Charles Trénet • Douce France 2 CDs
Living Era puts real work into their reissues of historic recordings. Douce France by Charles Trenet is no exception. These two discs contain nearly two and a half hours of Trenet at the beginning and at his best, covering the years 1935-1950. Trenet was a giant and a legend, part myth, part incredible persona. He was France's equivalent of Frank Sinatra, though his style was decidedly different and was somehow more because he was a prolific songwriter as well. A terrific balladeer, his gorgeous baritone is captured on his earliest sides, like "La Mer" and "Verlaine." His range as both singer and songwriter ran from the sublime (the aforementioned, plus "Marie, Marie" and "Mes Jeunes Années") to the silly ("Boum!" and "Pigeon Vole"). But he took all of his inspiration -- even during the War Years -- as his muse. This is a fine introduction as well as a tremendous compilation for collectors.
CD 11 La Mer (Beyond the Sea) 3:25
2 Rendez-Vous Sous la Pluie (Rendezvous in the Rain) 3:10
3 Le Grand Café 2:13
4 Vous Êtes Jolie (You're a Pretty Girl) 2:20
5 Ah! Dis Ah! Dis Ah! Bonjour (Oh! Say Oh! Say Oh "Good Morning"!) 2:25
6 Les Oiseaux de Paris (The Birds of Paris) 3:11
7 La Vieille (The Old Woman) 2:13
8 Jardins du Mois de Mai (Gardens in the Month of May) 2:58
9 Pic...Pic! 2:29
10 Près de Toi, Mon Amour (Close to You, My Love) 3:24
11 Verlaine 3:25
12 Terre! (Earth!) 2:36
13 La Cigale et la Fourmi (The Cicada and the Ant) 2:22
14 En Écoutant Mon Coeur Chanter (As I Listen to My Heart Singing) 3:01
15 Seul...Depuis Toujours (Alone...Since Forever) 3:13
16 Retour à Paris (Return to Paris) 3:00
17 Tombé du Ciel (Dropped from the Clouds) 2:52
18 Le Retour des Saisons (As Seasons Come and Go) 3:12
19 N'Y Pensez Pas Trop (Don't Think Too Much About It) 2:45
20 Marie, Marie 2:52
21 Annie-Anna 2:43
22 Mes Jeunes Années (In My Younger Days) 3:17
23 Le Roi Dagobert (Dada-Gogo-Bébert) 3:04
24 Ohé, Paris! (Hello There, Paris!) 2:22
25 Douce France (Gentle France) 3:09
CD 21 La Route Enchantée 2:09
2 Y'a de la Joie 2:34
3 Boum! 2:36
4 J'Ai Ta Main 2:36
5 Pigeon Vole 3:21
6 Il Pleut dans Ma Chambre 2:38
7 Papa Pique, Maman Coud 3:23
8 La Polka du Roi 2:40
9 Un Rien Me Fait Chanter 2:16
10 Swing Troubadour 3:24
11 La Vie Qui Va 2:32
12 Mam'zelle Clio 2:44
13 Bonsoir Jolie Madame 3:26
14 Debit de l'Eau, Debit de Lait 2:30
15 Vous Oubliez Votre Cheval 3:01
16 La Bigune a Bango 2:19
17 Quand J'Étais P'tit... (Je Vous Aimais) 3:07
18 Le Soleil a Rendez-Vous avec la Lune 2:26
19 Le Temps des Cerises 3:21
20 En Quittant la Ville 2:34
21 J'Ai Connu de Vous 2:49
22 Sur un Fil 2:26
23 Fleur Bleue 2:38
24 Menilmontant 3:19
25 La Romance de Paris 2:53
26 Que Reste-T-Il de Nos Amours? 3:14
27 Je Chante 2:46
ASV Records, Living Era Series
