On the 24th of June this year, the day that the St. Jean Baptiste is celebrated in Quebec, my dear friend and the author/composer Serge Fiori left his body. I recorded my album, Changement D’adresse with Serge, the album of music that I loved the most of all the albums that I made.
I was just not expecting him to leave so soon.
We were often in contact over the years after the recording of Changement D’adresse and I had spoken to him only a week before he passed.
Serge Fiori was an icon and a musical giant in Quebec, and he will forever be known as the genius behind the group “Harmonium.” I feel privileged to have worked with him for three years on the musical adventure and creation of Changement D’adresse. There is a long, personal back-story with Serge, but I will not go into that in this column right now. Perhaps another time.
When I met Serge, I played a song to him that I wrote called I’ll Be Your Secret. My son’s father had just recommended that I listen to Serge Fiori’s solo album. When I did, I knew that he was the one that I wanted to work and co-write music with.
I was not familiar with the group Harmonium, as I had been out of the country for more than three years – during the years they were on the top of the music scene here in Quebec.
I really wanted to work with Serge after I heard his solo albums. I loved his songs and arrangements, and especially the way he played guitar. It was exactly the change I needed in my musical path. I didn’t feel that I was being true to myself anymore, singing pop music;
I was forty-one years old, and I had long outgrown that.
I played my song for him to see if he would be interested in working with me. We immediately connected, and the rest is history – at least for the French-speaking Quebec public.
For three years we worked on the album and the result was, in my opinion, the best music that I ever recorded. But, of course, it is all personal for me.
Unfortunately, the album was released when I was in France performing in La Legende de Jimmy, and I was not here to promote it. So, it never really had the exposure that it should have had. If not for that, I know that the public would have loved it and it would have been a success.
To this day, I am deeply affected emotionally when I listen to that album.
Thank you, Serge.
À Quoi Je Joue?
Auteur: S. Fiori
Compositeur: N. Workman
Je suis ton secret
Celle qui écoute mais jamais de trop près
Je ne suis qu’un reflet
Que tu gardes en retrait
Je suis ton soutien
Quand la vie semble ne t’apporter plus rien
Je reste jusqu’au matin
Et toujours tu me glisses entre les mains
Mais dis-moi à quoi je joue?
C’est moi qui risque tout, encore
Je suis ton plaisir
Quand tu ne sais plus ce que la nuit peut t’offrir
Comme un dernier désir
Qui s’empare de ton corps
Tu sais, je suis un soupir
Que l’on donne à un enfant qui s’endort
Et tu devras partir
Quand ton cœur se sentira fort
Mais dis-moi à quoi je joue?
C’est moi qui risque tout, encore.