donderdag 11 mei 2006

Voila l'été: Elli & Catherine

Don't know 'bout your hometown, but over here in AMS the weather's mighty fine. When the sun's out, I long to hear shiny songs. When I think of French summersongs (even it's only spring), thoughts wander back to the holidays in France I spent with my parents in the eighties. We were in all corners of L'Hexagone, and on the way there by car we were listening to radiostations like Antenne 2 Europe 1. It seemed like they were always playing the same songs. Like A Bailar Calypso (1987) by Elli Medeiros, and Marcia Baila (1984) by Les Rita Mitsouko. Spanish titles yes, but French songs.
It took me some time to figure out who these girls were, and some more for I realised that LRM was a band, not a singer (Catherine Ringer is the female voice of LRM). And I was not the only one: I remember listening to a Dutch radiostation a few years back, where the dj was telling a similar story on going on holiday with his parents and hearing Marcia Baila on the radio, and years later trying to figure out what the song was. He recalled phoning a friend about it, humming the tune, and asking this friend if he knew what it was. The friend fell silent, and finally said: you know what, that is the song I'm dying to figure out for years. I even called you about it! Thanks for ruining my day!!

Les Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila
Elli Medeiros - A Bailar Calypso


If you have a French summer song memory, don't hesitate to share! Either in the comments or as a guest-post: send me your memory and the song -> guuzbourg(a)gmail.com

9 opmerkingen:

  1. Ah, Marcia Baila. The best Rita Mitsouko song ever.

    French summer song: l'amour à la plage, Niagara.. a-ouh, tcha tcha tcha!

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  2. Antenne 2 is not a radio, it's a tv chanel (new name france 2)

    Niagara, yeeeeeaaah !!
    "Tchiki boum, Tchiki" also ! Damn good song. Write to me if you need it, i got the best-of.

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  3. Well, it's been a few years, memory's a bit rusty.

    i have that niagara song, no worries

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  4. Niagara's 'J'ai vu' is my fav.

    There are no 'Grandes Vacances' in North America. Two weeks of vacation a year (8 days in Mexico) is nothing. God bless Europe!

    Filles summer music
    Mitsou - Bye Bye Mon Cowboy (Pettibone remix)

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  5. marcia baila, I still celebrate the day I found the 12" for 2 guilders and 50 cent!

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  6. i had the most pleasant surprise a week or so ago...walked into a collectible shoppe in the east village & they were playing les rita mitsouko -- so great! totally made my day :) xxoo c

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  7. Hi Guuzbourg,

    both songs are fine (and always part of my dj program). By the way, the Montevideo born Elli Medeiros used to be together with the french new wave icon Jacno in The Stinky Toys (check out!).
    There will be a new album out by Elli Medeiros in the next time (through V2): very rocky, french and english sung. There must be also a new one by Jacno

    My summer favorite is still: Les Negresses Vertes "Voilà l`été" from their fine first album 1989. Take care, Thomas

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  8. I love how she rolls her Rs, expat Paris salon diva style.

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