Search - Edith Piaf :: La Vie En Rose

La Vie en Rose

V. Charbonneau | Quebec, Canada | 12/28/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

""La Vie en Rose" is a good compilation of Edith Piaf songs. She was a torch singer of the 1930's and 1940's who sang songs of the darker side of Paris. A lot of these songs are featured in this CD, such as "Mariage" which is about a woman who shoots her husband that promised to stay true and was unfaithful; "Elle Frequentait La Rue Pigalle" about a prostitute who is dumped by her lover when he no longer finds her beautiful; and "Un Monsieur Me Suit Dans la Rue" about a young girl who becomes a hooker after being accosted by a disgusting old man, then gets romantically involved with a gangster and finally dies from illness and given a pauper's funeral. However, not every song depicts such harsh realities. Some, such as "Les Trois Cloches" is a beautiful song celebrating the three stages of life---birth, marriage and death---and "La Vie en Rose" is about a woman who finds life beautiful everytime her love holds her in his arms. My only critique is that the song "Un Monsieur Me Suit Dans La Rue" is an old recording---meaning one can hear the hiss and crackle in the background---and the recording of "L'Accordeoniste" has a faster beat to it. Other than that, this is a fine collection. I also recommend "The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf" which has another fantastic batch of songs and a slower version of "L'Accordeoniste", which I personally prefer."