Trenet's masterpieces
P.O. THIBAULT | Paris | 11/25/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nov. 1999 Charles Trenet has been an active singer for a while since 1935... and until recently (his last show was provided in Paris in october1999 !).This record "Y'a d'la joie !" (one can approximatively translate to "be happy !") sums up his first songs, from his 1936-1939 period.Not the very first ones though (many other perls may be found inside his 1935-1936 productions, whith his debut, singing as a student). But the most complete, wrought songs, which most Frenchmen know by heart.It is very representative of the late 1930's in France, which had not yet heard about jazz, swing, etc (we had to wait for the GI's some years later, after more tragic periods). Trenet was a kind of precursor, and may remind of Cab Calloway to American listeners.If one has to buy a record from Mr Trenet, this is THE record ! The innocence of youth is perfect, the tempo is really original, and the lyrics (for French-speaking people of course) match the music.After that, Trenet's songs will not be the same, even should they be even better ("La Mer" / "Beyond the sea", etc : 1945), maybe because the war times will have spread a kind of gravity upon the singer - and his audience.A perfect mix of classical French song and (first mid of) 20th century beat, the reference for French "chanson"."