Sylvie-Anne

I’ve noticed these last few months that popular search items for my blog were “60’s French pop” and “Girls in the Garage”. Well, I thought I would make everyone’s life easier.

Here is an artist that appeared on volume 10 of the GITG series, volume 10 being an all French volume. If you have this particular volume, perhaps you noticed the amazing cover artwork featuring two girls cat fighting over a Jacques Dutronc LP? It was drawn by the same talented woman who did the caricature that you see at the top of the page on this blog. Her name is Sophie Cossette, she lives in Toronto, and she’s amazingly talented. When I was doing the Zoï Zoï French pop DJ nights in Toronto (hence the name of this website) in 2005-2007, Sophie generously drew all the posters for us, and featured a different French pop icon every month.

The Sylvie-Anne track on GITG 10 was taken from the same 45 single I’m offering you today. I apologize in advance, as my record is very scratched. In fact, this track almost didn’t make the cut, because of its condition.

The “Retro Jeunesse” website (follow the link to see a photo of her!) says this about her: Sylvie-Anne was born Sylvie-Anne Trudeau, in 1951. She was given the nickname of “Mademoiselle Dynamite”, because her voice and style was similar to another energetic Quebec singing star: Jenny Rock.

This was her first of two singles, and she was accompanied by legendary Quebec musician, Georges Tremblay.

Interestingly enough, the two songs on this single are blatant copies of the Hazlewood produced and Billy Strange arranged Nancy Sinatra covers of “Day Tripper” and “Lies”. In a nutshell, they are covers of covers. And they are great!

If you listen closely (and I mean *very* closely!) to the first seconds of “Un tour dehors”, you can (faintly) hear her clear her throat.

One wonders where she is today and what became of her.

So here’s Mademoiselle Dynamite doing the Beatles’ “Day Tripper” in French (check out GITG 10 for a clearer copy though, oops!) and its B-side, her cover of “Lies”, both done à la Sinatra/Hazelwood.

Sylvie-Anne – Un tour dehors (Day Tripper)
Sylvie-Anne – Reste (Lies)

All I want for X-Mas is ear plugs

Alright, so I know I told you I would have nothing but the best in child singing stars on this blog, with this new “Kiddie a Go-Go” theme of mine. However because this is a special day, I thought I would give you all a little something equally, um…”special”. Ok, not as special as my Victoire Scott Christmas offering from last year, but still, I hope some of you will uh…enjoy…

Adapted from German girl group Die Sweetles’ “Ich wünsch’ mir zum Geburtstag einen Beatle” and from Quebec singer Tonia’s French version “Pour mon anniversaire je voudrais un Beatle” (“For my birthday I would like a Beatle”), here is little Manon Labrie, a young school girl from Québec who for some unknown reason, got a record contract. Perhaps whoever signed her had a hearing problem.

Joyeux Noël!

Manon Labrie – Pour mon anniversaire je voudrais un Beatle