We start this GBU Bond style. There is a grand tradition of French and other European artists doing covers of Bond title tracks. In a strange way, this cover by Lucky Blondo stays incredibly true to the original, except being sung by a thirty french man instead of Nancy Sinatra. Oh, for non-french speakers, this is ‘You Only Live Twice’ from the Sean Connery classic 007 flick released in 1967.
Johnny goes country. Released as a standalone single in 1970 and b/w Jesus Christ, this Eddy Vartan penned track has echoes of Willie Nelson and a bunch of other country tracks picked up by Hallyday on his travels to the US.
From the 1970 LP Hallyday LP Vie, this hard rock track inspired heavily by Led Zeppelin was co-written by Mick Jones later of Foreigner and it rocks heavily for Johnny, who needs no second name on the sleeve of this single.
One of the many parodies of the Antoine’s Les Élucubrations d’Antoine this track by noted comic Pierre Gilbert is not as harsh as the classic Johnny Hallyday riposte to the perceived arrogance of Antoine and his reply song ‘Cheveux longs et idées courtes.” which translates as Long hair and Short Ideas
OK, I couldn’t resist playing this response song from Johnny Hallyday, released in 1966 as a response to Antoine dissing the Hallyday by suggesting he needed to be locked in a cage (it was a far more innocent time in the sixties)
Dani is one of the most underrated yé-yé girls. This lovely folky piece was recorded in 1969 and is very Morricone-esque in its use of flutes and trumpets, lovely really.
Released in 1964, this is a lovely little cover of the Millie hit ‘Until you’re MINE’. Once again, Jocelyne is best known as one of the yé-yé girls, who is usually represented by the song Nitty Gritty, which is of course as scarce as hen’s teeth (c’est le mouton a 20 pattes)
The penultimate track is from an early SV EP. This is an old Gene Vincent track from the late 1950s. This swinging version came out on the Chance EP in 1963.
As always, I love breaking the rules. The premise of this show is songs we don’t play on the dance floor. However, this is our show closer when we do full BP nights. It is a great way to end the night with the majesty of Michel Polnareff. Released in 1968, this song is bat shit crazy. I still have the image of 50 New Yorkers swaying to the quiet bits and then getting disoriented by the fast bits. Amazing