Chanson Du Jour 10/26/2016: Pauline Croze performing “La Javanaise”
I think Serge Gainsbourg’s songwriting was at its best when he wasn’t attempting to shock with his “audio vérité” smutty songs. While 1967’s ” Je t’aime, Moi Non Plus” feels a bit skeevy today, “La Javanaise” feels like a cool breeze while walking along the Left Bank.
In this great 2010 clip from French TV’s Nouveaux Talents, Pauline Croze’ soulful wordless verse (1:35 to 2:20) is particularly merveilleux. Other good versions? Give a Spotify listen to Gainsbourg’s original and also one from (wait for it… wait for it…) Iggy Pop! Continue reading “Chanson Du Jour: La Javanaise”→
Chanson Du Jour Tuesday 10/25/2016: “Come” by Jain
Jain’s album “Zanaka” is a top 5 hit in both France and Italy, and her lead single “Come” sits at the top of the French singles charts, with over 30 million streams worldwide, platinum status in France and Italy. In this clip, Jaine (real name: Jeanne Galice) absolutely kills it in live performance at the recent France Grammy Awards. The 24-year-old Parisian is influenced by Otis Redding, Reggae, Hip Hop, African rhythms, and of course French Chanson.
Chanson Du Jour 10/20/2016 “La Valse D’ Amelie” by Yann Tiersen
This is one my favorites from the film Amelie. Composer/performer Yann Tiersen plays piano, accordion, violin as well as melodica, xylophone, toy piano, bicycle wheel and a typewriter in one of the greatest film soundtracks ever made. Tiersen won a 2001 BAFTA Award for Best Film Music for Amelie (should have won the Oscar.)
Chanson Du Jour 10/18/2016:”Belleville Rendez-Vous” by Benoît Charest with Mathieu Chedid
“Belleville Rendez-Vous” from the soundtrack of Sylvain Chomet’s film “Les triplettes de belleville”(2003) Benoît Charest was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for this composition.
Chanson Du Jour 10/17/206 Vikki Carr: “Que sea él” (It Must Be Him)
I’ve always loved the hilariously desperate song “It Must Be Him” performed by Vikki Carr. The song sold over 1 million copies in 1967 and millions more since.
Vikki Carr remains a very under-appreciated vocalist, one who gets unfairly lumped-in with her white bread contemporaries dominating that woeful/golden era of 1960s MOR (Middle of the Road) radio.
On trips in the Stevenson family station wagon, my dad would play this musical spam on the car radio, punching in the dreaded WLKW button, while we kids in the back seat begged for DJ Joe Thomas playing Beatles, Beach Boys and Motown on WICE. But alas – this was elevator music without doors that open and let you out.
It was in the back seat of the Pontiac Tempest, that I learned Vicki Carr sang ‘grown-up” music that I actually liked. Eventually I saw her perform on TV with Merv, Johnny and Mike, where she was always beautiful, charming, and singing brilliantly. Still later, I became the odd used record customer who purchased both Vikki’s Greatest Hits album AND Moby Grape’s groovy debut (sans “flipping the bird”) while shopping at In Your Ear. Has anyone else ever purchased these two records together? No? Hooray for me.
Pas De Merde 