VA - Merveilleuses Chansons Francaises des Annees 50, Vol. 1

"Chanson" (French for "song") qualifies most French-language singers/songwriters for whom the quality of the text is essential and where the rhythm of the music follows that of the text.

Early 20th century chansonniers like Maurice Chevalier, Mistinguett, Charles Trenet, Rina Ketty and Édith Piaf were mostly inspired by Cabaret, Musette and various forms of entertainment music. This is the root of the category "musique de variétés", which is a french concept and marketing term close to the american Adult Contemporary.

In the 1950s some singers began to acknowledge the artistic potential of chanson, and write songs in an assumed literary approach. These singers often drew their inspiration from poetry writers. Hence this category of chanson is sometimes called "chanson à texte". The 3 main figures are Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel and Léo Ferré. We can also cite Boris Vian, Barbara and early Serge Gainsbourg.

From the 1960s, following the worldwide spread of Anglo-American popular music, chansonniers began to abandon Musical Theatre and Entertainment musical arrangements and adopt a style closer to American standards. Yé-yé (considered as a naive and lighthearted copy of American pop for teenagers) in the beginning of the 1960s quickly fell out of fashion and in the late-60s chanson was carried by post-yéyé singers such as Françoise Hardy, Michel Polnareff or Eddy Mitchell. We then saw emerge a wave of chansonniers drawing inspiration mostly from Bob Dylan and other American Folk Rock artists: Hugues Aufray, Renaud, Bernard Lavilliers, Johnny Hallyday. There also was singers inspired by pop music like Alain Souchon, Michel Sardou, Claude François etc. and generally considered as "chanteurs de variétés". This wave reached its appex in the 1980s.
Chanson in this period is closely related to French Pop music.
                     

Tracklist:

1. Grand Jacques (C'est Trop Facile) - Jacques Brel
2. Chanson Pour l'Auvergnat - Juliette Greco
3. Une Jolie Fleur - Georges Brassens
4. Fleur de Papillon - Annie Cordy
5. Le Deserteur - Mouloudji
6. Danseur de Charleston - Philippe Clay
7. Viens - Charles Aznavour
8. Bravo Pour le Clown - Edith Piaf
9. Bal, Petit Bal - Francis Lemarque
10. Si Toi Aussi Tu M'Abandonnes - John William
11. Mambo Italiano - Dario Moreno
12. Un Gamin de Paris - Mick Micheyl
13. L' Abeille et le Papillon - Henri Salvador
14. Galerien - Les Compagnons De La Chanson
15. Plaine Ma Plaine - Armand Mestral
16. Dans Les Pharmacies - Charles Trenet
17. Soudard - Jean-Claude Darnal
18. Petite Fleur - Sidney Bechet
19. Car Je T'Aime - Yves Montand
20. Graine d'Ananar - Leo Ferré

 

VA - Merveilleuses Chansons Francaises des Annees 50, Vol. 1
(256 kbps, front cover included)