- Marc-Aurèle Fortin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It is not as old and firmly rooted as Flamenco, but la Chanson française is an institution. It was particularly alive after World War II. The legendary Édith Piaf surrounded herself with singers and songwriters some of whom, Charles Aznavour for instance, owe their career to her. Canadian Claude Léveillée wrote songs for Piaf and she nurtured Yves Montand briefly. It would appear that she started looking upon him as genuine competition.
Jacques Brel, a Belgian, also moved to Paris and wrote a song not for Piaf but for Juliette Gréco. He never looked back. As for French-Canadian / Québécois singer Félix Leclerc, his career as a singer began in France (c. 1950). The French made him known to French Canada. Like Yves Montand, he has a mellow voice. I like his Notre Sentier.
But I am featuring Brel and Montand. Brel’s greatest success was Ne me quitte pas. As for Montand, we will listen to his Feuilles mortes, based on a poem by Jacques Prévert.
Jacques Brel Ne me quitte pas(8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978; aged 49) Yves Montand: Les Feuilles mortes Lyrics (Jacques Prévert)
© Micheline Walker
5 July 2012
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Micheline's Blog 
Micheline dear, very interesting article and the songs you chose are exceptional. Thank you so much! Be blessed with happiness. Big hugs, Stefania! 🙂
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Dear Stefania,
Those songs are classics. I have heard and loved them for many years. Thank you for your note.
Big hugs,
Micheline
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Micheline dear, I love the classics. I think it is real music that touches the soul and heart with sounds and arrangements, the classics!
Big hugs, Stefania! 🙂
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I agree. If something survives the test of time, it has quality.
Your last post was beautiful. All the flowers. Obviously you love images, particularly images that suggest a better time.
Thank you for creating beauty. It speaks to the soul.
Big hugs, Micheline
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Ah, le chansonnier. There’s nothing like it in the Vaudevillian or Music Hall traditions of popular song. I’d think that Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits, all differences kept, would be the closest to what Yves, Jacques, Charles Aznavour and others used to represent as cultural icons. Thanks for the selection, Micheline. Wesley
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Wesley, la chanson, the humble little song has endured for centuries. It marched forward as giants were felled. It stems from the people, from raw passion. However, combined with dance as in Flamenco, it is dynamite.
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You’re right, of course. Sorry for the misspelling.
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Misspelling is my specialty. I just read your post.
Great.
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Thanks
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Thani you very much. Micheline
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