Musique, S'il Vous Plait
June 15, 2009 1:51 PM Subscribe
I have a gig coming up, and I need FRENCH SONG suggestions. Simple, classic, famous, even cliche (cheesy) French songs are what I'm looking for. "Je T'aime", etc.
I'm playing guitar and my friend is playing accordion and melodica. Keep it SIMPLE. TIA.
I'm playing guitar and my friend is playing accordion and melodica. Keep it SIMPLE. TIA.
"Frére Jacques" hits the trifecta of cheesy, cliché and French. Piaf's "Je Ne Regrette Rien" is close.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:53 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:53 PM on June 15, 2009
I love "La Mer " recorded by Charles Trenet and recently featured in Mr. Bean's Holiday.
posted by rw at 2:00 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by rw at 2:00 PM on June 15, 2009
"Bonnie and Clyde" would be cool with those instruments.
posted by Rock Steady at 2:02 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by Rock Steady at 2:02 PM on June 15, 2009
This may not apply because I absolutely love the song, but Petite Fleur seems to fit the bill.
posted by litterateur at 2:03 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by litterateur at 2:03 PM on June 15, 2009
Turns out it's Canadian, but Alouette is in simple, famous and in French.
posted by ignignokt at 2:05 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by ignignokt at 2:05 PM on June 15, 2009
Alouette? La Marseillaise?
You don't specify if you're singing or not. I argue no lyrics needed for either.
posted by knile at 2:05 PM on June 15, 2009
You don't specify if you're singing or not. I argue no lyrics needed for either.
posted by knile at 2:05 PM on June 15, 2009
La Vie en Rose or Non, je ne regrette rien
a la Edith Piaf
posted by readery at 2:13 PM on June 15, 2009
a la Edith Piaf
posted by readery at 2:13 PM on June 15, 2009
Allouette
posted by elle.jeezy at 2:21 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by elle.jeezy at 2:21 PM on June 15, 2009
Elinor Blake, aka April March is cheesy but also pretty cool.
posted by rokusan at 2:46 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by rokusan at 2:46 PM on June 15, 2009
Two options:
Lara Fabian's 'Je t'aime' or Johnny Hallyday's 'Que je t'aime'.
Another classic, if you want traditional French music with love songs: Francis Cabrel's 'Je l'aime a mourir' or his other song 'Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerais'.
All very cheesy but quite popular!
posted by tweemy at 3:05 PM on June 15, 2009
Lara Fabian's 'Je t'aime' or Johnny Hallyday's 'Que je t'aime'.
Another classic, if you want traditional French music with love songs: Francis Cabrel's 'Je l'aime a mourir' or his other song 'Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerais'.
All very cheesy but quite popular!
posted by tweemy at 3:05 PM on June 15, 2009
Laisse tomber les filles is fun, and might be entertaining sung by a dude. I imagine you could adapt the accompaniment to the guitar and accordion.
posted by MadamM at 3:08 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by MadamM at 3:08 PM on June 15, 2009
Ahh, SurrenderMonkey, you beat me with the France Gall! Curses!
posted by MadamM at 3:10 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by MadamM at 3:10 PM on June 15, 2009
Parlez-Moi D'Amour is one of my favourites.
Also,..Ne Me Quitte Pas
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:17 PM on June 15, 2009
Also,..Ne Me Quitte Pas
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:17 PM on June 15, 2009
Nthing Non, je ne regrette rien.
Or Boum! Fun song. It's got animal noises. What more could you want?
posted by elsietheeel at 3:17 PM on June 15, 2009
Or Boum! Fun song. It's got animal noises. What more could you want?
posted by elsietheeel at 3:17 PM on June 15, 2009
I've actually written a few myself-- they probably wouldn't be appropriate if your audience speaks French and it's anything but a kids' event-- they're children's songs about toothpaste, shampoo, and coffee, respectively.
I have recorded them for actual album releases and can link you to downloads; they're all fairly simple to play as well.
message me if that sounds remotely appropriate for your scenario.. I can send you links for mp3's.
posted by candyhammer at 3:18 PM on June 15, 2009
I have recorded them for actual album releases and can link you to downloads; they're all fairly simple to play as well.
message me if that sounds remotely appropriate for your scenario.. I can send you links for mp3's.
posted by candyhammer at 3:18 PM on June 15, 2009
Maybe not as classic as you're looking for, but definitely French, simple (vocals-driven) and a lot of fun: 69 Annee Erotique by Serge Gainsbourg
posted by twoporedomain at 6:25 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by twoporedomain at 6:25 PM on June 15, 2009
From South Pacific, Dites-Moi:
Dites-moi
Pourquoi
La vie est belle,
Dies-moi
Pourquoi
La vie est gai,
Dites-moi
Pourquoi,
Chere Mad'moiselle,
Est-ce que
Parce que
Vous m'aimez?
Tell me why
Life is beautiful
Tell me why
Life is happy
Tell me why,
Dear Lady...
Is it
Because
You love me?
posted by misha at 6:53 PM on June 15, 2009
Dites-moi
Pourquoi
La vie est belle,
Dies-moi
Pourquoi
La vie est gai,
Dites-moi
Pourquoi,
Chere Mad'moiselle,
Est-ce que
Parce que
Vous m'aimez?
Tell me why
Life is beautiful
Tell me why
Life is happy
Tell me why,
Dear Lady...
Is it
Because
You love me?
posted by misha at 6:53 PM on June 15, 2009
If you can get ahold of it, there's a song Yves Montand used to do called "Rengaine ta rengaine". Sharp, funny, classy, makes fun of swinging youngsters using their Franglais slang like "week-end" and "snack-bar".
If you'd like something more recent, Noir Desir does a song called Le Vent Nous Portera that's nice.
posted by gimonca at 7:07 PM on June 15, 2009
If you'd like something more recent, Noir Desir does a song called Le Vent Nous Portera that's nice.
posted by gimonca at 7:07 PM on June 15, 2009
Et Moi Et Moi Et Moi by Jacques Dutronc. A classic garage stomper I first heard covered by Dump (ie James McNew of Yo La Tengo). That'll wake 'em up.
posted by Kinbote at 7:11 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by Kinbote at 7:11 PM on June 15, 2009
We learned Sur le pont d'Avingnon in my high school French class. I get it stuck in my head a lot.
posted by purpletangerine at 8:09 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by purpletangerine at 8:09 PM on June 15, 2009
Jacques Dutronc - J'aime Les Filles and Claude Francois - Comme d'Habitude (you might know this one better as 'My Way')
posted by Mael Oui at 8:11 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by Mael Oui at 8:11 PM on June 15, 2009
Another Cabrel song (sung by him, written by Richard Desjardins): Quand j'aime une fois, j'aime pour toujours. It seems to play at least once a day on easy listening stations here.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 8:12 PM on June 15, 2009
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 8:12 PM on June 15, 2009
Since no one's mentioned it, and since it features in a recent film assez répondu: A la claire fontaine (traditional).
posted by nonmerci at 11:00 AM on June 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by nonmerci at 11:00 AM on June 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Since you say you'll have an accordion player, why not Piaf's L'accordeoniste?
Side note to nonmerci - thanks for mentioning that song. Grégoire sings it on his new album and I really like it but didn't realize it was an old traditional song.
posted by dnash at 11:54 AM on June 16, 2009
Side note to nonmerci - thanks for mentioning that song. Grégoire sings it on his new album and I really like it but didn't realize it was an old traditional song.
posted by dnash at 11:54 AM on June 16, 2009
This is fabulously cheesy but I love it!
Michel Sardou - Etre Une Femme (smoother 2001 live version)
Grotty 1981 version.
Lyrics. If you understand french it's quite simple to learn a couple of verses. I first saw it as part of the best every BSG fanvid which has since dissapeared.
FYI, AKA "Femmes des années 80".
posted by Iteki at 12:11 PM on June 16, 2009
Michel Sardou - Etre Une Femme (smoother 2001 live version)
Grotty 1981 version.
Lyrics. If you understand french it's quite simple to learn a couple of verses. I first saw it as part of the best every BSG fanvid which has since dissapeared.
FYI, AKA "Femmes des années 80".
posted by Iteki at 12:11 PM on June 16, 2009
Crap, and just for that I found my fave version of the song itself on youtube.
This is the best version imho, better than the two above. No idea what the video is.
posted by Iteki at 12:15 PM on June 16, 2009
This is the best version imho, better than the two above. No idea what the video is.
posted by Iteki at 12:15 PM on June 16, 2009
Aïcha is simple and singable, and it was popular in Europe.
posted by Wrinkled Stumpskin at 2:50 PM on June 16, 2009
posted by Wrinkled Stumpskin at 2:50 PM on June 16, 2009
« Older Making an exercise plan out of lots of possible... | How well does the hive mind know FB quizzes? Take... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 1:53 PM on June 15, 2009