Topic: Music in French? (Read 18299 times)

Hat · « **on:** 15 May 2007, 23:06 »

Ok, so I am getting pretty enthusiastic about learning French at university, and I've been trying to read French Magazines with varying degrees of success, and I'm getting into buying the Asterix books in their original French, but I realized I spend a giant chunk of each day listening to music, and it would be helpful if I inserted a decent amount of French language music into my collection.

So I'm basically looking for anything with fairly audible lyrics, that aren't sung too fast, in French. I'm not even talking modern music here. Old music that is still pleasant on the ears would be perfectly welcome as well.

Anyone know anything of the sort?

Spinless · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 May 2007, 00:59 »

France's entry to this years eurovision. Be sure to watch the video of the performance.

Scytale · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 May 2007, 02:10 »

Tristesses de la Lune by Celtic Frost

Odd thing is Celtic Frost are actually from Switzerland, any way the chick singing this sounds so sexy, theres something about the French accent that just makes everything sound so sensual.

There's the lyrics for you:
http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/celticfrost/intothepandemonium.html#4

fish across face · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 May 2007, 02:21 »

A lot of Laetitia Sadier's lyrics for Stereolab seem pretty clear to me, even though I only studied one year of French at high school. I don't mean I know what she's singing about, but I get a feeling she sings clearly.

The hip Francoise Hardy sings nice and clearly too.

Luke C · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 May 2007, 06:26 »

Errrm of all the songs I know... Á Tout le Monde by Megadeth has a chorus in French. Apart from that I don't know.

Inlander · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 May 2007, 06:45 »

PLASTIC BERTRAND.

Johnny C · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 May 2007, 10:41 »

Serge Gainsbourg, guys, what the hell.

fish across face · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 May 2007, 10:50 »

I thought about Serge, but thought he wasn't as useful as the others. I prefer to listen to his music, though. He's ace.

Johnny C · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 May 2007, 11:02 »

Serge Gainsbourg is useful if you ever want to describe vulgar sex acts in French. So very useful.

Will · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 May 2007, 11:05 »

I'm stretching the limits here, but there are a couple of French hardcore/screamo bands that - while not necessarily what you may be looking for - are pretty boss, have some solid lyrics, and sing all in French.

Amanda Woodward is quite tasty, as is the spin-off they created, Aussitot Mort. Check out Level Plane if you're interested.

*edit: Amanda Woodward's site seems to have gone MIA, so I took down the link.

jimbunny · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 May 2007, 11:37 »

A lot of Keren Ann's music is in French. About half of Nolita, which is really good.

mer · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 May 2007, 13:44 »

There is a band by the name of les sans coulllot, that my brother was really into a few years back.
Their song SOS elefant, is the one song I have ever preformed on stage... loooong story.

*Sights* · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 May 2007, 15:28 »

Quote

Serge Gainsbourg, guys, what the hell.

What about his daughter? Did anyone here see Science of Sleep? She sings in both english and french, but listen to her anyway.

Louise Attaque are a very famous french group and their stuff is pretty easy to get. If you life folky rock, check them out.

Also, Yann Tiersen. I'm sure you already know he's the man responsible for the amazing soundtracks of Amelie and Goodbye Lenin. His latest album is what you're looking for, it's mostly vaguely experimental, distorted, indie-ish rock. His previous work is mostly instrumental but try listening to it nonetheless.

casull · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 May 2007, 16:11 »

alizee lolz.

There's a suite of rilke's french love poems set to music by Morton Lauridsen (one of the greatest living choral composers) to be found here:
http://homepage.mac.com/kennesten/lauridsen/index2.html
It's on the CD 'Lux Aeterna' on that site. You probably won't get it without buying it. Somewhere in my room I have a CD of my college choir performing one of the pieces. I was going to upload the track, but I can't find it. :/

ampersandwitch · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 May 2007, 18:13 »

W5 is pretty much as comprehensible as a French punk band is going to be, but they are catchy and dancey as hell, so go ahead.

alongwaltz · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 May 2007, 18:20 »

Keren Ann
Julie Delpy
Serge Gainsbourg
Francoise Hardy

is about the extent of the French music I listen to.

Ally · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 May 2007, 18:33 »

Je ne veux pas travailler
Je ne veux pas dejenuer
Je veux seulement oublier
et puis je fume

In my class we mostly listen to the poems of Jacques Prevert set to music and they are sort of eh. I like French music though but I only really like the kind that seems like it'd be playing in a cafe in Paris - nothing modern, just that sort of classy very French feeling stuff. Sorry I can't be more helpful! Listen to this though.

*Sights* · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 May 2007, 19:39 »

I've been wondering, do Air have songs in French?

fish across face · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 May 2007, 20:31 »

They had an early single called Le Soleil Est Près De Moi... just re-listened to it and that's the extent of the lyrics.

ALoveSupreme · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 May 2007, 23:17 »

If you like any of Yann Tiersen's work (Amelie soundtrack, etc.), you will like Les Tetes Raides. It's like all his work, but more expanded and with vocals.

Gridgm · « **Reply #20 on:** 16 May 2007, 23:46 »

um... anthrax did a cover of antisocial both the original which was french (sorry forgot the original artist) and also a version they translated into english...badly
placebo has Protege moi which is a french version of their song protect me...i don't know whether that's got the same lyrics in french
every 4th song byt eh arcade fire is in french

other than that talk to a french person they might know

David_Dovey · « **Reply #21 on:** 17 May 2007, 01:06 »

French pop music is fuckin awesome. Check out the Le Fie album by Camille and Fleur De Saison by Emilie Simone. There's a bunch of others, but I don't want to try spelling their names

Liz · « **Reply #22 on:** 17 May 2007, 16:21 »

Alls I know is Josh Groban's "Hymne a L'Amour" and "L'Ultima Notte." Both very good songs, if you like popera.

Scytale · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 May 2007, 00:34 »

I forgot the amazing song that is J'ai Fait Une Promesse by Anathema

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoUDnwi3Qn0

dunno who made the vid but enjoy...

M4 · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 May 2007, 00:38 »

You can download Gojira in it's native French. If you're into environmentally conscious Death Metal, I'd give it a shot.

amok · « **Reply #25 on:** 18 May 2007, 05:23 »

Quote from: Scytale on 18 May 2007, 00:34

I forgot the amazing song that is J'ai Fait Une Promesse by Anathema

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoUDnwi3Qn0

dunno who made the vid but enjoy...

Fuck yeah

vegkitkat · « **Reply #26 on:** 18 May 2007, 15:26 »

Malajube is really fun french music; however, they are quebecois and sound it. So unless you're used to that type of french, don't listen to it for the french, just listen to it for the overall goodness of it. The only other french bands I can think of at the moment are sovereignists(sp?), but if you believe in un Quebec libre then you might like Les Cowboys Frignants or Les Trois Accords.

a pack of wolves · « **Reply #27 on:** 19 May 2007, 19:45 »

Quote from: Will on 16 May 2007, 11:05

I'm stretching the limits here, but there are a couple of French hardcore/screamo bands that - while not necessarily what you may be looking for - are pretty boss, have some solid lyrics, and sing all in French.

Amanda Woodward is quite tasty, as is the spin-off they created, Aussitot Mort. Check out Level Plane if you're interested.

*edit: Amanda Woodward's site seems to have gone MIA, so I took down the link.

Amanda Woodward's La Decadence De La Decadence is excellent, and as I remember the lyrics aren't too hard to make out. There's also bands like Anomie, Fingerprint and Belle Epoque who're all amazing but probably only useful for learning French if you want to learn how it sounds going really, really fast. France, Germany and Italy are where it's at for screamo.

jeph · « **Reply #28 on:** 19 May 2007, 20:41 »

Gojira are an excellent French metal band but they sing in English so I guess they don't count.

Try TTC- I didn't enjoy listening to rap until I heard this dude rapping in French. (that Modeselektor album "hello mom!" is a good intro).

David_Dovey · « **Reply #29 on:** 19 May 2007, 22:10 »

Gangsta rap in French is fucking great. Seriously, I find all gangsta rap intolerable, but put it in French and all of a sudden I'm all up on that like stink on shit.

Scytale · « **Reply #30 on:** 19 May 2007, 23:07 »

There's heaps of good French metal bands:

Blut Aus Nord anyone. Heavenly are pretty good for Power Metal.

I think Morte Incandescente are French

Then theres are the LLN bands like Mütiilation, Belketre, Torgeist, Vlad Tepes etc

The original post wanted lyrics he would understand and which were in French, whole reason I didn't post them to begin with.

ALoveSupreme · « **Reply #31 on:** 22 May 2007, 09:47 »

Quote from: a pack of wolves on 19 May 2007, 19:45

France, Germany and Italy are where it's at for screamo.

Agreed.

Belle Epoque are a pretty excellent group, and you can download most of their work from their site

Mandy · « **Reply #32 on:** 22 May 2007, 17:10 »

Rufus Wainwright sings in French a fair bit, and he sings in kind of a slow, drugged-out way so it's quite easy to understand. It all depends on what you want; are you looking for very Frenchy, smokey, chanteuse-singing-over-an-accordion streetcorner music, or something more contemporary? Folk songs and classical/renaissance music can be pretty awesome too - check out 'Je ne lose dire' if that's up your alley, the version done by the King's Singers is HILARIOUS.

quietfox · « **Reply #33 on:** 22 May 2007, 21:17 »

Quote from: David_Dovey on 19 May 2007, 22:10

Gangsta rap in French is fucking great. Seriously, I find all gangsta rap intolerable, but put it in French and all of a sudden I'm all up on that like stink on shit.

Hell yeah! MC Solaar is CLASSIC French rap, I happen to enjoy Passi.

I absolutely love Calogero - awesome sound.

For cheesier stuff, Vanessa Paradis, Kyo ("Chaque Seconde,")

I absolutely love "Touche Pas à Ca" - which is French (Quebecois) "Can't Touch This." It's hilarious.

Serge Gainsbourg, of course, and Edith Piaf, who originally sung "L'Hymne à L'Amour," and "La Vie en Rose."

Ah screw it, I'll post my playlist of songs in French when my iPod comes back on. Long story involving a bad day.

Mandy · « **Reply #34 on:** 23 May 2007, 16:01 »

Edith Piaf=the super-bomb. Talk about a chanteuse. She is THE chanteuse. I'm pretty sure all other chanteuses have to pay a $30 monthly fee to E. P.('s ghost) just to be a part of the club.

Recent Vintage · « **Reply #35 on:** 26 May 2007, 00:18 »

Lot of great french stuff can be found here:

http://www.lehall.com/galerie/chansonsactuelles/index_flash_en.html

One thing I think is kind of funny is most of the French people I talk to listen to mostly American music.

KharBevNor · « **Reply #36 on:** 26 May 2007, 08:00 »

On a relatively unrelated note, 'Music in French' would make a damn good name for an avant-garde group.

a pack of wolves · « **Reply #37 on:** 26 May 2007, 12:15 »

That reminds me of La Société des Timide á la Parade des Oiseaux. When they do sing, it's usually in French.

~~Schmorgluck~~ · « **Reply #38 on:** 06 Nov 2007, 18:51 »

I've really hesitated to revive that thread by posting in it (having read the rules and all), but the shere astonishment I felt by reading it compelled me to add something.
Astonishment? Why? Because no one mentioned George Brassens. Yet, for the very purpose for which this thread has been initiated (and besides the general awesomeness of his songs), he really is a must-listen: the vocabulary is mostly simple, but rich, the grammar is excellent, and the lyrics are distinctively articulated, and usually not too fast. It would really be the first I would recommand to anyone wanting to get used to listen to French, and catch some vocabulary by the way.
Charles Aznavour would be a good one, too. And if you want an initiation to puns in French, Bobi Lapointe.
For something more "pop-rock", Jacques Higelin is a good choice, too. Or, more "indy", Autour de Lucie (I read somewhere that this band is not quite unknown in the USA). I'd recommand Noir Désir, as well, for its rich lyrics, yet since it's a rock band with a "big sound", the words may not be always as easy to catch.

Jooooosh · « **Reply #39 on:** 06 Nov 2007, 18:55 »

theres a really cool french rap song on the Herbaliser's Take London called Serge.

mfpole · « **Reply #40 on:** 06 Nov 2007, 19:29 »

Luna has a bonus track called "Bonnie and Clyde" in french. The lead singer majored in French in college I think.
Es magnifico! (I take Spanish, sorry!)

~~Schmorgluck~~ · « **Reply #41 on:** 06 Nov 2007, 19:38 »

Does it have anything to do with Gainsbourg's "Bonny and Clyde"?

AnonymousNoob · « **Reply #42 on:** 06 Nov 2007, 21:18 »

As already stated multiple times:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHQkYYIYue4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHQkYYIYue4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHQkYYIYue4

Tom · « **Reply #43 on:** 07 Nov 2007, 00:02 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 16 May 2007, 11:02

Serge Gainsbourg is useful if you ever want to describe vulgar sex acts in French. So very useful.

where can i gets some?

Lalaladida · « **Reply #44 on:** 07 Nov 2007, 02:59 »

Quote from: Mandy on 22 May 2007, 17:10

Rufus Wainwright sings in French a fair bit, and he sings in kind of a slow, drugged-out way so it's quite easy to understand.

I like his music well enough but that isn't really a good way to learn French. I can understand English people speaking French but as soon as I go somewhere that is actually French, it sounds like a big grarbled mash of blllllah. Pretty much all I can make out is "oui" and "tabernac."

StaedlerMars · « **Reply #45 on:** 07 Nov 2007, 03:23 »

Quote from: Inlander on 16 May 2007, 06:45

PLASTIC BERTRAND.

Face A La Mer - by Calogero is an amazing song.

Ballard · « **Reply #46 on:** 07 Nov 2007, 06:56 »

Quote from: n0t_r0bert_b0yle!! on 07 Nov 2007, 00:02

Quote from: Johnny C on 16 May 2007, 11:02
Serge Gainsbourg is useful if you ever want to describe vulgar sex acts in French. So very useful.
where can i gets some?

Hurr.

Also how has no one mentioned Yelle yet? Listen to Yelle. She's cute and makes catchy dance music.

valley_parade · « **Reply #47 on:** 07 Nov 2007, 07:30 »

Quote from: *Sights* on 16 May 2007, 15:28

Quote
Serge Gainsbourg, guys, what the hell.

What about his daughter? Did anyone here see Science of Sleep? She sings in both english and french, but listen to her anyway.

A friend sent me 5:55 a few months back. It's really, really good.

Katherine · « **Reply #48 on:** 07 Nov 2007, 10:35 »

A friend of mine recently turned me on to Georges Moustaki. Its not poppy or anything, but he's a great singer.

~~Schmorgluck~~ · « **Reply #49 on:** 07 Nov 2007, 11:01 »

A great songwriter, too. For example, he wrote "Milord" for Edith Piaf.

Come to think of it, I guess I can fairly recommend a long-time favourite of mine, Dominique A, whose poetic and complex lyrics (mostly tragic, with often a sarcastic twist) are well served by his versatile flair in pop melodies. He's a good friend of Yann Tiersen, by the way, and contributed in several of his albums, singing songs he wrote with Tiersen's melodies and arrangements.

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Author Topic: Music in French? (Read 18299 times)

Spinless

Scytale

mer

alongwaltz

Ally

Scytale

M4

Scytale

Mandy

quietfox

Mandy

Recent Vintage

AnonymousNoob