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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La Mer - Greatest Hits
Charles Trenet Lyrics
Autour du monde Autour du monde Autour du monde Il y a des brunes, il…
Bonsoir Jolie Madame J'ai couru dans la nuit vers une humble chaumière. J'ai cou…
Boum! La pendule fait tic-tac-tic-tic Les oiseaux du lac pic-pac-p…
Dans les rues de Québec Depuis l'automne, que de villes parcourues! Que de boulevard…
Débit De L'Eau, Débit De Lait Dans ma rue, y a deux boutiques Dans l'une on vend…
Devant la mer La mer Qu'on voit danser Le long des golfes clairs A des ref…
Douce France Il revient à ma mémoire Des souvenirs familiers Je revois …
Ève Au plus lointain des âges Un homme a chanté Au plus lointain…
Fleur Bleue Un doux parfum qu'on respire C'est fleur bleue Un regard q…
Formidable Formidable! j'entends le vent sur la mer Formidable! je vois…
Il Pleut Dans Ma Chambre Il pleut dans ma chambre J'écoute la pluie Douce pluie de …
J'ai Ta Main Nous sommes allongés Sur l'herbe de l'été Il est tard, on en…
Jardins Du Mois De Mai 1 . Mam'zelle Clio Mam'zelle Clio Le premier jour je me rapp…
Je chante Je chante ! Je chante soir et matin, Je chante sur mon…
L'âme des poètes Longtemps, longtemps, longtempsAprès que les poètes ont disp…
L'Âme des poètes Longtemps, longtemps, longtemps Après que les poètes ont dis…
La cigale et la fourmi La Cigale, ayant chanté tout l'été, Se trouva fort dépourvu…
La mer La mer Qu'on voit danser Le long des golfes clairs A des ref…
La Romance de Paris Ils s'aimaient depuis deux jours à peine Y a parfois du…
La Vie Qui Va C'est la vie qui va toujours Vive la vie Vive l'amour La …
Le Grand Cafe Au Grand Café, vous êtes entré par hasard Tout ébloui par…
Le retour des saisons C'est le retour des saisons La joie dans la maison C'est la…
Le Soleil A Des Rayons De Pluie Le ciel est gris mais ta présence le rend bleu. Le…
Le Temps Des Cerises Quand nous chanterons le temps des cerises Et gai rossignol…
Mam'zelle Clio Mam'zelle Clio Mam'zelle Clio Le premier jour je me rapp…
Menilmontant Ménilmontant mais oui madame C'est là que j'ai laissé mon c…
Ménilmontant Ménilmontant mais oui madame C'est là que j'ai laissé mon cœ…
N'Y Pensez Pas Trop Si les mystères de la vie Vous mènent à zéro…
Pigeon Vole Amoureux d'une cousine Qui pouvait avoir vingt ans, Je viv…
Quand j'étais p'tit Oublions le solfège Pour des rêves meilleurs Les murs de ce …
Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours Ce soir, le vent qui frappe à ma porte Me parle…
Si Vous Aimez Vous qui riez de la vie, Vous qui chantez mille chansons, Vo…
Swing troubadour Tu viens chanter, malgré l'orage, A ce balcon qui reste sou…
Un rien me fait chanter Un rien me fait chanter Un rien me fait danser Un rien…
Verlaine Les sanglots longs Des violons De l'automne, Blessent mon…
Y'a D'la Joie Y'a d'la joie! Bonjour, bonjour les hirondelles Y'a d'la joi…