The Charles Aznavour (1924-2018) Thread

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4) Entre deux rêves (1967)

 

Emmenez-Moi (Take Me Along)

Bordering roughly the same area as Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay, Emmenez-Moi was an appropriate farewell before Aznavour vanished into the wings for ever after his final concert, on 17 September in Tokyo. The ear-stinging decibels of foot-stomping ovation only fizzled out a full 10 minutes after Emmenez-Moi, by which time, the great chansonnier’s limo was probably halfway back to the hotel. Bravo, Charles – et adieu!

 

5) A Man's Life: Charles Aznavour/Aznavour Sings Aznavour Vol. 2 (1970)

 

Yesterday, When I Was Young

He was still performing in his 90s, but Aznavour wasn’t merely “marvellous for his age”, he was marvellous in absolute terms, even when addressing lost youth in what was first released (as Hier Encore) in 1964. It has been recorded by dozens of singers, including Dusty Springfield, Glen Campbell, Johnny Mathis and Elton John (on Aznavour’s Duos album in 2008). But the most famous version, in the US at least, is probably by Roy Clark. His 1969 version reached the country Top 10 there and was Clark’s only mainstream pop hit.

 

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/02/charles-aznavour-10-of-the-best

 

 

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6) I Have Lived/Aznavour Sings Aznavour Vol. 3 (1972)

 

 

The Old Fashioned Way

His first UK Top 40 entry in 1973, Les Plaisirs Démodés – its title in French – had been part of Aznavour’s stage presentation during a record-breaking run of 70 standing room-only engagements at the Olympia, Paris’s premier auditorium, in 1967. Its waltz-time remembrance of past romance would be reprised in up-tempo form for each recital’s play-out.

 

What Makes a Man

On the B-side of The Old Fashioned Way was this daring affront to middle-of-the-road pop sensibilities – what Aznavour believed to be the first chanson about a crossdressing gay man. The songwriter depicted him living alone with his widowed mother, a pathos that no doubt attracted Marc Almond when he covered the song in 1993.

 

The Ham

When the likes of ELP, Tubular Bells, Weather Report and Steely Dan were emanating from college dorm rooms in the pre-punk 1970s, I was listening hard to all three volumes of Aznavour Sings Aznavour. Before the decade was out, teenage Europe would be treated to Clayson and the Argonauts’ version of The Ham (Le Cabotin), described by an NME reviewer as “a slice of Aznavourian breast-beating”.

 

7) A Tapestry of Dreams (1974)

 

She

In 1974, Aznavour scored a UK No 1 with She. Yet this achievement branded him for years as a merchant of schmaltz. Nonetheless, two new wave heroes covered it: the Specials’ Terry Hall and Elvis Costello, whose version plays over the closing credits of the Richard Curtis romcom Notting Hill. In 1981, it was remade as He by the variety show stalwart Kathy Kirby.

 

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/02/charles-aznavour-10-of-the-best

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La voz de Charles Aznavour es un símbolo de la canción Francesa, pero ha tenido que imponerse ante un primer público francés poco entusiasta. Si bien en su país le costó tiempo imponer su físico de 1metro 65 y su voz atípica, en América latina fue desde un principio recibido como un gigante de la canción.

 

The voice of Charles Aznavour is a symbol of French song, but he had to establish himself with an initially unenthusiastic French audience. While it took him time to assert his 5'5" frame and unique voice in his own country, in Latin America, he was received from the start as a giant of song.

 

Podcast: https://www.rfi.fr/es/cultura/20181002-aznavour-en-espanol

1. Debes saber
2. For me... formidable (en español)
3. C'est fini (en español)
4. La bohemia
5. Morir de amor
6. Ayer aún
7. Como dicen

 

 

 

 

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"Adieu Aznavour, 'l'istrione' che cantava gioie e dolori dell'amore. Un repertorio sconfinato, una vita dedicata all'arte al pubblico per cantare il sentimento per eccellenza, declinato in tutte le sue sfumature. Le sue canzoni più belle." (source: today.it, "Aznavour, le cinque canzoni più belle", 2018)

 

Farewell Aznavour, 'the histrion' who sang the joys and sorrows of love. A boundless repertoire, a life dedicated to art and the public, to sing the quintessential feeling, expressed in all its nuances. His most beautiful songs. (source: today.it, "Aznavour, the five most beautiful songs", 2018)

 

1. L'istrione (Le cabotin)
2. Com'è triste Venezia (Que C'est Triste Venise)
3. No, non mi scorderò mai (Non, je n'ai rien oublié)
4. Comme il disent (Quel che si dice)
5. She (Lei)

 

 

 

 

 

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"Legenden: Charles Aznavour. Charles Aznavour zählte zu den großen Chansonniers des vergangenen Jahrhunderts. Am 22. Mai 1924 ist Schahnur Waghinak Asnawurjan (auch Charles Aznavourian) in Paris, Frankreich zur Welt gekommen. Er starb am 1, Oktober 2018. " (Source: https://schmusa.de/legenden-charles-aznavour/)

 

Legends: Charles Aznavour. Charles Aznavour was one of the great chansonniers of the past century. On May 22, 1924, Shahnour Vaghinak Aznavourian (also known as Charles Aznavourian) was born in Paris, France. He passed away on October 1, 2018.

 

Source: https://schmusa.de/legenden-charles-aznavour/

 

1. She (Sie)
   Der armenisch-französische Chansonnier, Liedtexter, Komponist und Filmschauspieler war ein Weltstar. Mit “She” landete er auch einen weltweiten Hit.
2. Yesterday When I was Young
   Auch in den Vereinigten Staaten schätze man den Künstler. Im Alter von 93 Jahren wurde er sogar mit einem Stern auf dem Hollywood Walk auf Fame ausgezeichnet.
3. Tanze Wange an Wange mit mir
   In den 70er Jahren sang er seine Chansons auch auf Deutsch. Wie gerne wäre so manche Dame von ihm aufgefordert worden “Tanze Wange an Wange mit mir”.
4. Du lässt dich geh’n
   Mit Liedern wie “Du lässt dich geh’n” oder “Tanze Wange an Wange mit mir” schaffte es Charles Aznavour in den Kreis der populären Liedermacher aufgenommen zu werden. Der weltweit bekannte Künstler schrieb rund 1.300 Chansons und verkaufte weltweit mehr als 200 Millionen Tonträger.
5. Ich halte dich schon warm
   Aber auch die Lieder, die es nicht in die Schlagerparaden geschafft haben, hatten eine große Fangemeinde in Deutschland. Dieses Lied heißt “Ich halte dich schon warm”.

 

 

 

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Did you know that Cher recorded an English version of 'Une Enfant'? And guess what? Aznavour also recorded an unreleased version in 1975! Stay tuned for its release on his 100th anniversary next year! #Aznavour100

 

 

 

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To my French friends and Francophiles:

 

Don't miss Le Figaro this Thursday at the newsstands, featuring a double-page spread dedicated to Charles Aznavour!

There, notably, will be unveiled the most ambitious discographic project in the world ever undertaken for any popular artist. Indeed, a whole team has been working full-time for about a year to create this CD box set dedicated to Charles Aznavour's centenary.

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Thirty-five years ago, on December 7th, the earth shook in Armenia. This unreleased American version titled 'For You Armenia' never appeared on a record. It will be released in 2024 as part of the box set celebrating Charles Aznavour's centenary.

 

 

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I have put a YouTube link.

 

Among the guest stars who participated in this clip are Dionne Warwick, Liza Minnelli, Irene Cara, Martin Landau, Corey Feldman, Gene Page, and Maurice Jarre.

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Here is a rare version of 'She' that has been remastered for the project of 100 CDs set to be released next year to celebrate Charles Aznavour's centenary. This version was recorded for the British edition of his Christmas album titled 'A Very Private Christmas', released in 1981.