Très Chic! is the much-anticipated sequel to C’est Chic!, our recent celebration of the yé-yé girls of 1960s France. Here are things you need to know about ten of the tracks:
Gillian Hills, cover girl of the CD version, is best known in the UK as an actress (Beat Girl, Blow Up etc) but she enjoyed a prolific recording career in France. Tut, Tut, Tut, Tut is from her 13th and final French EP.
Actress Anna Karina, who graces the cover of the LP version, also enjoyed a parallel career as a recording artist. Penned by Serge Gainsbourg, the Shangri-Las-influenced Sous Le Soleil Exactement is from the TV musical Anna.
Comment Te Dire Adieu is from the 27th of Francoise Hardy’s 29 Vogue EPs. Multi-lingual Françoise also recorded the song in Italian and German, but never in English. Shame.
It was rare for a French artist of the 1960s to record in English, or release a record in the UK. Jacqueline Taïeb was one of the few to do both with the ultra-collectable 7 AM, a translation of her celebrated 7 Heures Du Matin.
Although she recorded some great up-tempo numbers, dramatic Timi Yuro-esque ballads were the real forte of Liz Brady. Comme Tu Es Jeune is a superb example from her debut EP.
Evelyne Courtois started out in all-girl band Les Petites Souris. In honour of Bacharach and David’s song, she re-emerged as Pussy Cat with a trio of solo EPs notable for her penchant for covering tunes by male groups.
Delphine’s sitar-driven La Fermeture-Eclair is a Franco-version of We The People’s In The Past. Curiously, she didn’t just cover the song, but borrowed the original backing track too.
Elsa looked not unlike Cher, and performed in a similar jangly folk rock style too. She also recorded as Nicole Darde (her real name) and with her boyfriend Claude in the duo Arc-en-Ciel.
France Gall is the daughter of singer Cécile Berthier and songwriter Robert Gall. Attends Ou Va-T’en, from her seventh EP, is one of many tremendous numbers written for her by Serge Gainsbourg.
Brigitte Bardot’s Je Danse, Donc Je Suis, written by comedian Jean-Claude Massoulier and arranger André Popp, is an example of how a simple rhyming pun can transform an ephemeral ditty into something more cerebral.
Tracklist
Side A
1. Annie Philippe - On M'a Toujours Dit
2. Elsa - Ecoutez
3. Violaine - J'ai Des Problèmes Décidément
4. Pussy Cat - Hymne Au Soleil
5. France Gall - Attends Ou Va-T'en
6. Françoise Hardy - Comment Te Dire Adieu
Side B
1. Gillian Hills - Tut, Tut, Tut, Tut (Busy Signal)
2. Brigette Bardot - Je Danse, Donc Je Suis
3. Delphine - La Fermeture-éclair
4. Jacqueline Taïeb - 7:AM
5. Liz Brady - Comme Tu Es Jeune
6. Anna Karina - Sous Le Soleil Exctement
Please note that Tres Chic! is currently not in store but is with our local supplier.
Most of the time it takes around 2-5 days from the time you place the order for the item to arrive here and be sent out but it can take longer if there are any delays.