Claude Dubois

Quebec singer-songwriter Claude Dubois was in the news this week. I won’t go on about it.

In any case, here are some amazing early songs of his. I don’t care what your opinion of him is, I’m just letting you hear for yourself the man’s fine early work. Why? Because it’s damn good, that’s why.

Le Labrador is a masterful, poetic, classic, beautiful song.
His earlier songs like “Sullivan” remind me of Antoine‘s early work. “Evolution” and “Essaye” are friggin’ fantastic late 60s groovers.

Claude Dubois – Je tourne
Claude Dubois – Evolution – Essaye
Claude Dubois – Sullivan
Claude Dubois – Le Labrador

Aurevoir Henri! :(

Henri Salvador, the last true survivor of the French “chanson”, has passed away last week at the age of 90. He was active until his last breath, and did a farewell tour only last December in France. He laughed and smiled through life and through his career.

Here is my favorite song of his for your listening pleasure: the delicious, mother effing weird and brilliant “Beta Gamma l’ordinateur”, in which he describes the world in 2000 through the eyes of a typical (albeit brainwashed) man. For the first time since I started this blog, I feel I should translate lyrics to a song.

“I am a man from the year 2000, I don’t have any problems
I lead a simple life, I don’t think anymore
We have a King who thinks for us, his name is
Beta Gamma, the Computer.

I am a man who is never hungry
I don’t understand why generations before us
Took pleasure in eating
We just eat pills made by
Beta Gamma, the Computer

When I go for a ride in my car
I never drive leisurely
I have a digital map
That plans ahead for me

As for girls, no problem
I don’t waste time telling them
I love them
Every night I must get
A girl that was pre-selected by
Beta Gamma, the Computer

When I think of all those before us
Who couldn’t live without love
I tell you we are happier today
For the man of the year 2000, happiness is
Beta Gamma, the Computer

I don’t know about you, but this sums up the so-called new Millenium to a tee. Wouldn’t you think?

Aurevoir Henri!

Henri Salvador – Beta Gamma, l’ordinateur

Renée Martel sings The Beatles

Here’s someone I love dearly: Renée Martel. Daughter of Québec country star Marcel Martel, she has enjoyed a very respectable career in the 60s as a pop singer, doing quality covers in French of British or American hits, one of my faves being her beautiful cover of “Liverpool” (which was a hit for her in her home province.)

Unlike many other 60s singers trying to keep up with the times, she didn’t fall into the disco craze in the 70s, but rather followed in her father’s footsteps and her first love, country music.

This next track is quite possibly my favorite one. You will recognize the familiar Beatles melody, of course, but as much as I love it, my heart always sinks when I hear it, because the quality of the mix is just so bad, not to mention the pressing makes the whole record sound like a whisper. What should have been a grandiose sounding album was ruined, and whoever is responsible for this will die in “bad music engineer” hell!

Phew! Ok. And now, thanks to digital technology, I managed to crank it up a notch (just a little) so we can at least hear that Wurlitzer Electric Piano (same type used by Barry & The Remains.). Good Lord at least I think that’s what it’s called.

In any case, that’s the best I could do.

French lyrics are by Karo! –>

Renée Martel has suffered two car accidents in the last decade and has rarely appeared publicly since her father’s death in 1999. I hope she’ll come out to play more often.

Renée Martel – Un certain soira>

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