Most of his recordings focus on popular music in general and orchestral arrangements of well-known romantic songs in particular, such as Yesterday, The Sound of Silence and Memory, rather than on Jazz or Classical Music.
He is known to alter many famous pieces of music such as Für Elise. His music is generally played with an orchestra. This accompaniment is usually with James Last's orchestra.
Biography
Born to a piano teacher,Clayderman started studying to play piano at age six, and he was accepted at Conservatoire de Paris in Paris at age 12. After finishing Conservatory he worked as an accompanist and session musician. His life changed dramatically in 1976, when he recorded a single "Ballade pour Adeline" (Ballade for Adeline), composed by French musical producer Paul de Senneville. The single became an instant success, selling 22 million copies in 38 countries. Since then, he has recorded over 1000 songs and has become one of the most successful instrumental recording artists in the world, with reported record sales in excess of 70 million units worldwide. In the peak of his career he performed 200 concerts in 250 days.
He is often credited with pioneering the piano recordings of famous Hollywood soundtracks and pop music artists, such as ABBA and The Carpenters.
Success
Clayderman has a curious market niche on third world countries, a fact mainly attributed by critics to his commercially-oriented performance of local and very popular music (especially love songs), and inexpensive, well-distributed records. On the other hand, there are people who refer to his work as elevator music, because of extensive playing of his production in neutral spaces as elevators, malls and other public spaces. Richard Clayderman, however, according to the linked interview, does not see this classification as negative as, according to him, he feels pleased to turn people's workplaces and daily lives into more pleasant places through the use of his music.
Clayderman’s music continues to be exceedingly popular in East Asia, in places such as Japan, Taiwan and Mainland China. Some Chinese music teachers attribute the popularity of his music in Mainland China to the increase in the number of piano students since the 1980s, and some even believe in the other way: it was due to the popularity of Clayderman's music that the number of piano students surged. According to the book Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams, published 1990, Clayderman was the most-played artist in China then.[citation needed].
Discography
Numbers
* 25 Years of Golden Hits (2xCD)
* 50 Exitos Romanticos (3xCD)
* 101 Solistes Tziganes (CD)
A
* A Comme Amour (CD)
* A Little Night Music (CD)
* A little Romance (CD)
* All by myself (2 CD SET)
* Always (CD)
* América Latina...mon amour (CD)
* Amour (CD)
* Amour pour amour (CD)
* Anemos (CD
* Anniversary Collection (5 CD SET)
* Antique Pianos (CD)
* A Touch of Latino (CD)
B
* Ballade pour Adeline (LP / 33T) (WW Sales: 30 million)
* Ballade pour Adeline (1985-CD)
* Ballade pour Adeline and other Love Stories (CD)
* Best Friend (CD)
* Best of Classics (2 CD SET)
* Best of Richard Clayderman (CD)
* Brazilian Passion (CD)
* Para Reynosa tamaulipas
C
* Carpenters Collection (CD)
* Chansons d'Amour (2 LP SET)
* Chinese Evergreen (CD)
* Chinese Garden (CD)
* Chinese Garden/Cherished Moments (CD + VCD)
* Christmas (LP / 33T)
* Christmas Album (CD)
* Claire De Lune (3 CD SET)
* Classic Touch (CD)
* Classics (CD)
* Clayderman 2000 (CD)
* Coeur Fragile (CD)
* Collection, The (CD)
* Confluence, The (CD)
* Couleur Tendresses (1982,LP / 33T)
D
* Deluxe (2 CD SET)
* Desperado (CD)
* Deutsche Volkslieder (CD)
* Digital Concerto (CD)
* Dimanche et fêtes (CD Single)
E
* Ecos de sudamérica (CD)
* Ein Träum von Liebe (LP / 33T)
* Eléana (LP / 33T)
* Eléana (CD)
* Encore (CD)
* En Venezuela (CD)
* Essential (3 CD SET)
* Essential Classics (CD)
* Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime (CD)
F
* Fantastic Movie story of Ennio Morricone (CD)
* Fifty for Israel (1998, 2 CD SET)
* Forever My Way (CD, 2006)
* France, mon Amour (CD)
* Friends France - Original (CD + VCD)
* Friends France (CD + VCD)
* From the Heart (LP / 33T)
* From this moment on (2006/CD)
G
* Golden Hearts (CD)
* Golden Moments (CD)
H
* Hollywood and Broadway (LP / 33T)
I
* Il y a toujours de Soleil au dessus des Nuages (CD)
* In amore (CD) (Originally produced (1999) (Polydor Records: 1995-1996)
* In Harmony (CD)
* In the key of love (2 CD SET)
* Introducing Richard Clayderman (CD)
J
* Japon mon Amour (CD)
* Joue-moi tes rêves (CD)
L
* Les Musiques de L'amour (LP / 33T)
* Les Musiques de L'amour (CD Version)
* Les Nouvelles Ballades Romantiques (CD)
* Les Rendez Vous de Hasard (CD)
* Les Sonates (CD)
* Lettre à ma Mère (CD)
* Lettre à ma Mère (LP / 33T)
* Love, American Style (CD)
* Love Collection (CD)
* Love Follow Us (CD)
* Love Follow Us 2 (CD)
* Love, French Style (CD)
* Love, Italian Style (CD)
* Love Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber (CD)
M
* Magic of Brazilian Music (CD)
* Magic of Richard Clayderman (2 x LP)
* Matrimonio D'Amour
* Masters of Melody (3 CD SET)
* Medley Concerto (LP / 33T)
* Meisterstücke (CD)
* Memories (DVD / VHS)
* Millennium Gold (CD)
* Mexico con amor (CD)
* Musical Collection (Double CD)
* Music of Richard Clayderman (LP / 33T)
* My Australian Collection (CD)
* My Bossa Nova Favourites (CD)
* My Classic Collection (CD)
* My favourite Oldies (2 CD SET)
* Mysterious Eternity (CD)
N
* New (2005)
* New era (CD + VCD)
* Number 1 Hits (Double CD)
O
* On TV (CD)
* Omaggio (CD)
P
* Piano et orchestre (CD Version of the Debut Album)
* null Piano moods (Double CD)
* Plays Abba (CD)
* Premiers chagrins d'Elsa, Les (1983, LP/33T)
Q
* Quel gran genio del mio amico... (CD)
R
* Remembering the Movies (CD)
* Rendez-vous (Produced by COBA)
* Rêveries (LP / 33T)
* Rêveries No.2 (CD)
* Richard Clayderman (1977 Debut album) (LP / 33T)
* Richard Clayderman (1982) (LP / 33T)
* Richard Clayderman in Concert - Japan (Video)
* Richard Clayderman in Concert - England (Video)
* Richard Clayderman Plays Abba, The Hits (CD)
* Romance and the piano of Richard Clayderman (CD)
* Romantic (CD)
* Romantic America (Canadian Release) (CD)
* Romantic Dreams (CD)
* Romantic Nights (CD) One of a 10xCD compilation set from St Clair.
* Rondo pour un tout petit enfant (CD)
S
* Scandinavian Collection (CD)
* Serenade de l'etoile (Coup de Coeur) (CD)
* Smiling Joey (CD Single)
* Songs of Love (CD)
* Souvenirs (CD)
* Stage and Screen (CD)
* Sweet Memories (Cassette)
* Sweet Memories (LP / 33T)
T
* Tango (CD)
* Thailand mon Amour (CD)
* The best 100 (CD 2006)
* Together (CD)
* Together at Last (CD)
* Träumereien 3 (CD)
* Träummelodien (CD)
* Treasury of love (CD) One of a 10xCD compilation set from St Clair.
* Turquie mon amour (CD)
* Two Together (CD)
U
* Ultimate Collection (4xCD)
V
* Very best of Richard Clayderman (CD)
* Very best of Richard Clayderman (DISKY) (3 x CD)
W
* What a wonderful World (2 CD SET)
* When a man loves a woman (CD)
* When love songs were love songs (CD)
* With Love (1988) (LP / 33T)
* With Love (1997) (CD)
* With Love (1999) (CD)
* World Tour (CD)
Z
* Zodiacal Symphony (CD)
Clayderman's arrangement of Three Blind Mice has appeared on Bill Bailey's disc The Ultimate Collection... Ever!
Rhapsody in Blue
Richard Clayderman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Story about the world)
Suddenly I'm something I'm not
I'm something that you bought
Was it something I said
My friend
Little girl are you tripping on this
You better come up for air
A Story about a girl
A Story about the world
Are you waking up slowly
Nothing but lonely
Are you waking up
Holding, holding your breath
Are you looking for something
I promise you one thing
I promise I'll always, always
Be there
Baby girl, stand up and fight
This is not some paradise
It's just where we live
Finally you think you're alright
Then it eats you up alive
You better get used to it
A story about a girl
A story about the world
Are you waking up slowly
Nothing but lonely
Are you waking up
Holding, holding your breath
Are you looking for something
I promise you one thing
I promise I'll always, always
Be there
With all my faith
And all my heart
And all those simple things you are
I know
It's stuck inside your head
You're alone
You better get used to it
And I know
The feeling has to end
You're strong
It sucks you in again
And you're lost
You can't make any sense
This world
It tears you limb from limb
And hold on
You're nothing but the best
Are you waking up slowly
Nothing but lonely
Are you waking up
Holding, holding your breath
Are you looking for something
I promise you one thing
I promise I'll always, always
Be there
With all my faith
And all my heart
And all those simple things you are
With all my faith
And all my heart
And all those simple things you are
The lyrics of Rhapsody in Blue by Richard Clayderman speak of two different stories - one about a girl and one about the world. The first part of the song addresses the girl, who is feeling lost and confused in the world. She questions whether she said or did something wrong to make her feel this way. The next few lines assure the girl that the singer will always be there for her, even when she feels alone or suffocated.
The second part of the song talks about the world, describing it as a place that eats people up alive. The singer urges the girl to stand up and fight against the world that may seem like a paradise, but it's not. The final lines talk about having faith and holding on to the simple things that make life worthwhile.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of comfort in the company of someone who understands the struggles of the world and is willing to provide support and encouragement through it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Suddenly I'm something I'm not
I feel like a different person, not myself
I'm something that you bought
You have control over who I am
Was it something I said
Did I say something wrong?
My friend
Someone I care about
Little girl are you tripping on this
Are you having a hard time understanding this?
Are you tripping all over it
Are you struggling to come to terms with it?
You better come up for air
You need to take a break from it
Are you waking up slowly
Are you gradually becoming aware of your situation?
Nothing but lonely
Feeling all alone
Are you looking for something
Are you searching for a solution?
I promise you one thing
I can guarantee you this
I promise I'll always, always
I'll always be here for you
Be there
Support you
Baby girl, stand up and fight
Try to overcome the challenges
This is not some paradise
This is not a perfect world
It's just where we live
This is reality
Finally you think you're alright
You think you're doing okay
Then it eats you up alive
But it's actually consuming you
You better get used to it
You need to accept it as it is
With all my faith
With all my belief
And all my heart
And all my love
And all those simple things you are
And all the good qualities you possess
I know
I understand
It's stuck inside your head
You can't stop thinking about it
You're alone
You feel isolated
And I know
I understand
The feeling has to end
You can't keep feeling this way forever
You're strong
You have the strength to overcome this
It sucks you in again
It pulls you back in
And you're lost
You feel directionless
You can't make any sense
You don't understand
This world
The world we live in
It tears you limb from limb
It destroys you
And hold on
Keep going
You're nothing but the best
You're amazing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICHAEL TURNER, MICHAEL MAIDA, JEREMY TAGGART, DUNCAN COUTTS, JAMIE EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind