Search - Claude Francois :: Ses Plus Grands Succes

Career spanning greatest hits

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 05/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Claude began his recording career in 1962 and he was still doing well in his native France when he was killed in a road accident in 1978. During the intervening 16 years, he recorded for three different record labels. This compilation includes tracks from all three in approximate proportion to the time he spent at each.Although he recorded songs by French songwriters (and even wrote or co-wrote a few), he recorded a lot of British and American songs with French lyrics. This was not a one-way process, for Claude was the original singer of Comme d'habitude, a song that Paul Anka translated into English as My way. It later became Frank Sinatra's signature song. A few months before his death, Claude recorded the English version of the song and it is included here along with his original French version. Among the other songs that will be familiar to British and American listeners are December 1963 (Four seasons), Eloise (Paul and Barry Ryan), Reach out I'll be there (Four tops), If I had a hammer (Peter Paul and Mary), The marvellous toy (Tom Paxton), Walk right in (Rooftop singers), Mocking bird hill (which he probably did after hearing Migil 5's UK hit, although the song is much older than that), Freedom come freedom go (Fortunes), And I love you so (Don McLean), You can't hurry love, Stop in the name of love (both Diana Ross and the Supremes), I can see clearly now (Johnny Nash) and Yesterday once more (Carpenters).This is an excellent collection of Claude's music. If you only buy one compilation of his music, buy this one. I was so impressed that I've since bought a lot of his other music, including a 10-CD box set covering his music from 1962 to 1972, which I've already reviewed."

Cloclo For Ever

Peter Durward Harris | 08/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Claude Francois has always been my favorite singer. This album includes his very first songs as well as his best hits. This is a great album and, as a native french, I would recommend it to everybody who wants to listen to some great French music from the 70's. We miss you Cloclo!"

Clo-Clo the Authentic Entertainer and A Pop Legend

Leclerk | Dallas, Texas United States | 10/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember...on a summer afternoon drive with the whole family, we were stopped at a red light. We noticed this flashy-white limousine right beside us. We all peered in to see who it was inside that car, and yes, it was Clo-Clo with all his Claudettes. He winked at us and waived us good-bye. Months later he died leaving us a wonderful collection of songs and I still feel that he hasn't abandon me or other devoted fans. I began to listened to Clo-Clo when I was 4 years old and have grown up with him ever since. Clo-Clo's zeal, excitment, flamboyance, and hard work as an entertainer on stage has not been matched by any other entertainer. Clo-Clo had to cancel a tour because he passed out on stage and was hospitalized for extreme exhaustion. That guy had ants in his pants and was born to be a pop star and nothing else. He was a talented drummer and had a good theoretical knowledge of the role that "the beat" has in pop music. His songs are not exclusive for any age. In a way, his music reaches a wide audience like Elvis' music. The majority of the songs are upbeat, happy, but the sad ones have heart-felt depth like "Le Telephone Pleure" or "Comme d'habitude" (which was covered by Frank Sinatra who renamed the song "My Way") But he coverered many american songs with grace, style, and energy. Songs like the Four Tops "It's the Same Old Song.." or the Carpenter's "Yesterday is Near me" sound better when Clo-Clo interprets and sings them in French. This album includes all the hits from the three phases of his career: early oldies stuff, middle 70s pop, and then Disco. It's the disco period that nearly all younger french people remember Clo-Clo for. He was as good as the Bee-Gees or Donna Summers. So what if he sings in french, isn't disco about the dance beat man? What is most remarkable about Clo-Clo is that we forget that he's just a short twerpy looking guy. His music combines the essentail elements of what pop should be: high entertainment value with shear naturalness and a direct pop-tune that has evolved with time. He has maintained that balance for his entire career. Very few can do this and that's is what separates the forgotten rock/pop artists from the true legends. Clo-Clo is a legend among others like Elvis. We miss you Clo-Clo."