Johnny Hallyday (Jean-Philippe Léo Smet, b. 15 June 1943 in Paris – d. 5 De… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Hallyday (Jean-Philippe Léo Smet, b. 15 June 1943 in Paris – d. 5 December 2017, in Marnes-la-Coquette) was a French singer and actor. Influenced by Elvis Presley and the 1950s rock 'n' roll revolution, Hallyday became famous in the 1960s for singing rock 'n' roll in French.
Hallyday's father, Léon Smet (1908–1989), was Belgian; his mother, Huguette Clerc (1920–2007), was French. Born in Paris, Hallyday took his stage name from his aunt Desta's husband and dance partner Lee Hallyday, a pseudonym for Lee Ketcham, an expatriate Oklahoman, performer, and MC at the Café de Paris where Johnny began his singing career. Johnny was raised by Desta and Lee from a very young age, with Lee being his first manager. Johnny was always very loyal to Lee and secured him a permanent job as a producer and A&R man with his label, Philips Records until Lee's retirement and relocation back to Oklahoma.
His debut single, "Laisse les filles" was released on the Vogue label in March 1960. His first album, Hello Johnny, was released in 1960. In 1961 his cover of "Let's Twist Again" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It topped almost every European chart, although the track did not appear in the UK Singles Chart. He appeared on the American The Ed Sullivan Show with American singing star Connie Francis in a show that was taped at the Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris. He also staged many appearances in the Paris Olympia under the management of the late Bruno Coquatrix. For their first concert, The Jimi Hendrix Experience opened for Johnny Hallyday in Évreux on 13 October 1966. Black-and-white footage, also from October 1966, exists of Hallyday partying with Hendrix, his manager Chas Chandler and others. There also is a widely published monochrome photograph of Hallyday walking somewhere in Paris in late May 1966 with Bob Dylan.
At the end of the 1960s, Hallyday made a string of albums with Mick Jones and Tommy Brown as musical directors, and Big Jim Sullivan, Bobby Graham and Jimmy Page as session musicians. These are Jeune Homme, Rivière... Ouvre ton Lit (a.k.a. Je suis né dans la rue) and Vie. On Je suis né dans la rue, Hallyday also hired both Peter Frampton and the Small Faces. Amongst their contributions are the songs Amen (Bang Bang), Reclamation (News Report), and Regarde Pour Moi (What You Will), which are variations of Small Faces and Humble Pie (Frampton's band) songs—tracks and they all play on the album. Often forgotten is Hallyday's non-LP single and EP track Que Je T'aime from the same sessions. By 1969 alone, his sales of records exceeded twelve million.
One of Hallyday's later concerts, 100% Johnny: Live à La Tour Eiffel in 2000, attracted an audience of 500,000 and 9.5 million television viewers (the show was broadcast live on French TV). In December 2005, Hallyday had his third number-one single in France, "Mon Plus Beau Noël" (after "Tous ensemble" and "Marie"), dedicated to his adopted daughter Jade. Shortly before announcing his retirement from touring, he released a blues-flavored album, Le Cœur d'un homme, on 12 November 2007. The album hit No. 1 in both France and French-speaking Belgium. In addition to the lead single "Always", Le Cœur d'un homme features "T'aimer si mal", a duet with bluesman Taj Mahal and "I Am the Blues", an English-language song written for Hallyday by U2's lead singer Bono. His next album, Ça ne finira jamais, released in 2008, another No. 1 on the French album chart, and its lead single, "Ça n'finira jamais", also reached No. 1. In 2008 he recorded a series of acoustic songs with French musician Drexl Jonez. Hallyday's most recent album, also a No. 1 hit in France, is Tour 66: Stade de France 2009, a live set recorded at Stade de France during his farewell tour with appearances by Drexl Jonez on the guitar.
French movie producers Michèle and Laurent Pétin introduced Johnny Hallyday to Hong Kong film director Johnnie To. Hallyday was cast as the main role of To's Vengeance after meeting with the director in early 2008. The shooting began in November 2008 and concluded in February 2009.
He was married for 15 years to popular Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan and the two were considered a "golden couple" for 20 years.
Hallyday completed 181 tours, had 18 platinum albums, and sold more than 110 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time.
Hallyday remains largely unknown outside the Francophone world, thus earning the nickname "the biggest rock star you've never heard of" in English-speaking countries.
On December 5th, 2017 Hallyday died, at age 74, in Marnes-la-Coquette, France.
Hallyday's father, Léon Smet (1908–1989), was Belgian; his mother, Huguette Clerc (1920–2007), was French. Born in Paris, Hallyday took his stage name from his aunt Desta's husband and dance partner Lee Hallyday, a pseudonym for Lee Ketcham, an expatriate Oklahoman, performer, and MC at the Café de Paris where Johnny began his singing career. Johnny was raised by Desta and Lee from a very young age, with Lee being his first manager. Johnny was always very loyal to Lee and secured him a permanent job as a producer and A&R man with his label, Philips Records until Lee's retirement and relocation back to Oklahoma.
His debut single, "Laisse les filles" was released on the Vogue label in March 1960. His first album, Hello Johnny, was released in 1960. In 1961 his cover of "Let's Twist Again" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It topped almost every European chart, although the track did not appear in the UK Singles Chart. He appeared on the American The Ed Sullivan Show with American singing star Connie Francis in a show that was taped at the Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris. He also staged many appearances in the Paris Olympia under the management of the late Bruno Coquatrix. For their first concert, The Jimi Hendrix Experience opened for Johnny Hallyday in Évreux on 13 October 1966. Black-and-white footage, also from October 1966, exists of Hallyday partying with Hendrix, his manager Chas Chandler and others. There also is a widely published monochrome photograph of Hallyday walking somewhere in Paris in late May 1966 with Bob Dylan.
At the end of the 1960s, Hallyday made a string of albums with Mick Jones and Tommy Brown as musical directors, and Big Jim Sullivan, Bobby Graham and Jimmy Page as session musicians. These are Jeune Homme, Rivière... Ouvre ton Lit (a.k.a. Je suis né dans la rue) and Vie. On Je suis né dans la rue, Hallyday also hired both Peter Frampton and the Small Faces. Amongst their contributions are the songs Amen (Bang Bang), Reclamation (News Report), and Regarde Pour Moi (What You Will), which are variations of Small Faces and Humble Pie (Frampton's band) songs—tracks and they all play on the album. Often forgotten is Hallyday's non-LP single and EP track Que Je T'aime from the same sessions. By 1969 alone, his sales of records exceeded twelve million.
One of Hallyday's later concerts, 100% Johnny: Live à La Tour Eiffel in 2000, attracted an audience of 500,000 and 9.5 million television viewers (the show was broadcast live on French TV). In December 2005, Hallyday had his third number-one single in France, "Mon Plus Beau Noël" (after "Tous ensemble" and "Marie"), dedicated to his adopted daughter Jade. Shortly before announcing his retirement from touring, he released a blues-flavored album, Le Cœur d'un homme, on 12 November 2007. The album hit No. 1 in both France and French-speaking Belgium. In addition to the lead single "Always", Le Cœur d'un homme features "T'aimer si mal", a duet with bluesman Taj Mahal and "I Am the Blues", an English-language song written for Hallyday by U2's lead singer Bono. His next album, Ça ne finira jamais, released in 2008, another No. 1 on the French album chart, and its lead single, "Ça n'finira jamais", also reached No. 1. In 2008 he recorded a series of acoustic songs with French musician Drexl Jonez. Hallyday's most recent album, also a No. 1 hit in France, is Tour 66: Stade de France 2009, a live set recorded at Stade de France during his farewell tour with appearances by Drexl Jonez on the guitar.
French movie producers Michèle and Laurent Pétin introduced Johnny Hallyday to Hong Kong film director Johnnie To. Hallyday was cast as the main role of To's Vengeance after meeting with the director in early 2008. The shooting began in November 2008 and concluded in February 2009.
He was married for 15 years to popular Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan and the two were considered a "golden couple" for 20 years.
Hallyday completed 181 tours, had 18 platinum albums, and sold more than 110 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time.
Hallyday remains largely unknown outside the Francophone world, thus earning the nickname "the biggest rock star you've never heard of" in English-speaking countries.
On December 5th, 2017 Hallyday died, at age 74, in Marnes-la-Coquette, France.
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Les 50 Plus Belles Ballades De Johnny Hallyday
Johnny Hallyday Lyrics
A Propos De Mon Père Je l'ai inventé tout entier Il a fini par exister Je l'ai…
Ca Fait Mal Ça fait mal De te voir pleurer Pour cette fille-là Ça fai…
Cadillac Man Toute ma vie, j'ai roulé sur des routes incertaines, inhumai…
Chanson Pour Lily Elle avait honte de m'aimer Elle que l'on achetait Lily, Lil…
Comme Si Je Devais Mourir Demain Aujourd'hui je veux tout te dire Je ne peux plus vivre…
Comme Un Corbeau Blanc Comme un corbeau blanc L'amour, l'amour est rare Comme un co…
Dans Ton Univers Dans tes yeux une ombre au loin se déchire Et…
Derrière L'Amour Derrière l'amour il y a Toute une chaîne de pourquoi Questio…
Deux Amis Pour Un Amour On avait grandi ensemble et maintenant tu es là Tu dors…
Du même côté de la rivière T'as une voiture comme dans les films On dirait que la…
Elle M'Oublie A l'heure qu'il est, je sais qu'il est déjà trop…
Elle S'En Moque Quarante ans ont passé Et je n'ai jamais triché J'ai tout …
Entre Mes Mains Combien de capitaines Et combien de soldats Qu'ils soient de…
Il Neige Sur Nashville Je me suis réveillé un matin à côté d'elle Dans une…
J'Ai Besoin D'Un Ami J'ai besoin d'un ami Pour réchauffer ma vie Pour les jours s…
J'Ai Oublié De Vivre À force de briser dans mes mains des guitares Sur des…
J'Ai Peur Je T'Aime J'ai peur de la porte qui ne s'ouvre pas J'ai peur…
Je l'aime Mon histoire est une histoire comme on en voit tous…
Je t'aime à l'infini Ne t'en fais pas On a toute la vie Pour oublier tout…
Je Te Promets Je te promets le sel au baiser de ma bouche Je…
L'Etranger Un jour mon père eut un doute sur ma naissance Ma…
L'Idole Des Jeunes Les gens m'appellent l'idole des jeunes Il en est même qui…
La Fille Aux Cheveux Clairs De la fenêtre de mon train Un soir j'ai vu une…
La Petite Fille De L'Hiver L'hiver je savais où la trouver Lorsque la neige tombait dan…
La Première Fois Moi, j'avais peur toi, tu tremblais Du fond du cœur tu…
Laura Laura Y a tant d'hommes que je ne suis pas Y a…
Le Chanteur Abandonné Y a des flat-case qui traînent sur scène Et on démonte…
Le Chanteur Sans Amour Tu n'es qu'un chanteur sans amour Et tu caches toujours ton…
Les larmes de Belinda Je n'oublierai pas les larmes de Belinda Je vois encore ses…
Ma Religion Dans Son Regard On peut survivre encore Il ne reste plus que l'amour d'accor…
Marie - Master Mix Ô Marie, si tu savais Tout le mal que l'on me…
Né pour vivre sans amour Je suis plus seul qu'au premier jour Dans ma prison de…
Noël interdit C'est un Noël pour les enfants perdus Pour tous ceux qui…
Prends Ma Vie Je n'ai jamais mis les pieds dans une église Je ne…
Quand ça vous brise le cœur Si vous la trouvez là dans les bras d'un ami Et…
Quand L'Aigle Est Blessé Ne demande pas la raison Ne demande pas pourquoi Le soleil é…
Quand Revient La Nuit La nuit Quand revient la nuit Tout seul je m'ennuie Je pense…
Quelque Chose De Tennessee À vous autres, hommes faibles et merveilleux Qui mettez tant…
Reste Avec Moi Cette Nuit Tes cheveux en liberté Sont étalés sur mon lit Le soleil va…
Revoilà Ma Solitude Qu'est-ce qu'il m'arrive ? Mon cœur s'en va à la dérive Noyé…
Sang Pour Sang J'ai pas toujours trouvé les mots Pour bercer tes rêves d'en…
Si j'étais un charpentier Si j'étais un charpentier Si tu t'appelais Marie Voudrais-tu…
Si J'Etais Un Charpentier Si j'étais un charpentier Si tu t'appelais Marie Voudrais-…
Tes tendres années Tu me dis que tu l'aimes Je sais, oui tu dis…
Un Jour Viendra Un jour viendra tu me diras "je t'aime" Du bout du…
Un rêve à faire Il n'y a pas de temps bénis Il y a la…