Fréhel
Fréhel, born Marguerite Boulc'h on July 13, 1891 – died February 3, 1951, w… Read Full Bio ↴Fréhel, born Marguerite Boulc'h on July 13, 1891 – died February 3, 1951, was a French singer and actress.
Born in Paris, France to a poor and dysfunctional family, Marguerite Boulc'h was a child left to a life on the streets in the dark side of Paris. In her teens she got a break when she met one of the female music-hall performers who heard her sing and introduced her to show business promoters. She began performing under the stage name "Pervenche" and soon met and married Robert Hollard, a performer who used the nom de guerre "Roberty." Alcohol entered her life at an early age and her drinking became a problem for her husband. Their marriage did not last long and Boulc'h's husband left her for the Parisian singer, Damia. Fréhel then began a relationship with Maurice Chevalier but that too did not last long and after he left her for the much older megastar Mistinguett, the distraught girl, still only 19 years old, attempted suicide.
Following her failed suicide attempt, in 1911 Marguerite Boulc'h tried to escape her pain and travelled to Bucharest, Romania and then to Russia where she remained for more than ten years. Lost in a world of alcohol and drugs, she returned to Paris in 1923 to a shocked public that saw the wasted shadow of the singer they had known and loved. She then signalled a new beginning by switching to the stage name "Fréhel", taking the name from Cap Fréhel in Brittany where her parents had been born. Singing as Fréhel, at the Paris Olympia in 1924 she recaptured the former magic with a powerful performance and was soon headlining at the most popular venues in the country. Part of what is now referred to as the bal musette, Fréhel often sang accompanied by pipes and/or an accordion player.
In the 1930s, she appeared in several motion pictures, almost always portraying a singer in a minor or supporting role. The most notable films in which she performed were 1931's De Coeur des Lilas, based on the Tristan Bernard play, and Pépé le Moko that starred Jean Gabin. While her alcohol abuse continued, she nevertheless was a major show business force of 1930s France. Of all her songs, her 1939 "La Java Bleue", with music by Vincent Scotto, proved her most popular.
Despite being one of Europe's most sought after performers, her destructive addictions led to her dropping out of sight for years. She never found the love she had sought for so long and died in 1951, a wretched drunk, alone in a hotel in Pigalle. She was interred in the Cimetière de Pantin, near Paris.
Her 1934 recording "Si tu n'étais pas là" was featured in the 2001 soundtrack for the film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie).
Some of Fréhel's best known songs:
* "Comme un moineau" (1925)
* "Où est-il donc? " (1926)
* "À la dérive" (1932)
* "Où sont tous mes amants" (1935)
* "Tel qu'il est" (1936)
* "La der des der" (1939)
* "La java bleue" (1939)
Films:
* De Coeur des Lilas (1931)
* La Rue sans nom (1934)
* Le roman d'un tricheur (1936)
* Pépé le Moko (1937)
* L'Innocent (1937)
* La Rue sans joie (1938)
Born in Paris, France to a poor and dysfunctional family, Marguerite Boulc'h was a child left to a life on the streets in the dark side of Paris. In her teens she got a break when she met one of the female music-hall performers who heard her sing and introduced her to show business promoters. She began performing under the stage name "Pervenche" and soon met and married Robert Hollard, a performer who used the nom de guerre "Roberty." Alcohol entered her life at an early age and her drinking became a problem for her husband. Their marriage did not last long and Boulc'h's husband left her for the Parisian singer, Damia. Fréhel then began a relationship with Maurice Chevalier but that too did not last long and after he left her for the much older megastar Mistinguett, the distraught girl, still only 19 years old, attempted suicide.
Following her failed suicide attempt, in 1911 Marguerite Boulc'h tried to escape her pain and travelled to Bucharest, Romania and then to Russia where she remained for more than ten years. Lost in a world of alcohol and drugs, she returned to Paris in 1923 to a shocked public that saw the wasted shadow of the singer they had known and loved. She then signalled a new beginning by switching to the stage name "Fréhel", taking the name from Cap Fréhel in Brittany where her parents had been born. Singing as Fréhel, at the Paris Olympia in 1924 she recaptured the former magic with a powerful performance and was soon headlining at the most popular venues in the country. Part of what is now referred to as the bal musette, Fréhel often sang accompanied by pipes and/or an accordion player.
In the 1930s, she appeared in several motion pictures, almost always portraying a singer in a minor or supporting role. The most notable films in which she performed were 1931's De Coeur des Lilas, based on the Tristan Bernard play, and Pépé le Moko that starred Jean Gabin. While her alcohol abuse continued, she nevertheless was a major show business force of 1930s France. Of all her songs, her 1939 "La Java Bleue", with music by Vincent Scotto, proved her most popular.
Despite being one of Europe's most sought after performers, her destructive addictions led to her dropping out of sight for years. She never found the love she had sought for so long and died in 1951, a wretched drunk, alone in a hotel in Pigalle. She was interred in the Cimetière de Pantin, near Paris.
Her 1934 recording "Si tu n'étais pas là" was featured in the 2001 soundtrack for the film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie).
Some of Fréhel's best known songs:
* "Comme un moineau" (1925)
* "Où est-il donc? " (1926)
* "À la dérive" (1932)
* "Où sont tous mes amants" (1935)
* "Tel qu'il est" (1936)
* "La der des der" (1939)
* "La java bleue" (1939)
Films:
* De Coeur des Lilas (1931)
* La Rue sans nom (1934)
* Le roman d'un tricheur (1936)
* Pépé le Moko (1937)
* L'Innocent (1937)
* La Rue sans joie (1938)
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Fréhel Lyrics
A la dérive Quand j'l'ai connu, j'ai bien compris Qu'c'était un' femm' (…
C'est La Valse Des Costauds Moi je connais des Un coin où des apprend-frippons C'est à d…
C'est Lui C'est Tout Je n' suis pas une femme trop chiquée Je n' fréquente…
C'est un Mâle Y'a des tas d'gonzesses qui font les bégueules aussitôt qu'u…
C'est un petit bal musette Près de Paris, au bord de la Seine, Sont d′ gais…
Chanson tendre Comme aux beaux jours de nos vingt ans, (En souvenir…
Comme un moineau C'est près d'un' gouttière à matous Dans un' mansarde de n'i…
Derrière la clique La Academia Miscellaneous Como La Flor Susurro: Como la flor…
Il n'est pas distingué Aux promesses éternelles Aux jours de grand soleil Aux insta…
La coco J'avais un amant depuis quelques mois Je l'aimais de toute m…
La der des der Tous les dimanches et souvent les samedis On se retrouve au…
La java bleue {Refrain:} C'est la java bleue La java la plus belle Cell…
La mome caoutchouc LA MOME CATCH CATCH 1. On a fait toute une affaire Des lutt…
La môme catch catch {La Môme catch-Catch} On a fait toute une affaire Des lutteu…
La môme catch-catch On a fait toute une affaire Des lutteurs, des catcheurs, des…
La peur "un chat qui miaule" Monsieur le juge, Que l′on me juge, Sans trop d'sévérité Car…
La Zone LA ZONE (1933) Y′a des tas d' citoyens amoureux d′ la…
Le fils de la femme poisson Il pleut sur la foire Tout est aux abois Tirs et balançoires…
Les Filles Qui la Nuit Les filles qui la nuit s'offrent au coin des rues Connaissen…
Maison louche L’air est doux, le ciel est en fête La rue est…
Musette C'était une vraie fleur d'amour Et quand un jour dans le…
Ohé les copains Ohé! Les copains! Venez-vous rincer la gueule Ce soir, je su…
Ou est il donc 1. Y en a qui vous parl’nt de l’Amérique, Ils ont…
Où est-il donc ? 1. Y en a qui vous parl'nt de l'Amérique, Ils ont…
Ou est-t-il donc ? 1. Y en a qui vous parl’nt de l’Amérique, Ils ont…
Où sont mes amants Où sont tous mes amants Tous ceux qui m'aimaient tant Jadis …
Où sont mes amants ? Devenez les acteurs du clip de Nicolas, "Où sont les…
Où sont tous mes amants Où sont tous mes amants Tous ceux qui m'aimaient tant Jadis …
Quand il joue de l'accordéon QUAND IL JOUE D'L'ACCORDEON C'est à Bell'vill', dans un mus…
Quand on a trop de cœur Quand on a trop de cœur On brise son bonheur Pour une…
Sans lendemain Dans ce bistrot près de l’écluse Je donne à boire aux…
Si Tu N' Etais Pas La Si tu n'étais pas là Comment pourrais-je vivre? Je ne connaî…
Sous la blafarde Les gens qui sont nés sous une bonne étoile, Sans trop…
Sous le pont noir Route de Saint-Cloud, sous le pont noir Elle se tient,…
Tel qu'il est J'avais rêvé de prendre un homme Un garçon chic et distingué…
Une Java: La Java Bleue C'est la java bleue La java la plus belle Celle qui ensorcel…