French Music... opinions on this one, please

Ah, but I'm not a consistant cook, it is mostly play for me....

On french music, I do have a Piaf cd but it's among my still packed goods.

I like what I've heard of Gabriel Faure..

I really like one song of Charles Aznavour. I just see that in the
English translation, it is more forgiving than in German, where he
really rants about his wife how she has let herself go, and she's so
ugly to look at now. Here is the English version

It's funny, when I look at you
While not a single word is said
I know, I had a drink or two
But that's not what's gone to my head
I laugh and I recall our youth
Perhaps you'll say that I'm uncouth
But it's high time you knew the truth
About the way you make me feel
And what the future holds in store
For I can't stand it anymore

Why should I even try and hide
Whatever I may feel inside
You lie, you curse and you provoke
And then you treat it as a joke
You know, at times you go too far
Even in front of all my friends
How could we hope to make amends
You know that you've let yourself go

You look a sight, sure you look great
Your stocking seams, not even straight
And that old faded dressing gown
Your hair in curlers hanging down
What could I have been thinking of
Was it with you I fell in love
Are you the girl that could inspire
A heart with passion and desire
I gaze at you in sheer despair
And see your Mother standing there

In front of strangers you're the same
You don't mind putting me to shame
You contradict each word I say
Why, you would turn night into day
You like to hurt me when you can
I'm just a rug and not your man
I hit the jackpot, yes, I know
You've let yourself go

At times you're cruel, beyond control
Have you no heart, have you no soul
And as I take a look at life
I realise that you're my Wife
A little effort, not much more
And things could be just as before
You know, you'ld lose a little weight
If you would watch all that you ate
A little style, a little grace
And try to show a smiling face

I couldn't hate you if I tried
I really want you by my side
So try, try and be the girl I knew
Let's really start our love anew
I want to hold you in my arms
And then surrender to your charms
Let there be fire, not just a glow
Come close to me, let yourself go

Here is another famous song of his

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZUlE_75Qf8&mode=related&search=

This one is very nice as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKFvIMbdf2g


Don't you wish to sit in a nice cafè in Paris now?

This was a famous song from Gilbert Beaucoup - Natalie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GUjmIrZRqk

The one I prefer from Aznavour is this one:

Hier encore:


Hier encore
J'avais vingt ans
Je caressais le temps
Et jouais de la vie
Comme on joue de l'amour
Et je vivais la nuit
Sans compter sur mes jours
Qui fuyaient dans le temps

J'ai fait tant de projets
Qui sont restés en l'air
J'ai fondé tant d'espoirs
Qui se sont envolés
Que je reste perdu
Ne sachant où aller
Les yeux cherchant le ciel
Mais le cœur mis en terre

Hier encore
J'avais vingt ans
Je gaspillais le temps
En croyant l'arrêter
Et pour le retenir
Même le devancer
Je n'ai fait que courir
Et me suis essoufflé

Ignorant le passé
Conjuguant au futur
Je précédais de moi
Toute conversation
Et donnais mon avis
Que je voulais le bon
Pour critiquer le monde
Avec désinvolture

Hier encore
J'avais vingt ans
Mais j'ai perdu mon temps
A faire des folies
Qui ne me laissent au fond
Rien de vraiment précis
Que quelques rides au front
Et la peur de l'ennui

Car mes amours sont mortes
Avant que d'exister
Mes amis sont partis
Et ne reviendront pas
Par ma faute j'ai fait
Le vide autour de moi
Et j'ai gâché ma vie
Et mes jeunes années

Du meilleur et du pire
En jetant le meilleur
J'ai figé mes sourires
Et j'ai glacé mes pleurs
Où sont-ils à présent
A présent mes vingt ans?


But I love the English version by Shirley Bassey:

Yesterday, when I was young.

Yesterday when I was young,
The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue,
I teased at life as if it were a foolish game,
The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame;
The thousand dreams I dreamed,
The splendid things I planned I always built, alas,
on weak and shifting sand;

I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day
And only now I see how the years ran away.

Yesterday When I was young,
So many drinking songs were waiting to be sung,
So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me
And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see,
I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out,
I never stopped to think what life was all about
And every conversation I can now recall concerned itself with me,
and nothing else at all.

Yesterday the moon was blue,
and every crazy day brought something new to do,
I used my magic age as if it were a wand,
and never saw the waste and emptiness beyond;

The game of love I played with arrogance and pride
and every flame I lit too quickly, quickly died;

The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away
And only I am left on stage to end the play.
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung,
I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue,
The time has come for me to pay
for Yesterday When I was Young.

Ah, here is the expert. Any other French singers not mentioned here, Francis?

One of my favourite oldies:

Juliette Gréco
Mon fils chante

Pour ceux qui entrent dans la danse
Au nom de la grande espérance
Au mépris de leur vie
Mon fils chante
Pour ceux qui luttent pour la vie
Sans autres armes que leur vie
Pour qu'ils vivent longtemps
Mon fils chante
Pour ceux qui combattent la nuit
Pour le jour où le soleil luira
Pour tous les hommes
Mon fils chante
Pour ceux qui meurent en chemise
A l'aube du temps des cerises
Sous les yeux des fusils
Mon fils chante

{Refrain:}
Mon fils et toi le fils
Qui naîtra de mon fils
Tant que meurt la liberté
Pour que la liberté
Vive dans le monde entier
Mon fils il faut chanter

Pour ceux qui poussent sans espoir
La porte étroite de l'histoire
Au nom de l'idéal mon fils chante
Pour ceux qu'on traîne dans le noir
Sur le sol du dernier couloir
Des chambres de tortures
Mon fils chante
Pour ceux qui ne verront jamais
Plus le soleil rouge de mai
Sur le port du Pirée mon fils chante
Pour ceux qui jusque dans la mort
Ont la force de vivre encore
Pour ceux qui vont vivre
Mon fils chante
{au Refrain}

That one is nice, Walter.

But it seems we are talking only about oldies.

For CJ,

let's list some of those who are doing pretty good these days:

Patricia Kaas, Calogero, Florent Pagny, Cali, Matthieu Chedid, Faudel...

and some of French Canadians:

Lynda Lemay, Natasha Saint Pier.

And the American born Madeleine Peyroux.

I had a Kaas cd, Kass doing Piaf if I remember - it was a while ago - and preferred Piaf. Well, that's just me.

You're right, Osso. Kaas is much better on her own songs.

I came across this song early last year when I was looking up a Serge Gainsbourgh cover done by Blonde Redhead, "Slogan".

Blonde Redhead renders it a bit slower and dreamier than the original, and Kazu Makino, Blonde Redhead's singer, doesn't impart the attitude that Jane Birkin does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kR6M2TK5NI

Thank you Francis, I'll look at youtube for some of the singers you've
mentioned.
----

InfraBlue, I didn't know that song, whereas I think "Je t'aime" is
better, no?

I haven't checked this lately, but I think people with pcs can listen to a recording on amazon - and probably many other sites I don't know about. I bet it's better than the sound in some of those videos..

I really like the way Blonde Redhead does "Slogan." I think I like it more than the original.

"Je t'aime" is also a nice song, though.

Patricia Kaas has also a good voice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqznvV3FgnI&mode=related&search=

She is not French, but I love the song (la vie en rose) sang by
Grace Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbPRxY6Af8U&mode=related&search=

I find some French music so elegant and relaxing......



Ah! C'est tranquil...........

Hahaha, it was a great hit, nonetheless

Hi everyone

Nice topic! I do like very much French songs. Some of my favorite singers and songs are:

- Christophe (on YouTube, you can find the video "Je ne t'aime plus", "Les marionnettes"; he composes super music, very in advance of his time, he is the best to me!)
- Joe Dassin (plenty on YouTube, "Et si tu n'existes pas", Ca va pas changer le monde", "L'ete indien", "Le jardin du Luxembourg")
- Serge Gainsbourg ("La chanson de Prevert", "Le poinconneur des lilas", "Ecce homo")
- Charles Aznavour ("La boheme", "Les deux guitares", "Comme ils disent")
- Leo Ferre ("Avec le temps", "La vie d'artiste", "Poete, vos papiers", "La memoire et la mer")
- Gilbert Becaud ("Natalie", "C'est en septembre", "L'indifference", "Et maintenant")
- Jacques Brel ("Ne me quitte pas", "Ces gens-la", "La chanson des vieux amants", "Quand on n'a que l'amour")
- Serge Lama ("Je suis malade", "Les poetes")
- Michel Sardou ("Je vais t'aimer", "La maladie d'amour", "Comme d'habitude", - this is the original version, Paul Anka wrote the English lyrics of "My Way" based on the music of this song)
- Salvatore Adamo ("J'aime", "Une meche de cheveux")

As you see, the list is very long. I am sure some of you would remember. These are famous singers and songs that have been around 30, 40 years.

About Italian songs, I like Il Divo (it's fun to watch them!), Andrea Boccelli is great too.

But best of all is Greek music. Here is a singer I really like. His name is Yannis Parios. He is very famous.

http://www.dailymotion.com/tag/singer/video/xuz91_parios-episimi-agapimeni

Claudine Longet is nice to listen to, once you get used to the gunfire.