French Fancies

I've come back from Paris loaded down with all sorts of goodies for you, including a job lot of Americana and blues promo CDs going for €1 each at Crocodisc, and some stuff from Cameroon and Cote d'Ivoire plucked out of the €3 a pop bin at Camara Productions in Rue Marcadet.

But before we get to that, here is a little something I picked up when I was over there last month - a compilation of 1960s French pop and (mild) garage called "Gentlemen de Paris", with the self-explanatory sub-title "Groovy Sounds from the 60s".

Today's three selections feature Eric Charden, who is still going strong and still married to the woman he first met around the time of this recording when he was judging a Miss Beatnik beauty contest in which she was a contestant; a cover version of a Four Seasons' album track, "Comin' Up In The World" - there are certain stylistic clues in the performance; and a tribute to Donovan and the man known for a while as the American Donovan, one Bob Dylan.

"Pas Question" - Eric Charden (1966)

"Une Fille Mais Gu'est Ce Que C'est" - Les Anges (1968)

"Dis-nous Dylan" - 5 Gentlemen (1966)

The album also includes a French language rendition of "All Day And All Of The Night" that was produced by the cousin of the French Elvis, Johnny Hallyday. Here is the man himself (Johnny, not his cousin - that would be stupid), duetting with Emmylou Harris on a very nice version of "If I Were A Carpenter".