French Kisses

New sounds from France

2013-04-22T19:35:00.002+02:00

Alex Beaupain - Après Moi Le Déluge

Albin de la Simone - Mes Epaules

Fauve ≠ KANÉ

Françoiz Breut (Take away show)

2013-03-04T15:38:00.002+01:00

A nice "take away show" by La Blogothèque, with the great Françoiz Breut in Belleville, Paris. The first song is a cover of Michael Hurley's Werewolf.

Françoiz Breut | A Take Away Show | BXL Bleuette from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Great African classics in French

2013-02-16T22:58:00.002+01:00

Because French kisses is dedicated to all French singing music, here's some great songs from some of the greatest African musicians, all sung in French.

Three Congolese legends ! The very best music from the best musical country in Africa (alongside Nigeria maybe).

Dr Nico - Tu M'as Déçu Chouchou (from Congo 70 : Rumba Rock, African Pearls)

Franco and OK Jazz - Si Vous Passez Par Là (1966, Franco Guitar Hero, Cantos and on Secret song)

Tabu ley Rochereau - Pitié (1972, from Global groovers)

The grooviest, the mightiest, the greatest band from Benin, T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo
T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Belle belle (Zero + Zero, 1980)

A great tune from Ivory Coast.

Orchestre Bouaké - Donne moi ton sourire (from African Pearls Vol. 5 West African Crossroads, Discograph / Syllart Productions)

And a nice song from Burkina Faso's legend, Amadou Ballaké.
Amadou Ballaké.

(from the blog Afro soul descarga).

And a last great musician from Congo.
Sam Mangwana - Cecilia souvenir (L'international, 1981)

Oxmo Puccino: Paris in Morroco

2013-02-13T12:02:00.002+01:00

A very nice "take away show", by La Blogothèque, featuring favourite rap singer Oxmo Puccino, with his news style, mixing rap with French chanson. Featuring french cellist Vincent Segal. A song about Paris ("Panam"), sung in Meknes, Morroco.

Oxmo Puccino Pam Pa Nam

Brazilian music in France

2013-02-10T10:49:00.000+01:00

Brazilian music, one of the greatest music of the world, has always been very popular in France.

In this article, I will introduce you some covers of Brazilian songs and rhythms by famous French artists. Some of them are classics in France, but few people know they are actually covers of brazilian songs! To write this article I used mainly a very interesting article, Ariane Witowsky, De la Matchiche à la lambada, présence de la musique populaire brésilienne en France, Cahiers du Brésil Contemporain, 1990, n°12

One of the first Brazilian style to be famous in France is the maxixe. It's a mix between tango, habanera, polka and afro-portuguese rhythms. Felix Mayol sings this new style emphasizing on its exotism and the dance and mixing it with other exotic musics which are not related to Brazil and even not a really maxixe song but a spanish paso-doble!

Felix Mayol - Matchiche (1905)

During the 1930's, choro became popular after the venue of Pixinguinha and his Batutas in Paris. Django Reinhardt played Carinhoso, the most famous song of Pixinguinha and an anthem of Brazilian music. Ray Ventura et ses Collégiens played also played the choros Apanhei-te Cavaquinho (Ernesto Nazareth) and Tico-Tico no fubá (Zequinha de Abreu) which is still widely played in French metro today, mostly but Estearn-europe accordeonists!

Then, some carnaval songs became popular often sung by singer who were seen as exotics. The famous Maurice Chevalier played the marchinha Mamãe eu quero mamar, translated as La Choupetta. Josephine Baker sung also many carnaval songs.

Carmen Miranda - Mamãe eu quero mamar

Maurice Chevalier - La Choupetta

In 1942, the early samba genius, Ataulfo Alves and Marió Lago released the samba Ai que saudades da Amélia,. Jean Sablon, the most important sung it as Amalia.

One of the most successful cover of Brazilian song is undoubtly Si tu vas à Rio, released by Dario Moreno and Les Compagnons de la chanson. It is a very light and a bit annoying song, whereas the original is a deep and moving funeral tribute by Carvalinho and José Monteiro to Zaquia Jorge, a singer who died drown.

Dario Moreno - Si tu vas à Rio.

Django Reinhardt, the genius of gypsy swing gave a perfect interpretation of Arry Barroso's Aquarela do Brasil. Don't need to post the original, you know it!

At that time, in Brazil, samba-cançao, a slower, more lyrics driven samba played mostly by white middle class musicians and not by poor Blacks, were very popular in Brazil. A music actually quite close to French chanson.

Jean Sablon, sung some of Dorival Caymmi songs, one of the greatest samba composer, famous for his songs about his native Bahia. Peguei um Ita no Norte became Qui vivra verra, and Não tem solução became La Solution.

Jean Sablon- la solution

In 1959, French director Marcel Camus released the Movie Orfeu Negro, adaptation of a Brazilian play written by Vinicius de Morais and with some music by Tom Jobim. It would became a huge hit (Palme d'or in Cannes festival) and introduced Jobim and Vinicius to the world. It is, with the released of Chega de Saudade by Joao Gilberto, the birth of Bossa nova. French people became crazy of the rhytms and harmony of bossa nova and then "musica popular brasileira".

Claude Nougarro did very good covers, and changed the lyrics.

Baden Powell - Berimbau

Claude Nougarro - Bidonville (slum)

Maybe the greatest composition of Tom Jobim, sung with Elis Regina, one of the greatest female singer of Brazil, here covered in French by Georges Moustaki

Tom Jobim & Elis Regina - Aguas de Março

Georges Moustaki - Les eaux de Mars

A sweet song, composed by the lyricist of bossa nova, Vinicius de Moraes, music by a great guitarist of bossa nova, Toquinho.

Vinicius de Moraes, María Creuza y Toquinho- Você abusou

Michel Fugain - Fais comme l'oiseau (1972)

More to come!

When foreigners sing in French their own music

2013-02-10T10:29:00.001+01:00

I had already post about west african music sung in French. Heres some more, from America and Africa. All those songs are original compositions, not cover of French songs.

Violetta Parra, the great chilena songwritter lived in Paris where she released her first album. Besides the song musett waltz Une chilienne a Paris (A chilian in Paris) she composed adnd sung this hermosa song.

Chico Buarque and Cecilia Leite - Dis moi Comment (Eu te amo that Chico Buarque composed with Tom Jobim)

One of the genius of Congolese music, Tabu Ley Rochereau. This wonderful song was sampled in the moving Les Disques De Mon Père by French rap star, Youssoupha... son of Rochereau.

Rochereau - Pitié.

And the most important Brazilian rock band of the 00s, Los Hermanos with Cher Antoine sung by Rodrigo Amarante

Last sounds from 2012.

2012-12-31T13:44:00.000+01:00

Benjamin Biolay - Aime mon amour

Barbara Carlotti - L'amour, l'argent, le vent

Discovering French Music volume 13

2012-08-02T17:10:00.001+02:00

It has been a long time, but I'm happy to present you the new volume of my home made compilations of French music. As usual, some old chanson, a swinging musette, some rock, a romantic yéyé hit, an underground rap by a very young artist, two covers of Brazilians songs, chansons by newcomers and many more !

This time, one of the greatest singer of the new generation, Mathieu Boogaerts, is on the cover.

Enjoy!

discovering French music volume 13

Discovering French music volume 13 (French kisses) by Boebis on Grooveshark

La Tordue – Lola (T’es fou, 1998)
Benjamin Biolay - Brandt Rhapsodie (La Superbe, 2011)
Yann Tiersen – Comptine d’un autre été (Amélie OST, 2001)
Manu Chao – Je ne t’aime plus (Clandestino, 1998)
Dogs – Secrets (Legandary Lovers, 1983)
Rina Ketty – J’attendrai (1938, Louis Poterat, original : Tornerai by Nino Rastelli & Dino Olivieri)
Barbara – Le bel âge (Barbara chante Barbara, 1964)
Claude Nougaro – Bidonville (1967, reprise de Baden Powell, Berimbau)
Michel Fugain – Fais comme l’oiseau (1972, Michel Fugain et le Grand Bazard, lyrics by Pierre Delanoë, music : Você Abusou by Antonio Carlos)
Zaz - Je Veux (Zaz, 2010, Kerredine Soltani)
Jean Tranchant – Les prénoms effacés (1936)
Gus Viseur – Douce joie (1942)
Maurice Chevalier – L’amour est passé près de vous (Charlys, Souplex, Gardoni, Jean Chavoit, 1937)
Mathieu Boogaerts – Pardonne (Michel, 2005)
Lou Deprijck/Plastic Bertrand – Ça plane pour moi (An 1, 1977, Yvan Lacomblez, Lou Deprijick)
Patricia Carli – Arrête Arrête (Demain tu te maries) (1963)
Guizmo – Guizmax (La Banquise, 2012)

Some Frenglish songs!

2012-07-30T11:19:00.000+02:00

They sing in English, but they are French. Sometimes they are signed on US or UK record labels and even the French don't know they are French.

It is indeed very difficult to have an international appeal when your songs are not sung in English. Here's a selection of those nice acts, even some of them lack of personality with their electro-funk-rock. They were mostly released this year, some of those bands which where found in this article.

Ponny Run Run - Run Boy Run (2012)

Stuck in the Sound - Brother (Pursuit, 2012)

Woodkid - Iron (Iron EP, 2011)

The Shoes - Time to Dance (Time to Dance 2012)

Skip the use - Ghost (2012)

Yuksek - Off The Wall

Some fresh French songs!

2012-07-30T10:34:00.000+02:00

I don't have much time to upload the blog lately. But I've just re-uploaded some dead links and I present you some nice songs from 2012. Enjoy!

Oxmo Puccino - Le sucre pimenté (Roi sans Carosse, 2012)

Dominique A - Vers le Bleu (Vers les Lueurs, 2012)

Barcella - Ma Douce (Ma Douce, 2012)

Summer 2012

2012-07-20T22:00:00.000+02:00

Mathieu Boogaerts - Avant que je m'ennuie (2012, the album will be released in october)

Henri Salvador - Ca n'a pas d'importance (Philippe Gaillard & Francis Maggiulli)

Nice French tracks from 2012

2012-04-14T23:22:00.006+02:00

Dominique A - Rendez nous la lumière (Vers la lueur)

And three rap songs.

A tribute to mothers by Guizmo.
Guizmo - Maman STP (La Banquiz)

A political song, by Kerry James.
Kerry James - Lettre à la République (92-2012)

And to finish, a single by Sexion d'Assaut, still toping French charts. I can't say i like it, but for this song has been watched 19 millions times on youtube... Also a song about the mothers...

French Kisses in the Carribean

2012-04-09T23:08:00.005+02:00

A selection of great songs from great French artists from the Caribbean:

A traditionnal song from Guadeloupe, by gwoka legend Anzala.
Anzala Feat Esnard Boisdur - Krab Ka Déklaré

Another legend, the very deep singer and musician, Eugène Mona:

A song about the February 74 drama, where the police killed two demonstrators during a strike in Martinique.
Kolo Barst - Février 74

Alain Jean-Marie & Robert Mavounzy - Nous les cuisinières

New French songs

2012-04-05T09:37:00.000+02:00

A few nice songs from 2012.
I don't have much time to update the blog lately.

One of the most awaited album of the year, by Zebda, 10 years after their last album.
Zebda - (Second Tour, 2012)

Some rock :
Dionysos - Cloudman (Bird'n' Roll, 2012)

The songwriter of Zaz, in a humorous and political song about the clichés and prejudices that French from Arab descents are victims.
Kerredine Soltani - Je veux m'intégrer(2012)

A rap track by Guizmo, a very talented new comer. With a Françoise hardy sample.
Guizmo - Le Premier Chagrin du jour (La banquise)

And also:

Elephant - Rien (Rien, 2012)

Da Silva - La crise (La distance - 2012)

Feelings for you

2012-04-04T20:47:00.004+02:00

There's are chances you know the song Feelings, but do you know the story behind it? From France to Turkey, from Brazil to the World.

The song was composed by French Loulou Gasté and Albert Simonin in 1956 under the Frenh name "Pour Toi" (for you). This song was sung by Dario Moreno, a Turkish singer who made his career in France, and remembered for his catchy songs, in chanson, operetta, or latin-american influenced rhythms.

Dario Moreno - Pour Toi (OST le feu aux poudres, 1957)

20 years later, Morris Albert, a Brazilian musician, adapted the song with new lyrics in English. Without mentioning where the melody where from... It would cost him a lots of money when he lost his trial. The song became on of the biggest world hit in the history, selling millions.

Morris Albert - Feelings (1974)

"Feelings" was covered by many artists, like Frank Sinatra, Caetano Veloso and also translated in French by Mike Brant. But the best is this live recording of Nina Simone, able to turn a cheesy tune into this beautiful and moving moment. 10 minutes of grace, much better than the original recordings of Pour toi/feelings!

Nina Simone - Feelings (Jazz Montreux festival, 1976)

shaka ponk

2011-11-26T14:21:00.003+01:00

Enjoy the electro rock of Shaka Ponk!

SHAKA PONK - My name is Stain (2011)

SHAKA PONK - Palabra Mi Amor (feat. Bertrand Cantat) (2011)

2011

2011-11-18T00:22:00.004+01:00

What's new in French music? Some suggestions.

In chanson:
Camille - Ilo veyou (Ilo Veyou, 2011)

Amusing and sensitive songs very well written. Oldelaf is the guy who wrote Le café.
Oldelaf - Comme je peux (Le Monde est beau, 2011)

Luce - J'me fume (Première phalange, 2011)

A French reggae hit:
Danakyl - Quitter Paname (Dialogue de sourd, 2011)

And two big hits:

Booba, gave to French rap some of his masterpieces (Mauvais Oeil, Panthéon, Temps Mort). His new songs are not as good unfortunately, but still much better than most of French rap.
Booba - Scarface (Autopsie vol 4, 2011)

Not my kind of music, but one of the biggest 2011'shit. A mix between dancehall and varieté.
Colonel Reyel - Aurélie
`

Kavinsky is driving

2011-11-12T12:38:00.002+01:00

The main song from the OST of the great movie Drive is a big hit in France right now. Drive may looks like an american movie but is also quite European: the director is Danish, and the OST has been composed by a French musician: Kavinsky. Notice that his EP Nightcall has been produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (member of the Daft punk).

Kavinsky - Nightcall (2010)

Hot tracks

2011-11-11T12:23:00.003+01:00

It's new, it's good, and it's made in France.

Arthur H - Cheval de Feu (baba love, 2011)

Nekfeu & Alpha Wann - Monsieu sable (En sous-marin, 2011). The great rap EP is freely available for download here.

Cyril Mokaiesh - Des jours inouïs (Du rouge et des passions, 2011)

Debout sur le zinc (Sur le fil, 2011)

Download Discovering French Music volume 12

2011-09-24T15:41:00.007+02:00

Download Discovering French Music volume 12

Enjoy this last compilation. Many artists were already featured in my previous volumes. You'll find many great chansons from 1932 (Lys Gauty) to 2005 (Mathieu Boogaerts), but also a classic of congolese rumba celebrating the independance of Congo from Belgium, a punk classic (Bérurier Noir) and electronic music (Air).

Discovering French music volume 12 (French kisses) by Boebis on Grooveshark

1. Serge Gainsbourg - Marilou Sous La Neige (L’homme à la tête de chou, 1973)
2. Boris Vian - Je suis snob (Chansons possibles et impossibles, 1956)
3. Lys Gauty - L'amour qui passe (1932)
4.Yann Tiersen - Sur Le Fil (Le Phare, 1998)
5.Têtes Raides - Vendu(e) au diable (Le bout du toit, 1996)
6. Barbara - Dis quand reviendras tu ? (Dis, quand reviendras-tu ?, 1964)
7. Edith Piaf - L'Effet Que Tu Me Fais (Piaf & Marc Heyral, 1953)
8. Juliette Greco - Si tu t'imagines (Raymond Queneau - Joseph Kosma, 1950)
9. Georges Brassens - Le Mauvais Sujet Repenti (1954)
10. Joseph Kabassele et l'African Jazz - Table ronde (Congo, 1960)
11. Mathieu Boogaerts - Une Bonne Nouvelle (Michel, 2005)
12. Mathieu Chédid - A Celle Qui Dure (Je dis aime, 1999)
13. Django Reinhardt & Jean Sablon - Cette chanson est pour vous madame (Swing, 1935)
14. Jacques Brel - Au Suivant (1964)
15. Bérurier Noir - Salut à Toi (Concerto pour détraqués, 1985)
16. Jeanne Moreau - J'ai la mémoire qui flanche (Cyrus Bassiak, Chante 12 chansons de Cyrus Bassiak, 1963)
17. Air - Kelly watch the stars (Moon safari, 1998)
18. High Tone – Overtone

Discovering French music volume 11

2011-09-23T22:59:00.005+02:00

Download Discovering French Music volume 11

Discovering French music volume 11 (French kisses) by Boebis on Grooveshark

1.Serge Gainsbourg - Comic Strip (Avec Brigitte Bardot) (Bonnie and Clyde , 1968)
2. Marcel Mouloudji - Comme un petit coquelicot (1952)
3. Mano Negra - Pas assez de toi (Puta’s fever, 1989)
4. Lunatic - Pas l'temps pour les regrets (Mauvais Œil, 2000)
5.Lucienne Boyer - Mon p'tit kaki (R. Bernstein, G. Van Parys,J. Boyer, 1939)
6. Jean Sablon - Rendez-vous sous la pluie (Johnny Hess, Charles Trenet, 1935)
7. Jacques Dutronc - J'aime Les Filles (Jacques Lanzmann, 1967)
8.Henri Salvador - Maladie d'amour (1947)
9. Francoise Hardy - Mon Amie La Rose (Cécile Caulier – Jacques Lacome, 1964)
10. France Gall - Laisse tomber les filles (Serge Gainsbourg, 1964)
11. Christophe – Aline (Aline, 1965)
12. Charles Aznavour - Emmenez-moi (Entre deux rêves, 1967)
13. Boris Vian & Magali Noël- Fais moi mal Johnny (1956)
14. Alain Bashung –Madame Rêve (Pierre Grillet / Alain Bashung , Osez Joséphine, 1991)
16. Les Têtes Raides – Aurélie (Les Oiseaux, 1992)
17. Georges Brassens - Les Passantes (Antoine Pol, 1972)
18. Bembeya Jazz National – Telephone (Discothèque 76, 1977, Guinée)
19. DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano (2008)
20. Eugène Mona – La Chandelle (1975-78)

The tristitude

2011-09-08T11:01:00.002+02:00

Oldelaf - La Tristitude (Le Monde est Beau, 2011)

An humorous song, by the author of Le Café. It's about a silly neologism, tristitude, a word mixing tristesse (sadness), and solitude (loneliness)

Lyrics:

The tristitude, is when you've just swallowed a toothpick
When you realized that you are father is German Swiss
When a friend calls you for his moving house.
It hurts, the tristitude

It's to cross Fourvière Tunnel, the 15th of August (famous for its traffic jam)
When you got to move to Nogent-le-Rotrou (a very small city lost in the countryside)
When you hair stylist, tells you, you have auburn highlights
It's hurts,

Chorus:
The tristitude, is me, it's you, it's us
It's what? It's a small distress in our voice.
It's them, it's you,
It's life that tells you that's not going alright at all

The tristitude
It's when you're chosen to be the goal in handball
When you in the Mercedes of the Princess of Wales
When it's your daughter that plays in Canal + the saturday night (porn movie)

The tristitude, It's
when you walks on a small lego with a bare foot
When during a trip in India, you drink water
When your neighbor announces to you, he starts learning saxo
And it hurts,

Chorus

The tristitude,
It's when your Siamese twin tells you he has AIDS
When your wife does wife swapping but without you
When a child call you Sir for the first time
It's hurts, the tristitude,

It's becoming stylist but for Eddie Mitchell (an old-fashioned French rock star)
It's when you have to conjugate the verb "bouillir" in the subjunctive plural
Its going shopping the Sunday before Christmas

Chorus

Les biens aimés

2011-09-04T19:26:00.003+02:00

The new Christophe Honoré is a musical about love. He follows the path of the great Jacques Demy, like his in his movie Les chansons d'amour. A few songs composed by Alex Beaupain of this very moving movie.

Une fille légère (with Catherine Deneuve and her daughter Chiara Mastroianni)

Ludivine Saigner and Rasha Bukvic - Je peux vivre sans toi

The ending song
Catherine Deneuve - Je ne peux vivre sans t'aimer

2011's chanson

2011-09-03T18:44:00.005+02:00

A few interesting chanson and rock tracks released in 2011 in France.

Michel Cloup - Le Cercle Parfait

Bertrand Cantat and Brigitte Fontaine - Les Vergers

Brigitte - Oh la la

Hubert-Félix Thiefaine - Fièvre résurrectionnelle )

Miossec - Chanson pour les amis (Chansons Ordinaires)

Catherine Ringer - Vive l'amour

A few interesting 2011's tracks !

2011-09-03T18:23:00.003+02:00

A few interesting 2011's rap tracks !

1995 - A chaque ligne (La Source, 2011)

La Canaille- "J'ai Faim" feat. Napoleon Maddox (Par temps de rage, 2011)

Zone Libre VS Casey & B.James - Aiguise Moi Ça (Les Contes du chaos, 2011)