The Doors released their second album Strange Days in September 1967. Many fans consider it as the band’s most original and creative album. Its second track is a song called “You’re Lost Little Girl,” about a little girl who is lost, but knows what to do. For this song, the singer Jim Morrison was requested to relax, not to shout, so that his voice would sound like that of Frank Sinatra. CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
Jean-Michel Caradec, dont la carrière de chanteur débuta en 1969, rencontra le succès en 1974 avec son deuxième album 33 tours intitulé Ma petite fille de rêve d’après le titre de sa première chanson. Son premier album Mords la vie sortit en 1973. Celui-ci n’a jamais été réédité en CD, mais il est inclus dans l’intégrale en 5 CDs de son œuvre (2018). CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
The poem “Alabama Song” (also known as “Moon of Alabama,” “Moon over Alabama,” or “Whisky Bar”) was first written in German by Bertolt Brecht, then translated into English by Elisabeth Hauptmann in 1925. Kurt Weill set it to music for the 1927 musical play Mahagonny-Songspiel. The song was finally included in their 1930 opera Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny). It is sung in Act I by alcoholic prostitutes, they are craving first for a ‘whiskey bar,’ then for a ‘little boy’ (in the 1930’s, this designated a bottle format), and finally for a ‘little dollar:’ CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
MoonCCat is the pen name of Luc-Santiago Rodriguez, a poet, musician and photographer who finds his inspiration in the 19th century. He puts into music poems by 19th century French and English poets, defends the classical French alexandrine against contemporary “free verse,” and practices argentic photography instead of digital one. He is also a specialist in absinthe, the beverage celebrated by 19th century poets and artists, which was banned during most of the 20th century; at one time he managed an absinthe shop in Paris, Vert d’Absinthe. CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
Dans un article précédent, j’ai présenté la chanson « Ma petite fille de rêve » de Jean-Michel Caradec, qui a donné son titre à son deuxième album 33 tours, sorti en 1974, par lequel il connut le succès. Celui-ci comprend d’autres chansons consacrées à l’enfance, comme « La colline aux coralines ». CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
The English folk rock singer, songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper (born on June 12, 1941) has released 32 albums during a career that has lasted over 50 years. His 7th album Valentine, released in 1974 with Harvest Records, contains 10 tracks, starting with the song “Forbidden Fruit” that tells of a love affair with a 13 years old girl. CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
The English progressive rock band King Crimson was formed in London in 1968. It has undergone numerous formations throughout its history, but its guitarist and founder Robert Fripp has remained its only constant member. Their debut studio album In the Court of the Crimson King (subtitled An Observation by King Crimson) was released on October 10, 1969. It is considered one of the first and most influential progressive rock albums ever released. CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
The rock band Icehouse was formed in Sydney, Australia, in 1977, with the name Flowers; it changed it to Icehouse in 1981, as an allusion to the old, cold flat in which lived its singer and songwriter Iva Davies. Since 1990, the band is named Iva Davies and Icehouse. It released its second studio album Primitive Man in September 1982. Its 4th track “Hey Little Girl” was released as a single in October 1982, then again in 1983, and a series of re-mixes of the song were released in 1997 and 2002. CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
The rock band Faith No More was formed in 1979 in San Francisco, California. It released its third studio album The Real Thing on June 20, 1989. I like its 11th and last track, a funny song titled “Edge of the World,” which was also released as a single in 1991. The band’s lead singer Mike Patton wrote the lyrics, while the the bass player Billy Gould, keyboard player Roddy Bottum and drummer Mike Bordin composed the music. CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
Chuck Berry released in June 1959 a single on Chess Records, with A-side “Back in the U.S.A.” and B-side “Memphis, Tennessee.” In that song, he is speaking to a long-distance telephone operator, asking to find the number of a girl named Marie who tried to phone him from Memphis, Tennessee. He explains that they were separated by her mother who “did not agree / And tore apart our happy home in Memphis, Tennessee.” He finally reveals that Mary is aged six. CONTINUE READING / CONTINUER LA LECTURE…
