Chanson masterpieces. Recommended popular songs.

Champs ElyséesZAZ

ZAZ – Champs Elysées (Clip officiel)

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call “Champs Elysées” the theme song of Paris.

It’s that famous tune everyone knows from the line, “Aux Champs-Élysées.” The song was composed by Joe Dassin, and for a long time his version was synonymous with “Champs Elysées.” Nowadays, however, the cover by Zaz, a beloved French national artist, has become the version most familiar to the French.

Pay attention to its lively rhythm and lyrics that warmly portray everyday life.

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Ne Me Quitte PasNina Simone

Nina Simone – Ne Me Quitte Pas

Nina Simone, the legendary artist from the United States.

After making her mark in America, she set off around the world in search of greater heights.

She later settled fully in France, where she spent the rest of her life.

She is sometimes called the greatest artist America let slip away.

She likely couldn’t tolerate the decline in musical standards brought on by the commercialization of the scene.

This track, “Ne Me Quitte Pas,” is a cover of a song by Jacques Brel—a French-language piece listened to all over the world.

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Le Vent Nous PorteraSophie Hunger

Sophie Hunger – Le Vent Nous Portera (De Hofnar Edit)

Sophie Hunger is a Swiss-born artist.

In addition to English, she speaks various languages such as French, Belgian, and Swiss Italian.

Her song “Le Vent Nous Portera” is one of her popular tracks in French.

Basically, it’s a deeply immersive, dope tune, but parts of the vocals evoke the feel of old chanson.

French liaison is generally a disadvantage for vocals, yet in this song the liaison adds even more flavor.

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Tombe la neigeAdamo

Adamo – Tombe la neige (1976)

Salvatore Adamo, the chanson singer famous for songs like “Sans toi ma mie,” also has “Tombe la neige,” another one of his signature numbers, known in Japan under the title “Yuki ga Furu” (Snow Is Falling).

Chanson often dwells on themes like love and local color, capturing the air of a city and the feelings of its people.

This piece, too, evokes a wintry French snow scene.

I hope you’ll take in the lyrics’ message and feel the lingering melancholy that defines this number.

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Murakami Shinpei

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Una bella historiaMichel Fugain

Una bella historia Michel Fugain

I’m sure many of you find this tune familiar.

Yes, this is the original song that inspired Circus’s hit “Mr.

Summertime.” It has been arranged with an even more passionate feel than the Japanese version.

It’s a popular song not only in Japan but around the world, and many artists have covered it.

Most of the covers, like the original, are arranged with a passionate flair.

Only in Japan does it take on a calmer, more adult image.

I think that’s because the Japanese lyrics revolve around an affair, which led to that kind of mood.

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Sans toi ma mieSalvatore Adamo

Salvatore Adamo – Sans toi ma mie 1963

“Sans toi ma mie,” which in Japanese is rendered as “Santois Mamii” (Santoi Mamī), is a song that has been covered by numerous Japanese artists.

It’s a piece by the Belgian composer Salvatore Adamo.

Nevertheless, it’s exactly the kind of love song we associate with France—a heartbreak song.

Filled with many beautifully flowery, even tooth-achingly sweet metaphors and expressions, it speaks to the person who has gone away.

If you want to delve deeper into the lyrics, listening to the Japanese version covered by the hugely popular Fubuki Koshiji will likely convey the atmosphere even more vividly.

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Murakami Shinpei

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AmoureuseCLIO

CLIO – Amoureuse [CLIP OFFICIEL]

“Amoureuse” is a song by French singer Clio, released in 2019.

It’s a number that lays a four-on-the-floor dance beat beneath a fragile, chanson-like vocal.

The section where she repeatedly sings “Amoureuse,” especially in the chorus, is moving; if you understand that she’s expressing the phrase “falling in love” through the nuances of her voice, you may grasp the essence of the song a bit more.

It’s a standout in French pop, and I hope you’ll also enjoy its other literary turns of phrase.

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Murakami Shinpei

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