Search - France Gall :: Gold

For Starters, Buy This Compilation

R. M. Kmack | Atlanta, USA | 10/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are just getting into France Gall or even only slightly interested in Ye-Ye, buy this CD. I have looked into all of the other compilations of her 60's work that are available, and none have quite the character of this one.

At 32 well-picked tracks on two discs, this is a terrific value. Further, unlike many of the "best of" albums, the tracks are all in chronological order - a big plus for me.

This is actually a slimmed-down version of the "long-box" edition Polydor released in 2006. I highly recommend the latter as it covers all of her 60's work chronologically - including everything on her 60's albums."

One of the best french singers

Sim Fan | Denver CO USA | 09/26/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Of the French female singers I've listened to, France Gall is among the best. Gall was a pretty, perky, girlish-voiced teenager who sang some very catchy, even addictive pop songs in the mid-to-late 1960s. Gall had a beautiful voice. She was a very talented singer, and she and her band had impeccable timing. Gall made a lot of music videos in the 1960s, and they are viewable online.



Of the 32 tracks on this CD there are perhaps four or five "don't miss" gems that justify paying the price for this two-CD set. There are maybe 10 or so additional tracks that are very good. Most of the remaining songs feature some unimaginative music, and are forgettable. Some of the highlights are:



Sacré Charlemagne is one of those addictive songs that you won't be able to get out of your head after listening to it a few times. I think this is the best song on the CD. The song has Gall and some girlish-sounding chorus singers asking "Who had this insane idea one day to invent school?" They are referring to King Charlemagne. The song is done in an upbeat, fun tone. Although Gall initially refused to record this song, once she gave in, it became her biggest hit, selling over two million singles. An amazing accomplishment for a French-language song in 1965.



Ne sois pas si bête (Don't Be So Stupid) is another very catchy pop song, and my second favorite. The song was first played on the radio on Gall's 16th birthday



Néfertiti is a sexy, exotic, Egyptian-sounding tune about the ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. My third favorite.



Mes premières vraies vacances (My First True Vacation) is another of my favorites. Gall sings about going on her first vacation without her parents.



Made in France is a fast paced, upbeat song that is another of my favorites. It features some English verses. I especially like the drums in this one.



Les Sucettes (lollipops), on the surface is an innocent children's song about a girl named Annie who likes aniseed-flavored lollipops ("And when the barley sugar, perfumed with aniseed, slides down Annie's throat, She is in paradise"). But the song was written by her song writer with double meanings and strong sexual innuendo. Gall recorded this song when she was 17 years old, and even made two music videos (youtube) of the song in 1966 before she became aware of the double meaning.



Laisse Tomber Les Filles (Let Go of the Girls) was another of Gall's top hits, and it has a great beat.



Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Doll of wax, doll of sawdust) was one of Gall's biggest hits, but it is overrated in my opinion. The music is unimaginative, repetitive, and boring. The song likely refers to Gall's song writer using her as sort of a puppet through which he expressed his writing.



Another highly recommended French singer from a later era is Camille. Her CDs Le Fil and Le Sac des Filles are excellent.

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