to mention it, but I have an anecdote to tell you, so I write it anyway: Arthur H is actually Arthur Higelin, son of the famous French singer-songwriter Jacques Higelin who sang, among others, this beauty. And this one too. Here comes the story: I met him on the Ré island when I was a kid. He was drunk at a bar's terrace. My aunt asked for an autograph because she was a great fan of him. He refused. Then his attention was caught by me. He said 'Okay for the kid'. Looking at me, he wrote "To a little star' on a paper and draw a star just below (I still have it somewhere in France). Well, the truth is that I had no idea who this guy was and I didn't care so much. But it made my parents and uncles so happy that, you know, it made me happy too. That's how the world is. I now know he is a very talented artist, and so is his son.
Arthur H is known for his very peculiar voice, deep, low, but also unexpectedly flexible. He has a very clear vibrato, he can surprise you by singing suddenly high, and he plays very well with these two pitches. He is not really into 'pop music' but he has always been constant and he collaborated with many other artists. He explores, tries new things, revisits all sorts of sounds and melodies with an insatiable curiosity. His texts are very short, but powerful. Whether you like the voice or not, his music is a creative work of high quality and I especially appreciate his way to place the words on the melody. In fact he said in interviews that he generally composes them all together at his piano. Recently, I heard in Boomerang, a short and very pleasant radio program, that he made a world tour that inspired him his new (double) album, which is the 10th of his career! Even though the album is not for sale yet, you can already find the videoclip of Tokyo Kiss and Moonlove Fantaisie on YouTube, and, yes, it seems from what I heard that he travelled a bit :)
I really discovered him some years back through excellent duets. I cannot resist to give you the references:
-This great song about westerns with M - our national funk musician: 'Est-ce que tu aimes?'('Do you like'). I just love the quirky chorus:
So we will go and live free
In a wild land
And our weapons will be
Love and courage!
My friend, don't be afraid
I will know how to defend you
With a good boot's kick
On the rattlesnakes
-This breathtaking remake of an Erik Satie's piece, a French composer, with Feist. A very sensual tango. I get goose-flesh all over every time I watch the clip. Brrrrr. Two lovers are about to be separated...One of them is leaving for a very long trip... Here is the original piece.
-Last but not least, this remake of 'India song', composed by Carlos d'Alessio from the eponymous film of Marguerite Duras in 1975. It has been beautifully sang by Jeanne Moreau, and revisited by Arthur H and Lou Marco; you can hear this version on this website. I am 100% in love with it. It's about the incantatory power of songs:) Here are the lyrics in both Turkish and English. The singer is talking to the song that he/she is singing:
Chanson,
Toi qui ne veux rien dire
Toi qui me parles d'elle
Et toi qui me dis tout
Ô toi
Que nous dansions ensemble
Toi qui me parlais d'elle
D'elle qui te chantait
Toi qui me parlais d'elle
De son nom oublié
De son corps, de mon corps
De cet amour là
De cet amour mort
Song,
You who don't mean anything
You who tell me about her
And you who tell me everything
Oh you
That we used to dance together
You who used to tell me about her
About her who sang to you
You who told me about her
About her forgotten name
About her body, about my body
About that love
About this dead love
Let's now go back to our "boxeuse'. Look at that jewel of gold painting, white powder, water drops, restrained violence and sensuality:
Roshdy Zem, a famous actor, and the amazing Marie-Agnès Gillot, a prima ballerina, are dancing-fighting on this symbolical ring, in this kind of circus or cabaret. The song tells us about women's inner strength. It is not only about being punched by a husband or something. In fact, I am quite inspired myself by these figures of female fighters (maybe I will add a song that I wrote a year ago about a witch fighting against a gorgone...we will see!). Now listen:
Elle esquive les coups
La boxeuse amoureuse
Elle absorbe tout
La boxeuse amoureuse
Boum Boum les uppercuts
Qui percutent son visage
Mais jamais elle ne cesse
De danser, de danser
Tomber ce n'est rien
Puisqu'elle se relève.
She dodges the punches
The boxer in love
She absorbs everthing
The boxer in love
Boom Boom the uppercuts
That blow her face
But she never stops
Dancing, dancing
Falling is nothing
Since she gets ups again.
Yes, listen to this sudden light voice, carried by the regular piano. After the sublime dancer's solo, exactly halfway, pay attention on how the 'vocal drums' slowly emerge, like breathings. The lowest, the most solemn bass at the end. Then the backing vocals for the most violent contacts in slow motion. Then, again, the voice and the piano, when bodies get closer, all mixed together, exhausted, sweating.
A simple structure, and a very successfull combination of movements, music and voice. Dance touches me so much! Brrrrr
By the way I recommend this podcast about women boxers on Arte Radio. WON-DER-FUL
Take very good care of yourself, knock your demons out, and see you next week!
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