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RIP Rod McKuen

Singer Rod McKuen passed away recently. So we’re reposting this ode to Rod, written by Sky, posted earlier on this blog:

There probably will be no music at my real funeral. I’d rather prefer a reading of the last three pages of Pierre Drieu la Rochelle’s Le feu follet. However, at my fictitious funeral this All Saints’ Monday, my future ghost will engulf in the kitsch grandeur of the English version of Le Moribond. Jacques Brel’s 1961 original is a bit too snappy for my tastes, and Terry Jacks’s 1974 smash hit adaptation – originally to be recorded by the Beach Boys (!) – well, let’s put a shroud over it. The ultimate version is undoubtedly by Rod McKuen, close Brel friend and translator of many of his lyrics. His rugged-voice US version, adapted first by the Kingston Trio in 1964, sentimentalizes Brel’s chanson for sure, and simultaneously transforms it into big-scope American death disc drama. Paradoxically, the starfish on the beach granted him a nice bit of immortality.

Zaznavour

  • Posted on 19/01/2015
  • /Under Video

Compilation on Youtube of ‘Hier encore’, a tv-show with musical guests looking back on French chanson. With Louane, Claire ‘ohlala’ Keim and ‘Zaznavour’ (on 10m50s).

(thanks Mark Sullivan)

Je m’appelle Charlie

Four singers, La Grande Sophie, Jeanne Cherhal, Camille and Emily Loizeau, expressed their feelings about the slaying at the Charlie Hebdo offices in a song. Read the lyrics in this Figaro piece.

Best of the Best 2014 (part 1)

A few days ago, we asked you to send in the songs and/or albums that rocked your world the hardest this year. In the coming days, the FS-writers (Steve, Sky, FransS, Mark, Guuzbourg, David) will post their picks.
Below are a few contributions by readers (and one regular contribuant).
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Mart writes: ‘My Song of the Year is ‘Il pleut’ by Elodie Frégé, from the Bande à Renaud-tribute album. Her voice, the crescendo in the music and Renaud’s remarkable lyrics. He’s a wordsmith in the trues sense. I love the whole album, the covers really add to the original versions.’

Dany (from Germany) writes: ‘My French song of the year is by Les Maggy Bolle, “La Cougar”. Maggy´s from Besançon. I saw her live on a deep romantic summer nigh in the south of France.


Les Maggy Bolle – la cougar – Lure le 13… door Ricky_Banlieue

Iris writes: ‘Chaleur Humaine by Christine and the Queens is the best in the Francophone world that happened to us. It’s a perfect and very original mix of French and English, I just keep playing it.’

Steve (manager of Vanessa Contenay-Quinones) writes: ‘Well Guuz as much as i hate to be blindingly obvious, I genuinely am in love with Vanessa’s bitter sweet and sensual track ‘Pardonne’ taken from her latest LP ‘Made In France!’

Sami writes: ‘So far, my pick would go to Yelle’s ‘Complètement fou’, it has as usual some great energic and danceable tunes, and it’s even better in concert.’

Sami adds: ‘My favorite song is Camelia Jordana’s ‘Ma gueule’, beautiful voice and lyrics,the Ethio-jazz sound, I’ve been really impressed and hope that her next album will be the masterpiece she tried to make with this one.’

Laurence Hélie

  • Posted on 07/12/2014
  • /Under Video

Mark Sullivan writes:

Live film of the charming country-folk writer-singer Laurence Hélie is rare, so her appearance on the CBC’s Acadian channel in New Brunswick is a welcome chance to appreciate her skill. She guested 9 November on the weekly show ‘Méchante Soirée’ which is filmed in a gastropub in the capital, Moncton.

Laurence has a particular skill in taking a middle-of-the-road song and reviving it by giving it her country tang, this time with ‘Allô maman bobo’ by the seventies songwriter Alain Souchon.

And here is her own hit ‘De tout et de rien’

Another elegant TV appearance, this time in duo, is here

To recall her best-known cover, Patrick Norman’s ‘Quand on est en amour’, I have posted a new slide-show on Youtube here.

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