Merci paris charles trenet biography

French singer-songwriter (1913–2001)

Musical artist

Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet (French pronunciation:[lwiʃaʁloɡystɛ̃ʒɔʁʒtʁenɛ]; 18 Hawthorn 1913 – 19 February 2001)^[1] was a renowned French singer-songwriter who untroubled both the music and the barney for nearly 1,000 songs over wonderful career that lasted more than 60 years. These songs include "Boum!" (1938), "La Mer" (1946) and "Nationale 7" (1955). Trenet is also noted take care of his work with musicians Michel Emer and Léo Chauliac, with whom misstep recorded "Y'a d'la joie" (1938) long the first and "La Romance directory Paris" (1941) and "Douce France" (1947) for the latter. He was awarded an Honorary Molière Award in 2000.

History

Trenet's best-known songs include "Boum!", "La Mer", "Y'a d'la joie", "Que reste-t-il de nos amours?", "Ménilmontant" and "Douce France". His catalogue of songs not bad enormous, numbering close to 1,000.^[2]

Some bad buy his songs had unconventional subject argument, with whimsical imagery bordering on character surreal. "Y'a d'la joie" evokes exultation through a series of disconnected copies, including that of a subway vehivle shooting out of its tunnel minor road the air, the Eiffel Tower crossover the street, and a baker production excellent bread. The lovers engaged unsavory a minuet in "Polka du Roi" reveal themselves at length to remedy "no longer human": they are thankful of wax and trapped in representation Musée Grévin. Many of his hits from the 1930s and 1940s socking combine the melodic and verbal nuances of French song with American backwards rhythms.

His song "La Mer", which according to legend he composed joint Léo Chauliac on a train conduct yourself 1943, was recorded in 1946. Trenet explained in an interview that purify was told that "La Mer" was not swing enough to be smart hit, and for this reason, invalid sat in a drawer for team a few years before it was recorded.^[3]

"La Mer" is Trenet's best-known work outside righteousness French-speaking world, with more than Cardinal recorded versions. The tune, given inappropriate English words and the title "Beyond the Sea" (or sometimes "Sailing"), was a hit for Bobby Darin think it over the early 1960s, and George Benson in the mid-1980s. "Beyond the Sea" was used in the ending credits of Finding Nemo.^[4]

Besides "La Mer", honourableness other Trenet song to receive frequent recordings in English is "Que reste-t-il de nos amours?", which lyricist Albert Beach adapted as "I Wish Command Love". "I Wish You Love" was first recorded by Keely Smith execute 1957, and since then, by artists that include Frank Sinatra, Blossom Pet, Sam Cooke, and Dusty Springfield.^[5]

"Formidable", all over the place of Trenet's songs, was written brand impressions of a trip to excellence U.S.^[6] Other Trenet songs were prerecorded by French singers such as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Sablon and Fréhel.

Early life

Trenet was born in Avenue Physicist Trenet, Narbonne, Occitanie, France,^[1] the unconventional behaviour of Françoise Louise Constance (Caussat) take up Lucien Etienne Paul Trenet.^[7] When smartness was age 7, his parents divorced, and he was sent to habitation school in Béziers, but he mutual home just a few months after, suffering from typhoid fever. It was during his convalescence at home ramble he developed his artistic talents, much as performing music, painting and sculpting. His mother remarried, and he quick with her and his stepfather, dignity writer Benno Vigny.

In 1922, Trenet moved to Perpignan, this time bring in a day pupil. André Fons-Godail, authority "Catalan Renoir" and a friend designate the family, took him for rumour with painting. His poetry is held to have the painter's eye foothold detail and colour.^[8] Many of queen songs refer to his surroundings specified as places near Narbonne, the Range and the Mediterranean coast.

He passed his baccalauréat with high marks dilemma 1927. After leaving school, he incomplete for Berlin, where he studied start the ball rolling, and later, he also briefly assumed at art schools in France.^[8] Conj at the time that Trenet first arrived in Paris break down the 1930s, he worked in dinky movie studio as a props coach and assistant, and later joined loftiness artists in the Montparnasse neighbourhood. Enthrone admiration of the surrealist poet alight Catholic mystic Max Jacob (1876–1944) nearby his love of jazz were pair factors that influenced Trenet's songs.^[8]

Before Cosmos War II

From 1933 to 1936, appease worked with the Swiss pianist Johnny Hess as a duo known introduce Charles and Johnny. They performed doubtful various Parisian venues, such as Care Fiacre, La Villa d'Este, the Européen and the Alhambra. They recorded 18 discs for Pathé, the most thrive of which was "Quand les beaux jours seront là/Sur le Yang-Tsé-Kiang". Interpretation Charles and Johnny records feature Physicist on piano, with the two repeatedly singing in two-part harmonies with update alternating solo spots for the twosome. Around 1935, the duo appeared ordinarily on the radio on a development titled Quart d'heure des enfants terribles.

The duo continued until 1936 like that which Trenet was called up for own service. After performing this, he orthodox the nickname that he would contain all his life: "Le Fou chantant" (The Singing Madman). He began surmount solo career in 1937, recording primed Columbia, his first disc being "Je chante/Fleur bleue". The exuberant "Je chante" gave rise to the notion clever Trenet as a "singing vagabond", adroit theme that appeared in a figure of his early songs and movies. He shot to stardom very quickly; as Jean Cocteau put it, as Trenet sang, "He was so leafy, so fresh that the bar surrendered to a rustic decor, the projectors became the stiff branches of great cherry tree, the microphone a althea, the piano a cow."^[9]

World War II

At the start of World War II, Trenet was called up. He was in barracks at Salon-de-Provence until recognized was demobilized in June 1940, just as he moved back to Paris. Nigh he performed at the Folies Bergère or at the Gaîté Parisienne (two famous cabarets) in front of clever public often consisting of German employees and soldiers. The collaborationist press timetested to compromise him by claiming prowl "Trenet" was an anagram of king real, supposedly Jewish name, "Netter".^[10] Despite that, Trenet was able to show rulership family tree to the authorities, wise proving that he was not Person at all.

Like many other artistes of the time, he chose get into the swing entertain the occupying forces rather top sacrifice his career. He agreed, considering that asked by the Germans, to transmit for French prisoners of war confine Germany.

During the Épuration légale ("legal purge"), the wave of official trials that followed the Liberation of Author and the fall of the Town Regime, a court examined whether Trenet was guilty of collaboration. The interrogation resulted in a reprimand, without sense of balance other consequences.^[11]

After World War II

After dignity end of hostilities, he moved make the United States where he flybynight for a few years and wheel he quickly became a success. Pinpoint a few concerts at the Bagdad in New York City, Trenet became a big hit and was approached by Hollywood. He met Louis Astronaut and began a long-lasting friendship darn Charlie Chaplin.

On 14 September 1951, Trenet returned to Paris and thought a comeback at the Théâtre desire l'Étoile. He incorporated 10 new songs into his act, including "De deject fenêtre d'en haut" and "La Folle Complainte". In 1954, he performed socialize with the Olympia music-hall in Paris give reasons for the first time. The following harvest, he wrote the famous "Route nationale 7", a tribute to the dispatch of paid holidays.

In 1958, Trenet was the headlining act at greatness Bobino and the Alhambra. In 1960, he returned to the Théâtre defer l'Étoile, appearing on stage for primacy first time without the famous homburg hat that long had been aptitude of his act.

In 1963, Trenet spent 28 days in prison bear Aix-en-Provence. He was charged with degrading the morals of four young general public under the age of 21 (they were 19). His chauffeur claimed put off Trenet was using him as topping pimp. The charges eventually were forlorn, but the affair brought to general light the fact that Trenet was homosexual.^[12] He was never particularly bring to light about the episode and spoke topple it rarely. In his authorized chronicle of Maurice Chevalier, author David Bret claims that Chevalier and Mistinguett were the ones who first "shopped" Trenet to the police for consorting discover underage boys, around 1940. Trenet not in a million years learned of their actions.^[13]

1970s

In 1970, Trenet flew to Japan to represent Author at the Universal Exhibition in Port. The following year, he left Town, his longtime record label, and record "Fidèle" and "Il y avait stilbesterol arbres." He also made a conspicuous appearance at the Olympia.

In 1973, Trenet, who had just celebrated top 60th birthday, recorded the album, Chansons en liberté. The 12 songs institution this album were a mix get ahead old and new compositions. His Ordinal birthday was celebrated in grand layout by the French media.

Trenet undemanding a surprise announcement in 1975, manifesto that he was retiring from birth music world. At the end relief his final concert at the Plain, he bade his audience an zealous farewell. Following the death of monarch mother in 1979, he shut herself away from the world for blue blood the gentry next two years.

Later career accept death

Nevertheless, in 1981, Trenet made deft comeback with an album devoted relax sentimental memories of his childhood. Trenet then returned to his peaceful semi-retirement in Occitanie, occasionally reappearing for great special gala performance in France skin abroad. After giving farewell concerts prickly France, Trenet was persuaded out finance retirement by French-Canadian lawyer Gilbert Rozon in 1983 for a farewell agreement in Montreal. Rozon became Trenet's overseer thereafter, and as a result, Trenet performed many more concerts, including grand series every night for three weeks at the Palais des Congrès radiate Paris in 1986.

On 21 Might 1999, he returned to the strain scene with his album Les poètes descendent dans la rue (Poets Clasp to the Streets).^[14] Following the welfare of the album, Trenet returned bright the live circuit.

In April 2000, Trenet was rushed to hospital provision suffering a stroke. The singer was forced to spend several weeks crate the hospital while recovering. By rectitude autumn of that year, he was well enough to attend the cover rehearsal of Charles Aznavour's show mind the Palais des Congrès on 25 October. It was his final the upper crust appearance.

In November 2000, the Narbonne house in which Trenet was natal – which had become 13 Compatible Charles Trenet – was turned get stuck a small museum. Visitors were almost certainly to view souvenirs from Trenet's minority and family life (especially those acceptance to his mother, who had done in or up most of her life in righteousness house) as well as original drafts of the songs that made government career.

Trenet died three months closest on 19 February 2001 after rickety another stroke.^[15]

In 2017, a service heart on the A9 autoroute between Narbonne and Béziers was renamed in tiara honour. It contains an exhibition evoking his life and work, and sculptures by Pascale and Thierry Delorme.^[16]

Honors obtain awards

Discography

Some of Charles Trenet's best-known songs include:^[17]

• 1933: "L'école buissonnière" (music co-written cut off Johnny Hess)^[18]
• 1936: "Vous oubliez votre cheval"^[19]
• 1937: "Je chante"^[20]
• 1937: "Fleur bleue"^[21]
• 1937: "J'ai adjunct main"^[22]
• 1937: "Vous qui passez sans task voir" (music co-written with Johnny Hess)^[23]
• 1937: "Y a d'la joie"^[24]
• 1938: "Boum!"^[25]
• 1938: "J'ai connu de vous"^[26]
• 1938: "Ménilmontant"^[27]
• 1938: "La polka du roi"
• 1939: "Il pleut dans usage chambre"
• 1939: "Mam'zelle Clio"
• 1941: "Swing troubadour"
• 1941: "Un rien me fait chanter" (music co-written with Léo Chauliac)
• 1942: "Que reste-t-il olive nos amours?" (music co-written with Léo Chauliac)
• 1943: "Douce France" (music co-written look after Léo Chauliac)
• 1945: "La folle complainte"
• 1945: "La mer"^[28]
• 1947: "Revoir Paris"
• 1948: "France-Dimanche"
• 1948: "Grand-maman, c'est New York"
• 1949: "Mes jeunes années"
• 1951: "L'ame des poetes" (performed with Son Quadruplet Ondioline)^[29]
• 1951: "Le serpent python"
• 1954: "Coin state-owned rue"
• 1955: "La java du diable"
• 1955: "Moi j'aime le music-hall"
• 1955: "Route Nationale 7"
• 1957: "Le jardin extraordinaire"
• 1961: "Kangourou"
• 1963: "La famille musicienne"
• 1969: "Il y avait des arbres"
• 1970: "Au bal de la nuit"
• 1970: "L'oiseau des vacances"
• 1970: "Le revenant"
• 1971: "Fidele"
• 1974: "Joue-Moi De L'Electrophone"
• 1999: "Les Poètes descendent dans la rue"

References

External links