France on the radio
by Igo K. Gonzalez
Walking along Le Metro, the complicated subway system of Paris, you try—and fail—to block out the incomprehensible French conversation and the sound of train cars going back and forth. As you turn at the next corner, however, you encounter an entire student orchestra having a go at classical music smack dab in the middle of the dingy corridors, playing beautiful harmonies amidst the chaos.
Music plays a big role in French culture. From Edith Piaf to Bob Sinclar, the French have never run out of musicians to both entertain and satirize. Here is a roundup of some songs to get you started on French music.
Edith Piaf
“La Vie en Rose” (To see life through rose-colored glass) Edith Piaf
One of the most popular love songs of all time, this song was written and popularized by Edith Piaf in the 40s, singing sweetly about pure, unadulterated love: “When he takes me in his arms/And speaks softly to me/I see life in rosy hues/He tells me words of love,/Words of every day,/And in them I become something.”
An iconic song that has been covered by innumerable artists like Audrey Hepburn and Celine Dion, it is a prime example of French standards at its finest.
Serge Gainsbourg's Bonnie and Clyde album
“Bonnie and Clyde” Serge Gainsbourg
Inseparable from any discussion of French music is Serge Gainsbourg, an actor-director-songwriter famous for his controversial life. Known to have drunkenly exclaimed, “I want to fuck her” right in front of Whitney Houston in a talk show interview in France, his lyrics, laced with sexual undertones, are reflective of his personality.
Gainsbourg sings of the famous American outlaw couple with his signature sleazy drawl, speaking of a life of glamorous robbery and crime.
“Marcia Baila,” (Marcia dance!) Rita Mitsouko
Your eyes aren’t fooling you—Rita Mitsouko is what a famous French duo in the 80s called themselves. And if the false Japanese name wasn’t enough, the title of the song is in Spanish, as homage to their friend Marcia Moretto, an Argentinian dancer who died of cancer at the age of 32.
With its pulsing beat and crazy, eccentric feel, Marcia Baila remained on the Top 50 charts for 29 weeks, propelling the eccentric duo to French fame.
MC Solaar's Bouge de La album
“Bouge de La,” (Take a hike) MC Solaar
France is the 2nd largest hip hop market in the world, and it began with MC Solaar. He finished post-graduate studies in philosophy and eventually entered the spotlight with his rap music full of French wordplay (which the French are so very fond of).
He goes: “I went straight over to Lucie’s/Who loves dogs, cats and 30 millions of friends/She says to me ‘Do you love animals, my super MC?’/I said ‘Yes I love them, with salt and well cooked’/She goes to me: ‘Take a Hike!’” Enough said.
“Le Vent Nous Portera,” (The wind will carry us) Noir Desir
In recent years, the differences between music from the United States and Europe have slowly died out: the music of Noir Desir could easily pass for American alternative rock music.
The lyrics are abstract, and that’s not just because it’s in French; following the trend of incomprehensible songs around the world which all demand personal interpretations, the song is a very good listen for the modern ear.
Mathieu Chedid
“Onde Sensuelle,” (Sensual wave) M
A trippy, eclectic song by a trippy, eclectic singer, Mathieu Chedid (taking on his superhero alter ego, “M”) takes you on a weird musical adventure. With his playful and sensual falsetto, M is a talented musician and songwriter, making a name for himself in the current French music scene.
“Manhattan-Kaboul,” Renaud and Axelle Red
The French Renaud and the Belgian Axelle Red teamed up in 2002 to release this politically-laced song. Renaud sings as a Puerto Rican who died while at work in the September 11 attack of the World Trade Center, while Axelle Red sings as a little Afghan girl killed during an attack by the coalition forces in 2001.
Full of sentiment and meaning, the song hints slightly that the violence in our world today can be blamed partly on religion. An influential recording, it became a top five hit in both France and Belgium.
“Paris,” Camille
Camille, a graduate of literature at the prestigious Lycée International de Saint Germain-en-Laye, sings of wanting to leave Paris for Toulouse, or Seville, or Rio. But in the end, she comes back, realizing that Paris is indeed her home. As a swinging, stomping song, it has an almost theatrical feel to it. It’s easy to imagine yourself having a good time in a cabaret as Camille sings of Paris.
“Dis-moi,” (Say to me) BB Brunes
BB Brunes
France’s answer to the Jonas Brothers, BB Brunes is a trio of boy-rockers singing about girls and relationships and whatever teenagers like daydreaming about. With their huge following composed mostly of girls their age and younger, they are taking the French pop rock scene by storm, similar to their American counterparts. The song is a simple rock song urging the girls to—guess what—speak to the boys.
The selection above isn’t anywhere near encompassing the entirety of the history of French music; but for those interested in taking even just a shallow dip into the rich musical culture of this interesting country, listening to these songs might just make you want to take the dive.
lnSZ5w asgxtczdqdyj, [url=http://zcvvrislrbtp.com/]zcvvrislrbtp[/url], [link=http://ngzxylbzmcyd.com/]ngzxylbzmcyd[/link], http://hsadzdpfwdvg.com/
ultram wdzxkn viagra propecia buy online 99709 phentermine mastercard 4460 tramadol online %DD Cialis online
buy 150 tramadol bpoj purchase prednisone befi diet pill acomplia in belgie lfxwee acomplia xgozot buy tramadol 180
health insurance quotes lhwm transamerica life insurance gxps life insurance quotes 688 health care insurance 2942
business insurance 8-PPP health insurance online 1758 health insurance quotes 8D lifeinsurance ppk auto insurance rates 1659
tramadol mcsrh xanax online ijf accutane online
) prednisone online %-]]] where to buy valium online =PPP
car insurance quotes 696876 cheapest insurance %-(( car insurance qoutes ibkmm buy car insurance online 707735 auto insurance tkucmy
buy phentermine nxai online pharmacy accutane 569207 ultram 008460 doxycycline online =]
cheap accutane online 743920 effects of ambien and prozac 189291 propecia %) fiorcet generic ultram wellbutrin zoloft 098 prednisone :[[[
new york car insurance =OOO online auto insurance >:[ buy auto insurance online
D life insurance quotes thmaba
home insurance 6905 buy auto insurance online ektd etna health insurance vlsy car insurance =OO
tramadol online in florida nyu acomplia online 7292 online pharmacy ultram mozilla 5296 besked buy hjemmeside navn tramadol iumnex
health insurance iedsoq short term health insurance 07852 business insurance 896 business insurance =-))
acomplia miracle diet pill offh accutane generic 515 prednisone vvntxt propecia pills 8-DDD
health insurance >:P auto insurance quotes 82964 home insurance online quote utah >:DD cheapest insurance qstyg