Hi all. Mom and I are headed to France next month and I'm looking for music to put in a France playlist (or maybe a Paris one and a country one). Any suggestions?
The only music I have in French is Christmas carols or rai. We don't like country or opera (generally; is Bolero technically an opera? Was I hallucinating that Ravel was French?) and mom hates rap, but I've heard some French stuff I sort of liked. Of course, I've no idea who they were or where to even start looking.
Anyway, any suggestions are welcome.
greenstardreamer
1
jamjari
some Louise Attaque? a bit peculiar but worth trying.
Raphaël: easy listening.
Zazie has some good tunes.
Indochine.
And you have the classics, Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, fun lyrics if you understand French. Georges Brassens as well. Edith Piaf if you're in for old songs.
you're not hallucinating, Ravel was French. The Bolero is not an opera though.
2
itsasmallworld2005
carla bruni, love her songs! I think she is italian though ( but sings in French)
3
jamjari
yes she is but she got really successful with her songs here. her sister is an actress and they both speak perfect French.
Je suis le plus beau du quartier, j'suis le préféré....
4
livaco
I really like this guy:
MC Solaar
I guess it might be considered rap, but I personally know a couple of people who say they don't like rap who were ok with MC Solaar.
5
livaco
I guess my link didn't work too well. You could just search for his name on all music guide if you want more info.
6
tomska
MC Solaar is definitely the sort of hip hop you could play to your mum - mellifluous, chilled and jazzy. Saian Supa Crew are my favourite french hip hop outfit but probably not so mum-friendly.
What about Air? Moon Safari is a classic chillout album & very accessible. I'd recommend Daft Punk too, but that might be a bit too dancy for mum...
7
maestro
I think the absence of singers in Bolero might be a bit of a giveaway. My favourite Ravel (apart from all the Spanish stuff) is Daphnis & Chloe, but there's also a lot of piano music, much of which was orchestrated (Alborada del Graziozo being a particular favourite).
You could also try Debussy. La Mer and the Nocturnes are particularly good.
Darius Milhaud would give you a different sound. Suite Provencale is brilliant, and his ballets are rather different - La Création du Monde and Le Boeuf sur le Toit.
Others worth considering are Hector Berlioz, Edouard Lalo, Camille Saint-Saëns, Georges Bizet, Gabriel Fauré, Ernest Chausson, Erik Satie, Albert Roussel, Francis Poulenc and Jacques Ibert. Or, f you prefer earlier music, Jean-Philippe Rameau, François Couperin, Marin Marais, Josquin Desprez, Guillaume Dufay and Guillaume de Machaut...
9
tonieja
I like St Germain which is jazzy house sort of music. There is much more of interesting stuff released by Blue Note
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
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