Gainsbourg covers, part 1

In a category I like to call “The poor man’s version of…”, here is Michèle Richard and (what appears to be) Denis Pantis trying to sing the Gainsbourg/Bardot classic “Bonnie and Clyde”. Now, since music blogs and sites like Youtube have started popping up, I’ve noticed that there appears to be a heartwarming love for Michele Richard amongst 60s French pop lovers out there. As someone who hails from the same province as her, I have to say that perhaps the cultural context in which I grew up prevents me of sharing the same affection. I guess it’s the same thing with all the Italians I’ve met (all 5 of them) and their mutual disdain for Rita Pavone. I mean…how can you not love Rita Pavone?!? But I disgress. Let me explain…where I come from, Michèle Richard is known as someone who embraces qualities such as tackiness, trashiness, not too much of a singing talent-ness, and prima donna-ness. Perhaps the Québécoise “Britney”of her days. Just look at the photo of Michèle and her dog! (oh the joke possibilities…) And that was deemed good enough for a record cover! She has famously defecated (yes) in the lobby of a four star hotel in Montreal in the 70s and was arrested for stealing fur coats, twice. She’s had live, on-air prima donna fits on her tacky tv shows in the 80′s and has starred in her own reality tv series a few years ago (in which she gave one of her dogs a funeral and burial).

Oh but don’t be fooled by my writings. It’s a love-hate thing.

In this post we also have Québécoise cutie Denise Brousseau (pictured) singing an upbeat version of “N’écoutes pas les idoles”, with Georges Tremblay and his orchestra. And finally québécoise Maryka doing a GREAT cover of Hold-Up. I unfortunately know very little about her.

BANG! BANG!

More Gainsbourg covers from La belle province in a few days.

Michèle Richard – Bonnie and Clyde
Denise Brousseau – N’écoutes pas les idoles
Maryka – Hold-Up