Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Bonjour Chanson Series 7, Episode 34

Bonjour Chanson Series 7, Episode 34

Play Track 01 seconds 0:12 to 0:36 ? “Tant de Nuits”.

Start text segment 1 ? Welcome. You are listening to “Bonjour Chanson”. We bring French Language Popular Music to English speaking audiences. My name is Charles Spira and I’ll be your host.
In this episode we remember Alain Bashung, an influential artist who passed away in March 2009. You heard an excerpt from his song “So Many Nights” and we’ll tell you more about him and play the entire song at the end of the show.

Our first artist is Lynda Lemay who was born in Pontneuf, not far from Quebec City in 1966. Lynda’s dream was to become an archeologist, but she also loved poetry and literature. Poetry led to writing songs and her first album appeared in 1991. She is a keen observer of the sometimes endearing, sometimes infuriating behavior of men and women alike. We listen to her song “Small Fry” from 2008 where a woman discovers to her astonishment that suddenly all she can think about is little children. “For a long time I believed that I would never want small fry underfoot. But from where came this crazy desire? I want my own small fry. I want to blow running noses, I want to put them in pyjamas, I want them to scream and jump and ruin the mattress . It is since you appeared that I want small fry, from you.” Ms. Lynda Lemay ” End text segment 1

Play Track 02 (fadeout at 3:55) ? La Marmaille

Start Text segment 2 ? You heard Lynda Lemay in “La Marmaille.”

The Quebec artist Luc de La Rochelliere studied classical guitar and presented himself to the public for the first time in 1985 when he was 19. If he needed proof of the great esteem in which he is held by his peers, the 2006 album in which he sings his own songs alongside a number of celebrated artists such as Francis Cabrel, Laurence Jalbert and Gilles Vigneault constitutes ample proof. We now listen to his 2009 song “Lost Beauty”.
“Surely I shall show courage, I have done so many times before. I shall be able to filter my anger and let time go by, and I’ll lay down my arms, well before opening fire. But I’ll need a lot more in the face of your lost beauty. I shall not have enough tears, to wash out my eyes.” Here is Luc De La Rochelliere" ? End Text segment 2.

Play Track 03 ? Beaute Perdue

Start Text segment 3 ? You heard Luc de LaRochelliere in « Beaute Perdue ».

Joyce Jonathan, a young French woman of 20, has accomplished what is becoming a trend in contemporary music. Turn to the internet to be heard, build a following and have your fans help with the launching of your career in the real world. Ms. Jonathan started composing songs at age 5. Already at that tender age she was dreaming of success as a musician. In 2010 she published her first album “On my Guard” for which she wrote the music and lyrics of every track. We listen to “I do Not Know”. “There are words that bother me, hundreds of words and thousands of old tunes that are never the same. How can I tell you, I do not want to lie, I am attracted to you and there lies the real problem.” Here is Joyce Jonathan. ? End of Text segment 3.

Play Track 04 ? Je Ne Sais Pas.

Start Text segment 4 ? We listened to Joyce Jonathan in “Je Ne Sais Pas”.

Alain Souchon was born in 1944 and his early life was not easy. He lost his father in a car accident when he was an adolescent and this resulted in money problems. The family shared accommodations with Alain’s grandmother. Her radio was always on and through that radio Alain became acquainted with the great French singers and developed an interest in music. Alain Souchon’s career took off when he teamed up with Laurent Voulzy. The latter is a great musician whereas Alain is a talented lyricist. We’ll hear “Life is Worth Nothing” from 2001 which he wrote himself. “He has turned his life in many directions to discover whether existence has any meaning. He traversed the clouds of whirling Dervishes and hashish smokers and concluded: Life is worth nothing, but when I hold in my enchanted hands the two beautiful little breasts of my girl friend, nothing is worth as much as life.”. Here is Alain Souchon. ? End of text segment 4.

Play Track 05 ? La Vie ne Vaut Rien

Start Text segment 5 ? You heard Alain Souchon in « La Vie ne Vaut Rien »

The Belgian singer Maurane, who was born in Ixelles, a suburb of Brussels in 1960, is known in the francophone world as the “Lady of Swing”. Born into a musical family she started violin lessons at age 8 and taught herself to play the guitar and the piano. Audiences love her because of her warm personality, her sense of humor and her perfect mastery of the Swing Style. Maurane now sings ”My Rivers at Water’s Edge” from 2007. “I have no ace up my sleeve and I let the future slide by. I believe in chance that triggers many stolen moments of happiness. In their path, have avalanches their route all traced out? When I revisit mine, I lean towards a life on the sidelines.” Here is Maurane.? End of text segment 5.

Play Track 06 (starting at 00 :27 seconds) ? Mes Rivieres au Bord de L’Eau

Start Text segment 6 ? Maurane interpreted « Mes Rivieres au Bord de L’Eau »

Alain Bashung spent his youth in Alsace where he was raised by his grandparents. He never knew his father, which caused him much anguish and turned him into a rebellious youth. As a child he sang in the church choir and played the harmonica. At 15 he received a guitar and soon after that he formed a musical group. From the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties he injected new blood into French Chanson with songs that were explicit and unrestrained. He passed away in March 2009 after a short illness at age 61. Often the lyrics in Bashung’s songs are impenetrable. We’ll hear the song “So Many Nights” from 2008. (“He expresses regret at having betrayed his beloved, by not cherishing her enough, by letting the struggles of life distract him, and stay far away from where he should have been.”). Here is Alain Bashung ” ? End of text segment 6

Play Track 01 (fadeout at 3:30) ? Tant de Nuits

Start Text segment 7 ? You heard Alain Bashung in “Tant de Nuits”.

This is the end of our show. Bonjour Chanson was recorded in the studios of WYPR in Baltimore. Jonathan Ehrens is the producer. I am Charles Spira and we love to share this wonderful music with you over the air..