Music for Paris
 

O.K - Time to use the Ipod I bought myself for Christmas. Searching thru Fodors I found a post about (mostly) new French music but I am looking for older stuff. More along the lines of the post about movies to get "in the mood" for France. Anyone have favorites?

And no, I don't intend to walk everywhere with my Ipod blocking out real noise - I just want it for the long trip over . . .and back.

Theres an Edith Piaf anniversary cd set out that always reminds me of Paris, probably because they played her music on a boat ride we took.

I own this CD and love it. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't have sound clips for it - you'll just have to trust me.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...nce&n=5174

Hi, I found a list with many French singers, I don't know them all but you'll find most of the old generation.
You can go the fnac website to listen to songs as well (I mentioned it in the thread you read previously)
http://www.google.com/Top/World/Fran...ique/Artistes/

I love Susan Graham's CD of French operetta arias, called "C'est ca la vie, c'est ca l'amour".

Anything by Patricia Kaas or Paris Combo!

Whoops, you said older, I didn't read it carefully! Sorry.

...and Charles Trenet, the quintessential French songster.
"Boum!" and "La Mer" in particular come to mind, the latter which in English was sung as 'Beyond The Sea' by Bobby Darrin.

I do have some favorites, but a lot of that stuff is kind of not so great for a whole CD. For me -- like Trenet. Yes, I like him for La Mer, etc., but some of his entire CDs may be a bit much. I don't particularly care for Piaf (although it may be because a lot of her recordings aren't of very good quality), but many people do, of course and I guess she is considered the quintessential for French chanson.

My personal old time faves -- some Aznavour, but I do have some CDs of his I don't like, but many I do. Same for Yves Montand. I guess for the older CDs I play the most and don't get tired of, that would be by Barbara and Mouloudji.

oh, I forgot -- if you just want something for your ipod, the soundtrack to that movie of a few years ago, "French Kiss" is actually pretty good. Also, although not a French singer, one of my favorite singers of French chansons (Piaf-era) is Karen Akers and she has a great CD called Paris Skies or something like that.

Thank for all the responses - I'll have fun investigating!

Christina, I believe it was your post on the movie topic that reminded my of French Kiss. I will definitely be renting it soon. I'll make note of the music too. Thanks!

Assuming you're talking 20s/30s/40s with a strong romantic element, see if you can find tracks of Lucienne Boyer, Jean Sablon, Yvonne Printemps, Josephine Baker. Some people (not me) like Tino Rossi. For a bit of ooh-la-la, Maurice Chevallier, Mistinguett, Fernandel.

And of course, Django Reinhardt/ Stéphane Grappelli and the Quintette du Hot Club de France.

And next time you're there you can pick up some CDs.

I was just browsing the Metropolitan Museum of Art website, and was surprised to find that a CD that I bought there years ago (Painters in Paris: Le Cafe-Concert) is still available. I LOVE that CD and think it's a great choice for cafe style French music. Includes tracks by Piaf, Baker, Chevalier, Reinhardt, etc. as well as a track from the film "American in Paris." You can only get it at the Met; it was produced in conjunction with their "Painters in Paris" exhibition a few years ago.

I also see they have a CD called "I Love Paris: The City of Light in Song" (another Met exclusive) that I think I'll get for myself.

http://www.metmuseum.org/store/st_family_browser.asp/categoryID/{625DF88C-4C5D-11D6-9419-00902786BF44}/FromPage/catCDRoms