To respond to your note about other choices. I knew Piaf would be on the list--it must have been hard to limit the choice to one (I might have chosen "L'hymne à l'amour"). And if you were to have had 13 on the list, I might have selected Jeanne Moreau singing "Le tourbillon," which describes so many relationships in just the right way ... It would be easier to stretch the list to 100 perhaps?
What a wonderful post, I want to get back to it. You mentioned a playlist, where is it?
I know absolutely all of the older songs and, actually, most of the newer ones.
Favorite French singers? Polnareff, Renaud, Aznavour and Gainsbourg, Barbara, although not necessarily in that order.
A favorite beautiful French song? That is VERY HARD but it might be La Montagne by Jean Ferrat. I used to use it when I was teaching French so many years ago. Or Gottingen by Barbara? Or maybe "Lettre à France"? So many choices...
As for Trenet, I'm not a huge fan of La Mer -- maybe I've heard it too much. A favorite of mine is "Le Revenant," especially the fantastic live version recorded on CD in the 80s -- although maybe it doesn't fall so easily into the "beautiful" category.
I'm surprised your INA video of Jacques Brel got taken down -- I would have thought they were for public use.
I love la montagne and lettre à France! Thank you so much for sharing Betty! And merci for letting me know about the Brel video, I'll find another one! 😊
It was visible when I first saw the post. I’ll have to DM you one of these days because my very presence in France since 1990 has something to do with using French songs in an American classroom. I’m sure you’d be interested but it’s a very long and personal story!
Yes thank you! I’ll write to you about it at some point. It will make me feel very old I’m afraid, but yet I think it would be quite interesting to someone with your profile.
What a wonderful, useful piece, merci beaucoup! Charles Trenet’s ‘La mer’ is one of my favourite songs. Édith Piaf’s ‘La vie en rose’ is my all time favourite song. How I wish I’d seen her live. I love the way the chorus changes from ‘C'est lui pour moi / Moi, pour lui …’ to ‘C'est toi pour moi / Moi, pour toi …’. I can’t speak much French but I can sing the entire song in it … provided I’ve drunk une verre de vin rouge to loosen my British reserve.
Very much with you Morgane on Charles Trenet's La Mer that, despite being British, on hearing it always takes me back to my childhood as it seemed a regular play on the wireless as we called it then. I'd add Édith Piaf's, for me heart wrenching, Hymne A L'Amour and as national anthems go, there isn't much to beat La Marseillaise
I have only sung la Marseillaise once. It was at St. James' Park the home of Newcastle United, the football team I support, in November 2015, as a tribute to the victims of the Paris terror attacks. I can't say our Geordie accents and average command of the french language did justice to the anthem but our gusto in singing it showed our hearts were with everyone in France.
I so agree with you Claire, there's a lot of other brilliant artists and songs that should be included, but it wouldn't be a list but an endless playlist 🙃 which is why I asked for the ones you prefer, so the list expands by sharing 🤗 thank you for sharing those songs!
I really enjoyed this, thank you! I knew many of the classics and a few modern ones, but still lots to explore. I'll compare notes with my daughter. I used to like Jean Jacques Goldman as a teenager. And then MC Solaar is one of my all time favourite rap artists.
Next time, inform us in advance that in your world French equals “of France” and does not include Québecois (except the Garou-Dion duet) music. Oh, and Monsieur Ferré was born in Monaco not France. No reply required.
To respond to your note about other choices. I knew Piaf would be on the list--it must have been hard to limit the choice to one (I might have chosen "L'hymne à l'amour"). And if you were to have had 13 on the list, I might have selected Jeanne Moreau singing "Le tourbillon," which describes so many relationships in just the right way ... It would be easier to stretch the list to 100 perhaps?
I actually prefer Hymne à l'amour to la vie en rose too! Haha agree 100 would have been better 😄 merci d'avoir partagé!
What a wonderful post, I want to get back to it. You mentioned a playlist, where is it?
I know absolutely all of the older songs and, actually, most of the newer ones.
Favorite French singers? Polnareff, Renaud, Aznavour and Gainsbourg, Barbara, although not necessarily in that order.
A favorite beautiful French song? That is VERY HARD but it might be La Montagne by Jean Ferrat. I used to use it when I was teaching French so many years ago. Or Gottingen by Barbara? Or maybe "Lettre à France"? So many choices...
As for Trenet, I'm not a huge fan of La Mer -- maybe I've heard it too much. A favorite of mine is "Le Revenant," especially the fantastic live version recorded on CD in the 80s -- although maybe it doesn't fall so easily into the "beautiful" category.
I'm surprised your INA video of Jacques Brel got taken down -- I would have thought they were for public use.
I love la montagne and lettre à France! Thank you so much for sharing Betty! And merci for letting me know about the Brel video, I'll find another one! 😊
It was visible when I first saw the post. I’ll have to DM you one of these days because my very presence in France since 1990 has something to do with using French songs in an American classroom. I’m sure you’d be interested but it’s a very long and personal story!
I'd love to hear it! 🤗 I sent you a private message with the link to the playlist :)
Yes thank you! I’ll write to you about it at some point. It will make me feel very old I’m afraid, but yet I think it would be quite interesting to someone with your profile.
I look forward to it! :) I’ve loved using songs to teach french and I’d love to hear more about your own experience!
What a wonderful, useful piece, merci beaucoup! Charles Trenet’s ‘La mer’ is one of my favourite songs. Édith Piaf’s ‘La vie en rose’ is my all time favourite song. How I wish I’d seen her live. I love the way the chorus changes from ‘C'est lui pour moi / Moi, pour lui …’ to ‘C'est toi pour moi / Moi, pour toi …’. I can’t speak much French but I can sing the entire song in it … provided I’ve drunk une verre de vin rouge to loosen my British reserve.
Thanks a lot Ian! That's the magic of a good song! ( & 🍷!😅)
You’re welcome! It is, though when I wrote ‘I can sing’ I should’ve added ‘comme une grenouille’. 🙉
Hahaha same here, you should hear me sing Lettre à France at the top of my lungs! 🙃
Now I want to! We could do croaky karaoke. 🐸😂
Very much with you Morgane on Charles Trenet's La Mer that, despite being British, on hearing it always takes me back to my childhood as it seemed a regular play on the wireless as we called it then. I'd add Édith Piaf's, for me heart wrenching, Hymne A L'Amour and as national anthems go, there isn't much to beat La Marseillaise
Thanks for sharing Harry! Yes la Marseillaise is a great anthem, very powerful for a national anthem!
I have only sung la Marseillaise once. It was at St. James' Park the home of Newcastle United, the football team I support, in November 2015, as a tribute to the victims of the Paris terror attacks. I can't say our Geordie accents and average command of the french language did justice to the anthem but our gusto in singing it showed our hearts were with everyone in France.
Gusto is what matters most ☺️👏🏻
Thanks for sharing! So much nostalgia…🩶
A list of emblematic French songs that doesn’t include Georges Brassens despite his mordant wit, humanity, earthiness, profanity, and impressive poetics? Just two examples: Mourir pour des idées, https://tidal.com/browse/track/38078735?u and Chanson pour l’auvergnat https://tidal.com/browse/track/38078735?u
I so agree with you Claire, there's a lot of other brilliant artists and songs that should be included, but it wouldn't be a list but an endless playlist 🙃 which is why I asked for the ones you prefer, so the list expands by sharing 🤗 thank you for sharing those songs!
I really enjoyed this, thank you! I knew many of the classics and a few modern ones, but still lots to explore. I'll compare notes with my daughter. I used to like Jean Jacques Goldman as a teenager. And then MC Solaar is one of my all time favourite rap artists.
Next time, inform us in advance that in your world French equals “of France” and does not include Québecois (except the Garou-Dion duet) music. Oh, and Monsieur Ferré was born in Monaco not France. No reply required.
Thank you for your comment, French here stands for French songs, French meaning the language, Jacques Brel and Stromae are also from Belgique. :)
I know nothing about music from Québec so if you have recommendations I’d be interested to hear them
I personally like Cœur de Pirate, Isabelle Boulay, Roch Voisine, Gilles Vigneault.... Quebec has a lot of great artists:)
I will try them out, thanks!