Belle & Sebastian, “Poupée de cire, poupée de son” (France Gall)
If you think that French culture is old-school and can’t cross the borders, we are sorry to say that you are totally wrong. The peeps at the Institut français in Edinburgh have take on the challenge to show you just how inspirational French songs can be for Anglophones singers.
The “bien nommée” French singer France Gall was only 17 when she first sang this song that was especially written and composed for her by Monsieur Serge Gainsbourg (never the last one when it comes to write lyrics containing playful double meanings). At this time, she even admitted felling in tune with the lyrics: “Seule parfois je soupire / Je me dit à quoi bon / Chanter ainsi l'amour / Sans rien connaître des garcons” (Alone, I sometimes sigh / Thinking, what's the point / Of singing love like
this, without reason / Without knowing anything about boys?)
Although she’s French, she represented Luxembourg at the 1965 Eurovision song contest and actually won the main prize. The song then became very popular in Northern Europe and Japan (unconditional fans of French pop) between 1965 and 1966, before it crossed the Channel to arrive in Bonnie Scotland…
From 1992 to 2011, broadcaster and rock lover Bernard Lenoir was the host of a fantastic musical programme called ‘C’est Lenoir’ on France Inter in which he used to invite rock stars to perform live in his ‘Black Sessions’. Invited to the show, the Glaswegian band Belle & Sebastian chose this French song which was never recorded on a studio album afterwards.
And that’s how 1998 became not only the year when all French felt even prouder than usual (guess why…), but also discovered this small Scottish band on the brink of becoming indie pop stars.
Using the original military rhythms provided by the drums, the guys give here a sauvage and renewed version of the song that was once reviewed as “sweet but not much else”. The opening traverse flute almost disappears giving to this cover a less childish but darker tone. The original violin melody is replaced by a trumpet that reinforces the rhythmic of the song and gives an indie rock taste to the whole thing. This trompet is pure genius! So we’re asking… Do we have here a better cover than the original? That’s absolutely possible. No offense France.