RFI: Francoise Hardy's Message Personnel

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Does anyone have a handy link where the lyrics are properly translated? Message Personnel is such a minor french pop classic - I wonder why it is not as revered as others. The string arrangements by Jean Claude Vannier and the presence of Serge Gainsbourg alone should get people loving this album up!

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Saturday, 7 February 2004 23:54 (twenty-two years ago)

It'd be a bit sad if you needed Serge Gainsbourg to get people to love Francoise Hardy songs. I hope that's not true.

― jazz odysseus, Saturday, 7 February 2004 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, I got Message Personnel this weekend and am playing the lead track over/over again - something about this song - the strings and the chanting 'na na na' and though I don't understand what she is singing - she is damn well emoting all over my record player.

Would you suggest more Francoise Hardy for the neophyte.

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 00:07 (twenty-two years ago)

la question and the vogue years double disc you might need

― scissors (Honda), Sunday, 8 February 2004 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not good at recommendations, but really like the song "Avec des si", which would be from the late 60's.

― jazz odysseus, Sunday, 8 February 2004 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got her English album in storage. But never really listened to it - does Vannier do the string arrangements on that as well?

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm glad to be able to mention this - when I was in France last year I picked up what I think is the only solo album by Jean-Claude Vannier, called 'l'Enfant Assassin des Mouches' (1972 but only released 2003), and it is mindblowing stuff - like the arrangements from Melody Nelson (Gainsbourg wrote a story to accompany the music) all screwed up and messed around with a whole load of out-there 70s shit (Morricone, concrete...). I cannot recommend it highly enough. As far as I know it's only out in France, on Night&Day, but I deinitely saw it on slsk recently. Vannier rules! Anyone know more about this guy and what I can get hold of??

― radio morocco, Sunday, 8 February 2004 01:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm getting on slsk right now, I have trying to get some vannier for some time. This is going to be ace. radio morocco you have impated some special information

― see ar (see ar), Sunday, 8 February 2004 02:01 (twenty-two years ago)

radio morocco do you have the album on slsk, my search is blank

― see ar (see ar), Sunday, 8 February 2004 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Unfortunately I'm on a lowly dial-up rught now, so slsk is out of the question, I'm afraid. But I might be able to put it on temporarily later this week. Did you manage to find any dope on Vannier? I tried to find a discography but turned up little. I know he's done a lot, but what's as good as Melody Nelson or this album. I need to know!

― radio morocco, Sunday, 8 February 2004 02:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Rever le nez en l'air on that album has the most bizzarre drum part...listen for the very brief section (repeated a couple times) where the drummer decides to play a completely different song.

― dlp9001, Sunday, 8 February 2004 04:54 (twenty-two years ago)

OH MY FUCKING GOD. I'M ON DIAL UP AS WELL. WHAT IS YER SOULSEEK NAME? I'LL PUT MY CANNABIS SOUNDTRACK UP WHICH IS MIND BLOWING VANNIER STUFF AS WELL.L

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 11:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I dunno if you know this - but the Cannabis soundtrack has been recently reissued by a french label over here in Europe? (R U N Europe????) But HOLY MARY MOTHER FUCKER - it is superb Vannier stuff. Alot of it is purely instrumental with that weird lsd disko strings from Melody Nelson.

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 11:14 (twenty-two years ago)

It's like, I listen to Cannabis and think 'Wow, Vannier created hip hop as well'. Of course I would not tell anybody that!

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 11:20 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.musikafrance.com/pages/pages_vannier/vannier_cadre.html

So you reckon the earlier stuff is better? I@m going to Paris in two weeks and think that Vannier shopping in Paris will be easy (like Goblin shopping in Italy...) - only question is - WHERE THE FUCK WOULD HE BE FILED UNDER AT FOPP?

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 11:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Jean Claude Vannier

Hey I started this link to see if I can trap some Vannier fans! I'm just beginning to collect his work and no f/a.

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 12:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Jean Claude Vannier

Hey I started this link to see if I can trap some Vannier fans! I'm just beginning to collect his work and know f/a.

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 12:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I wake up late on a Sunday morning and the Vannier cult continues to grow! But you've got to get out of this FOPP mentality if yr going to France - start thinking FNAC! True though, solo instrumental albums by arrangers/ composers are not the easiest thing to find in a large record store. But I coped. But I fear that reissue might well be the only solo disc available - but prove me wrong Jimmy!

― radio morocco, Sunday, 8 February 2004 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Re: earlier stuff - I think probably more to my taste, just because of the way French music kind of deteriorated after 1975 (okay, I'm basing this totally on Serge Gainsbourg's career...). The above link certainly points out other records I've never seen before ('Insolitudes' is the same as the album discussed above), but the later ones have (him?) singing on them, and prominence given to synthesizers. Who knows... I still want to hear 'em.

― radio morocco (radio morocco), Sunday, 8 February 2004 12:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got to go now but SIR I WILL TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR CHALLENGE - NO MARKET IN PARIS WILL BE LEFT UNTOUCHED BY ME.

everyone told me that i would not find birkin records in paris for less than an arm and a leg. i proved them wrong!

and yeah i want to hear them all as well!

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Jimmy, I'd be glad to help you finding those records when you're in Paris. Just mail me.

― Etienne (Etienne), Sunday, 8 February 2004 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

found that l'Enfant Assassin des Mouches on eMule @ 256KBps. Once got I will share on slsk

― Shady Nook (shady nook), Sunday, 8 February 2004 15:30 (twenty-two years ago)

all this cursing is very un-francoise hardy

i find the stuff i've heard by her from the 70s is pretty but maybe too...tasteful, sort of floats into the ether sometimes

the vogue years stuff i prefer, but even that comes a little too close to anonymity for my tastes

― amateur!st (amateurist), Sunday, 8 February 2004 16:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanxx Etienne, expect an email tonight - here is something funny, I went out with some friends to a lebanese meal in this cafeteria, dropped by a rekkerd shop, got Sebastian Tellier's debut for 50p!

Will email you tonight Etienne.

And fuck - if Serge is involved, you would be surprised by some cussing?

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

By the way has anyone heard Mellow's second album? I like some of it - is it worthwhile to pick up Dragonfly? I dig the french disko strings though Im beginning to realise that it is all an evolution from Vannier who evolved it probably from California Soul Movement(The Undisputed Truth, The Temptations, Marlena Shaw) but with stp french twist.

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Etienne, are Mellow big in France?

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

O.k.,

Lets discuss the latest recommendations of Vannier strings taht I've just recieved on the batphone. 'Barbara - Sa Majeste de Mouches' and the Serge/Jean Claude Vannier - first colloboration - 'La Horse'.

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Sunday, 8 February 2004 21:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Jimmy, I have the soundtrack to the Roman Coppola film CQ and the Mellow songs are excellent! The movie within the movie is called "Dragonfly", I wonder it it's the same songs? Mellow are really popular with a certain group of LA film & advertising hipster types, which put me off by them little at first. Like there wasn't enough Air to go around, so they jumped on the next best thing. And that name gives me the creeps. But they've gotten better and better. I'm far from an expert on French pop, though.

Jimmy --if you're Doomie--did that Three O'Clock thing you were writing ever come out? Were you able to get in touch with Michael Quercio?

― Arthur (Arthur), Monday, 9 February 2004 01:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Hold, Arthur, I'll give you an update at work re: Three O'Clock. The name Mellow gave me the creeps at first, as well!

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Monday, 9 February 2004 07:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Why not simply order from amazon.fr?

― Baaderist (Fabfunk), Monday, 9 February 2004 09:18 (twenty-two years ago)

That's no fun, now, is it?

Arthur - I'll email Joe with regards to the Three O'Clock - the last I heard was that Michael was going to send out the demos and Joe and I were going to have a listen and a think on the tracklisting. But life has been busy ... I'm going on tour with the libertines!

― Jimmy the Saint (Jimmy the Saint), Monday, 9 February 2004 11:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Francoise Hardy's Revolver/Rubber Soul equivalent has to be Ma Jeunesse Fout le Camp, although I second the Vogue double too.

― Jez (Jez), Monday, 9 February 2004 11:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, I've jusat found a Fantastic archive with long sound clips and lyrics...including MP translated into English: http://www.fhardy.de/html/songtexte.html

― Jez (Jez), Monday, 9 February 2004 11:48 (twenty-two years ago)

seventeen years pass...

Sad news

https://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/francoise-hardy-gravement-malade-se-dit-proche-de-la-fin-et-defend-l-euthanasie-20210617

― Alba, Thursday, 17 June 2021 16:15 (four years ago)

oh man :(

I just recently picked up the Vogue Years 2xCD and one of those five-album CD boxes. Love her stuff a lot, still need to check out some of the more recent records

― intern at pelican brief consulting (Simon H.), Thursday, 17 June 2021 16:18 (four years ago)

all time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iEi4F-5nkE

― brimstead, Thursday, 17 June 2021 19:51 (four years ago)

― AP Chemirocha (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 17 June 2021 20:00 (four years ago)

Very sorry to hear this.

That Bob Stanley-compiled 2-disc set was my introduction to her -- the songwriting, while formulaic, is just ridiculously high quality for what it is. La question also brilliant, Soleil definitely worth a listen too.

― kommafeil, Thursday, 17 June 2021 21:13 (four years ago)

A Guardian article si on ne parle pas Français :(
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jun/17/francoise-hardy-argues-for-assisted-suicide

― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 18 June 2021 06:42 (four years ago)

Thanks. Clicked through that to another interview with her that was really good.

― Rich Valley Girl, Poor Valley Girl (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 18 June 2021 10:57 (four years ago)

She's always been pro-euthanasia, read about it in her autobio. Hope her wishes are respected.

― Daniel_Rf, Friday, 18 June 2021 10:59 (four years ago)

Aw. Love her so much. "Soleil" is magnificent indeed. One of my favourites. As ever, the lyrics are so bitter sweet.

― AlXTC from Paris, Friday, 18 June 2021 11:18 (four years ago)

Vient de publier une photo https://t.co/YKTHGNzdoB
— Thomas Dutronc (@ThomasDutronc) June 19, 2021

― Notes on Scampo (tokyo rosemary), Saturday, 19 June 2021 13:39 (four years ago)

Just went there to look at some of his other posts about her, including a Mother's Day video.

― Rich Valley Girl, Poor Valley Girl (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 19 June 2021 15:01 (four years ago)

I was really into this song and the album it was on when it came out, although the producion might have been a wee bit generic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDwsoqsgJs8

― Rich Valley Girl, Poor Valley Girl (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 19 June 2021 15:09 (four years ago)

Sad news indeed, what a legend. I love her 60s stuff the most, but 1972's Et Si Je M'en Vais Avant Toi has been getting lots of plays around my house recently
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrJyw7C8MXY

― J. Sam, Saturday, 19 June 2021 17:37 (four years ago)

two years pass...

RIP

― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Tuesday, 11 June 2024 22:28 (one year ago)

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