Hi, a little survey for an aricle I'm trying to put together.

1)Has anyone in the UK ever heard of a French singer called Mylène Farmer?

2)What image do you have of French music?

3)What groups/singers have managed to cross the channel?

4) Can you name any French singers or groups (perhaps from holidays)?


Thanks for your replies

Elspeth

Hi elspeth,
Don't imagine this will be very illuminating:

1) Non - until I read your piece!

2) err...euro-pap /traditional with the accordian (or whatever it is)/Piaf, Aznavour, Chevalier/ Serge Gainsbourg/a little bit of 'ethnic' stuff

3) Les Negresses Vertes, Daby Touré (he's Mauritanian, but I believe is based in France and doing quite well there in world music terms?) Johnny hallyday i've heard of, but never heard if that counts...

4) as 3.....

Hopeless!
x
tc

Elspeth

1) No.

2) Pretty inovative with a lot of their music taking in influences from the second generation immigrants from north and west Africa.

3)MC Solaar, Vannessa Paradis (in the nineties anyway!).

4)As above and a lot of African musicians who have been based out of France for the majority of their career like Manu Dibango and Papa Wemba.

Cheers

Kenny

tc, thanks - it is illuminating as it confirms what I imagined (and thanks for reading the article - did it keep your attention even though you don't know her?)

Kenny, you're right about the influence although it does still tend to be called World music rather than French. Thaks for replying.

Anyone else?

Elspeth

Elspeth, I’ve not heard of MF. The first French singer that came to mind was Sasha Distel (no idea if that’s the correct spelling) and the others already mentioned. The problem with French music for me is – and this is just between you me and the gatepost – I don’t like the French accent. Sorry. I feel the same about Spanish and Italian… Dutch, on the other hand, I could listen to all day… I blame my Northumbrian roots!

That’s not a lot of help, is it?

Dee
x

Elspeth - Never heard of Mylene Farmer, and my image of French music is very much 'chanson' and 'bal musette' as well as the fabulous fiddle and hurdy-gurdy music they have in various parts - and Breton bombarde and pipes (but they might not like being called French too much). And Jo Privat and his band (fabulous bal musette sccordion player).

But as for pop - there's France Gall and her great teen hit 'Charlemagne', and the usual crew from the sixties - Halliday, Les Chaussetes Noirs, Richard Anthony, Francoise Hardy, et al.

Joe (whistles: "Tous les garcons et les filles de mon age ... ")

Elspeth,

1) No

2) Either African (good) or Europap (very bad)

3) None that I can think of offhand

4) No one modern, I just think of the balladeers who've already been mentioned

Have to admit, my kneejerk reaction to the words "French" and "good music" is that they're oxymoronic. Eek

Andrea

<Added>

should have said "modern French" (excepting the African-influenced)

Ooo! Ooooo! Just remembered. Years ago I went to see a couple of bands playing live in a pub in Bradford. The music had a specific name but I can’t remember what it was now. It sounded like a cross between rock, folk and gravel being crushed, in French.

I liked it. What was it?

Dee

Here are my responses:


1)Has anyone in the UK ever heard of a French singer called Mylène Farmer? -- Not me....

2)What image do you have of French music? -- Jacques Brell and men singing with breathy female back-up

3)What groups/singers have managed to cross the channel? I don't know any!

4) Can you name any French singers or groups (perhaps from holidays)? -- In Russia everyone's in love with ... mmmm what's his name -- Jacques somebody -- sings L'Ete Indian (spelling) where the refrain is dah dah dah dahdahdahdahdahdahdahdah etc -- I even had a CD of his music in Moldova - but forgot the last name --


Thanks for your replies [are you sure about that????]

Ani ;-)


<Added>

Oh, sorry, I forgot about Edith Piaf. I know her music, too, so that makes three!

Hi Elspeth.

1) Nope

2) For some reason it's only played in the street on accordions in my mind .

3) Well there's the obvious Sacha Distel, Charles Aznavour and Vanessa Paradise. Apart from that I am very fond of 'Air' and I believe they are French...

4) Those above, plus Edith Piaf .

Thanks for all these answers, everyone. It's really interesting the diversity of your French experiences!

Derek, I'm glad you mentioned Air!

Ani, you're thinking of Joe Dassin who also did a version of "Yellow River" called "L'Amerique" and "Champs Elysés" one of my children's favorites. "Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi, à minuit, il y a tous que vous voulez aux Champs Elysées... Very jolly!

Dee, sounds interesting!

No-one heard of Noir Désir? Where is Adele...


Elspeth

<Added>

JoPo, most of those crooners are still going strong. FH won best female artist at the music awards this year.

Yes, that's it, Joe Dassin. Joe, Jacques, whatever. 'J' - that's the important thing, they both start with 'J'! (I'm a leveller - it's a cognitive mode or whatever, see similarities before differences - sometimes can't even see differences!) He died in the same year as .... what's his name, this very popular Russian singer -- ummmm ... ummm ... what's his name? V ..... V......Vysotsky! That's it! Maybe Vladimir Vysotsky? Of the gravelly voice. Also much beloved of Russians, except he's Russian, and Joe dessin is not. Obviously. Maybe I should go back to bed now....

Ani - are you sure you're not thinking of Vygotsky, the psychologist who specialised in language - especially theories of mother-tongue acquisition?

But I defer to your experience of foreign shores (and steppes).

Joe

MC Soolar and DJ Cutkiller! I've got the soundtrack to La Haine too as it's my favourite film of all time and French rapping makes my knees go all wobbly....

Cath

Hi Elspeth

1) Yes, the name vaguely rings a bell

2)My association with French music is of atmosptheric, innovative, melodic sensual music. Basically i think Air and J'taime

3)Air, Daft Punk

4)The above, plus MC Solaar, Vanessa Paradis, Jean-Michel Jarre and a current favourite of mine, Nouvelle Vague - 80's classics sung bossanova style! Theri version of Just Can't get enough is used in an ad on TV at the moment, can't for the life of me think what it's for though. Their version of the Misison's 'Marian' is the most haunting thing I've heard in years.

L