French Pop Legends

By Amanda Hallay

Every nation has its Pop Legends. We Anglophones are so aware of our own (Elvis, Dylan, Beatles et al) that we forget that 'other countries' have their own, and France is no exception. There's a lot more to French popular music that Edith Piaf, Jacquel Brel and Maurice Chevalier ('zank 'eaven!').
So turn on, tune and and check out 'Les Legends du Pop Francaise'.

SERGE GAINSBOURG

'The' legend of French pop, Serge is as well respected in France as John Lennon or Bob Dylan in Anglophone countries. A career which spanned from '50s jazz, Sixties 'ye-ye', '70s 'concept' albums and a famous foray into reggae in the '80s, Gainsbourg wrote for both himself and others, becoming the undisputed greatest songwriter in French pop history (or any other pop histories, for that matter).

With his international hit of 1969, Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus (lots of heavy breathing with his then 'femme', Jane Birkin), Serge became an unwitting 'sex symbol', the quintessential 'dirty Frenchman'. Yet his private life didn't correspond with his public image; he was a faithful 'husband' and a strict but loving father to his children (Kate, his stepdaughter, and his own child, Charlotte, now a well respected screen actress.)

An Agent Provocateur par excellence, the 'shock highpoints' of his career were his burning of 500FF note on live T.V, his reggae version of La Marseilles (death threats followed) and - of course - telling Whitney Houston of his desire to 'fuck her' (again, on live T.V!)

A passion for alcohol rivalled by a capacity for cigarettes even the Art History Department would envy, Serge finally succumbed to his vices in 1992. His funeral was attended by President Mitterand - and quite rightly. In a country where pop culture is usually just a Gallic imitation of Anglophone trends, Serge Gainsbourg was a true original.

Un vrai.

CLAUDE FRANCOIS

Talk about 'big'! Claude Francois was (and still is - posthumously) a huge star in France, begetting the obvious question; 'Why?!'

Claude Francois (known to his fans as 'Clo-Clo') has to be seen to be believed. Encased in tight fitting satin suits and accompanied by his own troupe of hot-pant clad backing dancers ('Les Clodettes'), Claude Francois certainly had a way with a song. The fact that it was a horrible way didn't stop the French public from taking this little blonde bombshell to their hearts - and keeping him there forever!

A career which began with 'Twist' hits in the '60s, it was the burgeoning disco craze of the '70s which saw Clo-Clo at his most spectacular, his 'high octane' performances leaving one breathless and somewhat….stunned.

Having written My Way (French title: Comme Habitude), Claude Francois amassed an absolute fortune, a fortune which was ploughed directly back into his own career, sequinned wardrobe and very 'jet set' lifestyle.

A megalomaniac and drama queen of the highest order, his 'legend' was secured by his early death in 1979. Electrocuted in his bath, faulty wiring saw the end of this colourful character. However, his star shines on in 'kitsch' circles, his 1976 hit Cet Annee La revamped rap-style last year and giving Annick the highest selling French single of 2000.

Love him or loath him, watching Clo-Clo at his peak is rather like watching a road accident; yes, it's disturbing, but somehow you just can't turn away.

You've gotta give him credit; he certainly did it his way.

MICHEL POLNAREFF

Sort of a French David Bowie (in as much as they were both kind of 'weird'), Michel Polnareff was a truly wonderful and innovative songwriter in the '60s and '70s. Jangling guitars, quirky pop melodies and off-the-wall lyrics made him popular with the '60s Sorbonne crowd, his '70s work very 'conceptual' and utterly his own.

His career took a knock in the '70s, when posters of him displaying his very nice bottom caused un scandal national, costing him a hefty fine which more or less 'broke' him.

A lifelong battle to save his eyesight (coupled with a lifelong reliance on booze) saw him reach a bizarre low point in the '80s. Checking into a Parisian hotel, he remained in his room for the next three years, occasional forays to the hotel bar the only 'light of day' the increasingly blind Polnareff saw.

His sight saved by a 'miracle operation', Polnareff now lives in Southern California where he 'pumps weights' and runs a snake farm.

Sous Quel Etoil Est-Il Ne???

JOHNNY HALLIDAY

Johnny Halliday is an 'institution'. Period. If you want to live in France, you have to know Johnny Halliday. Whether you like it or not. And I suspect you won't. Still….

Known to his fans simply (and eloquently) as 'Johnny', Monsieur Halliday can best be described as 'The Elvis of France'. Yet unlike 'The Elvis of America', Johnny is still very much with us, and as popular today as when he first gyrated to his self-penned rock n' roll in the 1950s.

To his credit, Johnny Halliday was the first Frenchman to embrace the new rhythms emanating from Memphis, helping to establish 'la musique rock' in a country dominated by 'chanson' and accordions.

Not to his credit is the fact that he's still making music, and even less to his credit is how he spends his leisure time; a penchant for face lifts coupled with an even greater penchant for marrying girls a thousand years younger than himself, Johnny now spends most of his time in St Tropez where he owns a boutique selling 'Johnny-style' Western gear to people with even less sense than himself.

Once married to singer Sylvie Vartan (hardly a 'pop legend' and therefore not mentioned here), the pair produced a talentless offspring, 'David', who has followed his father's far more musical footsteps and inflicts his own brand of derivative pop on a Halliday-obsessed nation.

Hardly an 'original', and not particularly 'cool', Johnny is never-the-less an 'institution', as much a part of 20th Century French culture as Charles de Gaulle and 2CVs.

FRANCOISE HARDY

During the 1960s, every girl in the world wanted to be Francoise Hardy. A model's figure and a Carnaby Street wardrobe, Francoise's pretty face was framed by her long, straight hair. In short, she was 'the' perfect French export for the Youthquake generation. Playing her accoustic guitar, Francoise Hardy sang songs about the pain of first love and the meaning of friendship. All very 'French'. Gaining 'cool points' for being one of the first French female vocalists to pen her own material, Hardy gained even 'cooler' points for marrying fellow pop star Jacques Dutronc.
Still recording and performing, she is the 'respected' female face of French pop culture.

SACHA DISTEL

The 'pretty boy' of French pop, Sacha Distel is one of the few Gallic artists to have made it Big Time ('le temps grand?') abroad. In the case of Sacha, it was for about eight minutes and in England, where 'Such-a Disgrace' (as he was nicknamed) crooned his way to the top of the charts.

Discovered by his then-girlfriend Brigitte Bardot, Sacha began his career playing quite impressive flamenco guitar. The limited appeal of flamenco guitar (no matter how impressively it's played) saw Sacha take a career-turn in the late Sixties, adopting a 'mellow' style of easy-listening pop which saw him rise to fame until throat cancer put a temporary halt to his musical career in the mid-'90s.

These days, Sacha devotes much of his time to left-wing politics, human rights and animal welfare.

What a thoroughly nice bloke!

DALIDA

Born in Egypt, this sultry songstress had numerous hits in the '60s with breathy cover-versions of British songs. It was during the '70s, however, that her star really shone. Becoming a 'Disco Diva,' Dalida's public popularity was not mirrored by her private life, and after one deception sentimental too many, she took her own life at the age of 48.

Her legend lives on in the form of dance re-mixes of her biggest hits - and in the form of a million drag-queen imitators.

JANE BIRKIN

Jane Birkin is not French. She is very, very English. However, if it hadn't been for the French, Jane Birkin would probably be just another forgotten 'Swinging British Bird' of the '60s. However, she met and procreated with the legendary Serge Gainsbourg, who overlooked her total lack of musical talent and launched her as a singing star in her own right.

Unable to carry tune, Miss Birkin never the less found her own, very unique singing style; sort of like a choir girl on acid - a choir girl who has not been practicing her French pronunciation.

Unbelievably, Birkin's career is still going strong. Incredibly pretty in her younger days, Jane now looks as though she's been dragged through a haystack by a microphone chord. Totally bats, she's often seen off T.V, regurgitating for the millionth time the same old anecdotes about her life with Serge Gainsbourg.

The coattails she's been riding for the past thirty years are still strong enough to support her very limited 'talents.'

The French, however, can't seem to get enough of her. They find her most 'charmante' - and to tell you the truth, so do I (in a pervy sort of way.)

JACQUES DUTRONC

It's hard to get a grasp on what Jacques Dutronc actually is, and even harder to describe his music. Perhaps the best way to describe him is to say; 'If the Rolling Stones were one Frenchman, that Frenchman would be Jacques Dutronc.'

Extremely 'cool', Jacques Dutronc had a plethora of hits in the '60s and '70s and is still going strong with his famous hip replacements and trademark cigar.

RICHARD ANTHONY

This little guy was hep; avec un 'H' majescule! Cover versions were Richard's 'truc,' and during the 1960s, Richard Anthony covered everything. If you want to know who's singing the French version of all those Sixties standards you all know and love, you can bet your 'dernier sous' that it's Richard Anthony.

This guy was a bandit, pillaging everyone's repertoire; The Beatles, The Mamas and the Papas, The Hollies, Tom Jones, Donovan, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield.... Nobody was safe from Richard Anthony and his 'version francaise!' However, in saying that, his 'versions francaise' were actually very good, and almost always more 'upbeat' than the Anglophone original.

He also had some great Francais-Francais songs of his own, and with his great little voice and highly 'ye-ye' backing, he's well worth a listen - especially if you're a fan of Sixties pop.

MICHEL DELPECH

The 'Housewives Favorite' of the Early Seventies, Michel Deplech sang middle-of-the road love songs in a voice as smooth as melted butter. Retiring at the peak of his career by dramatically walking off stage in the middle of a concert (nay, in the middle of a song!), Delpech has recently resurfaces, his 'cutesy-pie' good looks long gone, but his 'dreamy' voice as lovely as ever.

MYLENE FARMER

The Eighties live on and on and ON with crazy Mylene Farmer. Although she has only really written one song in her entire career, this song has many different titles and comes in slightly different lengths - but it's still a good song. Her synthesized music is always accompanied by ENORMOUS videos (Mylene as a Russian princess, Mylene as a blind Victorian, Mylene as a BOY) Occasionally we see 'Mylene as Mylene', which is sort of scary; she is, quite clearly, mad. Her eyes bug out when she sings and she always looks as if she's about to stab someone. Still, she's become rather an 'institution' in France, and if anyone encapsulates a true 'French pop' sound, it's probably Mylene Farmer.

ALIZEE

Alizee is just a little older than Jordy (she is rumoured to be sixteen, but I think she's closer to four) and has recently scored three number one hits in a row. Extremely pretty and incredibly 'girlish' (not hard, as I suspect she has yet to sport under-arm hair), Alizee's hit album of 2000 (Gourmandise) was penned by Mylene Farmer (see above), each song discussing the 'teenage state'. How French. Joking aside, it's actually quite good, and Alizee seems genuinely unspoilt by her recent fame.

TELEPHONE

C'est vraiment toi! No, c'est vraiment EUX! These guys (whilst not pretty) certainly new how to rock (in a kind of naff Euro way.) Tight red trousers and 'mullet' haircuts were tres a la mode chez-Telephone, their heavy bass lined '80s hit still worthy of a (brief listen) twenty years later.

FRANCIS CABREL

It's very rare that a man can make a moustache work; three come to mind - Tom Selleck, Stalin and Francis Cabrel. A 'sensitive' lad, Francis started his career in the Sixities with long hair, short songs and a moustache. The decades past, his hair got shorter, his song got longer, but the moustache remained. It (and Francis) are with us still, and his 'sensitive' guitar based music is suitable for all your 'sensitive' guitar based needs.

PATRICIA KASS

What's the deal with P.Kass? Everyone in France seems to love P.Kass (especially P.Kass) and her throaty, Dietrich-inspired way with a song is considered very 'sexy' by many (especially P.Kass). Admittedly very pretty (and she is the first to admit it), P.Kass encompasses all the elements of the 'Princess Francaise' we dislike; 'preciousness', 'self-awareness' and an ever-present pout. 'Mademoiselle' GIVES me the blues.

PASCAL OBISPO

If you want to know who's responsible for The 10 Commandments (I mean the recent French musical, not the actual stone tablets; every knows who was responsible for THOSE) we have our culprit right here; Pascal Obispo. His career began in the eighties, video footage of Pascal 'frolicking' in shallow sea water lip-syncing to his first hit a sad reminder of the joyful boy that once was. As the years past, Pascal has done all in his power to 'shake' his daft, 'Europop' image, but no amount of facial piercing, odd beards and shaved heads can convince us that Pascal Obispo is 'hard'. Writing middle of the road pop songs for both himself and his friend Florent Pagny (who has just had his ONE AND ONLY mention in 'The Legends of French Pop' series), his 'genius' reached its most popular heights with 'The Ten Commandments' If you like 'The Ten Commandments', I advise you to keep quiet about it; if you tell people, they won't want to be your friend anymore.

AIR

Very occassionally, the French can be 'cool'. Truly 'cool'. We've seen it with Gainsbourg. We've seen it with Dutronc. We've seen it with Polnareff. Then we stopped seeing it. 1998 saw 'cool francais' reborn in the form of Air, two weird blokes who write and produce Bacharach-inspired lounge music with a slightly weird twist. Their international hit 'Sexy Boy' (my cat, Serge's, theme song) was accompanied by a strange pop-art video of a giant toy gorilla who flies to the moon, is lured back to earth by a giant banana and 'cries' at the commercialised hypocrisy of the world around him. Nobody really understands AIR (AIR doesn't even understand AIR) but their first album, 'Moon Safari', is arguably one of the best of the '90s and well worth a listen.

JORDY

A legend in his own nappy, how can I write an entire series on French pop legends without mentioning JORDY?! The youngest person (ever) to have a Number One record, Jordy scored a infantile hit in 1993 with a rap song lamenting the many emotional hardships incurred whilst traversing the 'toddler' years; C'est dur d'etre bebe was a massive hit with the Under Threes (both age and I.Q)

Jordy's star waned when he started teething, and who knows where he is now (at SCHOOL, hopefully.)

ZAZIE

I have an irrational dislike of 'Zazie'. For a start, she's called 'Zazie', and I don't like affected, 'made-up' names. Secondly, she has no talent. None. None whatsoever. Thirdly, she's an 'ex-model', and I don't think 'ex-models' have any business writing songs and making records unless they have a 'gift' for this sort of thing. 'Zazie' does not. Lastly, she never brushes her hair. Does this woman deserve a place in show-business? 'Non!' And yet her seven years of top selling albums indicate that the French public do not agree with my line of thinking. Tant pis.

M

'M' is a chubby boy who doesn't seem to have an 'entire' name, wears his hair in two spikes and writes strange and poppy dance songs which seem to make little sense. Everyone says that 'M' is the next Gainsbourg - but I don't really know why they say this. 'M' doesn't seem to mean any harm, and as I'm sure his heart is in the right place, let's not judge him just yet; after all, a few more letters might start appearing in his name and we can hopefully start to make sense of this person.

MC Solaar

MC Solaar put French pop on the map. Unfortunately, it was only a map of France. Still, he's probably the best rap offering France has produced, and his 'sampling' is often quite creative and not at all unpleasant. I don't really know much about rap in any language (let alone French) and so I'll quit whilst I'm ahead and leave you with the knowledge that everyone who does like rap seems to like MC Solaar.