When we went to Italy, I made a song list with Funniculi, Funnicula, Barber of Seville, Mambo Italiano, etc. Lots of songs from over the years that sort of make you think "Italy." I would like to do the same for an upcoming trip to Paris. So far I have La Vie En Rose. Can anyone help? I am not so interested - for this list - in exploring newer French music - as I am in songs that have stood the test of time as favorites and that make you think of France. Maybe some from movies? Thanks for your thoughts!
Because I love Paris in the rich days of the 1900s, my favorite CD is Malcolm Mclaren's, "PARIS." Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Hardy sing. There are references to Juliet Greco, Miles Davis, Satie, Pere Lachaise, Sonia Rykiel, the demi mode who would ride the metro with their white mice. It's like no other CD.
Posts: 1131 | Location: cambridge,ma.usa | Registered: 27 January 2003
Wonderful! I already have so much! Chris - I got your list and looked at your commenter Gary's too! and Kaydee, when I clicked to look at the song list, I realized that Amazon gave me a bunch of recommendations that also had great music! Finally, Cigalechanta - I am going to get that CD because that sounds lovely. I also enjoyed the music that was the soundtrack to Intrepid (from Berkeley)'s video "Napoleon Slept Here." Thanks to all of you! Catherine PS I can't believe how fast you all supplied this info!
1. France's First Lady's first album. Really not bad. 2. "les yeux ouverts" by Claire-Emilie Barlow. It is "Dream a little dream for me" sung sensuously in French. 3. "Les moulins de mon coeur" by Montreal Jazz Club. likewise, a sexy bilingual take of "windmills of your mind".
three songs come to mind for me...edith piaff "non je ne regret au rien" the french natl anthem from casa blanca...and of course the song that has" I love paris....
great idea maybe i will try this with our trip to spain....
I love to listen to early albums from Françoise Hardy and other yé-yé singers. The yé-yé sound always reminds me of spring and summer in Paris and I just get a happy bounce in my step when listening to it.
Americana: Thanks for the suggestions! I particularly liked Les Yeux Overts - although I downloaded the version by Jessica Fichot. All: I am going to get the Malcolm McLaren CD - I didn't see how I could get it on Itunes though - anyone have a different experience with that? I assume I can get it on Amazon. The soundtrack recommendations are great, although I have decided to add to the pleasure by renting the movies (some renting again) to "sample" the music. VeniceJ: love the idea of the French National Anthem and also I downloaded a bunch of Edith Piaff, including the song you suggested. I got Patti LuPone's version of I love Paris. So lovely! Perpetual Traveler: I am listening to some Francooise Hardy on Itunes as I write. What is ye-ye music? By the way, some others that I got (some of which are probably from the lists of the earlier responders): Can Can, Carmen (the bad news bears song to me), Buom by Charles Trenet, L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole Parapluie Pour Toi and Souveneir de Montemarte by Pierre Solange Be Our Guest from the Beauty and the Beast He went to Paris - Jimmy Buffett
Have you tried Pandora to get suggestions? Try creating a playlist by using "La Vie en Rose" as a starter. I just tried it, and got a choice of about 8 different artists including of course Piaf. I didn't actually go ahead and start the playlist, but if you do that Pandora will start playing songs similar to your starter one. You can click on any that you especially like to buy them from iTunes. If you haven't used Pandora, it is one of the coolest web apps going!
Perpetual Traveler: I am listening to some Francooise Hardy on Itunes as I write. What is ye-ye music?
Yé-yé is a music movement that originated in France during the 1960's. It's a little folk, a little pop in sound and was dominated by young, female artists which made it unique for its time. The lyrics often dealt with themes of falling in love, hence why I probably have them on my mind when thinking about Paris!
Originally posted by VeniceJ: the french natl anthem from casa blanca...
Mmmm.... The Casablanca version of the Marseillaise is always a show stopper at my annual Bastille Day party. Everyone feels mighty french after listening to that.
À votre santé !
Posts: 168 | Location: Connecticut, USA | Registered: 08 March 2006
The Ye Ye movement of the 60's meant cute young innocent and was mostly young women that included Hardy, Francis Gall whom Serge Gainbourg (the famous singer) called the French Lolita and Sylvia Vartan, who was at the time married to singer/actor Johnny Haliday.
One cannot leave out, in general Josiphine Baker's Jai deux amours, mon pays et mon Paris=two loves have I, my country and Paris And of Course, the first lady, Carla Bruni's CDs
Posts: 1131 | Location: cambridge,ma.usa | Registered: 27 January 2003
Roz: I just tried Pandora - I have got to agree, that is entirely cool and something I had never even heard of! I started with I love Paris by Ella Fitzgerald and - although my music didn't really track with the French theme (even after I added some more songs), I loved the songs that it chose for me. I'll definitely try more of that! Thanks for the suggestion. (by the way, I think we chatted last year about Italy - I stayed in Bucine. As you noted, the town wasn't really noteworthy (especially in August) although we really enjoyed it. The place we stayed, however, was fantastic and we really enjoyed the trip). Thanks everyone for the info about the ye ye scene - again I had never heard of it and am beginning to feel less and less wordly but enjoying changing that! Merci!
I love Mireille Mathieu. You can listen to her with Charles Aznavour here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytW8Su59gI0 I loved Chris' list. There were so many great suggestions from everyone. Thanks for this thread, wonderful! Barb Cabot
Posts: 572 | Location: Long Beach, California | Registered: 27 August 2007
