dinsdag 24 januari 2006

En Duo Grande Finale (2)


As promised, here's the wrapping up of the En Duo-series, with a massive amount of Je t'aime....moi non plus coverversions. I have no idea how many versions there are, this incredible list isn't even complete.
NOTE: ALL JE T'AIME-FILES ARE DOWN!

Instrumental
The melody of the song was appealing to muzakmakers of all trades, like the soft-focus-saxophone of Paul Brooks, the gente synths of Electronic Concept Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra (which is very funny, since the BBC banned the original), Love Spectacular, the groovy Baker Street Philharmonic, Hammond-man Anthony Ventura, the bachelorpad-favourite Ray Conniff, reggae-enthousiasts Dub Syndicate and Popcorn-makers Hot Butter.

Comic
Serge had an odd sense of humour (I mean, listen to Rock Around the Bunker), and you can imagine the uncomfortable giggling of listeners when Serge, Jane (or BB) started panting. French clown André Bourvil made a funny version (very quick after the Serge&Jane-single) with Jacqueline Maillan. German comedian Nessi Tausendschön didn't bother about the lyrics, and went very convincingly to the naughty bits (she sounds a lot like pornstar Traci Lords). Fellow German Dietmar Wieschmeyer on the other hand sounds like he's starting a motorcycle. Then there's the teaming of Je t'aime and Wild Thing by John Otway & Sarah Ross, the Spanish mouse-and-cow-conversation (well, I'm guessing here) of Los Hermanos Calatrava and (I'm guessing again) the Swedish comedian Ga Runt. Italy's Benito Urghu is having the time of his life, but Britains Judge Dread has a nasty surprise. Pet Shop Boys have a computer do the talking. The most hilarious version is by Japanese band Cibo Matto, who clearly have no idea what they are singing about.

Foreign
Thai Beat by Traces! Eastern European melancholy by Ilona Csakova! Italian romance by Ombretta Colli! German industrialism by Einstürzende Neubauten!

Family
These songs either stay close to the original or try to capture the atmosphere of Jane and Serge. It's an educated guess though that whoever sang on flutist Edward Simoni's version, weren't heavy petting while recording. Anita Lane, on the other hand, sounds like she wants to eat Nick Cave right then and there. This English duet is on Mick Harvey's Serge-tribute Pink Elephants. Notice, by the way, that neither this version, or the English-version by Pet Shop Boys, or this 1973 semi-erotic version by Sylvia & Raflin Ralfi Pagan, manages to capture the sentence "je vais et je viens entre tes reins" (I come and I go, between you kidneys). Harvey is part of Nick Cave's Bad Seeds, just as Barry Adamson was, I don't know who's the girl next to Barry. His duet-partner Louise Ness sounds excited. Miss Kittin does to, with dance-partner Sven Väth. Jaël of Swiss band Lunik sounds sweet (duetting with rockers Züri West), but the hottest couple are no other than Placebo-singer Brian Molko and actress/model Asia Argento. Far hotter than the bland version by German punkband Böhse Onkelz.

Ça suffit?

(Mille fleurs á SpikedCandy, Maks and Norbert for helping me out!)

34 opmerkingen:

  1. I have yet to listen to most of them, but bravo! That's some great research... I had no idea it had been covered that much!

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  2. happy to help, guuz :). it'll take me a while to download all the others, but good work on tracking down so many! didn't you say you have the dhizan & kamien version, was wondering why it's not posted? i really like that one.

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  3. Christine: I'm considering D&K, for it is a remix, not a cover. I've received a few new versions already, I might to an extra post!

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  4. well as i say in french "ça m'en bouche un coin !"

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  5. An extra post?! That'll be great!
    I do hope there was someone out there able to find the Psychic TV version...

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  6. Angel Corpus Christi and Dean Wareham do a good blended version with Lou Reed's "I Wanna Boogie With You" (I only have a 7" vinyl copy which I don't have the ability to rip) (the vinyl is a nifty opaque pink)

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  7. YOu know what? I had dat 7-inch, but it got lost. Angel CC plays the theme on her accordeon, it's brilliant! Anyone who has that on mp3, please gmail it to me!
    Also looking for the versions by
    - Psychic TV and/or Genesis P. Orridge
    - James Last
    - Donna Summer (impossible to find, so it seems, while it's on the soundtrack to TGIF)
    - Vicious Pink
    - Ken Lazarus
    - Patrick Peronne
    - Malcolm McLaren

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  8. Goodness :) That's one huge post you've got here. Congratulation, it must've been hard work. R :)

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  9. The British comedian Frankie Howerd and comedy actress June Whitfield did a very funny cover entitled Up Je T'aime which is well worth tracking down.

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  10. Yes, working on that one. If someone has it, please email!

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  11. According to this site (http://members.cox.net/_meddle/adamson/negro.html) the girl next to Barry Adamson is Louise Ness.

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  12. I have 'Up Je T'aime', I forgot to upload it, will do so now. Very annoying Guuz, I saw a whole bunch more, including some of the ones you've asked for, in someone's soulseek folders, but I can't get a connection now. If you use soulseek, the user's name is 'ecc'.

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  13. The Nessi Tausendschön-link is working right now (thank Maks)

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  14. Thank you so much for these 'En Duo' posts, especially these last two. It hasn't been that long since I discovered Serge Gainsbourg, and I can't get enough of anything that has to do with him! The gems you've uncovered are to die for, and the background information is invaluable for new fans like me! You have one of the best blogs in existence! Thank you for the music!

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  15. Merci beaucoup.

    La voix masculine de la version de Dietmar Wieschmeyer est hilarante (je ne cherche pas à offenser nos amis allemands).

    Avez-vous constitué une liste des morceaux qui vous manquent ?
    (j'ai beaucoup de reprises françaises)

    edmond

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  16. Edmond:

    - Psychic TV and/or Genesis P. Orridge
    - James Last
    - Donna Summer (impossible to find, so it seems, while it's on the soundtrack to TGIF)
    - Vicious Pink
    - Ken Lazarus
    - Patrick Peronne
    - Malcolm McLaren

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  17. I just remembered... the band Texas did a a quasi-version of Je T'aime - basically they copped the riff and changed the lyrics - I forgot the title.
    I have it at home, but I'm on the road - I'll send it to you when I get back in a few days.
    Also, I have the malcolm Maclaren version as well - its off of his project Paris - Francois Hardy, Jane Birkin makes appearances on the double CD. Its quite the vanity affair - if you don't have that I'd be happy to get that to you as well.
    I'm going to have to do a bit of digging through my mess of a collection.

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  18. Hi,I have the 1969 instrumental version by sounds nice called "love at first sight".If you want it just let me know.Thanks for this great post! :)

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  19. Skunkeye: I have that Texas-song (called Guitar Song), but I love to hear Malcolm do Je t'aime. Also: Sounds Nice is very welcome too, Bruno! I've received a lot of other versions, so next week I'll do another post!

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  20. Woohoo! Getting more curious each day for all the additional tracks coming up.
    Can't wait for the next post to come ;)

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  21. For Psychic TV's version, please contact someone we knew Guuz.....it's name is Lode Gommers, currently residing at the Oude Bredaseweg, yes, still in the Ol'Town we used to know... salut les copains!

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  22. "Donna Summer (impossible to find, so it seems, while it's on the soundtrack to TGIF)"

    I will have a look in my recordcolection, am quite sure to own a copy of TGIF, it's sort of obliged, isn't it? when found, I'll send a copy! in the meantime, thanks for all these covers

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  23. I suspect Cibo Matto knows exactly what they're singing about. And this isn't the only song they've recorded in French. Note that while both women are Japanese by birth, both live in New York and that's where they met and formed the group.

    Great job tracking down all this stuff! I can't keep with you! :)

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  24. I think "Electronic Concert Orchestra" is a typo for "Electronic Concept Orchestra"..

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  25. "Sylvia & Raflin Pagan" apparently should be "Sylvia & Ralfi Pagan". The Sylvia in question is Sylvia Robinson of "Mickey & Sylvia" fame. I found 1973 as the recording date.

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  26. Not really sure if this was mentioned already.. but the Uruguayan Sexteto Electronico Moderno also released an instrumental cover in the early seventies

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  27. loved you blog!. very original & sweet.

    ps. some download links are broken.

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  28. Please add to you list the reggae versions of JB The Liquidator (rocksteady) and Dub Syndicate (dub)!

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