The bestest new French Christmas tune of the year! Plus a French husky take on the Mariah Carey-classic, all in one EP!
Noël
Maryse Letarte
Yes, tis the season again. The first cool French Christmas song is out:
Seven years ago, Canadian songstress Maryse Letarte released an album of original Christmas songs, most of them in French. Which is nice. Now, she made another one. This is the title track.
Hat tip to Christmas Underground
More French x-mas music coming up!
RIP Magali Noël
Actress and singer Magali Noël has passed away today. She’s mostly known for the song ‘Fais moi mal, Johnny’, written by Boris Vian. Listen to the original HERE, see Magali perform the song below
Magali sang more cool songs, like this one
Fais moi mal, Johnny was covered many, many times. Here are a few examples:
Noël
As you know, I’m a sucker for alternative Christmas songs. Earlier, I posted DCTV’s version of Noël Interdit (click), they also recorded a ‘When Francoise Hardy and Black Sabbath met to record a Wham! cover’ dream version:
Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Chic Gamine is the only French-language band on the yearly (and usually great) Ho! Ho! Ho! Canada Christmas compilation (click). On that comp, and on CG’s recent EP, is this really sweet seasonal song:
Noel Interdit
Yes, Christmas music blog Christmas A Go Go is open again and posting odd/good/funky xmas tracks for a month now. Some in French, like this cover of a Johnny Hallyday track, by our American friends of DCTV:
Free download!
I’m Fresh! You’re Pretty!
I’m Fresh! You’re Pretty! aka Je suis fraiche tu es mignonne is a trio who love Weezer, Daft Punk, 80 synths and like to cover new and old tunes. Their sound is like an update of eponymous French 80s band Indochine. On their Soundcloud page you can listen to their version of Gainsbourg’s Je suis venu te dire, to La Femme’s Sur la Planche and to this cool Christmas song:
Siouxsie, Robert Smith, Bruce Cockburn
I’ve been collecting odd Christmas tracks for about ten years (and blogging about it on this blog), and every year I’m surprised about who recorded what. I mean, check this video. 80s Gothic queen Siouxsie Sioux plus part time Banshees-member Robert Smith miming miserably to original French carol ‘Il est né le divin enfant’ (He is born the divine Christ Child). This was a b-side to the Melt!-single in 1982.
And what about Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn, best known for his both brilliant and furious If I Had A Rocket Launcher? On his 1993 ‘Christmas’ album he sang ‘Anges Dans Nos Campagnes’ (Angels we have heard on high), a carol dating back to the 18th century:
Bruce Cockburn – Anges dans nos campagnes
Siouxsie & the Banshees – Il est né le divin enfant