I thought we might get a few "Long time lurker, first time poster" type posts today. Maybe we'll see some yet.
Re: Ne Me Quitte pas - just curious, what french version is the most famous in the Outside World? In France (and Belgium?), I'm assuming it's the Barclay re-recording. I wonder if the Philips original is the best known / regarded abroad. (see post 802)
Ne Me Quitte Pas Definitely more familiar with Brel's original version and the 1961 live version which might be my favourite, not sure I know the later one, we'll see when we get there. This song was made familiar to me by Scott Walker, I also enjoy Nina Simeone's take. What to say about it? It's a masterpiece, it's beyond discussion really. Thanks to @Vagabone for the tidbits of information about the origins of the song. I've read one of the Brel biographies but it was a long time ago. 5/5.
Not exactly an answer to your question, but here is a list of the highest-ranking French-language songs in the TOP 200 list of the Netherlands. It is with some pride that I point to the top placements of Belgians Stromae and Brel: Hoogst genoteerde Franstalige platen in de Top 2000 Another list, this one's from Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium): Radio 1 Belpop 100 | Radio 1 . Arno who's on the top position, died last year. That's why his song 'Les yeux de ma mère' is op top of 'Ne me quitte pas'. On the radio, mostly the original recording is played, but in the lists with suggestions to vote for these kind of top list, often 'Ne me quitte pas' is noted with as year of release: 1972 (rolls eyes).
First of all, I would be surprised if the "general public" know there are two versions, or hear the difference, or care. Both are great. FWIW, the two cd compilations made specifically for the Dutch market (in 1988 and 2017 respectively) use the 1959 original, while French/international cd compilations (such as Infiniment) mostly use the 1972 remake. But obviously, most people's memories are from the LP/vinyl-age long before that. Another side note for when we will discuss the 1972 remake album later : it's the only song from that album that has made it on any compilation, if I'm not mistaken.
As mentioned before, this is the compilation my family had in the '90s: https://www.discogs.com/release/3521637-Jacques-Brel-Jacques-Brel It's all Barclay material, including the 1972 versions of "Marieke", "Le moribond", "Les Flamandes", "Quand on n'a que l'amour" and of course "Ne me quitte pas". I don't know how unusual this was.
The opposite of unusual I think - IIRC (70's / 80's) those have long been the most widely available / radio-played versions, NMQP ahead. The late 80's predecessor to the comp you had was this - Barclay again for NMQP Brel – Quinze Ans D'Amour (1988, CD) - Discogs
'Ne me quitte pas' tops the French list of "les meilleures chansons françaises" (the best French songs): Les meilleures chansons françaises : le classement
I may have got my versions confused.... I know both versions then. I didn't realise it was the later version on Infiniment, but I also have the early version on a vinyl compilation.
It's amazing how different the lyrics are in the English "Carousel" version, yet it still gets the point across. Who can forget the movie, with Elly Stone on that huge carousel, spinning faster and faster One of the songs that got me into the revue, having seen the last 3 songs in the movie on PBS as a kid. Scared the heck out of me, especially "Next", I couldn't sleep after that. Then the next day at a relatives house everyone was talking about the movie on TV yesterday where people were nailing their hands to the wall and green blood was coming out. After that I put the album on to hear those songs again...
Catching up here, one of the most powerful songs I've heard, and Shawn Elliott just nails it. I wish he had sung more songs in the show than he was given.
Just curious about the English lyrics to "If You Go Away", were they written/translated by Mort Shuman like most of the others? Not being from the musical, I'm not as familiar with this one as many of the others
Ne me quitte pas 5 / 5 One of the greatest songs ever written, but also breathtaking performance on the album version, with a surprisingly spare, lonely chamber-like arrangement. The other star (besides the singer) is the Ondes Martenot. It's also one of the saddest songs, but without ever being sentimental. I think I have never heard a satisfying cover version because none of them match the pure authenticity of Brel. The translation "If you go away" completely changes the character of the song from the more accurate "Don't leave me" or "Don't go away". Nina Simone did a great job overall, but her French pronunciation is not very good.
Our updated average score for "Je t'aime" is 3.88 Our unanimous score for "Ne me quitte pas" was 5 Today's song is Les Flamandes (Flemish Women) Words and Music by Jacques Brel Arranged by François Rauber Recorded on the 14th of September, 1959 at Studio Blanqui, Paris with François Rauber and his orchestra This is arguably Brel's first released song with obvious, explicit Flemish-themed lyrical content. In his homeland, it was one of his more controversial songs. A promoter pleaded with him (unsuccessfully) not to sing it at the Knokke Casino. As well as featuring on the current album, it was the lead track of an EP and a single. It got to #39 in the Wallonian chart. That's a rare example of a Brel chart placing being vouchsafed by wikipedia. Cover versions include Denise Benoît's and Barbara's. It was re-recorded for the 1972 re-recordings album. As always, we'll leave discussion of that version till the time comes.
«"Les Flamandes" ont créé un certain remous. Parmi les trop bien pensants, on a cru que je voudrais insulter le clergé. Ce qui est faux. Que je voulais insulter les Flamandes aussi. Ce qui est faux aussi, puisque je dis là-dedans qu'elle sont un peu grasses, qu'elles vivent de manière rebondie et dansante, telles que je les ai vue, moi, sur les toiles de Breughel. Ce gens trop conformistes m'ont reproché de dire qu'elle dansaient aux enterrements. Mais c'est vrai ! Dans ma famille, en Flandre, quand il y avait un enterrement, on dansait. Ce sont des choses absolument vraies, que j'ai vues.» '"Les Flamandes" caused quite a stir. Some of the overly prim people thought I was insulting the clergy. Which is untrue. That I was insulting Flemish women too. Which is also untrue, since I say in the song they are a little fat, that they live a life of plenty and dancing, as I have seen them in Bruegel's paintings. These overly conformist people reproached me for saying they dance at funerals. But it's true! In my family, in Flanders, when there was a funeral, we danced. These are things that are absolutely true, that I've seen.' -Jacques Brel
