Is Damien a francophile?

radiohead33 · 05-12-2012, 02:14 AM

I consider myself to be one, but it also seems like Damien is one as well. The Story of O is by a french author. You've got the word Desole featuring prominently in Grey Room, and of course the lyrics to The Professor & La Fille Danse.

Did he ever live in France? Or is he just an admirer of the culture as many of us are?

borneoman · 05-12-2012, 06:20 AM

Didn't Damo's mother teach French? or did I dream that?

there's also a reference to France in Slow

Samart · 05-12-2012, 07:13 AM

We french all know Damien can speak french, because he speaks french all the time during interviews (radio & TV) and live gigs he did here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9GJJbD-1Ec

Elephant has "If I sing you down" as the official lyrics, but he mostly sings it "effacé you down", live. ("effacé" means "wiped off", "erased"). Wich become more meaningful lyrics.

mandarific · 05-14-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by borneoman

Didn't Damo's mother teach French? or did I dream that?

I'd never heard that before, but then I was just thinking the other day how little we know about his family. (Or, maybe I just don't know much. Do we know anything?)

I do know that he spent some time in France while he was working on O, if I'm remembering correctly he had a really good friend who was French/lived there, so maybe that played in to some things a little?

glo32 · 05-14-2012, 04:02 PM

yes, his mother used to teach French and that's why he speaks it...
Then, a couple of references to France from the O press release:
- on Cheers Darlin: "The night it happened I was still unsober when I got home, set up the studio, looped some noises and a sad guitar part, just grabbed the mic and sang. Whatever came out in that instant went down. The words just fell out, and I love listening back thinking "that was 3 am on that night". Then I went to visit Jean in Paris, set up some mics over his piano, played him the song and I pressed record while he casually improvised along, finishing the song."
- on Cold Water: "I spent some time alone in an abbey in the south of France with a monk who composed Gregorian Chants, perhaps influencing this song."

verenita · 05-14-2012, 08:03 PM

^ that´s new to me... interesting.
thank you for posting

borneoman · 05-14-2012, 08:12 PM

and Eskimo was also recorded in Paris. He mentions a friend's house in this quote, wonder if it's Jean Meunier , the same pianist mentioned above that played in Cheers Darlin

here's the quote:
"We recorded all over the place. Which I liked: I was really particular at the time about where to record things. Like, I knew I wanted to record Eskimo in my friends' apartment in Paris because they loved the song so much. So I took my little mobile studio and went to Paris. I went through the metro with all of these microphone stands hanging off me and recording gear, sweating by the time I got to their house, and just recorded it there, and then came home. So it was recorded in lots of bits and places, but basically houses, places I was living or friend's houses. Dublin, mostly".

Spamlet · 05-22-2012, 02:58 PM

There's also the story of "9 Crimes" where he says he's got a girlfriend in Paris which implies spending substantial time there.

I'd argue that he's more of a Franco-American than anything else given what he chose to name his debut album.

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Get it? I just crack myself up sometimes.

05-12-2012, 02:14 AM	#1
radiohead33 Eskimo Regular Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 118	Is Damien a francophile? I consider myself to be one, but it also seems like Damien is one as well. The Story of O is by a french author. You've got the word Desole featuring prominently in Grey Room, and of course the lyrics to The Professor & La Fille Danse. Did he ever live in France? Or is he just an admirer of the culture as many of us are?

05-12-2012, 06:20 AM	#2
borneoman Insane Eskimo Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 6,151	Didn't Damo's mother teach French? or did I dream that? there's also a reference to France in Slow __________________ I made you laugh, I made you cry, I made you open up your eyes, didn't I?

05-12-2012, 07:13 AM	#3
Samart Nothing unusual... Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 231	We french all know Damien can speak french, because he speaks french all the time during interviews (radio & TV) and live gigs he did here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9GJJbD-1Ec Elephant has "If I sing you down" as the official lyrics, but he mostly sings it "effacé you down", live. ("effacé" means "wiped off", "erased"). Wich become more meaningful lyrics. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/user/monkeyguitarist

05-14-2012, 08:03 PM	#6
verenita ... trusty and true ... Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Argentina Posts: 6,387	^ that´s new to me... interesting. thank you for posting __________________ ["Read me your favourite line": "No podía sucederme nada peor –pensaba aquel amigo–: tengo el alma delicada."]

05-14-2012, 08:12 PM	#7
borneoman Insane Eskimo Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 6,151	and Eskimo was also recorded in Paris. He mentions a friend's house in this quote, wonder if it's Jean Meunier , the same pianist mentioned above that played in Cheers Darlin here's the quote: "We recorded all over the place. Which I liked: I was really particular at the time about where to record things. Like, I knew I wanted to record Eskimo in my friends' apartment in Paris because they loved the song so much. So I took my little mobile studio and went to Paris. I went through the metro with all of these microphone stands hanging off me and recording gear, sweating by the time I got to their house, and just recorded it there, and then came home. So it was recorded in lots of bits and places, but basically houses, places I was living or friend's houses. Dublin, mostly". __________________ I made you laugh, I made you cry, I made you open up your eyes, didn't I?

05-14-2012, 04:02 PM	#5
glo32 Eskimo Regular Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,244	yes, his mother used to teach French and that's why he speaks it... Then, a couple of references to France from the O press release: - on Cheers Darlin: "The night it happened I was still unsober when I got home, set up the studio, looped some noises and a sad guitar part, just grabbed the mic and sang. Whatever came out in that instant went down. The words just fell out, and I love listening back thinking "that was 3 am on that night". Then I went to visit Jean in Paris, set up some mics over his piano, played him the song and I pressed record while he casually improvised along, finishing the song." - on Cold Water: "I spent some time alone in an abbey in the south of France with a monk who composed Gregorian Chants, perhaps influencing this song."

05-22-2012, 02:58 PM	#8
Spamlet Resident Contrarian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Sunnyside, Queens: NYC Posts: 1,251	There's also the story of "9 Crimes" where he says he's got a girlfriend in Paris which implies spending substantial time there. I'd argue that he's more of a Franco-American than anything else given what he chose to name his debut album. BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Get it? I just crack myself up sometimes. __________________ NEW TUNES ARE NOW UP! Please check out these free songs by "America's female Damien Rice": http://www.reverbnation.cim/summerrussell/songs