MG Album Club #26- Brel

[Nickyboy]

1957. Lots and lots of jazz music, some doowop, and rock and roll starting to really pop up. You'd think that's where Nickyboy would start. You'd be mistaken.

Well, well. Time for some Jacques Brel. In particular his second album "Quand on n'a que l'amour" (When we only have love). Brel was a Belgian-born singer, most known for his rendition of French chanson-style songs. Chanson ("song" in French) is a style of song in which the words being sung are almost more important than the music itself, which usually follows the cadence of the singing. It was made popular by Brel as well as his contemporaries Maurice Chevalier, Edith Piaf, and Charles Trenet.
I realize that most (all?) of you will say "But Nickyboy! Come on! A foreign language pick?". And I say "Yup!". Listen to the rhythm of the singing and the accompanying music. Chanson can be very jazzy and loungey at times. I am not got to ask you to love this album, but you might find something you like in it.

For some reason this shows up in Spotify as "Quand on n'a que l'amour, Vol. 2". I have no idea why. There is only this volume as far as I know.

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

I remember seeing an album in my parents' collection: Jaques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. I'd never listened to it, although it probably played in the background while I played in the family room. (Heh.)

Allmusic.com has a nice explanation in the review of that album, mentioning that Brel was somewhat the Bob Dylan of France albeit more theatrical in performance. They say the similarity is in the deep, personal and relatable lyrics.

I'm seven tracks into the album. The melodies and rhythms are fun. Some of the accompaniment is a little bit 1960's MGM Musical but I think if I could understand the lyrics it might just fit and make sense. Given Allmusic's comment I do wish I could understand the lyrics. I may go listen to the above mentioned soundtrack. That production translated the songs that it presents, although they're not performed by Brel.

 

[Ojai Sam]

This is a brilliant record. The wide variety in mood (smoky jazz, peppy pop, flowery romance, etc. etc.) shows an entertainer with amazing maturity for a 28 year old. Turns out that the album is an odds-and-sods, tracks done with several different arrangers thrown together to capitalize on a hit. AMG explains:

Jacques Brel was on tour when he learned that a song from his most recent EP release, "Quand on N'a Que l'Amour," had hit number three on the French chart. The song fell like a hand grenade into the comfortable world of French pop in the mid-1950s -- not through its sentiments (the best known English version, "If We Only Have Love," is as worthy a translation as any) or through its delivery, but via an almost intangible sense that in Jacques Brel, France had finally been gifted a hero as relevant to its modern culture as Elvis Presley was to America, or Tommy Steele to Britain. Maybe even more so.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

Merci, Nick!

 

[Nickyboy]

De rien, Sam!

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Not my thing, but it didn't make me want to stab my ears or anything.



The Spotify remaster sounds really harsh, though.

 

[lpfreak1170]

I'm kinda shocked I just dropped the 5 bomb. I knew I would probably like it but wasn't expecting at the level I do. Truly brilliant...

 

[axolotl]

I'm kinda shocked I just dropped the 5 bomb. I knew I would probably like it but wasn't expecting at the level I do. Truly brilliant...

I have no kick against foreign-language music. In fact, I seem to prefer it, as I can work through it as background.

Yes, this is truly BREL, indeed.

I give it

Spoiler

Points taken off due to Jim's argument with Huck about Frenchmen speaking French:

“WELL, den! Dad blame it, why doan’ he talk like a man? You answer me dat!”

/jk

 

[Ojai Sam]

I have no kick against modern jazz
Unless they try to play it too darn fast.

 

[axolotl]

I have no kick against modern jazz
Unless they try to play it too darn fast.

What? Do you like Free Jazz Or-Nette?

 

[Ojai Sam]

He’s Cole, Man.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Glad I'm finally getting to this. My first exposure to Jacques Brel was several years back when I heard his live version of "Amsterdam" on the Olympia 64 album. It was so powerful - his delivery was incredible; it made my eyes well up. I had no idea what the words meant (I've since looked them up and heard Scott Walker's English translation) but, as Nicky pointed out, it was the cadence, the passion of the singing that grabbed me.
Since then, I've had exposure to Brel here and there (not as much as Serge Gainsbourg who has gotten more regular play). These two artists make me want to learn French because I enjoy their chansons so much - I'm not going to but I WANT to
I have not approached Brel's albums though (aside from Olympia 64) listening mainly to compilations. Wonderful stuff especially here the title track "Quand on n'a que l'amour" (even love the alternate arrangement more). I really should break out more "world music"/foreign language picks more - so much to discover that's wonderful, and I thank Nicky for picking something outside many of our regular fare.
For me, somewhere between and . Thanks, Nick

 

[Nickyboy]

I'm so glad that the reaction to this album was favorable. I wasn't sure if would go over well, being foreign language.