In 1998, Epsom-born Petula Clark was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth, "for bringing so much joy over the years." The bringing of joy started very early, in her teens little Petula entertained the British WWII-soldiers both in concert and on the radio. She recorded childish songs like Where Did My Snowman Go, plus more grown-up songs like Romeo. In 1957 she did a concert for a very enthusiastic crowd in the Paris Olympia, which founded a love for France and French. She was persuaded by later husband Claude Wolff to record in France where, unhappy with her British teen-star status, she reinvented herself as a chanteuse. She had many Fench hits - the French obviously forgave her the occassional English -r and -ay (instead of -é) when she sang. She covered song by The Kinks (Well Respected Man) and sang songs written by Serge Gainsbourg. She did not give up singing in English, as her hit Downtown proves. She was a superstar in Vegas for a while, and nowadays still tours around the world.
Presented here are the French version of Cilla Black's megahit Anyone Who Had a Heart (listen to that organ grind!), and the Serge-song La Gadoue.
On a more teutonic note: La Clarke has sung herself forever in my cahier by covering a hit made famous by herself: Downtown, in german.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThis version is so much richer in expression and the german language has the Akkuratesse we do not find in the english verse.
Schau dich nur rund - sie ringt's herum - den Tanz der Leuchtreklamen,
die Kinos und die Bars mit dem
geheimnisvollen Namen, und irgendwo:
wirst du vielleicht mich dort sehen,
Wenn wir uns beide begegnen,daß
wäre schön.
come on Downtown a.s.o.
Oh yeah, she did it in french as well.
I just love Petula's French songs,would love to hear something in German as well! :)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenmy father is a big fan of Petula's, he'd love to hear that tune again!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI'd love to hear the French version of Petula singing Downtown.
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