SONG OF THE DAY: M83 - "Raconte-Moi Histoire"

m83- hurry up we're dreaming- 1-06 "Raconte-Moi Histoire" by hypethelookmusic

In order to properly get in touch with this tune from M83's excellent new album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, we should first include the lyrics. Check them out below and then our reaction.

i heard about this frog

it's a very tiny frog

but it's also very special

you can only find it in the jungle

so far away from me

but if you find it and if you touch it

your world can change forever

if you touch its skin 

you can feel your body changing

and your vision also

and blue becomes red and red becomes blue

and your mommy suddenly becomes your daddy

and everything looks like a giant cupcake

and you keep laughing and laughing and laughing

nothing is ever quite the same really

and after you finish laughing

it's time to turn into a frog yourself

it's very funny to be a frog

you can dive into the water

and cross the rivers and the oceans

and you can jump all the time and everywhere

do you want to play with me?

we can be a whole group of friends

a whole group of frogs

jumping into the streets

jumping into the planet

climbing up the buildings

swimming in the lakes and in the bathtubs

we would be hundreds, thousands, millions

the biggest group of friends the world has ever seen

jumping and laughing forever

it would be great, right?

So this is pretty weird, I know. But it's a great song nevertheless. Anthony Gonzalez never ceases to amaze me, even with his strange obsession with using children in his songs (much to the chagrin of Carles). First off, I'm no expert, but I believe the title means "Tell me a story" in French, Gonzalez's native language. Apparently there are some theories that a frog like the one described in the lyrics does exist, you can discern that for yourself here, but I think it is more likely that this song is simply about a nice trip on some hallucinogenic drugs.

Whether you are creeped out by the little kid talking or not, you cannot deny that this song musically has some value. With a bubbly synth line, especially for M83 standards, alongside acoustic guitar chords and a simple bassline, this song builds and builds, moving along with the lyrics. The lyrics themselves give off the sense of happiness. The endearing innocent voice of the child, along with what he/she is saying is enough to make someone smile. Then it stops, and the build ends and you are in the wide open clear of the ambient synths as every noise in the song comes together for the last minute and a half and you just sit back in your chair and smile. The latter part of this song is like the moment as a child when you swing back and forth, back and forth and then get high enough to finally let go and for just a millisecond you feel like you can fly. It feels like that and I'm sure what it feels like when you use hallucinogenic drugs.