France Gall

I guess these probably have been posted before, but I thought it was time for some tunes from the Princess!

France Gall - Ne Sois Pas Si Bete (French)
France Gall - Kilimandscharo (German)

The Pussycats

If you're into girlgroups, you will love The Pussycats! These are the only songs I have by them, would love to hear more..

Sheila Burgel from the great great cha cha charming magazine writes:

The Pussycats were another obvious Shangri Las imitation. They shared arranger Artie Butler and covered "Dressed in Black." The Pussycats also released the seductive "I Want Your Love" on Columbia Records in 1965.
While Artie Butler attempted to revive "Dressed in Black" with the Pussycats, Shadow Morton took the Nu Luvs under his wing and also gave them the same song to record. At least Shadow was somewhat able to fool the public when it was decided to change the name from "Dressed in Black" to "So Soft, So Warm."

They are featured on several LP compilations, as Girls In The Garage 3 and Where the girls are 5.

Pussycats - Dressed in black

Pussycats - I want your love

Sophie

Sophie (real name Arlette Hecket, born 9 October, 1944) was a girlfriend of one of the members of the group Les Champions, Sophie and sang with them in December 1962 in Olympia under the name Jenny Hahn (I don't know whats up with the many names either). Olympia director Bruno Coquatrix was impressed, and presented her to Johnny Stark. She signed a contract with Decca and released her first disc Quand un air vous possède / Tout ça pour le locomotion followed by a participation in the film Cherchez l'idole. In 1967 she changed her career to a radio DJ and on Télé Assembles-Carlo (tv channel) as a producer. But in 1975 she returned for a period to participate as Monaco's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing 13th with 'Une chanson c'est une lettre'.

'L'integrale', a CD compilation of 25 tracks was issued by Magic Records in 1999.

Sophie - Tout Ça Pour Le Locomotion (Blame It On The Bossa-Nova)
Sophie - Je Ne Fais Pas D'histoires (It's Not Unusual)
Sophie - Tente Ta Chance (Wishin' and Hopin')

Credit: Retrojeunesse, YYGW

Rosy Armen

Rosy Armen, was born in Paris, May 1st, (seems like she keeps the year of birth a secret!). When she was four, she became a part of the school orchestra. Her talent was discovered and she became a soloist in several local chorus.
Although her parents felt it was a dubious future, Rosy soon became very successful and had an international career.

She still record and performs to this day.





Ohshare:
Rosy Armen - Tu Croiras (Stand By Me)
Rosy Armen - Quand le soleil était là

Mydatabus:
Rosy Armen - Quand le soleil était là
Rosy Armen - Tu Croiras (Stand By Me)

Danish Delights: Gitte

Happy birthday yesterday Jane Birkin (60) .. and Happy Birthday to me today (2*) ;)

Gitte Hænning Johansson was born 1946 in Denmark. She started in show business at a very early age, 6 while touring and recording together with her father Otto. In the 60´s Gitte recorded many songs in both Danish, Swedish and German and she became an international star both as singer and actor.

Reposts songs .. + a few new...I know R and Yeyeohyeah will be very happy!

Gitte - Jeg snakker med mig selv (I'm talking to myself) (My favourite)
Gitte - I've told every little star
Gitte - Ønsk mig tillykke (Cliff Richard -Congratulations)
Gitte - Flirt
Gitte - Tag med ud Å fisk (Let's go fishing)
Gitte - Drøm en lille drøm om mig (Mama Cass - Dream a little dream of me)

Les Gam's

So, I moved to Beta Blogger. That's why my blog looks a little weird. But, now I can organize the posts into labels/categories, which will be easier for you, instead of looking through old archives. It will take a few days to label all the posts, but I guess it will be worth it! Btw, I got a few complaints about my filehost, Ohshare. Anyone else having problems?


Graziella, Annie, Michele and Suzy = Les GAM's!
Used to be Gilbert Bécaud chorus-singers. With Annie Markan in front, they began recording in September 1962 at Vogue Records, before signing a contract to Lee Hallyday at Mercury Records. In the beginning of 1963, they got their first hit 'Il a le truc', a cover of The Exciters' 'He Has The Power'. On June 22, 1963, they took part in the "Night of the Nation" event, with Claude François on the stage, gathering nearly 150 000 young people. They recorded five EP's before their split in 1964.

Les Gam's - Il a le truc
Les Gam's - Attention! Accident
Les Gam's - Rien n'est trop beau

Gelou

Crazy twistgirl Gélou (Real name Genevieve Cognet), was born in Lille in 1938.
She studied at the Conversatoire of Dramatic art of Lille and got her first prize in the comedyrole of "Poil de Carotte". In 1954, she moved to Paris and began singing.
During the summer 1962, Gélou toured at the beaches of the Riviera with Johnny Hallyday.

Gelou - Ils croient à leur danse
Gelou - C'est toi qui m'a apris l'amour

Sophia goes zoo be zoo

A English version of Gillian Hills 'Zou bisou bisou' with.... Sophia Loren!

Sophia Loren - Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo

More Karo

Hi again, and thanks for all your lovely comments! Remember that you can always mail me or send songs to dansmoncafe8@yahoo.com

Here is another brilliant song with the lovely Caroline Valle aka Karo.

Karo - Sur ta moto

Danish Delights (9): More Vivi

As promised to regular visitor Kate, here's more songs by 'The Danish Brigitte Bardot', 60's girl Vivi Bach. Next Danish Delight will be Gitte.

Here's the original post with even more Vivi songs. Go Go Go!



Vivi Bach - Alle Männer sind Räuber
Vivi Bach - Mi scusi, mi scusi, Signore
Vivi Bach - Playboy
Vivi Bach - Let's Shake


Buy the 'Best Of' CD here

Cover up (2): These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

Wikipedia:
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" is a pop song composed by Lee Hazlewood and first recorded by Nancy Sinatra. It was released in February, 1966, and attained number one in the United States and United Kingdom Pop charts.
Sinatra was encouraged by Hazlewood to sing the song as if she were a sixteen-year-old girl giving the brush-off to a forty-year-old man. Sinatra's recording of the song was made with the help of notable Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew. This session included Hal Blaine on drums, Tommy Tedesco and Billy Strange on guitars, Ollie Mitchell, Roy Caton and Lew McCreary on horns, Carol Kaye on electric bass, and Chuck Berghofer on double bass, providing the notable bass line.
Carol Kaye: "Arranger Billy Strange believed in using the two basses together. Producer Lee Hazlewood asked Chuck to put a sliding run on the front of the tune. Chuck complied by playing notes about three tones apart (4-6 frets apart), but Lee stopped the take. "No Chuck, make your sliding notes closer together", and that is what you hear." The song was adopted by troops in Vietnam when they marched. Sinatra traveled there in the mid- to late-60s to perform for the U.S. soldiers.

Almost 40 covers:

Original
Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

60's girls
Eileen - Questi stivale sono fatti per camminare
Eileen - Ces bottes sont faites pour marcher
Eileen - Diese stiefel sind zum wandern (Thanks, Joerg!)
Renée Martel - These boots are made for walkin' (Thank you again again ... Franss :)
Muguette - Ces bottes sont faites pour marcher (Thanks, Kate)
Annet Hesterman - Draag schoenen om te lopen (Thanks to Wouter)
Yvonne Prenosilova - Boty proti lásce (Thanks Richard)

Instrumental a go go
Boots Randolph - These boots are made for walkin'
The Ventures - These boots are made for walkin'
Amazing Dance Band - These boots are made for walkin'
Billy Strange - These boots are made for walkin'
Klaus Wunderlich - These boots are made for walkin'
Balsara and his singing sitars - These boots are made for walkin'
Ozzie Torrens - These boots are made for walkin'
Burbank Philharmonic - These boots are made for walkin'
Peter Herbolzheimer - These boots are made for walkin'

Other pearls:
Beau Brummels - These boots are made for walkin' (Thanks, Earth goes around)
Yna Ito - These boots are made for walkin' (Thanks, Earth goes around)
Lee Hazlewood - These boots are made for walkin'
Ella Fitzgerland - These boots are made for walkin'
Ella Fitzgerald - These boots are made for walkin'
Loretta Lynn - These boots are made for walkin'
Supremes - These boots are made for walkin'
Don Ho - These boots are made for walkin'
Alan Tew - These boots are made for walkin'
Los Salvajes - These boots are made for walkin'
Mrs. Miller - These boots are made for walkin'
Sunny Domestosz - These boots are made for walkin'
New Christy Minstrels - These boots are made for walkin'
The Artwoods - These boots are made for walkin'
The Unwanted - These boots are made for walkin'
Le Grande Sophie - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Thanks, Franss)
Rangers - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Again, thanks to Franss)
Les Sans Culottes - Ces Bottes (Thanks Woodshed)
Paula Yates with B.E.F - These Boots are made for walkin' (Thanks Guuzbourg)
Geri Halliwell - These boots are made for walkin'
Sam Phillips - These Boots Are Made for Walkin' (thanks Mario)

Look in my comments for more covers and recommendations from my awesome visitors... THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !

Jany L

I don't have any information about Jany L, except that she made 2 ep's in late 60's, and this one is from 1969. She sounded a lot like Brigitte Bardot - just listen to this psych song with cute chinese piano and drums.

Jany L. - Le Restaurant Chinois

Karo

Karo (real name Caroline Vallée), was born in 1946 in Sherbrooke Québec, Canada. She started out in Le Trio BAK with (as I understands) yeye girl Renee Martel. They had some minor hits as "Les marionnettes", and "Un jeune homme bien" (those seems impossible to find.. anyone?). In 1966-1967 she recorded of the resumptions of songs for 'Match', a company which specialized in the sale of 45 turns at reduced prices. Later she won first price at a radio concours Decouvertes ("discoveries" of CFTM). Thereafter, she recorded her own composition "Une Garcon en mini-jupe" which gained an immediate success. Karo settled in Montreal and started to occur in cabarets. In 1968 her compositions "Sur ma moto"and "Les Bibittes" came out and the singer participated in the well known Musicorama tour in Quebec.. She is a professor in languages today and has her own school.

An anthology was released in 1999 on Disques Mérite.

Karo - Un garçon en mini-jupe
Karo - Ti-fils à papa
Karo - Les Bibettes

more than 1500 visitors at Christmas a go go yesterday!

Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin - 69 annee erotique

I adore this song, actually I like it better than Je t'aime .. moi non plus! So I uploaded the vid to my Youtube: A cute Jane Birkin lying on the piano smiling to a chain-smoking Serge.

Elke Sommer

b. 1940 in Berlin. German pin-up girl, actress, artist, entertainer, and singer! You have might seen her in the Pink Panther movie A Shot In The Dark with my favourite actor Peter Sellers. She speaks seven different languages. She believes in ghosts.

Elke Sommer - Alors Qu'hier Encore

Extra: as requested by popseek, here is James Clarke - Blow up a gogo!

Should there be more instrumental 60's club music on the blog?

Christmas A Go Go!

Remember when the candy tasted a little sweeter, the Christmas tree was a bit greener, and the snow whiter? This is our collection of the funniest, sweetest, and best of the classic and newer Christmas songs, that will get you in the right spirit and get you the best compilation ever! Think cheesy, 60's, french, rare, funky, soul, and much more!

Bloggers allstar - Mordi from Blowupdoll - Christine from SpikedCandy - Bruno from Schlocker - Guuzbourg from Filles Sourires - Roy from Germans Under Cover - and me !

WWW.CHRISTMASAGOGO.BLOGSPOT.COM

Les Flechettes

The group was created by Claude François at the end of the 60's (around 1968). They were named Les Fléchettes after the record label "Disques Flèche" that Claude François just started. The group (around 1969 according of the liner-notes of one of their singles) consisted of:
Martine Lejeune : 20 years old, exsecretary, blonde, 1,60m. Francine Chabot : 18 years old, exstudent, brunette, 1,65m.
Catherine Bonnevay : 17 years old, exstudent, blonde, 1,63m.
Dominique Bonnevay : 19 years old, exsecretary, brunette, 1,59m.
Dominique and Catherine were sisters and the other girls were cousins so it was a bit of a family affair!
They were backing-singers for Claude François on stage and on his records but they also recorded their own.

Thanks again to Bruno for the translation!

Les Flechettes - Je Vends Du Reve
Les Flechettes - Une Fille Est Toujours Belle (cover of Turtles 'Elenore')

Popart

Can't find any information or picture about the artist and song - but enjoy this brilliant french pop song approximately from around 1967 :-) and oh, any Warhol fans here?

Thanks to the wonderful Spikedcandy, we can now see the cover of Miss Tienou! Click to enlarge.

Tienou et les Wind-Dings - Pop Art

Dani

From ye-ye girls & Wikipedia:
Real name: Daniele Groule
Boyish and wild Dani, was born on October 1, 1945 in Castres, Tarn, France. Dani was meant to have been France's Eurovision Song Contest 1974 entry, but the President Georges Pompidou died in the week of the competition, so she never entered Eurovision properly. In cinema she has played in the last Antoine Doinel-Adventure Love on the Run a short-time-affair of Antoine, Christine's friend Liliane. In the late 70's she had drug problems (she wrote a book about that), then she came back to music with the help of Etienne Daho. In 1993 she recorded a great (and almost unknown) album with the Stranglers : 'N Comme Never Again'. She's now running a big flowers business 'Au nom de la Rose' in France.

Check these groovy Dani-songs. Want more?

Dani - Dring Dring
Dani - Sans Astérisque

Delphine

Delphine was a Belgian yéyé girl. Her real name was Delphine Bury and she lived in the area of Charleroi. She made killer tracks. Need to know more?

Delphine - La Fermeture Èclair (We the people - In the past)
Delphine - Les prisons de sa majesté

These are unfortunately the only songs I have by her. Help!

Honor Blackman covers Gainsbourg

Honor Blackman was not only one of the most stylish and gorgeous British actresses, famous for her characters in the Bond movie Goldfinger (Pussy Galore) or in the serial The Avengers (1st season), but she was also a singer who made one, pretty rare, LP in 1964, entitled Everything Ive got, that was recieved well.
Honor Blackman wasn't the biggest singer but defintly one of the coolest... Plus, it's Honor Blackman.

Listen to this adaptation of La Javanaise by Serge Gainsbourg and enjoy!

Honor Blackman - Men will decieve you

Francine Lainé

Don't know much about this girl, this seems to be the only lp released by her. Francine Lainé who was more known as a dubbing actress for animated tvseries and movies (she's Maggie in the French version of Fraggle Rock!), recorded these 2 tracks to promote a now forgotten erotic book named "Lolitissimo" (1970) by a guy named René Varrin.
Furthermore the two tracks were arranged by popmaster André Popp, the man behind Delirium Hi-Fi, Claudine Longets 'Love is Blue', Marie Laforet and many more.
Oh yes, you are going to love this.

More André Popp related-stuff soon. And oh, a Gitte LP and a cupcake to those who can find other tracks with her!

Francine Lainé - Lolitissimo
Francine Lainé - Moi Sensuelle?

René Varrin - Lolitissimo (book)

Credit:
Pop'n'Cherries
Whoops

Eine französische Prinzessin: France Gall

Parisian Pop Princess France Gall would regularly record in Germany from 1966 to 1972, in particular with the composer and orchestrator Werner Müller. She had a successful German career with songs by Horst Buchholz and Giorgio Moroder. For all her German success, many Germans would believe for a long time that Gall was one of their own.

Here are some of my favorites...


France Gall - Hippie Hippie (feat. on the Radioblog)
France Gall - Die schönste Musik die es gibt (Music To Watch Girls By)
France Gall - Ein Bisschen Goethe, Ein Bisschen Bonaparte
France Gall - I like Mozart

Plus: Her German version of Poupée de cire, poupée de son here

Les Beatlettes

The group was formed in February 1964 by Denise Payette who told a friend that she would find girls to form an all female equivalent of The Beatles. The other members were: Claudette Faubert, Hélène Duguay, Mimi Jourdan and Claire Fugère who were all experienced musicians. Their first show was the 17 August 64. Unlike most girl groups of the period, these girls played their own musical instruments. Tragically, on the way to their last show in Canada before heading off to Paris for a major gig at The Olympia, a car crash claimed the lives of two of the girls in the band.

Les Beatlettes - C'est Grâce À Toi (cover of The Surpremes - You Can't Hurry Love)
Les Beatlettes - Reste Encore

Géraldine

Born in 1947, Géraldine, after being member of The Djinns, got out a first solo 4 title EP in 1966 on Polydor. The same year, her song "Which heart will you break" wasn't selected to represent France at the Eurovision. But at the Lugano preselection on January 21, 1967, she got that song representing Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna on April 8. She would get 0 points for a 17th place. But considering the studio version of "Which heart will you break" on the second Polydor EP, it is absolutely magnificent and would totally have deserved to win the contest. So what happened in Vienna that April 8, 1967 ? Mystery... An hypothesis would be a failed live performance. Last but not least, the official orchestra that was accompanying all the artists was rubbish, not at all adapted to pop music. We can tell this by the dreadful orchestral version of a pathetic Serge Gainsbourg song, "Boum Badaboum", interpreted by Minouche Barelli who represented Monaco. Géraldine got out at least a third 4 titles EP in 1968, before we loose all trace of her. We don't know her last name and even if she's still alive. All information is welcome. So we stay with that magic 1967 EP, containing also the song "Springtime snows", whose lyrics were written by the Swiss singer Jean Charles, who would become later a famous radio & TV humorist. Beyond the outdated grace of the melody and the voice, the typical 1967 French pop sound brings a peculiar "Zeitgeist" to the whole, inimitable, with nice heavy drums that conserved a slight metallic 1965 peps.
From the dictionary "Les Dinosaures du Rock".

Geraldine - Un fleir, Un oiseau
Geraldine - Les Chattes
Geraldine - Quel Coeur Vas-Tu Briser

I found a nice Ebay store with a French Freakbeat & Lolita section.
Anyone knows the email to Simon @ Yeye girls website? The email posted on the site, dosn't seem to work..

Pussy Cat

Real name: Evelyne Courtois
Evelyne's music career started in 1964 with one of the only French all-girl bands, Les Petites Souris (the Little Mice). The band recorded one EP in 1965 before splitting. Adopting her stage name from Tom Jones's song: "What's new Pussy Cat" and teaming up with ex-Pingouins drummer, Gerard Huge, Evelyne recorded a mixture of R&B covers and original songs between 1966 and 1969.

Pussy Cat - Les temps ont change
Pussy Cat - Stop!
Pussy Cat - Mais Pourquoi (You're No Good)

Buy album

More Tiny

Another song by the lovely Tiny Yong, this time about l'amour.. .
from.. 1963

Tiny Yong - Je ne veux plus t'aimer (I Can't Stay Mad At You)

Mini Mini Girl: Kanai Katsuko

Posted on @ Splendida

Jenny Rock

Quebec yé-yé girl Jeannine de Bellefeuille aka Jenny Rock, was born on November 10, 1946 in Saint-Hyacinthe.
She made her career mainly between 1965 and 1969.
In 1959, she interpreted the successes of Elvis Presley with the troop of Jean Grimaldi. She also took part in the musical review "Rock'n'roll Baby Rock'n'roll" with the National Theatre in Montreal. Producer John Ramming of the Sélect company saw her and gave her a contract. In 1963, she had her first success with "Donne-moi ta jeunesse", it was however "Douliou douliou Saint-Tropez" that became her breakthrough. Jenny Rock leaved Sélect in 66' for the company Apex, and had several successes like "Les Sloopy, Viens Danser, Noir C'est Noir". She disappeared from the scene at the end of the sixties.

Jenny Rock - Douliou Douliou St-Tropez
Jenny Rock - Le Sloopy

Jenny Rock - Saint Tropez - 1965

Rika Zarai

Rika Zaraï, (real name Rika Gussmann) was born on February 19, 1939 in Jerusalem in Palestine.
The Israeli singer recorded in French, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish and German.
She was performing in cabarets and theatres, singing songs translated from French classics like Trenet, Greco, Aznavour or Brassens. This is how, one day, she got spotted by a producer who asked her if she would be interested in performing at the Olympia in Paris.To her, a young budding Israeli singer, who so admired French music, it was truly a dream come true! The producer told her to go and see Bruno Coquatrix on his behalf, and, on that one recommendation, she decides to leave for Paris and for glory, with her child, still a baby, a return ticket, and 100 US$....Read the interesting biography about her life.

Rika Zarai - Une Chanson Pour Mon Amour (feat. on Pop A Paris vol.2)

PS.....I'm looking for these songs, if you have them, pls write!
FR David - Symphonie
Petula Clark - L'agent Secret
Katty Line - Tu Vinci Sempre

More Betina

More Betina songs and pictures at Mel's splendid blog I Can't Give You Anything But Love...baby.. with a lot of Spanish yé-yé as well! Featured a little dedication to my Betina post.. yay!!

And thanks to Mel here is also Betina's 1964 hit:
Betina - Hay tantos chicos en el mundo

PS.... I'm going to London, from October 18th till the 22nd. On my last visit I had a hard time finding record shops with chanson & yé-yé.... anyone knows one?

Betina

Again, thanks a million to Alan @ La canción de Prévert
Mª de las Mercedes Massager Tarragó (b. Barcelona, January 6, 1950) studied at the conservatory in Barcelona and appeared in several radio contests, where she got the name of Betina.

A blonde with blue eyes, joyful and sensual, extrovert and of an overwhelming charm, in real life as well as on stage, she was very popular in the mid 60s, singing with grace and style, both French and Italian successes, and especially ballads.

Her first record was released in 1964. Her first hit came with the song 'Hay tantos chicos en el mundo' ('There Are So Many Boys in the World'), which made her well known all over Spain.

In 1972 she married the Cantabric pianist Raúl G. Calderón. She then joined the band Janio Martí, very popular in Catalonia, and has continued singing and travelling round Europe in sea cruises (!).

Betina - Tarde Azul, Noche Gris
Betina - La Lancha
Betina - Y Por Tanto (Et Pourtant)
Betina - La Vida Es Asi
Betina - Creo

New thread at Get Hip! with interesting ebay retro LP finds.. check it out..

German kitsch: The Batmen

Born and raised in Berlin, frontsinger Dieter Zill spent his youth playing football (soccer). He tried his hand at music, making it as far as supporting Bill Haley, Little Richard and Rolling Stones with his band Didi & His ABC Boys,(he also fronted The Batmen and released an album under the alias Lord Nelson), before deciding in 1969 to change career and started working for German Bravo magazine as a photographer.

The Batmen - Batman

Thanks to Tony the Tyger and Bruno

Ria Bartok

Real name: Marie-Louise Pleiss
(b. 28/1/43, Einbeck, near Hannover, Germany)

A long biography translated thanks to Alan!:

60's French yé-yé goes beyond F. Hardy, Sheila and S. Vartan. One of these other singers was Ria Bartok. She knew success for two years, then tragedy crossed her way. Such a pity.

She was born in Enben, near Hannover. Her father was an opera singer (not related with composer Bartok, as far as we know). She studied in several european cities, then in the fifties the family established in France and she obtained the title of nurse, but doesn't work in it for much time. In 1963, she signed with the label Ricordi and made her first EP, which included 'Parc'que je revu François', a trepidant version of 'I Saw Linda Yesterday', and her first hit. Then followed a second EP with RCA, and, from the autumn of '63, seven more with Columbia (Emi).

This meant two things: that the records sold well (even if they weren't a big success), and that Columbia had great hopes on the artist, as an alternative to Sylvie Vartan, phisically similar and more energetic.

Jean Paul Guiter, Ria's artistic director, tailored her EP's in the best way of the time: great photo covers and fantastic french versions of Goffin and King ('Chills', 'I'm Into Something Good', 'He's In Town'), Mann and Weil ('Heart'), Leiber and Stoller ('Lucky Lips'), Chris Andrews ('You Can't Blame Him') and other succesful composers. There were also french composers who wrote songs for her. Ria's style developped from American R&B (1963-64) to girl group sound and British pop (1964-65), always with delicious arrangements and with two dancing songs, at least, in every record.

Her best years were 1963 and 1964. Success had eluded her when other artists recorded the same song (this happened two times with Richard Anthony, her label mate). Then in the autumn of '64, 'Et Quelque Chose Me Dit', a version of Herman's Hermits' version of 'I'm Into Something Good', by Goffin and King, went to the hit parade of "Salut Les Copains", and 'Ce Monde' (Cilla Black's 'You Are My World', by Umberto Bindi), released in single by Pathé, a subsidiary label of Emi, was number one in Canada. Then Columbia tried to promote Ria Bartok in the British market, and released 'See If I Care' (an English version of her 'Diggedle Boeing' from '63). It was well received enough for Rita to appear at TV's programme "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (ABC).

There is no happy ending. Columbia was releasing Ria's EPs still in 1965, and all seemed well and promising when she died in a fire which she started accidentally. Although her early death doesn't let us know how would had developped her career, we can enjoy all she made, beacause her complete discography has been beautifully released in CD.

Ria Bartok - Tu peux pas savoir
Ria Bartok - C'est Bien Fait (Yesterday)
Ria Bartok - N'y Touche Pas

Tiny Yong

From Ye-ye girls:
Real name: Thien Juong Ton Hu Thi
(b. 8 February 1944, Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Tiny Yong debuted in asian cabaret-restaurant "La table du mandarin" in 1959 (after making her debut in the theatre, then the cinema and then as a singer) with an exotic setlist from 1960 till 1962, before supporting the cause of yé-yé thanks to Henri Salvador. Her choice of songs is greatly influenced by American girl-groups, from The Shirelles to the Chiffons. From 1963 till 1965 she was one of the favorites of the show "Salut les copains'. In 1963 she even achieved a 5th place in the show's chart behind Sylvie Vartan, Sheila, Françoise Hardy and Petula Clark.
Magic Records released an anthology in 1998.

What a cute voice. These are the only songs I've got. I would love to hear more!

Article about her in French from JukeboxMag - Translation anyone?

Tiny Yong - Tais Toi Te Petite Folle
Tiny Yong - Le Sauvage
Tiny Yong - Tu es le roi des menteurs

Tiny Yong - Un Seul Garcon Sur La Terre (feaut. a funny cameo with Henri Salvador and a pretty cold studio)

Eric Perier

It's impossible to find something about Eric Perier and this very rare French ballad, but it sure is nice!

Update on him from Bruno: (thanks!)
He had a few EP's out circa 63/65 and recorded a cover of 'Stand by me' in Italian 'Preghero' which he used to sing on stage in the sixties with his orchestra during summer outdoors festivals (fetes locales 7days in a row )in all the villages around Nimes and in the south of France. He went on being an orchestra leader during the 70's and 80's even 90's. He must be around 65 now if he's still alive. Anyway his orchestra still exists in Nimes (30000)whether it's been sold to another musician I don't know but if you type' orchestre eric perrier' on Google you'll find infos+ address and places where they played in 2006. Last thing his real name is Mario Pace.

Eric Perier - L'amour s'oublie

Zouzou

Zouzou (born November 29, 1943 in Blida, Algeria - real name is Danièle Ciarlet) is a model, actress, singer and icon of the 60s and early 70s mostly known for her beauty and for her lead role in Éric Rohmer's Love in the afternoon.

Discovered at age 16 by then young design artist Jean-Paul Goude, she briefly modelled for Yves Saint Laurent, and, as a tireless night-clubber, is better known, in the mid-60s, under the nickname "Zouzou la twisteuse". Shortly after that, she was romantically involved with Rolling Stones member Brian Jones, whom she followed around the world. She was also a good friend of John Lennon and George Harrison and was photographed by Richard Avedon and Helmut Newton, got to meet Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol and most of all, Jack Nicholson who was, along with Marianne Faithfull, very... faithful friends. She also recorded two EPs as a singer at the end of the 60s, and a duet with Dani, another French 60s icon. After a few roles in underground and experimental French films (under the direction of Philippe Garrel or Yves Lagrange), she got a cinematographic breakthrough in 1972 with Eric Rohmer's L'amour l'après-midi, and developed an international career as an actress, a career which unfortunately, and progressively, slowed down because of her addiction to heroin. She spent seven years on the Cariibean Island of Saint Barthélémy so as to shape up, but her return to Paris, in the mid-80s, was followed by two jail incarcerations due to mild drug dealings. In the mid-90s, she was drug free at last, and, to get a fresh start, she sold the newspapers "La rue" and "Le réverbère" (the equivalent of British "The Big Issue") in the Parisian metro. In November 2003, an autobiography entitled "Zouzou jusqu'à l'aube" ("Zouzou until Dawn") was released, where she told with an ultimate honesty the extreme ups and downs of her incredible life. A compilation of all her songs was also released, and a documentary, "Zouzou l'héroïne", told in images the fate of probably one of the most beautiful woman of the world, revered as the "female Marlon Brando" when she burst into the Parisian scene, more than 40 years ago.

Zouzou - Tu fais partie du passé
Zouzou -J'avais rêvé
Zouzou - Petit garçon

Buy CD
Official website

Danish Delights (8) - Vivi Bach

The Danish Brigitte Bardot
Vivi Bach (Vivi Bak) was born September 3rd 1939, in Copenhagen.

She started as a hairstylist but ended it to pursue a modelcareer, with great success.
She was soon known as the first Danish teenager, and recorded some albums for Phillips in 1958-1958, but not with the same impact.
More success had she with some Danish films, though she was not the biggest talent.

In 1960 she got a music contract in Germany, and became a popular tv-host. Bach and Dietmar Schönherr were the hosts of a controversial German television program in the late 60s famous for nearly drowning an entire family is a staged car accident but nevertheless managed to score a chart hit with this bizarre, cheerfully arranged single endorsing radical leftist politics and terrorist tactics. It's a pretty fascinating relic from the era, to say the least.
Since then she became a tv-producer in Germany, but visited Denmark regularly to perform and record Danish records in 1970's.
Today she share homes in Schweiz and on Ibiza with her husband Dietmar Schönherr.

In Denmark she is more known as an icon and a small actress than a singer. It's actually pretty hard to find her Danish records, but if you can't get enough of Vivi's german records, look her up at ebay.de

More photos of Vivi at my new Photo Album!
(I guess being sick, make me incredibly active on the blog)

So, here is a zillion songs. I couldn't choose. They are all so good!
If you are new to Vivi, then check her and husband Dietmar Schönherr's hip "Molotow Cocktail Party" which is featured on the 'In-Kraut Hip Grooves in Germany' cd. I have a couple more songs by her, but tell me what you think of these first!

In German:
Vivi Bach & Dietmar Schönherr - Molotow Cocktail Party
Vivi Bach & Dietmar Schönherr - Mein Schatz ich muß zum Bus
Vivi Bach & Rex Gildo - Singen Swingen

Vivi Bach - Hey Boy, Geh deinen Weg
Vivi Bach - Summ, Summ, Summ
Vivi Bach - Voulez vous, Monsieur

In Danish:
Vivi Bak - Venedig (Venice) (as Vivi Bak)

Cover up: Poupée de cire, poupée de son

Here is a list of covers. If you have some, please write to me in the comments!
Wikipedia:
Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Wax doll, bran doll) was the winning entry in the Eurovision Song Contest of 1965. It was performed in French by France Gall representing Luxembourg.
The song, composed by Serge Gainsbourg, was the first non-ballad to win the Contest and is generally agreed to be one of the great Contest entries.

The word son in the song title has frequently been misunderstood, especially by English-speakers, as meaning "sound", and this has led to several attempts to explain poupée de son as having to do with a singing-doll toy. There is, however, no evidence that a toy of this kind (une poupée qui chante) has ever been called a "sound doll" in French.

Son in this context is an entirely different word, meaning "bran" (or sawdust, resembling bran), of the kind used to stuff children's flopy dolls. Poupée de son is a long-standing expression in French; it is also used in the expression Syndrome du bébé "poupée de son", "floppy baby syndrome" (infantile hypotonia), and can even refer to someone too drunk to stand up. "Bran doll" as a phrase is not entirely unknown in English either: "no more brains or backbone than a bran doll"

The original: France Gall - Poupée de cire, poupée de son

Coverversions of Poupée de cire, poupée de son in other languages include:

English: Twinkle - A Lonely Singing Doll
Italian: France Gall - Io sì, tu no ("I do, you don't")
German: France Gall - Das War Eine Schöne Party
Japanese: France Gall - Yumemiro Chanson Ningyo ("Dreaming chanson doll")
Portuguese: Karina - Boneca de cera, boneca de som
Spanish: Karina - Muñeca De Cera
Swedish: Gitte Hænning - Det kan väl inte jag rå för ("I really can't help it")
Danish: Gitte Hænning - Lille Dukke ("Little Doll")
Finnish: Ritva Palukka - Vahanukke, laulava nukke

Thanks to Alan!

Los TNT

It was a game of words between the initials of Tim, Nelly and Tony; the names of the members of this excellent trio.
They were of Italian origin, but were discovered when they performed in Uruguay. In 1960 they made a contract with RCA. Their first LP sold more than 100,000 discs single in Argentina, in addition to being success in Mexico and most of South America.

Los TNT - Tu Loca Juventud
Los TNT - Que Tengas Suerte