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15 ΙΣΠΑΝΙΚΕΣ ΤΑΙΝΙΕΣ ΠΟΥ ΠΡΕΠΕΙ ΝΑ ΔΕΙΣ

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Ο ισπανικός κινηματογράφος ήταν ανέκαθεν φημισμένος για την ποιότητά του. Κατά τη διάρκεια της μακρόχρονης ιστορίας του, ο μεγάλος σκηνοθέτης Λουίς Μπουνιουέλ ήταν ο πρώτος που έλαβε παγκόσμια αναγνώριση, όταν μαζί με το Σαλβαδόρ Νταλί γύρισε το σουρεαλιστικό Un Chien Andalou, το 1928. Ωστόσο, λόγω της πολιτικής απομόνωσης της χώρας, η Ισπανία δεν συμμετείχε στα ευρωπαϊκά κινηματογραφικά κινήματα, και παρέμεινε ως επί το πλείστων διακριτική.

Ο “νέος κινηματογράφος” της δεκαετίας του ’60 μας έδωσε μερικές αξέχαστες ταινίες, αλλά μόνο μετά το θάνατο του Φράνκο το 1975, ο Ισπανικός κινηματογράφος κέρδισε ανανεωμένη διεθνή αναγνώριση, με τον πιο γνωστό του εκπρόσωπο, το “τρομερό παιδί” Πέδρο Αλμοδόβαρ. Έκτοτε, μια ολόκληρη γενιά κινηματογραφιστών αναδύθηκε, η οποία συνεχώς παράγει ποιοτικό έργο, ενώ έχουν εμφανιστεί και πολλοί άλλοι νέοι και ταλαντούχοι καλλιτέχνες.

Για αυτό το άρθρο διάλεξα 15 ξεχωριστές ισπανικές ταινίες του 21ου αιώνα, οι οποίες καταδεικνύουν το ταλέντο των σύγχρονων Ισπανών σκηνοθετών. Για να υπάρχει περισσότερη ποικιλία, επέλεξα μόνο μία ταινία ανά σκηνοθέτη. 

Καλή θέαση, και να μου πιείτε ποια ταινία σας άρεσε περισσότερο!

1. ΤΟ ΞΕΡΟΥΝ ΟΛΟΙ (TODOS LOS SABEN / EVERYBODY KNOWS), 2018

Η πλοκή: Μια Ισπανίδα που ζει στο Μπουένος Άιρες επιστρέφει στη γενέτειρά της προσκαλούμενη στο γάμο της αδελφής της. Αναπάντεχα γεγονότα, όμως, θα αναστατώσουν το γάμο και θα φέρουν στην επιφάνεια βαθιά θαμμένα οικογενειακά μυστικά…

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Είναι άλλη μια σπουδαία ταινία του Ιρανού σκηνοθέτη Ασγκάρ Φαραντί , ο οποίος επανενώνει αυτή τη φορά ένα εξαιρετικό καστ: Πενέλοπε Κρουζ, Χαβιέ Μπαρδέμ, Ρικάρντο Νταρίν, μεταξύ άλλων. “Το ξέρουν όλοι” μας προσφέρει ένα συναισθηματικό ταξίδι σε μια μικρή ισπανική κοινότητα, προκαλεί αρκετά σύγχρονα διλήμματα και αφήνει την ηθική της ιστορίας ανοιχτή στην κρίση του θεατή.

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2. ΑΩΡΑΤΟΣ ΕΠΙΣΚΕΠΤΗΣ (CONTRATIEMPO / THE INVISIBLE GUEST), 2016

Η πλοκή: Ένας νεαρός επιχειρηματίας κατηγορείται για το φόνο της ερωμένης του, καθώς ξυπνά σε ένα δωμάτιο ξενοδοχείου δίπλα στο πτώμα της. Μαζί με μια κορυφαία δικηγόρο που έχει προσλάβει για να τον υπερασπιστεί, συνεργάζονται για να ανακαλύψουν τί πραγματικά συνέβη.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… είναι ένα εξαιρετικό αστυνομικό θρίλερ, με ένταση, δράση και ρυθμό, σκηνοθετημένο με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο και άψογα γραμμένο από τον Καταλανό Οριόλ Πάουλο. Το έξυπνο σενάριο και οι πολλές ανατροπές, κυρίως αυτή του τέλους, είναι βέβαιο πως θα σας συγκλονίσουν!

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 3.ΤΡΟΥΜΑΝ (TRUMAN), 2015

Η πλοκή: Ο Χουλιάν έχει διαγνωστεί με καρκίνο σε τελικό στάδιο, και ο μόνος σύντροφος του είναι ο Τρούμαν, ο αγαπημένος του σκύλος. Όταν λάβει μια απροσδόκητη επίσκεψη από τον παιδικό του φίλο Τομάς που ζει στον Καναδά, και οι δύο άνδρες, μαζί με τον Τρούμαν, θα μοιραστούν συγκινητικές στιγμές, προσπαθώντας να αντιμετωπίσουν την κατάσταση του Χουλιάν.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Ο Truman είναι μια συγκινητική, γλυκόπικρη κωμωδία / δράμα για τη φιλία, την αγάπη, την οικογένεια, αλλά και για το πώς αντιμετωπίσουμε το θάνατο. Κομψή η σκηνοθεσία του Σεσκ Γκέι, ο οποίος έγραψε και το υπέροχο σενάριο που περιέχει την τέλεια δόση εντιμότητας και ρεαλισμού. Ο Κάμαρα και ο Νταρίν είναι υπέροχοι στους ρόλους τους, παρέχοντας αβίαστο, συναισθηματικό βάθος στους χαρακτήρες τους.

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4. ΕΡΩΤΑΣ ΑΛΑ ΙΣΠΑΝΙΚΑ (8 APELLIDOS VASCOS / SPANISH AFFAIR), 2014

Η πλοκή: Ο Ράφα είναι ένας Σεβιλιάνος που δεν έχει αφήσει ποτέ τη γενέτειρα του Ανδαλουσία, μέχρι που γνωρίζει την Αμάια, μια κοπέλα από την Χώρα των Βάσκων, και αποφασίζει να την ακολουθήσει στη πατρίδα της. Μια σειρά παρεξηγήσεων θα αναγκάζει τον Ράφα να υποδύεται έναν γνήσιο Βάσκο, με οκτώ βασκικά επώνυμα, ολοένα και περισσότερο εμπλεγμένος σε αυτόν τον χαρακτήρα για να κερδίζει την Αμάια.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Η ρομαντική κωμωδία του Εμίλιο Μαρτίνεζ Λάζαρο ήταν φαινόμενο στην Ισπανία, και έγινε η ισπανική ταινία με την μεγαλύτερη εισπρακτική επιτυχία όλων των εποχών! Πέρα από το έξυπνο σενάριο και τους διασκεδαστικούς χαρακτήρες, η τεράστια επιτυχία της ταινίας οφείλεται αναμφίβολα στον τρόπο με τον οποίο διακωμωδεί τα διάφορα στερεότυπα και τις προκαταλήψεις που υπάρχουν μεταξύ των διαφόρων ισπανικών περιοχών, ένα πάντα επίκαιρο θέμα για τη Ισπανία. Ενδεχομένως όσοι δεν είστε εξοικειωμένοι με τις τοπικές παραδόσεις, την προφορά και την πολιτική της Ισπανίας μπορεί να χάσετε μερικά από τα αστεία, αλλά είναι σίγουρο πως όλοι σας θα απολαύσετε τις πιο ξεκαρδιστικές καταστάσεις και τα όμορφα τοπία της Χώρας των Βάσκων και της Ανδαλουσίας.

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 5. ΤΟ ΜΙΚΡΟ ΝΥΣΙ (LA ISLA MÍNIMA / MARSHLAND), 2014

Η πλοκή: Ισπανία, 1980, μετά τη δικτατορία του Φράνκο. Δύο αστυνομικοί της  Διεύθυνσης Ανθρωποκτονιών της Μαδρίτης βρίσκονται σε μια μικρή κωμόπολη στις ελώδεις όχθες του Γουαδαλκιβίρ, για να εξιχνιάσουν την εξαφάνιση δύο έφηβων αδελφών. Και οι δύο αστυνομικοί, όσο προσπαθούν να διευθετήσουν τις ιδεολογικές τους διαφορές, διαπιστώνουν πως η υπόθεση είναι τελικά πιο πολύπλοκη και φρικτή από ότι περίμεναν… 

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Πρόκειται για ένα ατμοσφαιρικό, πολυεπίπεδο θρίλερ, με εκπληκτική φωτογραφία και αριστοτεχνική σκηνοθεσία από τον ταλαντούχο Αλμπέρτο Ροντρίγκεζ. Η ταινία αποτελεί ένα προσεκτικό character study, και εισάγει μερικές πολιτικές πινελιές από εκείνη την ταραχώδη περίοδο της ισπανικής ιστορίας. Έλαβε 10 βραβεία Goya (τα πιο σημαντικά κινηματογραφικά βραβεία της Ισπανίας), μαζί με πολλές άλλες διακρίσεις.

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6. ΑΚΟΜΑ ΚΑΙ Η ΒΡΟΧΗ (TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA / EVEN THE RAIN), 2010

Η πλοκή: Ένας σκηνοθέτης και το πλήρωμά του γυρίσουν μια αμφιλεγόμενη ταινία για τον Χριστόφορο Κολόμβο στη Βολιβία, την ίδια στιγμή που οι ντόπιοι ιθαγενείς ξεσηκώνονται ενάντια στην ιδιωτικοποίηση της ύδρευσης τους. Η παραγωγή τη ταινίας αντιμετωπίζει ολοένα και περισσότερα προβλήματα όσο οι ταραχές κλιμακώνονται, τα οποία προκαλούν ένταση ανάμεσα τους και τους οδηγούν σε μια ηθική κρίση.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί…  Με σενάριο του Paul Laverty (τακτικός συνεργάτης του Ken Loach) και την επιδέξια σκηνοθεσία της Ισιάρ Μπολαΐν (γνωστή Ισπανίδα ηθοποιός), η ταινία παρουσιάζει ένα κοινωνικό και πολιτικό γεγονός που έλαβε χώρα στη Βολιβία το 2000, γνωστό ως τον “Πόλεμο του νερού”. Με ένα εξαιρετικό καστ, που συμπεριλαμβάνει τους Λουίς Τοσάρ και Γκαέλ Γκαρσία Μπενράλ, το φιλμ κάνει τον παραλληλισμό της αντίστασης των ιθαγενών πριν από 500 χρόνια και σήμερα, και καταφέρνει όχι μόνο να μας διδάξει χωρίς δογματισμό και μεροληψία, αλλά και να μας συγκινεί και να μας ψυχαγωγεί.

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7. ΚΕΛΙ 211 (CELDA 211 / CELL 211), 2009

Η πλοκή:  Ο Χουάν παρουσιάζεται στη νέα του δουλειά ως σωφρονιστικός υπάλληλος μία ημέρα νωρίτερα, αφήνοντας στο σπίτι την έγκυο σύζυγό του. Όμως, κατά τη διάρκεια της επίσκεψης του στη ζώνη Υψηλής Ασφάλειας, ξεκινά μια εξέγερση και μένει παγιδευμένο μέσα στο κελί 211. Ο Χουάν πρέπει να προσποιηθεί ότι είναι ένας νέος κρατούμενος για να εγγυηθεί την ασφάλειά του, ενώ καταστρώσει ένα σχέδιο για να βγει εκτός φυλακής. Ωστόσο, η κατάσταση κλιμακώνεται και συμβαίνουν απροσδόκητες αλλαγές, τόσο εντός όσο και εκτός της φυλακής…

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Είναι ένα ωμό, αγωνιώδες, συναρπαστικό θρίλερ, με εκπληκτικό σενάριο και ανάπτυξη χαρακτήρων. Εξαιρετική η σκηνοθεσία του Ντάνιελ Μονσόν και κορυφαίες οι ερμηνείες των Λουίς Τοσάρ και Αλμπέρτο Αμάν. Είχε μεγάλη επιτυχία στην Ισπανία, πήρε 43 βραβεία (συμπεριλαμβανομένων 8 Βραβείων Goya) και 24 υποψηφιότητες.

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8. [REC], 2007

Η πλοκή: Μια ρεπόρτερ και ένας καμεραμάν παρακολουθούν τη νυχτερινή βάρδια του πυροσβεστικού σταθμού της Βαρκελώνης. Αφού λαμβάνουν μια κλήση από μια ηλικιωμένη κυρία παγιδευμένη στο διαμέρισμά της, οι δημοσιογράφοι και οι πυροσβέστες παραμένουν παγιδευμένοι μέσα στο κτίριο, και είναι μάρτυρες ενός ασύλληπτου εφιάλτη, ο οποίος καταγράφει το τηλεοπτικό συνεργείο.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Είναι μια πραγματικά τρομακτική ταινία, αλλά και μια σάτιρα των μέσων μαζικής ενημέρωσης. Θυμίσει λίγο το The Blair Witch project με το στιλ ντοκιμαντέρ που χρησιμοποιεί στις λήψεις, αλλά  είναι σαφώς πιο έξυπνο και πρωτότυπο, με διαρκή αγωνία και ανατρεπτικό τέλος. Με σκηνοθεσία των Χάουμε Μπαλαγκερό και Πάκο Πλάζα, η ταινία είχε τόσο μεγάλη επιτυχία, που την ακολούθησαν ένα αμερικανικό ριμέικ, το Quarantine και τρία sequels, οι [REC]2, [REC]3 και [REC]4.

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9. ΤΟ ΟΡΦΑΝΟΤΡΟΦΕΙΟ (EL ORFANATO / THE ORPHANAGE), 2007

Η πλοκή: Η Λόρα μετακομίζει με την οικογένειά της στο σπίτι όπου μεγάλωσε, το οποίο ήταν ένα ορφανοτροφείο. Μετά από λίγο καιρό, ο γιος της εξαφανίζεται και στη συνέχεια θεωρείται νεκρός. Η θλιμμένη Λόρα πιστεύει ότι ακούει πνεύματα, τα οποία ίσως προσπαθούν να την βοηθήσουν να βρει το αγόρι.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Είναι μια τρομακτική και ανατριχιαστική ταινία, αλλά και πολύ συγκινητική, με έξυπνο και ανατρεπτικό σενάριο. Εξαιρετική η ερμηνεία της Μπελέν Ρουέδα, άψογη η σκηνοθεσία του Χουάν Αντόνιο Μπαγιόνα. Ήταν μεγάλη επιτυχία και έλαβε πολλαπλά εθνικά και διεθνή βραβεία, μεταξύ των οποίων 7 Βραβεία Goya.

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10. Ο ΛΑΒΥΡΙΝΘΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΝΑ (EL LABERINTO DEL FAUNO / PAN’S LABERYNTH), 2006

Η πλοκή:  Το 1944 στην Ισπανία, μια νεαρή κοπέλα που λατρεύει τα παραμύθια μετακομίζει με τη μητέρα και τον πατριό της, έναν αρχηγό του ισπανικού στρατού. Καθώς το κορίτσι είναι μάρτυρας της σαδιστικής βίας του πατριού της, ανακαλύπτει τον Λαβύρινθο του Πάνα, έναν μαγικό κόσμο μυθικών όντων.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Θεωρείται μία από τις καλύτερες ταινίες του σύγχρονου ισπανικού κινηματογράφου, σκηνοθετημένη από τον ταλαντούχο Μεξικανό Γκιγιέρμο ντελ Τόρο. Έχει κερδίσει 99 βραβεία, συμπεριλαμβανομένων 3 Όσκαρ, και συνήθως συγκαταλέγεται ανάμεσα στις καλύτερες ταινίες όλων των εποχών, με Metascore 98! Και δικαιολογημένοι όλοι οι  διθύραμβοι! “Ο λαβύρινθος του Πάνα” είναι πράγματι ένα υπέροχο, μαγικό, σκοτεινό παραμύθι, ένα διαχρονικό αριστούργημα.

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11. Η ΘΑΛΑΣΣΑ ΜΕΣΑ ΜΟΥ (MAR ADENTRO / THE SEA INSIDE), 2004

Η πλοκή:  Η αληθινή ιστορία του πρώην ναυτικού και συγγραφέα Ραμόν Σαμπέδρο, ο οποίος ήταν τετραπληγικός για σχεδόν τριάντα χρόνια και διεκδίκησε νομικά το δικαίωμά του στην ευθανασία. Παρά την επιθυμία του να πεθάνει, ο Ραμόν δίδαξε σε όλους το νόημα και την αξία της ζωής.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Ο νεαρός σκηνοθέτης Αλεχάντρο Αμεναμπάρ είχε ήδη δείξει το ταλέντο του στις ταινίες Διδακτορική διατριβή, Άνοιξε τα μάτια και Οι άλλοι. Με την ταινία αυτή όμως, όχι μόνο απέδειξε ότι είναι ένας από τους καλύτερους Ισπανούς κινηματογραφιστές της γενιάς του (ο ίδιος ήταν σκηνοθέτης, έγραψε το σενάριο, ήταν παραγωγός και συνθέτης!) αλλά κατόρθωσε και να αντιμετωπίσει ένα πολύ ευαίσθητο θέμα με απόλυτη επιδεξιότητα και ευαισθησία. Εξαιρετικό και το καστ: Χαβιέ Μπαρδέμ, Μπελέν Ρουέδα, Λόλα Ντουένιας, το οποίο συμβάλλει να κάνει αυτή την ταινία ένα αξέχαστο κομψοτέχνημα. Η Mar adentro κέρδισε ένα Όσκαρ για την καλύτερη ξενόγλωσση ταινία, καθώς και πολλά άλλα βραβεία.

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12. ΜΙΛΑ ΤΗΣ (HABLE CON ELLA / TALK TO HER), 2002

Η πλοκή: Μετά από μια τυχαία συνάντηση σε ένα θέατρο, οι Μπενίγνο και ο Μάρκο ξανασυναντώνται στην ιδιωτική κλινική όπου εργάζεται ο Μπενίγνο. Η φίλη του Μάρκο είναι ταυρομάχος η οποία έχει τραυματιστεί και βρίσκεται σε κώμα. Ο Μπενίγνο φροντίζει και την Αλίσια, μια νεαρή φοιτήτρια μπαλέτου που βρίσκεται και αυτή σε κώμα. Και οι ζωές των τεσσάρων χαρακτήρων θα οδηγηθούν προς μια αναπάντεχη μοίρα.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Ο Πέδρο Αλμοδόβαρ είναι αναμφισβήτητα ο πιο γνωστός σκηνοθέτης του σύγχρονου ισπανικού σινεμά. Το ιδιαίτερο στιλ του, σαρκαστικό και πνευματώδες, καταφέρνει πάντοτε να εισχωρεί στην πιο σκοτεινή πλευρά της ανθρώπινης ψυχής. Η Μίλα της θεωρείται η καλύτερη του ταινία: είναι μια βαθιά, πολυεπίπεδη ταινία για την αγάπη, τη φιλία και την ανθρώπινη ύπαρξη. Έντονη, προκλητική και με πολύ τροφή για σκέψη … Πολυβραβευμένη παγκοσμίως, διακρίθηκε μεταξύ άλλων στα Όσκαρ, Χρυσές Σφαίρες, BAFTA και César.

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13. ΔΕΥΤΕΡΕΣ ΜΕ ΛΙΑΚΑΔΑ (LOS LUNES AL SOL / MONDAYS IN THE SUN), 2002

Η πλοκή: Μια μια παρέα απολυμένων εργατών στο Βίγκο της Γαλικίας συγκεντρώνονται κάθε βράδυ στο ίδιο μπαρ που άνοιξε ένας από τους πρώην εργάτες. Και όλοι μαζί αντιμετωπίζουν την αναμονή για ένα καλύτερο μέλλον…

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Ο σκηνοθέτης Φερνάντο Λεόν ντε Αρανόα καταγράφει με πολύ ρεαλισμό και ευαισθησία το συναίσθημα των ανέργων που δεν έχουν οικογένεια, περιουσία, ούτε προοπτικές, χωρίς να γίνει βαρετός ή να πέσει σε συναισθηματική παγίδα. Εκτός από την άψογη σκηνοθεσία, η ταινία έχει ένα πολύ έξυπνο σενάριο και εξαιρετικές ερμηνείες από δύο από τους καλύτερους ηθοποιός της Ισπανίας: ο Χαβιέρ Μπαρδέμ και ο Λουίς Τοσάρ.

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14. Η ΠΟΛΥΚΑΤΟΙΚΙΑ (LA COMUNIDAD / COMMON WEALTH), 2000

Η πλοκή: Μια μεσίτρια ανακαλύπτει τυχαία ένα θησαυρό κρυμμένο στο διαμέρισμα ενός νεκρού άνδρα. Είναι αποφασισμένη να δραπετεύσει με τα λεφτά, αλλά οι υπόλοιποι ενοικιαστές έχουν άλλα σχέδια…

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Ο Άλεξ ντε λα Ιγκλέσια είναι γνωστός για τις μαύρες κωμωδίες του: η ταινία του El día de la Bestia τον είχε ήδη κάνει διάσημο. Και αυτή η ταινία δεν αποτελεί εξαίρεση: πρόκειται για μια κατάμαυρη κωμωδία που αναδεικνύει τη σκοτεινότερη πλευρά της ανθρώπινης φύσης. Τι να τα κάνεις τα τέρατα, τα ζόμπι και τα κακά πνεύματα; Τίποτα δεν είναι πιο τρομακτικό από τον γείτονά μας! Ιδιαίτερο ισπανικό μαύρο χιούμορ, αξέχαστοι χαρακτήρες, κυρίως η ανεπανάληπτη Κάρμεν Μάουρα.

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15. EL BOLA, 2000

Η πλοκή: Ο El Bola (“Μπίλια”) είναι ένα 12χρονο αγόρι συναισθηματικά και φυσικά κακοποιημένο από τον πατέρα του. Η άφιξη ενός νέου αγοριού στο σχολείο του θα τον εκθέτει στην αληθινή έννοια της φιλίας και της οικογένειας.

Πήγαινε να τη δεις, γιατί… Πολυβραβευμένη ταινία πάνω στο θέμα της παιδικής κακοποίησης, παρουσιασμένο με μεγάλο ρεαλισμό, αλλά κρατώντας την βία στο ελάχιστο δυνατό. Εξαιρετικές και ρεαλιστικές οι ερμηνείες που αποφεύγουν την υπερβολή, άψογη η σκηνοθεσία του Ακέρο Μάνιας, ο οποίος κέρδισε 4 βραβεία Goya με αυτήν την ταινία, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της καλύτερης ταινίας και του καλύτερου νεοεμφανιζόμενου σκηνοθέτη.

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Συμφωνείτε με αυτή τη λίστα; Αναμένω τις προτάσεις σας για άλλες καλές ισπανικές ταινίες!

15 SPANISH FILMS YOU MUST SEE

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Spain has always had a reputation of good quality cinema. During its long story, it was the great filmmaker Luis Buñuel who first achieved universal recognition, when together with Salvador Dalí made the surrealistic Un Chien Andalou in 1928. However, due to the nation’s political isolation, Spain did not participate in the European cinema new waves, and remained mostly inconspicuous.

The “new cinema” of the ‘60s produced some great films, but only after Franco’s death in 1975, Spanish cinema gained renewed international recognition, led particularly by its “terrible child” Pedro Almodóvar. Since then, a whole generation of filmmakers has grown-up and kept producing interesting work, and many other talented, cine-literate artists have emerged.

For this list I picked 15 great Spanish films of the 21st century, which put in evidence the talent of Spain’s contemporary filmmakers; for the sake of variety I chose only one film per director. Enjoy them, and let me know which one is your favourite!

1. TODOS LOS SABEN (EVERYBODY KNOWS), 2018

The plot: A Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires returns to her hometown to assist to her sister’s wedding. Unexpected events, though, will upset the wedding and bring deeply buried family secrets to the surface.

Go see it, because… This is another great film by the Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who reunites this time an outstanding cast: Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Ricardo Darín, among others. Everybody Knows provides an emotional and thought-provoking journey into a small Spanish community, evokes several contemporary dilemmas, and leaves the morality of the story open to the viewer’s judgement.

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2. CONTRATIEMPO (THE INVISIBLE GUEST), 2016

The plot: A young businessman wakes up in a hotel room next to the body of his dead lover. He hires a prestigious lawyer to defend him, and over the course of one night, they work together to find out what happened.

Go see it, because… It is an awesome thriller with great acting and pacing, masterfully directed and exquisitely written by Catalán Oriol Paulo. Tense and suspenseful, it is certain the plot twist at the end will leave completely shocked!

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 3. TRUMAN, 2015

The plot: Julián, a theater actor, has had cancer for a year, and his only companion is his dog Truman. When he receives an unexpected visit from his friend Tomás who lives in Canada, the two men, together with Truman, will share emotional and surprising moments trying to cope with Julián’s complicated situation.

Go see it, because… Directed and written by Cesc Gay, with the adequate dose of honesty and realism, Truman is a moving, sweet and sour, well-acted comedy/drama about grief, friendship, love and family. Cámara and Darín are superb in their roles, providing effortless, emotional depth to their characters.

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4. 8 APELLIDOS VASCOS (SPANISH AFFAIR), 2014

The plot: Rafa is a Sevilian who has never left his native Andalucía, until he meets a Basque girl named Amaia and decides to follow her to the Basque Country. A series of misunderstandings forces Rafa to impersonate a full-blooded Basque with eight Basque surnames, getting more and more entangled in that character in order to please Amaia.

Go see it, because… Emilio Martínez Lázaro’s romantic comedy was a box-office phenomenon in Spain, becoming the highest-grossing Spanish film of all time! Besides its solid script and amusing characters, the film’s huge success is arguably due to the way it deals with the different stereotypes and preconceptions among the different Spanish regions, a subject always relevant to the country. People who are not familiar with Spanish local traditions, accent and politics may miss some of the gags, but everybody will enjoy most of the hilarious situations, and the beautiful scenery of País Vasco (Basque Country) and Andalucía (Andalusia).

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 5. LA ISLA MÍNIMA (MARSHLAND), 2014

The plot: In 1980, two Madrid homicide detectives are sent to the Guadalquivir Marshes in Spain’s ‘Deep South’ to investigate the disappearance of two teenage sisters during the town’s festivities. Both detectives must settle their ideological differences and bring the murderer to justice before more young women lose their lives.

Go see it, because… It is a hypnotic, multi-layered thriller, masterfully directed by the talented Alberto Rodríguez, with breathtaking photography and superb acting. A careful character-study, which also introduces some political undertones during a turbulent period of the Spanish history. The film received 10 Goya awards (Spain’s main national annual film awards), among many other prizes and nominations.

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6. TAMBIÉN LA LLUVIA (EVEN THE RAIN), 2010

The plot: As a director and his crew shoot a controversial film about Christopher Columbus in Bolivia, local natives rise up against the privatisation of their water supply. The production is beset by more and more problems and the riots escalate, raising the tension between the crew members and leading them to a moral crisis.

Go see it, because… Written by Paul Laverty (Ken Loach’s regular collaborator) and skilfully directed by Icíar Bollaín (who is also a well-known Spanish actress), the film examines a social and political event that took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia in the year 2000, known as the Water War. Featuring an excellent cast, which includes the Mexican actor Gabriel García Bernal, the film parallels indigenous resistance 500 years ago and nowadays, managing not only to teach us without dogmatism and bias, but also to be moving and entertaining.

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7. CELDA 211 (CELL 211), 2009

The plot: Juan Oliver reports to his new work as a prison officer one day earlier to make a good impression, leaving at home his pregnant wife Elena. During his tour of the prison though, a riot in the High Security zone begins, leaving him trapped inside Cell 211. Juan must then pretend to be another inmate in order to guarantee his own safety, while trying to draw a plan to get him out of the prison. The situation escalates though, and unexpected shifts occur, both within and outside the prison.

Go see it, because… It is a raw, enthralling thriller, with great plot and character development, and edge-of-the-seat suspense. Excellent direction by Daniel Monzón and top-notch acting add up to make Celda 211 a memorable film. It was an artistic and commercial success; it received 43 awards (including 8 Goya Awards) and 24 other nominations. 

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8. [REC], 2007

The plot: Late-night TV reporter Angela and her cameraman are following the night shift of Barcelona’s fire station. When they receive a call from an old lady trapped in her apartment, journalists and firemen remain confined inside the perilous building. A terrible nightmare ensues, which is thoroughly recorded by the TV crew.

Go see it because… It is a superb horror film, among the scariest I have seen lately, but also a dark satire of the mass media. It may remind us The Blair Witch project; nevertheless, it is quite fresh and original in its plot development and ending. Co-directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, the film was so successful that inspired an American remake, Quarantine and three sequels, [REC]2, [REC]3 and [REC]4.

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9. EL ORFANATO (THE ORPHANAGE), 2007

The plot: A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, which used to be an orphanage. Before long, her son disappears, and is later presumed dead. Grief-stricken Laura believes she hears spirits, who may be trying to help her find the boy.

Go see it, because… It is a scary, creepy, thrilling and suspenseful film, but also a moving and intelligent one, wonderfully acted by Belén Rueda and carefully directed by Juan Antonio Bayona. It was critically acclaimed and received multiple national and international awards, including 7 Premios Goya.

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10. EL LABERINTO DEL FAUNO (PAN’S LABYRINTH), 2006

The plot: In the falangist Spain of 1944, a young girl fascinated by fairy-tales is sent to live with her stepfather, a captain of the Spanish army. As the girl witnesses her stepfather’s sadistic brutality, she is drawn into Pan’s Labyrinth, a magical world of mythical beings.

Go see it, because… This is one of the most critically acclaimed films of Spain’s contemporary cinema, directed by Mexican-born Guillermo del Toro. It won 99 awards, including 3 Oscars; it is on IMDB’s best films of all time list (#129), with a Metascore of 98! Of course, all of them deserved: El laberinto del fauno is indeed a beautiful, magical, dark fairy tale, a brilliant and timeless masterpiece.

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11. MAR ADENTRO (THE SEA INSIDE), 2004

The plot: The true story of former sailor and writer Ramón Sampedro, who was quadriplegic for almost thirty years and fought in court in favor of euthanasia and his own right to die. Despite his wish to die, he taught everyone he encountered the meaning, value and preciousness of life.

Go see it, because…Young director Alejandro Amenábar had already displayed his talent before in the films Tesis, Abre los ojos (Open your eyes) and The Others. With this movie, though, not only he established himself as one of the best Spanish directors of his generation – he also wrote, edited and scored the film – but also managed to tackle an extremely delicate subject with utmost dexterity and sensibility. Not to mention the exceptional cast –Javier Bardem, Belén Rueda, Lola Dueñas-  which adds up to make this film a beautiful and unforgettable piece of art. Mar adentro won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, as well as many other national and international awards.

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12. HABLE CON ELLA (TALK TO HER), 2002

The plot: After a chance encounter at a theater, Benigno and Marco meet at the private clinic where Benigno works. Marco’s girlfriend is a bullfighter who has been gored and is in a coma. Benigno is looking after Alicia, a young ballet student who is also in a coma. The lives of the four characters will intertwine, dragging them towards an unsuspected destiny.

Go see, it because… Pedro Almodóvar is arguably Spain’s most iconic filmmaker; his particular style, although irreverent, sarcastic and witty, always manages to dig deeply into the human soul. Hable con Ella is regarded as Almodovar’s greatest film: it is a very profound and multi-layered film about love, friendship and existence. Brilliant, disturbing and thought-provoking… Hable con ella was internationally acclaimed, obtaining many international awards such as Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Cesar, among others.

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13. LOS LUNES AL SOL (MONDAYS IN THE SUN), 2002

The plot: A group of men left jobless by the closure of the shipyards in Vigo, Galicia bide their time together in the local pub, opened and run by one of their former coworkers. The group is held together by the affable Santa, who is the de facto leader and sometimes father-confessor. 

Go see, it because… Director Fernando León de Aranoa deserves credits for capturing the feeling of the unemployed with no family, possession or future in such a poignant and realistic manner, without becoming dull or boring. Besides its impeccable direction, the film delivers a really intelligent – and relevant – script, and outstanding acting by two among Spain’s best: Javier Bardem and Luis Tosar.

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14. LA COMUNIDAD (COMMON WEALTH), 2000

The plot: A real state agent accidentally discovers a treasure hidden in the apartment of a deceased man. She is determined to escape with the loot, but the rest of the building’s tenants think otherwise…

Go see, it because… Alex De La Iglesia is well known for his dark comedies – his 1995 El día de la Bestia (The day of the Beast) catapulted him into fame – and this film is no exception: it is a terrific dark tale that brings out the darkest side of human nature. No need to show devils, zombies, or evil spirits: nothing is scariest than the guy next door! The film is creepy, suspenseful and crazily funny; the characters – led by the great Carmen Maura- are all memorable.

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15. EL BOLA, 2000

The plot: El Bola (“the Pellet”) is a 12-year-old boy emotionally and physically damaged by the constant abuse of his father. The arrival of a new boy at school exposes him to the true meaning of friendship and family.

Go see, it because… The film deals with a very relevant issue, that of child beating, which is displayed with great realism – although keeping violence to a strict minimum, pertinent to the story-telling – and deep characters, who avoid exaggerating the crude and difficult situations enacted. Remarkable cast, excellent direction by Achero Mañas, who won 4 Goya awards with this film, including best film and best new director.

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Do you agree with this list? Let me know of other, great Spanish Films!

100 ESSENTIAL BRAZILIAN SONGS YOU MUST HEAR Part 2: The 1930s, 40s & 50s

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In my previous post I presented an overview of Brazil’s music history and styles. This article will focus on the music of the first half of the twentieth century.

During this period, Brazil’s Teatro de Revista became a very popular genre, inspired by European operetta. It reached its peak in the 30s and revealed talents like Carmen Miranda, Wilza Carla, Dercy Gonçalves and Elvira Pagan, who had immense success.

Also in the late 1930s, the so-called Radio Era began in Brazil. As the process of recording discs was still primitive with poor quality results, the radio became the preferred circulation channel for new productions. This communication medium played an important role on the diffusion of popular music until well into the 1950s, but it quickly lost space when television became popular. Some performers that conquered the national audience were Dolores Duran, Dalva de Oliveira, Cauby Peixoto, Nora Ney, Emilinha Borba, Marlene, Vicente Celestino and Ângela Maria.

During this period the popularity of samba intensifies, and by the end of the 50’s bossa nova starts making its appearance.

These are 10 representative songs of the 30s – 40s – 50s:


1) Francisco Alves – “Aquarela do Brasil” (1939) 

Known in the English-speaking world simply as “Brazil“, it’s one of the most famous Brazilian songs, written by Ary Barroso. With this song, he created the genre known as samba exaltation for speaking of Brazil’s great qualities. “Aquarela do Brasil” became successful after being included in Walt Disney’s animated film Saludos Amigos. Since then, it has been recorded numerous times throughout the years, and was featured prominently in Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film Brazil.

After “Garota de Ipanema”, it is the most recorded Brazilian song in the four corners of the planet. This wonderful original version was performed by Francisco Alves; other great covers are those by Elis Regina and João Gilberto.

 

2) Dorival Caymmi – “O Mar” (1940) 

No other composer of Brazilian music portrayed the sea as well as Dorival Caymmi. Among all his songs this one is certainly one of the greatest classics and has been recorded in other languages by interpreters from all over the world. The vastness of the sea of his native Bahia was Caymmi’s greatest inspiration for this song.

 

3) Carmen Miranda – “Tico-Tico No Fubá” (1947)

Although first presented in 1917, it reached the peak of popularity in the 40s. One of its most successful versions is the one by Ademilde Fonseca in 1942. This is one of the songs that contributed to the internationalization of Brazilian music, mostly since it featured in several American films, such as Copacabana (1947), in which it was eternalized by the iconic fruit-basket head-dressed Carmen Miranda.

 

4) Luiz Gonzaga – “Asa Branca” (1947)

Written by Luiz Gonzaga and Humberto Teixeira, asa branca (“white wing”) refers to a bird of the parched sertão (the semi-arid region in Northeastern Brazil ). The picazuro pigeon symbolizes peace, longing and exile. But the evocative lyrics of the song speak of the difficult conditions of sertanejo’s life. The bird flaps wings to find a better life and the protagonist of the song does the same. But he promises to his love that someday he will return, when the rain falls again. There are more than 300 versions of this song, but no interpretation beats the one by Gonzaga.

 

5) Waldir Azevedo – “Brasileirinho” (1947)

Waldir Azevedo is one of the most famous cavaquinho players of Brazil. This song, representative of the choro genre, would become a reference for all the instrumentalists of Brazil and was a huge success from the moment it was released.

 

6) Noel Rosa – “Conversa de Botequim ” (1950)

Launched in 1935, this samba perpetuates one of the lightest and most relaxed lyrics of that time. It was written, however, in a tense time – marked by the 1930 Revolution in Brazil and by the crack of the New York Stock Exchange. The most acclaimed versions are by Aracy de Almeida, Chico Buarque and by Noel himself, one of its authors.

 

7) João Gilberto – “Chega de Saudade ” (1958)

This song is often considered to be the first recorded bossa nova song. The music was composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim and the lyrics were written by Vinícius de Moraes. João Gilberto‘s version is the most famous, although the original one was recorded one year later.

The title can be translated roughly as “enough longing,” though the Portuguese word saudade carries a far more complex meaning. The word implies an intensity of heartfelt connection that is yearned for passionately. Chega means no more, enough.

 

8) João Gilberto – “Desafinado” (1958)

There are countless recordings of this classic bossa nova song, but this one arguably surpasses all the others. Composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim, it was released in João Gilberto‘s seminal album Chega de Saudade. Its strange melody, its deliberate debauchery and the incomparable guitar sound had never been heard before. Although  Brazil had already exported some songs before this one, nothing compared to the impact that “Desafinado” had when it was recorded in 1962 by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd for the album Jazz Samba. It was the music that definitively put bossa nova in the international scene and took Brazilian music to an era of modernity.

“Desafinado” means “out of tune” and was a response to critics who claimed that bossa nova was a new genre for singers who can’t sing.

 

9) Dolores Duran – “A Noite do Meu Bem” (1959)

This samba-canção is the most famous song of carioca Dolores Duran and the one that best defines her particular style. A successful singer in a country that, at that time, had no tradition of women composers, Dolores gained more popularity after her death at age 29, one month after releasing this song.

 

10) Luiz Bonfá – “Manhã De Carnaval ” (1959)

The most notorious composition of carioca violinist Luis Bonfá was used in the soundtrack of the film Orfeu do Carnaval (Black Orpheus) directed by Marcel Camus. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1960,  after which this beautiful song conquered the entire world.

 

See also:

100 ESSENTIAL BRAZILIAN SONGS YOU MUST HEAR Part 1: Overview

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Music is one of the most powerful cultural expressions of a nation, a sort of thermometer which reflects the history and mood of the people at a certain time, whether they feel happy, troubled, or oppressed.

And this is certainly true for Brazil: throughout the years music has been drawing the face of the country, mirroring Brazilians’ joy, uncertainties and longings…

Whoever has been in Brazil has most likely realized that music is deeply rooted into Brazilians’ DNA. Music is everywhere, accompanying every single mundane activity: Brazilians have fun with music, travel with music, prepare feijoada with music. And they dance… When I first visited Brazil I was amazed to see that just by hearing samba in the street, everybody -kids and grown-ups alike- would start dancing, as something natural, without inhibitions of any kind…

I love Brazil, its beautiful nature, its people, culture and music… Thus, I decided to pay a tribute to Brazil’s music by choosing 100 among the most representative songs of all times… I believe that after listening to all these songs you will realize -like I did- how timeless Brazil’s music is…

This introductory post will help you understand Brazilian music history and styles. More posts will follow presenting 100 iconic Brazilian songs in chronological order.

I hope you enjoy it!

Música do Brasil – Overview

Brazilian music originated from the fusion of indigenous, European and African elements, the latter brought mainly by Portuguese colonizers and the African slaves.

Until the 19th century, Portugal (and Europe for that matter) is the main gateway to most rhythms that would built Brazilian music, both erudite and popular. With the passage of time, African melodic and rhythmic elements begin to exert increasing influence on popular music, which would thus acquire the characteristic Brazilian sound that consolidates in the twentieth century, mainly through the diffusion of the genres lundu, frevo, choro and samba (see below). The indigenous practically left no trace in mainstream music, except in some regional folkloric genres.

In the twentieth century there is an extraordinary flowering of Brazil’s music. It is the period when national music gains autonomy and identity, although it never ceases – rather increases – the blend with new foreign rhythms. The fundamental work of Heitor Villa Lobos is the first great landmark of erudite Brazilian music, later developed by many other composers. During the same period, popular music gains the respect of elites and consolidates genres that would become trademarks of Brazil, such as samba and bossa nova. Regional folk genres such as musica sertaneja, baião and forró also gain popularity and are heard throughout the entire country.

Brazilian music styles


We all know samba and bossa nova, but Brazilian music is extremely rich and diverse. This is a brief summary of Brazil’s most important music genres:

The First Music Styles

These were some of the first styles that appeared in Brazil:

  • Lundu: brought by African slaves, it is one of the genres that would later compose samba.
  • Frevo: included on UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage, it is the traditional music of Pernambuco’s Carnival. Its trademark is the colorful umbrellas, which would “hide” the forbidden at that time capoeira (Afro-Brazilian martial art and dancing).
  • Choro: (means “cry”) a music gender originated in Rio de Janeiro. It is considered the first characteristic rhythm of Brazilian popular music, and is still very popular nowadays. In spite of its name, it usually has a fast, happy rhythm. Representative artists: Waldir Acevedo, Dominguinhos, Joaquim Callado, Pixinguinha and Luis Gonzaga (the later represents a regional form of choro called baiāo).
  • Maxixe: it is a mix of lundu with Argentinian tango, Cuban habanera and polca. It was considered so scandalous that caught international attention and travelled to Europe, together with tango. Maxixe contributed, together with lundu, to the origins of samba.

Contemporary Brazilian Music

These musical styles are Brazil’s trademark and are all listened nowadays.

Sertanejo

A music style that originated in Brazil’s countryside in the 1920s. It is the most popular music genre in Brazil, particularly throughout the southern/ southeastern and center/ western countryside. Sertanejo has seen a revival in the 90’s, regularly topping Brazilian music charts and earning a specific category at the Latin Grammy Awards. Representative artists: Sergio Reis, Chitãozinho & Xororó and Michel Teló.

Forró

When in 1945 the northeast musician Luiz Gonzaga recorded Dança Mariquinha, the genre  forró was launched – a rhythm and type of dance typical of the Northeast of Brazil. Given the vagueness of the term, there is no consensus on the definition of forró as a musical style, the name being usually used as a generalization of various musical rhythms of Northeast region.  Famous artists include Luiz Gonzaga, Wesley Safadão, and Solange Almeida.

Samba 

The year 1916 is considered the official birth of samba, a mix of maxixe with Bahia folklore rhythms. Samba rapidly spread throughout Brazil dominating not only its iconic carnival, but also the whole world. Samba is the most famous Brazilian musical style, and has many other sub genres:

  • Samba-canção: Appears in the 1920s, with slow rhythms and sentimental lyrics. Example: Ai Ioiô by Luís Peixoto.
  • Carnival Samba: composed by samba marches – known as marchinhas – and made to be danced and sung in carnival events. Examples: Abre alas, Cabeleira do Zezé, among others.
  • Samba-exaltação: With patriotic lyrics highlighting the wonders of Brazil, with orchestral accompaniment. Example: Aquarela do Brasil (see here).
  • Samba de breque: (literally brake samba) This style has moments of quick stops, where the singer includes comments, usually with critical or humorous tone. One of the masters of this style is Moreira da Silva.
  • Samba de gafieira: It was created in 1940 and has orchestral accompaniment. Fast and strong in the instrumental part, it is widely used in ballroom dancing. K-Ximbinho is a famous artist of this genre.
  • Sambalanço: Emerging in the 50s in nightclubs in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, it received a strong influence from jazz. One of the most significant representatives of Sambalanço is Jorge Ben Jor, which mixes elements of other genres too. This style would set the grounds for bossa nova.
  • Pagode: Born in Rio de Janeiro in the 70s, it has a repetitive rhythm and uses percussion instruments and electronic sounds. It spread rapidly throughout Brazil and conquered radios and dance floors in the next decade thanks to its simple and romantic lyrics. Representative artists are Fundo de Quintal, Negritude Jr., Só para contrariar, Raça Negra and Zeca Pagodinho.

Bossa Nova

Bossa nova is a Brazilian popular music movement of the late 50s initiated by João Gilberto, Tom Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes and other young singers and/or songwriters from Rio de Janeiro. The style was derived from samba, with a strong jazz influence. Initially, the term bossa nova (“new wave”) was used only to describe a new way of singing and playing samba.

The ground zero of bossa nova is the song Chega de Saudade (see here). Bossa nova gave a more sophisticated touch to the samba genre; over the years, it would become one of the most influential movements in the history of Brazilian music, and the song Girl from Ipanema would be its anthem.

This style went through many transformations that resulted in a new generation of composers; new artists appeared in the music scenario who were collectively named Sons of bossa nova. Artists such as Geraldo Vandré and Chico Buarque are among the Sons of bossa nova, although their style has little or nothing to do with bossa nova (see MPB).

Tropicália

Originated by the end of the 60s after bossa nova, Tropicália was the next musical movement and came at a time when Brazil was undergoing political upheaval due to a strict military dictatorship. The rebellious lyrics of Tropicalia songs bothered the government, who decided to exile the most influential Tropicália artists, such as Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.

Música Popular Brasileira (MPB)

Appreciated mainly by Brazil’s urban middle classes, Brazilian popular music – known as MPB – emerged in the 1960s with the Sons of Bossa Nova. MPB was the merge of two previously divergent musical movements: bossa nova (representing musical sophistication) and folk music (which defended Brazil’s music roots). As a result of the 1964 dictatorship, the two movements became a broad cultural front against the military regime; this new genre presented at first a distinct nationalistic profile, but with time it comprised more diverse trends of Brazilian music.

MPB also includes other mixtures of rhythms such as samba and rock – giving rise to a new style known as samba-rock – or pop and samba, with famous artists like Gilberto Gil and Chico Buarque. By the end of the 1990s the mixture of Latin music together with reggae and samba gave space to a new genre known as samba-reggae.

Even though extensive, MPB should not be confused as comprising all music of Brazil; it is rather a specific music style.

Funk Carioca

Originated in the 80s in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, the lyrics ususally describe favela life. In the 2000’s this genre would invade nightclubs, becoming a fashionable style across the country.

Although extremely successful, this genre is the target of strong criticism as performers use obscene and vulgar language, many times inciting to violence and drug consumption. See here for some of the most known funk artists.

Axé Music

Axé emerged in Bahia in the 80s during the Carnival of Salvador. It mixes frevo rhythms, reggae, merengue, forró, maracatu and other african-latino rhythms. The song Fricote by Luiz Caldas, is usually regarded as the starting point of this style.

The word “axé” is a religious greeting which means positive energy, used in Candomblé and Umbanda – religions with African origins which are commonly practiced in Bahia. It quickly spread throughout the country and still enjoyes great commercial success; its biggest names are Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo, Claudia Leitte, Timbalada, among others.

 

References

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Música_do_Brasil (in Portuguese)

https://web.archive.org/web/20091101115615/http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/begining-of-samba-brazil-music-origins-of

http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/brazilian-music-styles

https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/brazil/articles/10-traditional-brazilian-music-genres-you-need-to-know-about/

http://www.greatbrazilianlmusic.com/genres.htm

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100 ΕΜΒΛΗΜΑΤΙΚΑ ΓΑΛΛΙΚΑ ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙΑ ΠΟΥ ΠΡΕΠΕΙ ΝΑ ΑΚΟΥΣΕΙΣ – Μέρος 5: Η δεκαετία του ’90

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Η γαλλική μουσική σκηνή της δεκαετίας του ’90 βλέπει τους καθιερωμένους μουσικούς των ’70 και ’80 να κατέχουν ακόμη εξέχουσα θέση. Αλλά παράλληλα, ένα νέο μουσικό κίνημα αναπτύσσεται: η λεγόμενη “Nouvelle chanson”, μια επιστροφή δηλαδή στις μελωδίες και την ποίηση καλλιτεχνών όπως ο Brel, ο Brassens … Οι καλλιτέχνες αυτού του “νέου γαλλικού τραγουδιού” θα βρουν ένα ευρύ κοινό και θα φέρουν το chanson française ξανά στα καλύτερά του.

Η αναβίωση της γαλλικής μουσικής της δεκαετίας του ’90 βασίζεται επίσης στην εμφάνιση ενός νέου ροκ κινήματος. Νέα συγκροτήματα, με επιρροές γαλλικές και αγγλοσαξονικές, γεμίσουν τις αίθουσες συναυλιών και φτάνουν στην κορυφή των charts.

Και φυσικά η Γαλλία δεν μένει ανέγγιχτη από το παγκόσμιο φαινόμενο του hip-hop: το γαλλικό hip hop γίνεται σταδιακά mainstream. Το ίδιο γίνεται και με άλλες ξένες τάσεις όπως η ηλεκτρονική, η dance και η house μουσική.

Αυτά είναι μερικά από τα πιο αντιπροσωπευτικά τραγούδια της δεκαετίας του ’90:

69) Niagara – “Pendant Que Les Champs Brûlent” (1990)

Tο duo Niagara ήταν δημοφιλές στις δεκαετίες του ’80 και ’90, και πολλά του singles κατάφεραν να φτάσουν στα Top 50 των charts. Μάλιστα, τα τέσσερα στούντιο άλμπουμ που κυκλοφόρησαν έγιναν χρυσά. Αρχικά με new wave και synthpop στιλ, εξελίσσονται αργότερα σε πιο ροκ, με ένα στιλ που θυμίζει τους Eurythmics. Αυτό το όμορφο τραγούδι ανήκει στο τρίτο τους άλμπουμ, Religion.

 

 70) Mylène Farmer – “Désenchantée” (1991)

Η Μυλέν Φαρμέρ είναι αναμφισβήτητα η μεγαλύτερη σύγχρονη ποπ σταρ της Ευρώπης. Και όχι άδικα: είναι ο Γάλλος καλλιτέχνης που έχει πουλήσει τους περισσότερους δίσκους από το 1984, κατέχει ρεκόρ διαμαντένιων άλμπουμ, έγινε ο καλλιτέχνης με τα περισσότερα singles στα Top 50, μεταξύ άλλων εντυπωσιακών κατορθωμάτων.

Αμφιλεγόμενη, αινιγματική, η Farmer σπάνια εμφανίζεται δημοσίως και αρνείται κατηγορηματικά να μιλάει για την προσωπική της ζωή. Είναι γνωστή για τους βαθυστόχαστους στίχους των τραγουδιών της (συχνά με double entendre και λογοτεχνικές αναφορές) και για τις θεαματικές συναυλίες. Αυτό το τραγούδι (ο τίτλος σημαίνει “Απογοητευμένη”) είναι ένα από τα πιο εμβληματικά της. Αν και η ίδια δήλωσε πως μιλάει για τα συναισθήματά της εκείνη την εποχή, πολλοί πιστεύουν πως αναφέρεται στην πολιτική κατάσταση της Γαλλίας στη δεκαετία του ’90.

 

 71) William Sheller – “Un homme heureux” (1991)

Ο William Sheller ηχογράφησε “Ένας ευτυχισμένος άνθρωπος” live και το κυκλοφόρησε σε ένα single, το οποίο έγινε μεγάλη επιτυχία. Παρέμεινε στο Top 50 για 16 εβδομάδες και κέρδισε το βραβείο “Τραγούδι της Χρονιάς” στο Victoires de la Musique του 1992.

 

72) Mc Solaar – “Bouge de là” (1991)

Ο Mc Solaar είναι ένας από τους πιο δημοφιλείς Γάλλους καλλιτέχνες του χιπ χοπ. Οι σύνθετοι στίχοι των τραγουδιών του  βασίζονται στα λογοπαίγνια, στη λυρικότητα και στην ποιητική πνοή. Το τραγούδι αυτό (στα ελληνικά “Φύγε από εδώ”),  ήταν μία από τις πρώτες επιτυχίες του κίνημα hip hop στη Γαλλία. Άλλα διάσημα τραγούδια του Mc Solaar είναι Hasta la vista και La belle et le bad boy, το οποίο ακούστηκε στο τελευταίο επεισόδιο της αμερικάνικης σειράς Sex and the city.

 

73) IAM – “Je danse le Mia” (1993)

Το συγκρότημα ραπ IAM από τη Μασσαλία ερμηνεύει αυτό το τραγούδι, του οποίου οι στίχοι αναφέρονται, με ειρωνικό τρόπο, στην νυχτερινή ζωή της Μασσαλίας στην δεκαετία του ’80.  Έγινε μεγάλο hit στη Γαλλία, και είναι το πιο γνωστό τραγούδι της μπάντας. Χρησιμοποιεί ένα sample από το “Give me the night” του George Benson.

 

74) Les Négresses Vertes  – “Face à la mer” (Massive Attack Remix) (1993)

Les Négresses Vertes είναι ένα από τα πιο αντιπροσωπευτικά συγκροτήματα του Γαλλικού εναλλακτικού ροκ. Το στιλ τους όμως ήταν μοναδικό, επειδή κατάφεραν να αναμιγνύουν, με μοναδικό τρόπο, στοιχεία world και electronic music. Δυναμικοί και εξωτικοί, το έργο τους αναγνωρίστηκε ευρέως από τους κριτικούς και το κοινό. Και η αυτή η καταξίωση τους οδήγησε σε αρκετές διεθνείς συνεργασίες, όπως αυτό το τραγούδι τους, “ρεμιξαρισμένο” από τους Massive Attack.

 

75) Alain Souchon – “Foule sentimentale” (1993)

Ο πολυβραβευμένος Alain Souchon καταγγέλλει σε αυτό το ισχυρό τραγούδι (ο τίτλος σημαίνει “Συναισθηματικό πλήθος”) την ματαιότητα της καταναλωτικής μας κοινωνίας: “μας προκαλούν επιθυμίες που μας αγχώνουν” και “μας κάνουν να πιστέψουμε / ότι η ευτυχία είναι / τα ντουλάπια μας γεμάτα με υλικά αγαθά…”

Αυτό το τραγούδι είναι αναμφισβήτητα η μεγαλύτερη του επιτυχία, τι οποίο έλαβε το βραβείο “τραγούδι της χρονιάς” στο Victoires de la Musique του έτους 1994, καθώς και το βραβείο “Victoires des Victoires” για το καλύτερο πρωτότυπο τραγούδι των τελευταίων είκοσι χρόνων, το 2005.

 

76) Lara Fabian – “Je suis malade” (1994)

Αυτό το πανέμορφο και διαχρονικό τραγούδι (ο τίτλος σημαίνει “Είμαι άρρωστος”) το έγραψε ο Serge Lama, και το έκανε διάσημο η Δαλιδά, αλλά πιστεύω πως αυτή η βερσιόν της βελγο-καναδέζα Lara Fabian είναι απλά εκπληκτική.

 

77) Pascal Obispo – “Lucie” (1996)

Ο Pascal Obispo υπήρξε ένα από τα κεντρικά πρόσωπα της γαλλικής μουσικής από τις αρχές της δεκαετίας του ’90, ο οποίος έγινε γνωστός όχι μόνο για το ταλέντο του, αλλά και για το φιλανθρωπικό του έργο και την αντισυμβατική του προσωπικότητα. Αυτό το τραγούδι μιλάει για την παιδική ηλικία, το πέρασμα του χρόνου και τη ζωή.

 

78) Khaled – “Aïcha” (1996)

Αυτό το κομμάτι το έγραψε ο Jean-Jacques Goldman, αλλά το ερμηνεύει ο Αλγερινός καλλιτέχνης του raï Khaled. “Aïcha” είναι ένα αραβικό γυναικείο όνομα. Στο τραγούδι ένας άνδρας της προσφέρει διάφορα υλικά αγαθά, αλλά η Αΐσα “δεν θέλει τίποτα, μόνο αγάπη”. Ήταν μια τεράστια επιτυχία, και έγινε ένα από τα singles με τις περισσότερες πωλήσεις της δεκαετίας του ’90 στη Γαλλία.

 

79) Patrick Fiori, Daniel Lavoie & Garou – “Belle” (1997)

Το τραγούδι αυτό ανήκει στο μιούζικαλ Notre Dame de Paris. Ήταν μια τεράστια επιτυχία στη Γαλλία, μάλιστα έγινε το single με τις περισσότερες πωλήσεις της δεκαετίας του ’90 (κατάφερε να ξεπεράσει ακόμη και το super παγκόσμιο hit “Candle in the wind”), αλλά και το τρίτο best-seller single όλων των εποχών στη Γαλλία.

 

80) Larusso – “Tu m’oublieras” (1998)

Ο τίτλος του τραγουδιού σημαίνει “Θα με ξεχάσεις”, και μάλλον πολλοί θα έχουν ξεχάσει την Larusso. Εκείνη τη εποχή όμως, έγινε πολύ μεγάλο σουξέ, φτάνοντας στην κορυφή των δέκα singles με τις καλύτερες πώλησης της δεκαετίας του ’90. Ακόμα και σήμερα όταν το ακούς σε ξεσηκώνει!

 

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100 ESSENTIAL FRENCH SONGS YOU MUST HEAR Part 7: 2010-2016

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This fascinating trip through French music is over! We arrived to the present time!

It’s amazing to see how French music has changed throughout the years! Having the whole picture in front of my eyes while preparing this series of posts, it really got me thinking on how France’s music scene evolution is, unfortunately, a sign of the times.

From the 1930s till the 60s, France was the absolute trend-setter. French songs were heard worldwide, many times translated into other languages, including English. During the 70s, Anglo-saxons’s influence on France’s music style becomes slowly evident. We start witnessing the decay of la République Française as a music model; nevertheless, many great songs of this period have remained as all-time classics.

From the 80s, globalization becomes omnipresent, and music is not an exception: more and more English music is being heard in France; the 90s widespread availability of the Internet certainly magnifies this phenomenon. In order to preserve the French language and protect it against the “Anglo-Saxon cultural invasion”, the French government takes a decision: the controversial Toubon law is issued. Effective 1/1/1996, this law forces radio stations to broadcast at least 40% of songs in French. But there is a problem: French radio stations believe that, after 20 years of being applied, this 40% quota has become unsustainable. They denounce a lack of quality of contemporary French music, as well the reduction in the number of artists performing in French. As they point out: “Only 242 francophone albums were released in 2014, against 718 in 2003, representing a 66,3% drop in the production of French music in a little over ten years”.

Why this alarming drop-off in Francophone music? Are French artists lacking creativity? The answer is: not at all! They are performing in English!! With the boom in electro pop and house music, a trademark of the 2010s, mainstream artists such as David Guetta, Daft Punk, Bob Sinclar, as well  as other remarkable, less-known bands such as The Avener,  Synapson, Christine and the Queens, are now singing in English in order to attract a more international audience.

The future of French music doesn’t look bright: recently, as a result of the pressure exerted by the radio stations, the 40% French music quota was reduced to 35%. This is sad! French music should not disappear! This would be a huge loss, not only for France, but for the whole world…

But there is some hope: outstanding Francophone artists, either because of their commercial success, or due to the quality of their work, still insist on being “a cultural exception”. So, let’s all support French music!! Check out this list, go ahead and Frenchify your playlist!

91) Zaz – “Je veux” (2010)

With her gypsy jazzy style and her sultry voice,  Zaz  managed to have not only France, but all Europe singing the addictive “Je veux”. The album went diamond-certified in France, while the song “Je veux” stayed at the top of most European charts for several weeks. After this massive hit, she became the most listened French singer abroad and, according to an Internet survey in France, the favorite French musician in 2010. Read more about Zaz here.

 

 92) Mika – “Elle me dit” (2011)

Yes, it’s the same Mika of “Relax, take it easy“. Actually, Mika is British-Lebanese, but he has also lived in France. This song (English: “She tells me”) is, according to himself:  “about all the horrific things a mother can say to her son to get him to f..k out of her house”. The video features a well-known ensemble of French actors, including the great Fanny Ardant. It was the most commercially successful francophone hit of 2011 in France.

 

 93) Camille – “Le banquet” (2011)

She may not be for everybody’s taste, but no one can deny she’s got a great talent -and an amazing voice. Quirky and original (though at times she may remind us of Bjork), Camille’s all four studio albums are definitely worth listening to. Almost unanimously acclaimed by the critics,  her single “Ta douleur” has been also a commercial success. She has collaborated with the band Nouvelle Vague, and composed songs for the soundrack of the films Ratatouille and Le petit prince. This song belongs to her last album Ilo veyou (anagram for “I love you”).

 

94) Maître Gims – “J’me tire” (2013)

Worshiped by some, snubbed by others, there is no doubt though that Maître Gims is a big thing in France. Already well-known as the leader of the notorious rap group Sexion d’Assault, in 2013 he went solo with the album “Subliminal”. Although the album got mixed reviews from critics, it was a huge commercial success, becoming double-diamond certified. In this song (English: “I withdraw myself”) he describes how he feels sick of fame sometimes, and that he would like to leave and go some place where people won’t judge him.

 

95) Stromae – “Papaoutai” (2013)

By 2010, when his first album was released, Belgian musician Stromae spread the word: “Life sucks, so let’s dance”. And he got all Europe on its feet, dancing his major hit Alors on dance. But with his 2013 album Racine Carrée, he clearly demonstrated what an accomplished artist he is. Besides the easy-listening, catchy melodies, all his songs deliver a strong social message, whether they talk about AIDS, cancer, relationships, or sexual clichés…The song Papaoutai (“Papa où t’ai/Papa where are you”) talks about absent fathers. It’s really worth watching the amazing music video, where a boy uses a mannequin to replace his absent father. Learn more about Stromae here.

 

96) Indila – “Dernière danse” (2014)

This song (English: “Last dance”) is the first single from Indila’s debut album, Mini World.  The beautiful music video is a short film that takes place in Paris, and describes the story of a young immigrant who is a victim of racism. Mini World would become diamond-certified in France; although the single Dernière danse never made it to the top of the chart (it reached the second place), it became a huge success in many other countries, such as Greece, Israel, Turkey, remaining several weeks at the top of the charts.

 

97) Louane – “Jour 1” (2015)

Louane Emera, or just Louane, was already well-known since 2013 for her participation in the talent show The Voice. However, she becomes a national star in 2014 with her role in the film La famille Bélier, for which she won a César Award for the Most Promising Actress. This song belongs to her first album, Room 12, which became the biggest selling album of the year 2015 in France (two-times diamond-certified).

 

98) Julien Doré – “Le lac” (2016)

Another star arising from a talent show, Julien Doré was the winner of Nouvelle Star in 2007. Since then, he has had a very successful career; his three previous studio albums have all reached the top four on the official French Albums Chart. Just now (October 2016) he released his fourth album, “&”, from which the single “Le lac” (The lake) became instantly the most downloaded single in the charts.

 

99) Céline Dion – “Encore un soir” (2016)

There is actually not much need for introduction: Céline Dion is, without any doubt, a true star. Although already known from the early 80s in her homeland Canada, further recognition came when Dion represented Switzerland in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, winning with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi”. Singing with great success both in French and English, by the mid-1990s she became one of the best-selling artists in the world, particularly after the super massive hit “My heart will go on”. After a 4-year break, she’s back! And with a great French album: “Encore un soir”(One More Night) has garnered positive reviews from music critics and topped the charts in France (where it went 4 times platinum), Quebec, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium.

 

100) Christophe Maé – “Il est où le bonheur” (2016)

Christophe Maé is considered a real phenomenon:  since the release of his first album in 2007, all his albums have topped the French charts. And his fifth album, L’Attrape-rêves, which just came out is no exception! In the video of this song (the title means “Where is happiness?”) the 40 year-old singer travels through time, becoming younger or older thanks to very successful visual effects. With his unique voice, he reminds us that we should not run after happiness because it is right in front of us, although but we do not always see it.

 

Don’t miss:

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100 ESSENTIAL FRENCH SONGS YOU MUST HEAR Part 6: The 2000s

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During the 2000s, France witnesses the revival of the chanson Française with the establishment of a generation of popular artists collectively called “New French scene” or “New chanson”; this trend had already began, timidly, during the 90s. In a decade where talent shows deliver rising -and falling- stars, this new generation focuses mostly on the engaged content of their lyrics, rather than performance, while they introduce the fusion with other musical influences, such as of pop, jazz and electronica.

Nevertheless, alongside with this strong new wave, genres such as pop, rock, dance and hip hop are omnipresent in the French musical stage of the 00s.

These are 10 emblematic songs of that decade:

81) Philippe d’Avilla, Damien Sargue & Grégori Baquet – “Les Rois du monde” (2000)

This song (French for “The kings of the world”) was written for the world-wide successful musical Roméo et Juliette. In France, the single was a massive hit, topping the charts for many months and becoming one of the top selling singles of the 2000s.

 

 82) Alizée – “Moi… Lolita” (2000)

Alizée, who became famous after her participation in a talent show, recorded “Moi…Lolita” when she was 15; the lyrics were written by Mylène Farmer. The song, which makes allusion to Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita character, achieved a huge success not only in France, but also abroad.

 

 83) Yannick – “Ces soirées-là” (2000)

Falling in the category “One hit wonder”, French rapper Yannick recorded this song (English: “Those nights”) which contains a sample of The Four Seasons’ “Oh what a night”. It was a tremendous success in France, becoming the third top-selling hit of the decade and one of the best selling hits of all time.

 

 84) Noir Désir – “Le vent nous portera” (2001)

Noir Désir is one of France’s most representative alternative rock bands. This beautiful song (English: “The wind will carry us”) is the band’s most successful piece, which was recorded in collaboration with French artist Manu Chao.

 

85) Indochine – “J’ai demandé à la lune” (2002)

Although formed in 1981 and critically acclaimed since them, this pop/rock/new wave band found its way to stardom with the release of their album Paradize in 2002. This song (“I asked the moon” in English), quickly became a national success, selling over a million units. Many interpretations have been given to its lyrics, which remain quite dark and mysterious.

 

86) Carla Bruni – “Quelqu’un m’a dit” (2002)

I have little doubt that you heard about Carla Bruni as the former First Lady of France. But many people don’t know she’s also a singer, and actually a good one! Quelqu’un m’a dit (“Someone told me”) was her debut album, which quickly reached number one on the French Album Chart, spending 34 weeks in the Top ten. This melancholic song, from which the album draws its name, speaks of the sadness of life: “They tell me that our lives are not worth very much, / They pass in an instant as roses wilt…”. It was included on the soundtrack of the wonderful film (500) Days of Summer.

 

87) Calogero & Passi – “Face à la mer” (2004)

This song (French: “Facing the Sea”) was recorded by Calogero together with rapper Passi. It achieved success in the countries in which it was released, becoming to date his most successful single on the charts. Another great song by Calogero is “Si seulement je pouvais lui manquer”.

 

88) Zazie – “Je suis un homme” (2007)

“Je suis un homme” (“I am a man”) is Zazie’s most successful solo single, being a top ten hit in France and Belgium. The insightful lyrics critizise human behavior regarding environmental issues and consumerism. Don’t miss the video: it’s artistic, stylish and thought-provoking.

 

89) Cœur de pirate – “Comme des enfants” (2008)

Canadian singer Cœur de pirate is credited with “bringing la chanson française to a whole new generation of Quebec youth”. This song (the title means “Like children”) from her first studio album Cœur de pirate won many awards, both in France and Canada. In 2014, an instrumental version of the song was used in an advertisement for Disneyland Paris.

 

90) Benjamin Biolay – “La Superbe” (2009)

Benjamin Biolay is regarded as one of the most gifted artists of his generation. With his double album “La Superbe” he managed to impress not only critics, but also the general public: it became a huge commercial success and won many awards. The album contains many great songs; I chose the eponymous La Superbe.

 

Don’t miss:

YouTube playlist here

 

100 ESSENTIAL FRENCH SONGS YOU MUST HEAR Part 5: The 1990s

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The French musical landscape of the 90s sees the established musicians of the 70s and 80s still holding a prominent place. But alongside then, a new musical movement develops: the so-called “Nouvelle chanson”, that is, a return to the melodies and poetry of artists such as Brel, Brassens… This new French song’s artists find a wide audience and bring the chanson française back to its best.

The revival of French music of the 90s is also based on the emergence of a new rock scene. New bands, with influences both French and Anglo-Saxon, fill concert halls and appear at the top of the charts.

The influence of american hip-hop is also evident in France: French hip hop slowly becomes mainstream, so does electronic, dance and house music.

These are some of the most representative songs of the 90s:

69) Niagara – “Pendant Que Les Champs Brûlent” (1990)

French duo Niagara achieved popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, placing several singles in the Top 50 chart; their four studio albums have been gold certified. Evolving from a new wave and synthpop style on their earlier albums to a more rock-oriented style on their later ones, they have been frequently compared to the UK duo Eurythmics. This beautiful song (the title means “While the fields burn”) belongs to their third album, Religion.

 

 70) Mylène Farmer – “Désenchantée” (1991)

Arguably Europe’s greatest modern pop star, holding a series of impressive records (French artist who sold most records since 1984, record of diamond-certified albums, artist with more singles in the Top 50, among others), Mylène Farmer is the absolute French diva.

Controversial, enigmatic, rarely appearing in the media, refusing to talk about her private life, she is well known for her meaningful songs (often with double entendre, with artistic or literary references) and her spectacular concerts. This is one of her signature songs (the title means “Disappointed”), which she declared had to do with her own feelings at that time, although many  find the song refers to the political situation of France in the 90s.

 

 71) William Sheller – “Un homme heureux” (1991)

“A happy man” was performed by William Sheller in front of a live audience. The song found success as a single, charting for sixteen weeks on the Top 50 in France and winning the Song of the Year award at the 1992 Victoires de la Musique.

 

72) Mc Solaar – “Bouge de là” (1991)

Mc Solaar is one of France’s most internationally popular and influential hip hop artists, known for his complex lyrics, which rely on word play, lyricism, and inquiry. The song title means “Get out of here”,  and was one of the first hip hop hits in France. Other famous songs of Mc Solaar are Hasta la vista and La belle et le bad boy, which featured in the last  episode of the series Sex and the city.

 

73) IAM – “Je danse le Mia” (1993)

Je Danse le Mia was recorded by Marseille rap group IAM. It evokes Marseille nightlife during the 80s; the lyrics are ironic and full of clichés. The song became a major hit in France, and it’s considered the band’s signature song. It uses a sample from “Give me the night” by George Benson.

 

74) Les Négresses Vertes  – “Face à la mer” (Massive Attack Remix) (1993)

Les Négresses Vertes is one of the most representative bands of French alternative rock. Their style was quite unique though, as they incorporated elements of world and electronic music in their songs. Energetic and exotic, their work was widely acclaimed by critics and the general public. Their recognition and commercial success led to several international collaborations; this is a remix of their song Face à la mer by Massive Attack.

 

75) Alain Souchon – “Foule sentimentale” (1993)

Multi-awarded Alain Souchon denounces in this powerful song (the title means “Sentimental flock”) the emptiness of our consumer society: “we are inflicted desires that afflict us” and “they make us believe / that happiness is having / our cabinets full of things…”

This song is undoubtedly his greatest success, which received a Victoires de la musique award for the song of the year 1994, and a “Victoires des Victoires” award for the best original song of the last twenty years in 2005.

 

76) Lara Fabian – “Je suis malade” (1994)

Belgian-Canadian singer, Lara Fabian is the best-selling Belgian female artist of all time, but also well-known internationally. This beautifully sad, timeless song (the title means “I am sick”) belongs to Serge Lama, and had also been performed by Dalida, but this version by Lara Fabian is just marvellous.

 

77) Pascal Obispo – “Lucie” (1996)

Pascal Obispo has been one of French music central figures since the early 90s, being well-known not only for his talent, but also for his continuous charity work and his unconventional personality. In this song he addresses subjects such as childhood, time passing, life and tells us that we must strive to live from day to day, without asking too many questions.

 

78) Khaled – “Aïcha” (1996)

This song was written by Jean-Jacques Goldman, but he never released it, being originally performed by Algerian, France-based, raï artist Khaled. The title refers to an Arabic female name. In the song she is being wooed by a man, who promises her luxury, but she wants “anything but love”. It was a huge success, becoming one of France’s best selling singles of the decade.

 

79) Patrick Fiori, Daniel Lavoie & Garou – “Belle” (1997)

This song belongs to the musical Notre Dame de Paris. It was a massive hit in France, becoming the best-selling single of the decade (managing to surpass even the super hit worldwide “Candle in the wind”), and the third  best-selling single of all time.

 

80) Larusso – “Tu m’oublieras” (1998)

The song title means “You will forget me”, and indeed many people may have forgotten Larusso. At that time though, it was a huge success, reaching the top ten best selling singles of the 90s. So uplifting, still nowadays!

 

Don’t miss:

YouTube playlist here

 

100 ESSENTIAL FRENCH SONGS YOU MUST HEAR Part 4: The 1980s

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Big hair, shoulder pads, easy listening rhythms and lots of synth: when we think about the 80s music, this is what it comes to our minds… France was not an exception to this trend: the musical stage of the 80s was dominated by pop music (called Variété in French). Nevertheless, some great rock bands made their appearance; musical styles such as punk, new wave and dance were also represented.

Check out this list with the boldest songs of the 80s:

55) Herbert Léonard, “Pour le plaisir” (1981)

“Pour le plaisir” (English “For the pleasure”) was performed by variété singer Herbert Léonard. The album quickly reaches  the number 1 in the charts, selling 2 million records.

 

 56) Jean-Jacques Goldman – “Comme Toi” (1983)

Grammy Award-winning Goldman is a hugely popular singer in the French-speaking world, and since 2003 he has been the second highest-grossing French living pop-rock singer, after Johnny Hallyday. Comme toi (“Like you”) is about Sarah, a jewish girl victim of the Holocaust (he is Jewish origin).

 

 57) Les Rita Mitsouko – “Marcia Baila” (1984)

With their unique blend of punk, new wave, dance and cabaret, Les Rita Mitsouko are considered one of the most representative bands of the 80s. The title song is in Spanish (“Marcia dance”) as is dedicated to Argentinian dancer Marcia Moretto, who was part of the band’s tours before her death from breast cancer at age 32. The song was a huge hit, remaining on the Top 50 chart for 29 weeks.

 

58) Étienne Daho – “Week-end à Rome” (1984)

Étienne Daho has released a number of synth-pop hits since the 80s; all his albums have been certified at least gold or platinum. Famous in French-speaking countries, Daho is best known in Britain for his appearance on Saint Etienne hit single “He’s on the Phone“, an English-adaptation of “Weekend à Rome”. Nouvelle Vague recorded a beautiful cover of this song together with Vanessa Paradis.

 

59) Renaud – “Mistral gagnant” (1985)

Singer and songwriter, with a unique ‘broken’ voice, Renaud is the author of several popular classic songs, although his work is almost unknown outside the French-speaking world. In this sentimental song, Renaud tells his daughter about his childhood, how time flies and that she will eventually grow up: “time is a murderer, that takes away children’s laughter, and the Mistral gagnants” (Mistral gagnant was a candy sold in the 50’s and 60’s).

 

60) Daniel Balavoine – “L’Aziza” (1985)

With his powerful voice and meaningful lyrics, Daniel Balavoine remains one of the greatest artists of the 80s, selling over 20 million records until his tragic death in 1986. “L’Aziza” means ‘My dear’ in Arabic; it is the singer’s tribute to his Jewish Moroccan wife, and a statement against racism. In France, the song was very successful, topping the charts for two months and becoming a classic song throughout the years.

 

61) Laurent Voulzy – “Belle-Île-En-Mer, Marie-Galante” (1985)

Already world-known by his 1977 hit Rockollection, Voulzy records this beautiful song, which takes its name from two islands,  Belle-Île-en-Mer in Bretagne (that he loved) and Marie-Galante in Guadeloupe (his parents’ homeland).  Although the song is about his own life, on a second reading it also talks about isolation and loneliness (and possibly discrimination). It’s one of Voulzy’s greatest hits and has been elected “the best song of the 80s” and “the 14th best song of the 20th century” by Victoires de la musique.

 

62) Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (1986)

Arguably one of the 80’s most emblematic songs, and certainly the decade’s biggest French hit worldwide. Despite being sung entirely in French, it managed to circumvent the language barrier and became a huge international hit between 1986 and 1988.

 

63) France Gall – “Ella, elle l’a” (1987)

France Gall was a popular French yé-yé singer from the 60s, but this is -in my opinion- her most beautiful song. “Ella, elle l’a” (French for “Ella, she has it”) is a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. The song achieved great success in many European countries; in France it remained on the Top 50 chart for 19 weeks and nine weeks in the Top 10.

 

64) Florent Pagny – “N’importe quoi” (1987)

This is Florent Pagny debut song, which became a big hit in France, topping the chart for two months and remaining his second best-selling single. In this protest song, he talks to a friend addicted to drugs and alcohol.

 

65) François Feldman – “Le mal de toi” (1987)

A well-established star in France, François Feldman has sung several classic French songs, selling over 10 million albums during his still ongoing 25-year career. This song is from his first album, Vivre, vivre.

 

66) Vanesa Paradis – “Joe le taxi” (1987)

“Joe the Taxi Driver” was the first hit of singer/ songwriter/ musician/ actress/ model/ ex- Johnny Depp wife Vanessa Paradis. She was 14 years old when she recorded this song, which went on to top the singles chart in France for 11 weeks and, uncommonly for a French-language song at that time, was also a hit in the United Kingdom.

 

67) Patricia Kaas – “Mon mec à moi” (1988)

This is to date Patricia Kaas biggest hit. In the song, which translates “My boy (says) to me”, a woman talks about her love life with her boyfriend, who tells her many lies, but she believes them. It has become a real popular success throughout the years.

 

68) Patrick Bruel – “J’te l’dit quand même” (1989)

A huge personality in France, adored by his fans – what the media called “Bruelmania”, Patrick Bruel is also a talented actor: he has performed in many  films, including “Le Prénom” (What’s in a name?). This romantic song (the title means “I’m still telling you”) belongs to his album Casser la voix.

 

Don’t miss:

YouTube playlist here

 

100 ESSENTIAL FRENCH SONGS YOU MUST HEAR Part 3: The 1970s

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The Hippie wave, which had become particularly powerful after May ’68, affected not only fashion and cinema, but also music. Moreover, Anglo-Saxon music started to exert an increasing influence on France’s culture: rock, disco, and punk would gradually show up.

The music stage of the seventies saw the rising stars of the 60s become consecrated as “vedettes”, but also the advent of new talents with different musical styles: some of them inspired by English music, others who adopted a folk style, as wells as many new artists who modernized the traditional chanson Française. A new trend would found many followers in this period: the duet.

Although the 70s are considered by many the beginning of France’s decline as a culture trend-setter, numerous beautiful songs have emerged during that decade. I actually had a hard time to choose some among the many memorable songs… These are my top picks:

34) Léo Ferré – “Avec le temps” (1970)

Somewhat controversial Léo Ferré wrote, composed and sang this beautifully sad love song, inspired by his own love disenchantment. It became an instant classic and one of the most covered French songs worldwide.

 

 35) Barbara –  “L’ aigle noir” (1970)

Singer-songwriter Barbara was known for her meaningful poetry, the beautiful melodies and her voice’s deep emotion. This dark song (means “The black eagle”) is believed to refer to sexual abuse she experienced as a child.

 

 36) Jean-François Michael – “Je pense à toi” (1971)

This so romantic song (in English “I think about you”) is an adaptation of Italian “E penso a te” by Lucio Battisti. It has been sung in many languages.

 

37) Michel Delpech – “Que Marianne était jolie” (1972)

The title of this song means “Marianne was so beautiful”. Marianne is actually an allegorical name for the French Republic, sang by one the greatest representatives of popular chanson Française, Michel Delpech. It has been recently sung by Renaud (January 2016) in memory of the victims of Charlie Hebdo attack.

 

38) Maxime Le Forestier – “San Francisco” (1972)

Known for his folksy style, Maxime Le Forestier became influential for a whole baba cool generation. After living in a hippie community, in a blue house in San Francisco, he was inspired to create one of his best known hits: “San Francisco”. The  song starts with the line: “It’s a blue house leaning against the hill”. Due to the success of this song, in recent years, the owners of the famous house agreed to repaint it blue (after years of it being painted in green).

 

39) Michel Fugain – “Une belle histoire” (1972)

After its release in 1972,“Une belle histoire” (A beautiful story) became immediately a huge success, and managed to remain as an all time classic, being still frequently played in certain French radio stations.

 

40) Vicky Leandros – “Après toi” (1972)

This song (the title means “After you”) was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1972 performed by Greek singer Vicky Leandros, who was representing Luxembourg. If you follow the Eurovision contest, it’s really worth to see this video: the differences with the present time are quite remarkable…

 

41) Dalida & Alain Delon – “Paroles, paroles” (1973)

This song was originally performed by Italians Mina and Alberto Lupo, but this version, sung by the timeless diva Dalida together with actor – sex-symbol Alain Delon surpassed it in success, becoming a huge hit not only in France, but also in other countries.

 

42) Michel Sardou – “La Maladie d’amour” (1973)

Inherently romantic but also with strong social and political convictions, Michel Sardou is considered one of the most popular artists in the Francophone world. “The disease of love” is often cited as one of Sardou’s most successful songs and an essential piece of France’s music heritage. This and several other Sardou’s songs have been included in the beautiful comedy film La famille Bélier.

 

43) Nino Ferrer – “Le Sud” (1974)

Although famous for his funny songs such as “Le téléfon”, “Les cornichons”, Nino Ferrer changes over time to a more complex and serious style. The result: two of his greatest hits “La maison près de la fontaine” and  this beautiful song. Le Sud (French for “The South”) refers to the country where Ferrer spent his childhood, New Caledonia.

 

44) Nana Mouskouri – “Que je sois un ange” (1974)

Nana Mouskouri is considered to be one of the best-selling music artists in the world: she has released -so far- over 200 albums in 10 different languages! Of her many beautiful songs, this is my favourite; it has been recently sampled by Nym.

 

45) Joe Dessin – “L’été indien” (1975)

Already famous during the 60s, this prolific artist would become established and well-known worldwide during the 70s. “L’Été indien” (French for “Indian summer”) is Dassin’s biggest hit, but he sang many other great songs: “Et si tu n’existais pas”, “À toi”, among others.

 

46) Jeane Mason  – “Avant de nous dire adieu” (1976)

This was one of American (former Paymate) Jeane Mason’s first and biggest hits. The title means “Before we say goodbye”.

 

47) Gérard Lenorman – “Michèle” (1976)

Very popular in France and Francophonie during the 1970s and early 1980s, this is one of Lenorman’s best known and beautiful songs, together with “Voici les clés“.

 

48) Plastic Bertrand  – “Ca plane pour moi”(1977)

Punk-rock Belgian singer Plastic Bertrand recorded this song, which became one of the hits of the 70s. Although covered several times, the original is still the most successful. “Ça plane pour moi” is a French idiomatic expression which translates as “everything’s going well for me”; you may have lately heard it in a commercial of a well-known whisky brand.

 

49) Marie Myriam – “L’oiseau et l’enfant” (1977)

“The Bird and the Child” was the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977 performed by Marie Myriam; this was the last time a French song won the contest. In 2015, Kids United (a six-children French musical group created to support UNICEF) released a very successful cover of this song.

 

50) Michel Polnareff – “Lettre à France” (1977)

Provocateur and eccentric, with his signature black glasses and fancy trousers, Polnareff is still to date critically acclaimed during his occasional tours. He wrote nostalgic “Lettre à France”  (Letter to France) when he was exiled in the USA due to fiscal and financial problems.

 

51) Michel Berger et Luc Plamondon – “Le blues du businessman” (1978)

This is one of the songs of rock opera Starmania, which would become a huge success in French-speaking countries; an English version was later created. The song tells about a businessman who, although professionally successful, realizes that he would have preferred to become an artist.

 

52) Julien Clerc – “Ma préférence” (1978)

Talented singer, songwriter and pianist, Clerc is still a highly respected French artist, with active humanitarian work. From his vast repertoire this is his most beautiful songs, in which he asks his partner to be forgiven for his infidelities and come back to him.

 

53) Claude Nougaro – “Tu verras” (1978)

The title means “You will see”; it is an adaptation of Brazilian Chico Buarque’s  O Que Será? Due to its immediate success, Claude Nougaro wins in 1978 the French Record Academy Award.

 

54) Francis Cabrel – “Je l’aime a mourir” (1979)

“Je l’aime à mourir” (English: I love her to death) was a hit single for Francis Cabrel not only in France, but also in Canada, Europe and other countries (he also recorded it in Spanish). It has been covered many times and in many languages, one of the latest is that by Shakira.

Don’t miss:

YouTube playlist here