Les Trois Musiciens, Pablo Picasso, 1921
Welcome Aboard "My Chanson Française"
NEW: Composers & Lyricists (see below)
INTRODUCTION
This website is a showcase for the French “chanson” tradition
and a resource for students of French language and culture.
The site provides posts on classic "chansons" including:
+links to YouTube music videos in French;
+bios of the composers, lyricists and performers of songs;
+information about the origin and evolution of the songs;
+fresh translations from French to English of each song with notes to clarify unfamiliar words and expressions;
+special feature: song adaptations from original French to English and vice versa.
Music can be an integral part of a foreign language-learning experience. Music infects the ear and brain with melodies, rhythms, words and expressions, thereby easing language absorption. Classics of the French “chanson” tradition also provide a window into broader French culture and are an effective conversational bridge to cross-cultural communication with local populations.
Using This Site
This website has 4 page-levels: Home Page, About, Artist Profiles, and List of Songs.
+This Home Page provides an overview. The List of Artists at the bottom opens the door. Clicking on the name of an Artist opens the artist’s Profile where there is a clickable list of songs included in this songbook. Each song page includes an introduction to that song, a YouTube link, and a translation from French to English, plus notes clarifying difficult words or passages. You can easily listen to the YouTube music video while scrolling the lyrics and translation.
+The List of Songs Page provides a direct ticket to all songs on the site. To return to this Home page from either an Artist or Song page, click on my photo at the top left of the page.
+The "About" page discusses the purpose of this website, the nature of "chanson," the structure of songs, their distinctive life-cycle, issues of song translation and adaptation, and the trajectory of artistic development.
+Contact Page: for you to ask questions or make suggestions.
Music Videos
Each song typically has several videos on YouTube. The videos selected for this songbook are based on three criteria: audio quality, French subtitles, and visual material that provides information about France, French culture, or the artists. French language subtitles are important since sung lyrics are not always easily comprehensible. Some videos come with no subtitles (e.g. “Un Homme et Une Femme”), but this website provides original translations for all songs. The best approach is to scroll the translation provided while listening to the music.
ARTIST PROFILES
The "Chansonniers" (and Other Players)
The artists highlighted on this website represent a selection of “chansonniers” from the “golden age” of French "chanson" after WWII. Songs combine music, lyrics and interpretation (performance). Sometimes a single person fills all these roles. The French refer to such artists who write, compose and perform mostly their own material as “ACI,” meaning “auteur-compositeur-interprète.” It is noteworthy that in the French lexicon, the word "auteur" (lyricist) comes first since in "chanson" the text is primary. Charles Aznavour defended the priority of the text, which he considered the "soul" of a song: "I am not a singer who writes; I am a writer who sings." The equivalent English term is “singer-songwriter.” In both cases, singers become widely recognized because of their public-facing role as performers. Whether ACI or not, the interpreters become identified as “chansonniers.”
Lyricists ("Paroliers") and Composers
Most song-making is a collaborative, dynamic enterprise, with roles performed by different people. The “back office” functions of composition, lyrics and arrangement often remain relatively anonymous. Occasionally, front-line “interpreters” (singers) (e.g. Jean-Jacques Goldman, Françoise Hardy) change their principal activities midstream as a lifestyle choice to focus on writing lyrics or composing. In some cases, multi-talented individuals called “arrangers” perform many of these functions behind the scenes. A case in point is both François Rauber and Gérard Jouannest who served as “jack-of-all-trades” for Jacques Brel and elevated the quality of his performances. The attached page of Composers and Lyricists ("Paroliers") is intended to provide recognition for important contributors of music and words to the world of "chanson."
NEW: "Pain Perdu" (Travel Blog)
NEW: Chanson Adaptations. Many French “chansons” find a "second life of songs" when adapted to other languages like English.
