JOHNNY HALLYDAY - LIVE IN PARIS

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elrockandrollyyo.blogspot.com

1. Elle est terrible   2. L'idole des jeunes   3. C'est une fille comme toi   4. Dans un jardin d'amour   5. Pas cette chanson   6. Retiens la nuit   7. Présentation musiciens   8. Hey Baby   9. Tout bas tout bas   10. I Got A Woman   11. Je cherche une fille / Laisse les filles / Kili Watch   12. 24.000 baisers   13. Laissez nous twister   14. Nous quand on s'embrasse   15. L'idole des jeunes

Frémeux & Associés / FA 5489

From the recordings of the shows held at the Olympia Theatre in Paris by the French top Rock'n'Roll star on October 31, 1962 (songs from 1 to 10) and December 13, 1962 (songs from 11 to 15), has been released this CD in the "Live in Paris" collection, in which artists of different styles are being included.

Johnny Hallyday, born in 1943, was just 19 when these shows took place and he was then the top Rock'n'Roll star in France and the teenager's idol. He still is the top French Rock'n'Roll star. And listening to these recordings we get to understand why.

Regarding the CD, Johnny Hallyday is backed by The Golden Stars with the "help" of the Olympia Orchestra (really, do they needed the orchestra?). By the way, there is an organ too loud on several songs that in some way spoils them, in my very own oppinion. It's a matter of preferences, I guess, as it seems it was quite common back in those times.

The CD kicks off with "Elle est terrible" (Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else")... with that ugly sound of the organ over the rest of instruments. Not good. Then we get "L'idole des jeunes", a song that became almost his signature, a cover of "Teenage Idol" of Ricky Nelson's fame. And there it is that organ...

OK. Be cool! It has to go better.

And yes, it goes better with "C'est une fille comme toi", in which the sax tooks the lead and not the organ. In the forthcoming songs we are going to find some more organ, but nothing too bad in comparison with the two first songs.

We go through some other songs, including "Retiens la nuit", one of Hallyday's most remembered songs and that was composed by Charles Aznavour himself. That's crossover, yes sir.

The best moment of the whole CD comes, from my point of view, with "Tout bas tout bas", a cover of the "Apron Strings" that Cliff Richard made popular in Great Britain. Top quality Rock'n'Roll that will you start tapping your feet... and maybe even dance. Good.

Songs keep going by and we arrive to a nice cover of Adriano Celentano's "24.000 bacci" ("24.000 baisers", of couse) and a very good indeed adaptation of Sam Cooke's "Twistin' The Night Away" ("Laissez nous twister") and Jerry Lee Lewis' "High School Confidential" ("Nous quand on s'embrasse") to finish with, again, "L'idole des jeunes".

Just a few more lines to add that the liner notes, in French and in English, are written by François Jouffa (author of some books about Hallyday), giving good info and background about Johnny Hallyday and the shows.

Brief: I don't like the beginning, but things go better and, at the end, I believe that it is a quite enjoyable record. If you have some curiosity for knowing how the biggest French star sounded back in his heydays or you like the Rock'n'Roll from the European pioneers, you'll find this is an interesting CD.