Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Singing a Song Straight to the Heart

Amour collage

Collage and text by, Corey Amaro

"If you didn't exist I would have to invent you…."

There are songs that stick with us, you might say like a country's national anthem. You know when you hear a song and it takes you back to an high school dance…. Crimson and Clover, Stairway to Heaven… or you hear a song on the radio which instantly puts you back in time (Jeremy was a Bullfrog, Come on Baby Light my Fire, One, Two, Three O'Clock…)

When I first came to France I realized that the songs I grew up with where not the songs French Husband grew up with. Songs that made me want to pull the car over to the side of the road, jump out and dance, were not the songs that set his heart on fire.

Many moons later, and many dinner parties, summer dances in the village later… I am feeling  old French songs as my own… songs gather memories for us.

 

 

A French classic that I enjoy is "Paroles, Paroles" by Dalida (who every French person knows) and Alain Delon (Who ever French woman smiles when they hear his name.)

Just thought you might to listen to a French classic…

Who are you listening to today?

Comments

31 responses to “Singing a Song Straight to the Heart”

  1. kim

    Ah – so funny that you have a musical theme here as I have also posted a musical theme on my blog. I’ve been listening to my good old standbys — Springsteen, The Killers, The Weepies…
    But I’ve also just discovered a French song that I’m crazy about: La Poupee Qui Fait Non. I’m about to download it in iTunes. I just love that song.

    Reply
  2. g

    french song in my head and heart from last years french class ” dit moi encore tu m’aime ” our teacher gave us a cd for bastille day and this was the one that stayed-otherwise classic rock zep, clapton, fleetwood mac, rolling stones, gratful dead dylan and crosby stills nash and i prefer with young-last cd purchased carlos antonio jobim -love the bosa nova beat-radio listening since july/august classical-calming-

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  3. LieseLotte

    Your song “Paroles” which I remember very well from the time when I was 18 (OMG) is giving me goose pimples ! Listening to music from times long ago is a unique experience … each song has a very personal, special memory , and it can for the split of a second bring back a glimpse of feelings from the past. Mhmmmm !

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  4. Zosia

    Corey, in Poland there were a lot of French songs on the radio in the 1970’s and early 80’s. Charles Aznavour, Mireille Mathieu, Dalida, Gilbert Bécaud, Jacque Brel to name a few. Oh, and later Vanessa Paradis with “Joe le Taxi” (before she was married to Johnny Depp).
    The moment I read in your post “Parole”, I heard the song in my head. Another French song that often plays in my head, even though I don’t understand the words, is “Et Si Tu n’Existais Pas….” by Joe Dassin (the smooth voice) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvCBFkQclDQ.
    Today, I listened to a British band Mumford and Sons on a Canadian radio program “Q” on CBC where they were promoting their new record.

    Reply
  5. Jenna

    Foo Fighters best of you is a nice love song.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_L4Rixya64
    Best it was nice to get to know each other musically, just another thing to explore.

    Reply
  6. Franca Bollo

    Vanessa Paradis in the “Joe le Taxi” video is adorable. And, “Mosquito” is a time suck, too. I love the fact she’s left the gap between her front teeth. Très sexy.

    Reply
  7. Franca Bollo

    This was meant to be a reply to Zosia’s comment.

    Reply
  8. Karen@PasGrande-Chose

    My sister and I had a huge poster of Alain Delon in our (shared) bedroom as teenagers! And yes, I also still smile when I hear his name :))

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  9. Chris Wittmann

    Oh my, there are so many songs I love. My hubby is a record collector (no cds for him) and we have literally thousands of albums, all kinds of music, and radio shows etc. too.
    As I’m in my workshop, I divide the time between talk radio streamed online, and a cds of Paolo Conte (my favorite foreign artist) and the super super great Pomplamoose…you absolutely HAVE to give a listen to these young artists (Pomplamoose) and their incredibly upbeat, unique sound. And then how can I resist the celtic heart throbs Albannach who recently graced our state with their music at the NH Scottish Highland Games 🙂

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  10. Kathie B

    I remember seeing Edith Piaf perform on Ed Sullivan’s show (originally titled “The Toast of the Town,” for those old enough to recall — LOL!). And DJ Doug Pledger played her recordings on his AM drive-time show on the then-eclectic KNBC-AM in SF (back before it was forced by the network to relinquish its call letters to the LA affiliate).
    Other French songs I’m amazed still I recall from childhood: “Chanson d’Amour” (Art & Dottie Todd), “Autumn Leaves” (as an instrumental by Roger Williams), “Under Paris Skies” (does anyone recall who recorded it in English?). Much later, Paul McCartney sang a verse of “Michelle” in French (of course, the Beatles also did a version of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in German, from their early Hamburg dive years).

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  11. Claire

    One that never fails to lift my day is Laurent Voulzy’s Amelie Colbert…it’s got everything: acoustic, island sway and the lyrics tell a story.

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  12. Claire

    Oops Amelie Colbert

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  13. Zosia

    🙂

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  14. Merisi in Vienna

    Corey, “Parole, Parole” is an Italian song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrlew2G6nvA
    “The lyrics were written by Leo Chiosso and Giancarlo Del Re, the authors of the Italian Teatro 10 series of TV variety nights. The music and the score were by Gianni Ferrio, the conductor of the “Teatro 10” orchestra. In Spring 1972, the song was the closing number of all eight of the “Teatro 10″ Saturday nights. The song is an easy listening dialogue of Mina’s singing with Alberto Lupo’s declamation. The song’s theme are hollow words. It intertwines the female singer’s lamentation of the end of love and the lies she has to hear, while the male actor simply speaks. She reacts and scoffs at the compliments that he gives her, calling them simply empty words – parole.” (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parole_parole)

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  15. Brother Mathew

    Cette version est ridicule à côté de la version italienne originale de Mina. Dalida n’a fait que copier toute sa vie des grands classiques italiens.

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  16. pattyg

    Funny you should bring this up!
    I spent 4 years in Hawaii after high school, and studied modern dance, but fell in love with ancient hula. I have been playing the ukulele a short while and the song that is in my head is : E Huli Makou. It’s a song that gives you instructions for the hula, and the last lines are…Tell the story, turn, return to me. Your eyes, your hands, your body express love.

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  17. Brother Mathew

    Listening to The Avett Brothers right now.

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  18. mimi

    We certainly grew up in the same era! Still enjoy Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Remember “Our House”?
    Also, Paul Simon, the Beatles, Cat Stevens… the (beat)-list goes on!
    What still brings tears to my eyes are the sweet memories of my grandmother and her family singing old French songs. They really enjoyed their time together.
    There was one in particular about when the sun comes up over the mountain. The way they sang it together was so beautitiful. I always loved that song and of course Christmas Carols sung in French.
    Thanks for stirring up some heartfelt memories.

    Reply
  19. Diogenes

    Corey,
    I love Crimson and Clover. Well on my ipod I have lots of songs from the 60s, when I was a “wee lad” in Dallas:
    I’d like to Get to Know You (Spanky & Our Gang)
    Band of Gold (Freda Payne)
    Aquarius (5th Dimension)
    Solitary Man (Neil Diamond)
    I Was Made to Love Her (Stevie Wonder)
    Touch Me (The Doors)
    but I also have Michel Fugain – Une Belle Histoire. and Juliet Greco. And some modern house music like Calvin Harris, Bitbull, Flo Rida, Drake & Rihanna. ‘Cause sometimes you need some modern stuff…

    Reply
  20. Tracy

    Dude! Get the girl some Bon Bons and chocolates like she wants, and stop trying to seduce her lips with a cigarette in your mouth. (An absolument pas!)
    Lovely music indeed. I love listening to foreign language music, as it calms me and the lyrics don’t get stuck in my brain.

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  21. Tongue in Cheek

    Oops, What I meant by “A French Classic” was that the French love her, and her songs are often played.
    Sorry for the mix up.

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  22. Tongue in Cheek

    !!!! When did you learn to write French????

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  23. mary blanchard

    These songs remind me of years ago and Nova Scotia where I come from Hope you enjoy
    http://youtu.be/LGHq_m8E1o8 The Rankins
    http://youtu.be/aVNj9Pl-i7I Anne Murray
    This is an Acadian French song http://youtu.be/ccnm76g_EVU
    Thanks for the other songs…I am enjoying 🙂

    Reply
  24. Teddee Grace

    Translation? Alain Delon looks better today than he did thirty years ago. Must be all the cigarettes!

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  25. jend’isère

    This summer I was serenaded by the corniest of 70s/80s music on a ship in the Baltic. 34 hoursbetween Stockholm to Riga on an Estonian boat piped in such music as “Afternoon Delight”, Captain & Tenille, America, Carpenters. Tunes I had not heard since my childhood and made my family laugh at the lyrics and me.Hmm, songs which problably were not exported, thus discounted for such use!

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  26. Laurie SF

    World radio via itunes, mug of coffee and this little number. It’s a favorite of mine.
    http://youtu.be/qVi0UvFu8Yo

    Reply
  27. Marilyn

    Beautiful song, now if I could have only understood all the words. Yes, there are songs that when I hear bring back certain memories. Music touches the heart.

    Reply
  28. Massilianana

    Even the accents are right ! Ha ! 😀

    Reply
  29. Kathie B

    Is it really 34 hours between Stockholm and Riga, or only 3 to 4 hours? I ask because I just saw an episode of “Wallander” on PBS that involved the ferry between Sweden and Riga, and it seemed as though it was a fairly short journey.

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  30. jend’isère

    Kathie,
    The overnight ferry takes over 10 hours each way. The tricky course at night through the archipeligos of each city slows down the speed. Perhaps parts of Sweden and Finland are that quick, such as Aland to Stockholm, but Riga is quite a bit further.

    Reply
  31. Fine Arts Institutes Ahmedabad

    The challenging course in the evening through the archipeligos of each town decelerates the rate. Perhaps areas of Norway and Finland are that quick.

    Reply

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