Charles Trenet (May 18, 1913, Narbonne, France – February 19, 2001, Créteil… Read Full Bio ↴Charles Trenet (May 18, 1913, Narbonne, France – February 19, 2001, Créteil, France) was a French singer and songwriter, most famous for his recordings from the late 1930s through the mid-1950s, though his career continued through the 1990s. In an era in which it was exceptional for a singer to write his or her own material, Trenet wrote prolifically and preferred to record his own songs.
Some of his best known songs include "Boum...!", "Y'A D'La Joie", "Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours?", "Ménilmontant", and "Douce France". His catalog of songs is enormous, numbering close to a thousand. While many of his songs mined relatively conventional topics such as love, Paris, and nostalgia for his younger days, what set Trenet's songs apart were their personal, poetic, sometimes quite eccentric qualities, often infused with a warm wit. Some of his songs had unconventional subject matter, with whimsical imagery bordering on the surreal. "Y'A D'La Joie" evokes "joy" through a series of disconnected (though all vaguely phallic) images, including that of a subway car shooting out of its tunnel into the air, the Eiffel Tower crossing the street and a baker making excellent bread. The lovers engaged in a minuet in "La Polka Du Roi" reveal themselves at length to be "no longer human": they are made of wax and trapped in the Musée Grévin. Many of his hits from the 1930s and 1940s effectively combine the melodic and verbal nuance of French song with American swing rhythms.
Other artists have had hits with some of Trenet's songs, such as the American Bobby Darin's success with "Beyond the Sea" ("La Mer"). Darin's version preserved the charming chording of Trenet's original which the author dashed off in about an hour in 1946 as an homage to the French coastline, once again free of battleships and the scars of World War II.
Other Trenet songs were recorded by such popular French singers as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Sablon, and Frehel.
Some of his best known songs include "Boum...!", "Y'A D'La Joie", "Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours?", "Ménilmontant", and "Douce France". His catalog of songs is enormous, numbering close to a thousand. While many of his songs mined relatively conventional topics such as love, Paris, and nostalgia for his younger days, what set Trenet's songs apart were their personal, poetic, sometimes quite eccentric qualities, often infused with a warm wit. Some of his songs had unconventional subject matter, with whimsical imagery bordering on the surreal. "Y'A D'La Joie" evokes "joy" through a series of disconnected (though all vaguely phallic) images, including that of a subway car shooting out of its tunnel into the air, the Eiffel Tower crossing the street and a baker making excellent bread. The lovers engaged in a minuet in "La Polka Du Roi" reveal themselves at length to be "no longer human": they are made of wax and trapped in the Musée Grévin. Many of his hits from the 1930s and 1940s effectively combine the melodic and verbal nuance of French song with American swing rhythms.
Other artists have had hits with some of Trenet's songs, such as the American Bobby Darin's success with "Beyond the Sea" ("La Mer"). Darin's version preserved the charming chording of Trenet's original which the author dashed off in about an hour in 1946 as an homage to the French coastline, once again free of battleships and the scars of World War II.
Other Trenet songs were recorded by such popular French singers as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Sablon, and Frehel.
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Boum !
Charles Trenet Lyrics
Boum! La pendule fait tic-tac-tic-tic Les oiseaux du lac font pic-…
De la fenétre d'en haut Sur la lande chemine Une gamine C'est la fille du facteur El…
L'épicière L'épicière, l'épicière est une sorcière Je l'ai vue, je l'ai…
L'héritage infernal Il y eut un héritage Dans la rue des Trois-Mages Un vieux…
La Chanson Du Joli Feu De Bois Claque, claque mon joli feu Qui flambe dans ma cheminée Claq…
La cigale et la fourmi La Cigale, ayant chanté tout l'été, Se trouva fort dépourvu…
La Java Du Diable 1. Un jour le diable fit une java Qu'avait tout l'air…
La Vie Est une Aventure La vie est une aventure jolie Heureux qui sait la chanter He…
Le Débit De L'eau Le Débit De Lait Dans ma rue, y a deux boutiques Dans l'une on vend…
Le dernier troubadour C'est le dernier troubadour C'est le dernier cœur bohème Cel…
Mon Vieil Atlantique Qu'est-ce qu'il y a qui ne va pas Mon vieil Atlantique? Je…
Papa pique et maman coud Je suis né dans un village Près du ciel plein d'oiseaux Je…
Pauvre Georges André Quand Georges André revient d'la chasse Sa sœur aînée fait l…
Pic pic pic Quand le jour se lève Je pense à vous ma chérie Et…
Revoir Paris Revoir Paris Un petit séjour d'un mois Revoir Paris Et me re…
Route nationale 7 De toutes les routes de France d'Europe Celle que j'préfère …
Swing troubadour Tu viens chanter malgré l'orage À ce balcon qui reste…
Verlaine Les sanglots longs Des violons De l'automne, Blessent mon cœ…