Sunday, December 28, 2014

Francoise Hardy repetite

Warning, the first video is a bit risqué for its time.






I wonder how many men over the years have fallen hopelessly for Francoise? Scary numbers.
Her voice alone. Uniquely sweet, which is something else, considering the number of girl singers in the world. And then her face, especially French-beautiful.

Update:
Ah, I just knew there was something unique about her voice. Bert tells us:
She was indeed incredibly beautiful, and almost as popular for a while. I do recall a summer when Tous les garçons was playing non-stop on the radio. Those were fun years, music-wise - perhaps not the best music or songs ever, but all about having light-hearted fun, t'was nice. Her distinctive voice is what the French call une voix de gorge, or a throat voice, if you wish.
You may have noticed how, as a language, French is mostly spoken in the front of the mouth. If you curl the middle of your tongue upward (e.g. form an arch with your tongue) -- almost all of the sounds that compose the language originate ahead of said arch, very far forward compared to most languages. Now, listen carefully to her singing and you might be able to hear two distinct voices: the one I just described, coming from the front of the mouth, and another one from her throat.
While this is not all that uncommon for singers, what sets Françoise apart is how she retains her crystal-clear elocution, that's somewhat uncommon for voices like hers. And what's even more rare is how she manages this without the least appearance of effort -- this tells me that it is really her natural voice, not a learned technique. And she speaks with the loveliest accent too (or absence thereof, depending on one's point of view, I suppose).

4 comments:

Graham Giles said...

Indeed. I believe Mick Jagger (who knew her) claimed she was his idea of the perfect woman.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yes, that is the effect she has on me!
In high school in 1979 when I was 17, the teacher (herself petite and cute) played this song, and when she showed the cover, I was captivated and blurted out "how old is she?"

Even disconsidering the age difference (19 years), we have way too different lives, and I wouldn't have a chance, but a fellah can dream, even when he knows it's just dreams.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you would like Anki Lindqvist. She has sung at least one cover in Finnish of Francoise's songs. Her voice is clear as a bell. She was not a raving beauty, more the fresh-faced girl next door,someone you'd find hiking in the forests of Finland, perhaps tending a garden, but her warm spirit grows on you. She's easy to find on Youtube.

Anonymous said...

Eolake, I would not be too quick to dismiss the importance of dreams. Women such as the lovely Francoise serve as templates to guide and inspire us as we seek a kindred spirit later on in life. Those who have no dreams often do not fare as well in life and love as those who do.