Édith Piaf born
Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being
balladA ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s. Among her songs are "
La Vie en rose"La Vie en Rose" was the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf.-Signature song of Édith Piaf:Édith Piaf first popularized La Vie en Rose in 1946. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the melody of the song by "Louiguy" . Initially, Piaf's peers and her songwriting team did not think the song...
" (1946), "
Non, je ne regrette rien"Non, je ne regrette rien" , meaning "No, I'm not sorry for anything", is a French song composed by Charles Dumont, with lyrics by Michel Vaucaire. It was written in 1956, and is best known through its 1960 recording by Édith Piaf....
" (1960), "
Hymne à l'amour"Hymne à l'amour" is a popular French song originally performed by Édith Piaf. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the music by Marguerite Monnot. She first sang this song at the cabaret Versailles in New York on September 14, 1949. It was written to her lover and the love of her life, the French...
" (1949), "
Milord"Milord" or "Ombre de la Rue" is a 1959 song , famously sung by Édith Piaf. It is a chanson that recounts the feelings of a lower-class "girl of the port" who develops a crush on an elegantly attired apparent upper-class British traveller , whom she has seen walking the streets of the...
" (1959), "
La FouleLa Foule is a song sung by famed French singer Edith Piaf, released in 1957. The song was composed by Angel Cabral with lyrics written by Michel Rivgauche.-Origin:...
" (1957), "l'Accordéoniste" (1955), and "Padam... Padam..." (1951).
Early life
Despite numerous biographies, much of Piaf's life is shrouded in mystery. She was born
Édith Giovanna Gassion in
Belleville, ParisBelleville is a neighbourhood of Paris, France, parts of which lie in four different arrondissements. The major portion of Belleville straddles the borderline between the 20th arrondissement and the 19th along its main street, the Rue de Belleville...
. Legend has it that she was born on the pavement of
Rue de Belleville 72, but her birth certificate cites the Hôpital Tenon, the hospital for the 20th arrondissement of which Belleville is part.
She was named Edith after the World War I British nurse
Edith CavellEdith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse and spy. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides without distinction and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was arrested...
, who was executed for helping French soldiers escape from German captivity. Piaf—an
argotAn Argot is a secret language used by various groups—including, but not limited to, thieves and other criminals—to prevent outsiders from understanding their conversations. The term argot is also used to refer to the informal specialized vocabulary from a particular field of study, hobby, job,...
colloquialism for "
sparrowThe sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
"—was a nickname she would receive 20 years later.
Her mother, Annetta Giovanna Maillard (1895–1945), was of French descent on her father's side and of Italian and
BerberBerbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
origin on her mother's. She was a native of
LivornoLivorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, a port city on the western edge of
TuscanyTuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy. She worked as a café singer under the name
Line Marsa.
Louis-Alphonse Gassion (1881–1944), Édith's father, was a
NormanNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
street acrobat with a past in the theatre. Édith's parents soon abandoned her, and she lived for a short time with her maternal grandmother, Emma (Aïcha) Saïd ben Mohammed (1876–1930). Before he enlisted with the French Army in 1916 to fight in World War I, her father took her to his mother, who ran a
brothelBrothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
in Normandy. There, prostitutes helped look after Piaf.
From the age of three to seven, Piaf was allegedly blind as a result of
keratitisKeratitis is a condition in which the eye's cornea, the front part of the eye, becomes inflamed. The condition is often marked by moderate to intense pain and usually involves impaired eyesight.-Types:...
. According to one of her biographies, she recovered her sight after her grandmother's prostitutes pooled money to send her on a pilgrimage honoring Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, which the author claims resulted in a miraculous healing.
In 1929, at 14, she joined her father in his acrobatic street performances all over France, where she first sang in public.
She took a room at Grand Hôtel de Clermont (18 rue Veron, Paris 18ème) and separated from him, going her own way as a street singer in
PigallePigalle is an area in Paris around the Place Pigalle, on the border between the 9th and the 18th arrondissements. It is named after the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle ....
,
MénilmontantMénilmontant is a neighbourhood of Paris, situated in the city's 20th arrondissement. It is affectionately known to locals as "Ménilmuche".-History:...
, and the Paris suburbs (cf. the song "
Elle fréquentait la Rue Pigalle").
She joined her friend Simone Berteaut ("Mômone") in this endeavor, and the two became lifelong partners in mischief. She was about 16 when she fell in love with Louis Dupont, a delivery boy.
At 17, she had her only child, a girl named Marcelle, who died of
meningitisMeningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
at age two. Like her mother, Piaf found it difficult to care for a child while living a life of the streets, so she often left Marcelle behind while she was away, and Dupont raised her until her death.
Singing career
In 1935 Piaf was discovered in the Pigalle area of Paris by nightclub owner
Louis LepléeLouis Leplée was a nightclub owner who discovered the French singer Édith Piaf singing on a Paris street corner in 1935. Leplée starred Piaf at the popular Parisian nightspot "Le Gerny" as "La Môme Piaf" ....
, whose club
Le Gerny off the
Champs-ÉlyséesThe Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
was frequented by the upper and lower classes alike. He persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness, which, combined with her height of only 142 centimetre, inspired him to give her the nickname that would stay with her for the rest of her life and serve as her stage name,
La Môme Piaf (
Parigot translatable as "The Waif Sparrow", "The Little Sparrow", or "Kid Sparrow"). Leplée taught her the basics of stage presence and told her to wear a black dress, later to become her trademark apparel. Leplée ran an intense publicity campaign leading up to her opening night, attracting the presence of many celebrities, including actor
Maurice ChevalierMaurice Auguste Chevalier was a French actor, singer, entertainer and a noted Sprechgesang performer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including Louise, Mimi, Valentine, and Thank Heaven for Little Girls and for his films including The Love Parade and The Big Pond...
. Her nightclub gigs led to her first two records produced that same year, with one of them penned by
Marguerite MonnotMarguerite Monnot was a French songwriter and composer best known for having written many of the songs performed by Édith Piaf and for the music in the stage musical Irma La Douce....
, a collaborator throughout Piaf's life.
On 6 April 1936, Leplée was murdered and Piaf was questioned and accused as an accessory, but was acquitted. Leplée had been killed by mobsters with previous ties to Piaf. A barrage of negative media attention now threatened her career. To rehabilitate her image, she recruited
Raymond AssoRaymond Asso was a French lyricist.Born in Nice, France, his parents separation saw him leave for Morocco at the age of 15. After his arrival he tried numerous professions, including: shepherd, factory worker, chauffeur and nightclub manager. Between 1916 and 1919 he worked as a Spahi, a type of...
, with whom she would become romantically involved. He changed her stage name to "Édith Piaf", barred undesirable acquaintances from seeing her, and commissioned Monnot to write songs that reflected or alluded to Piaf's previous life on the streets.
In 1940, Édith co-starred in
Jean CocteauJean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
's successful one-act play
Le Bel Indifférent. She began forming friendships with prominent people, including Chevalier and poet Jacques Borgeat. She wrote the lyrics of many of her songs and collaborated with composers on the tunes. In 1944, she discovered
Yves Montand-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
in Paris, made him part of her act, and became his mentor and lover. Within a year, he became one of the most famous singers in France, and she broke off their relationship when he had become almost as popular as she was.
During this time she was in great demand and very successful in Paris as France's most popular entertainer. After the war, she became known internationally, touring Europe, the United States, and South America. In Paris, she gave
Atahualpa YupanquiAtahualpa Yupanqui was an Argentine singer, songwriter, guitarist, and writer. He is considered the most important Argentine folk musician of the 20th century....
(Héctor Roberto Chavero)—the most important Argentine musician of folklore—the opportunity to share the scene, making his debut in July 1950. She helped launch the career of
Charles AznavourCharles Aznavour, OC is an Armenian-French singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known singers in the world...
in the early 1950s, taking him on tour with her in France and the United States and recording some of his songs. At first she met with little success with U.S. audiences, who regarded her as downcast. After a glowing review by a prominent New York critic, however, her popularity grew, to the point where she eventually appeared on
The Ed Sullivan ShowThe Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
eight times and at
Carnegie HallCarnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
twice (1956 and 1957).
Édith Piaf's signature song "La vie en rose" was written in 1945 and was voted a
Grammy Hall of Fame AwardThe Grammy Hall of Fame Award is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance"...
in 1998.
Bruno CoquatrixBruno Coquatrix, was born in Ronchin, Nord on 5 August 1910 and died in Paris on 1 April 1979, buried in the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery . He is mainly known as the owner and manager of the music hall Paris Olympia...
's famous
Paris OlympiaThe Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
music hall is where Piaf achieved lasting fame, giving several series of concerts at the hall, the most famous venue in Paris, between January 1955 and October 1962. Excerpts from five of these concerts (1955, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962) were issued on record and CD and have never been out of print. The 1961 concerts were promised by Piaf in an effort to save the venue from bankruptcy and where she debuted her song "
Non, je ne regrette rien"Non, je ne regrette rien" , meaning "No, I'm not sorry for anything", is a French song composed by Charles Dumont, with lyrics by Michel Vaucaire. It was written in 1956, and is best known through its 1960 recording by Édith Piaf....
". In April 1963, Piaf recorded her last song, "L'homme de Berlin".
World War II
During World War II, she was a frequent performer at German Forces social gatherings in occupied France, and many considered her a traitor; following the war she stated that she had been working for the
French ResistanceThe French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. While there is no evidence of this, it does seem to be true that she was instrumental in helping a number of individuals (including at least one Jew) escape
NaziNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
persecution. Throughout it all, she remained a national and international favorite. Piaf dated a Jewish pianist during this time and co-wrote a subtle protest song with
MonnotMarguerite Monnot was a French songwriter and composer best known for having written many of the songs performed by Édith Piaf and for the music in the stage musical Irma La Douce....
. According to one story, singing for high-ranking Germans at the
One Two Two Club earned Piaf the right to pose for photographs with French
prisoners of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, to boost their morale. The Frenchmen were supposedly able to cut out their photos and use them as forged passport photos.
Personal life
The love of Piaf's life, the married
boxerBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Marcel CerdanMarcellin "Marcel" Cerdan was a French pied noir world boxing champion who was considered by many boxing experts and fans to be France's greatest boxer, and beyond to be one of the best to have learned his craft in Africa...
, died in a plane crash in October 1949, while flying from Paris to New York City to meet her. Cerdan's
Air FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
flight, flown on a
Lockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
, went down in the
AzoresThe Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, killing everyone on board, including noted violinist
Ginette NeveuGinette Neveu was a French violinist.-Biography:Born in Paris into a musical family, Ginette Neveu became a violinist and her brother Jean-Paul Neveu a classical pianist. She was also the grandniece of composer Charles-Marie Widor...
. Piaf and Cerdan's affair made international headlines, as Cerdan was the former middleweight champion of the world and a legend in France in his own right.
In 1951, Piaf was seriously injured in a car crash along with
Charles AznavourCharles Aznavour, OC is an Armenian-French singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known singers in the world...
, breaking her arm and two ribs, and thereafter had serious difficulties arising from
morphineMorphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
and alcohol addictions. Two more near fatal car crashes exacerbated the situation.
Jacques PillsJacques Pills was a French singer and actor, born René Jacques Ducos. His impresario was Bruno Coquatrix. In 1959, Pills was the Monegasque entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song "Mon ami Pierrot"...
, a singer, took her into rehabilitation on three different occasions to no avail.
Piaf married Jacques Pills in 1952 (her matron of honour was
Marlene DietrichMarlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
) and divorced him in 1956. In 1962, she wed
Théo SarapoTheophanis Lamboukas, known as Théo Sarapo , was the last husband of the French singer Édith Piaf. Formerly a hairdresser, he was 26 years old when he married the 46-year-old Piaf...
(Theophanis Lamboukas), a Greek hairdresser-turned-singer and actor who was 20 years her junior. The couple sang together in some of her last engagements.
Death and legacy
Piaf died of
liver cancerHepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
aged 47 at
PlascassierPlascassier is located between Valbonne and Grasse and only 31 km away from Nice airport. Although bordered by several communes; Valbonne, Opio, Mouans-Sartoux and Châteauneuf-de-Grasse, it falls under the jurisdictic umbrella of Grasse.Edith Piaf died here on October 10 or 11,...
, on the
French RivieraThe Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
, on 11 October 1963 (according to some, 10 October in Paris). She had been drifting in and out of
consciousnessConsciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
for several months. It is said that Sarapo drove her body back to Paris secretly so that fans would think she had died in her hometown. She is buried in
Père Lachaise CemeteryPère Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, France , though there are larger cemeteries in the city's suburbs.Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement, and is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the...
in Paris next to her daughter Marcelle, where her grave is among the most visited.
Although she was denied a
funeral massA Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
by the Roman Catholic archbishop of Paris because of her lifestyle, her funeral procession drew tens of thousands of mourners onto the streets of Paris and the ceremony at the cemetery was attended by more than 100,000 fans.
Charles AznavourCharles Aznavour, OC is an Armenian-French singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known singers in the world...
recalled that Piaf's funeral procession was the only time since the end of World War II that he saw Parisian traffic come to a complete stop.
In Paris, a two-room museum is dedicated to her, the
Musée Édith PiafThe Musée Édith Piaf is a private museum dedicated to singer Édith Piaf located in the 11th arrondissement at 5, rue Crespin du Gast, Paris, France. It is open by appointment; admission is free....
(5 rue Crespin du Gast).
In popular culture
Numerous songs by Piaf are used in films and other media. Singers have paid tribute to her by covering her songs.
Piafs' name can still be found in popular culture and music today. Her life has been the subject of multiple films and plays:
Films
The film
Piaf (1974) depicted her early years, and starred Brigitte Ariel, with early Piaf songs performed by
Betty MarsBetty Mars was a French singer and actress, best known for her participation in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest.- Early life :...
.
Piaf's relationship with
CerdanMarcellin "Marcel" Cerdan was a French pied noir world boxing champion who was considered by many boxing experts and fans to be France's greatest boxer, and beyond to be one of the best to have learned his craft in Africa...
was also depicted in film by
Claude Lelouch in the movie
Édith et Marcel-Plot:In 1947, the singer Édith Piaf and the boxer Marcel Cerdan are both at the peak of their respective careers. Their encounter gives birth to a passionate love affair lasting some two years, cut short by Cerdan's death in an air crash.-Technical details:...
(1983), with Marcel Cerdan Jr. in the role of his father and
Évelyne BouixÉvelyne Bouix is a French film actress and stage actress. She has appeared in 61 films from 1970.She was made Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite in 1999.-Selected filmography:* Les Misérables...
portraying Piaf.
Piaf...Her Story...Her Songs (2003) is a film starring
Raquel BittonRaquel Bitton is a critically acclaimed French jazz singer and interpreter of Edith Piaf's songs.-Life and career:...
in her performance tribute to Edith Piaf. Bitton performs Piaf's most famous songs and describes her tempestuous life. Woven into the filmed concert is a luncheon in Paris, hosted by Bitton, in which some of Piaf's composers, friends, lovers, and family share their memories. These include Michel Rivgauche and Francis Lai, two of Piaf's composers, as well as Marcel Cerdan, Jr., son of the boxing champion who was her greatest love.
La Vie en roseLa Vie En Rose is a 2007 French biographical film about the life of French chanteuse Édith Piaf co-written, and directed by Olivier Dahan. Marion Cotillard stars as Piaf. The title La Vie en Rose comes from Piaf's signature song...
(2007), a film about her life directed by
Olivier DahanOlivier Dahan is a French film director and screenwriter. His third directed film, La Vie En Rose, was the first French cinema film ever to win two Academy Awards, including its first acting Oscar in the French language.-Biography:...
, debuted at the
Berlin Film FestivalThe Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
in February 2007. Titled
La Môme in France, the film stars
Marion CotillardMarion Cotillard is a French actress and singer. She garnered critical acclaim for her roles in films such as La Vie en Rose, My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument, Taxi, Furia and Jeux d'enfants...
in the role that won her the
Academy Award for Best ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
(Oscar), as Piaf. Dahan's film follows Piaf's life from early childhood to her death in 1963.
David BretDavid Bret is a French-born British author of showbiz biographies. He chiefly writes on the private life of movie stars and singers in a somewhat sensationalist style.-Life:...
's 1988 biography,
Piaf, A Passionate Life, was re-released by JR Books to coincide with the film's release.
Tu Es Partout was played on a record in the film
Saving Private RyanSaving Private Ryan is a 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Robert Rodat. The film is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944....
.
The score for the 2010 film
InceptionInception: The Subconscious Jams 1994-1995 is a compilation of unreleased tracks by the band Download.-Track listing:# "Primitive Tekno Jam" – 3:23# "Bee Sting Sickness" – 8:04# "Weed Acid Techno" – 8:19...
was written by Hans Zimmer. He used Piaf's
Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien as the basic ingredient for the rest of the score. The song itself is also used as a 'musical countdown' in the film and is intertwined with the film's themes.
Plays
- Piaf
Piaf is a play by Pam Gems that focuses on the life and career of French chanteuse Edith Piaf. The biographical drama with music portrays the singer in a most unflattering light...
(1978), by Pam GemsPam Gems was a British playwright. The author of numerous original plays, as well as of adaptations of works by major European playwrights of the past, Gems is best known for the 1978 musical play Piaf.-Personal life:...
- Piaf Piaf (1988), by Juha Siltanen and Jorma Uotinen
- The Sparrow and the Birdman By Raquel Bitton (1999) Commissioned by Theatreworks
- Edith and Simone (2000 and 2006), by Ronny Verheyen
- PIAF..Her story..Her songs" By Raquel Bitton (2000)
- Hearts..Le Ballet des Coeurs By Raquel Bitton (1985) Choreography Michael Smuin,Set Designs Tony Walton,Costumes Willa Kim
- Pure Piaf (2006), by Alex Ryer
- No Regrets (2009), by Scotti Sween (TheatreVision/Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
)
- Piaf de Musical (1999 and 2009), a Dutch musical
- Piaf, het legendarische verhaal van Edith Piaf(2009), by Yves Caspar
- Edith Piaf, alive and living in New York(2011), by Floanne Ankah
Floanne Ankah is an actress and filmmaker also known as a singer under the mononym Floanne. She was born and raised in France, and has lived in New York City since 2000...
Songs
1925
1933
1934
1935
1936 (from the movie
La GarçonneLa Garçonne is a 1936 French black-and-white film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Victor Margueritte...
)
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941 (from the movie
Montmartre-sur-Seine)
1942 (from the movie
Montmartre-sur-Seine)
1943 (from the movie
Montmartre-sur-Seine)
1944
1945
1946 (with
Les Compagnons de la chansonLes Compagnons de la chanson were a French vocal group from Lyon, France, founded during World War II. Before 1946, they were part of a larger choir called the 'Compagnons de la musique'. The group met Edith Piaf in 1952 at an event in Paris, and recorded a French language song, "Les trois...
) (with Les Compagnons de la Chanson) (with Les Compagnons de la Chanson) (with Les Compagnons de la Chanson)
1947 (from the movie
Neuf Garçons, Un Cœur) (from the movie
Neuf Garçons, Un Cœur)
1948
1949 (from the movie
L'Homme aux Mains d'Argile)
1950
- Hymn to Love
- Autumn Leaves
- The Three Bells
- Simply a Waltz (English version)
1951 (with
Eddie ConstantineEddie Constantine was an American-born French actor and singer who spent his career working in Europe....
) (with
Eddie ConstantineEddie Constantine was an American-born French actor and singer who spent his career working in Europe....
) (with M. Jiteau)
1952 (from the movie
Boum sur Paris) (with
Jacques PillsJacques Pills was a French singer and actor, born René Jacques Ducos. His impresario was Bruno Coquatrix. In 1959, Pills was the Monegasque entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song "Mon ami Pierrot"...
) (from the movie
Boum sur Paris)
1953 (with
Jacques PillsJacques Pills was a French singer and actor, born René Jacques Ducos. His impresario was Bruno Coquatrix. In 1959, Pills was the Monegasque entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song "Mon ami Pierrot"...
) (from the movie
Boum sur Paris)
1954 (from the movie
Si Versailles M'Était ContéRoyal Affairs in Versailles is a 1954 French historical drama directed by Sacha Guitry, which tells some episodes through portrayal of the personalities who lived in Versailles' castle...
) (from the movie
French CancanFrench Cancan is a 1954 French musical film written and directed by Jean Renoir and starring Jean Gabin and María Félix.-Plot:Set in 1890s Paris, Henri Danglard is the owner of a cafe, which features his mistress, Lola, as a belly dancer...
)
1955
1956
- Heaven Have Mercy
- One Little Man
- 'Cause I Love You (English)
- Don't Cry
- I Shouldn't Care
- My Lost Melody
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962 (with
Théo SarapoTheophanis Lamboukas, known as Théo Sarapo , was the last husband of the French singer Édith Piaf. Formerly a hairdresser, he was 26 years old when he married the 46-year-old Piaf...
) (with
Charles DumontCharles Dumont, born in 1929 in Cahors , is a French singer and composer.He wrote songs until the 1960s, sometimes under an alias, for Dalida, Gloria Lasso, Luis Mariano and Tino Rossi. He worked with lyricist Michel Vaucaire. In 1956 they wrote Non, je ne regrette rien, recorded in 1960 by Édith...
) (with
Mikis TheodorakisMikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...
/
Jacques PlanteJoseph Jacques Omer Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947–1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey...
) (with
Théo SarapoTheophanis Lamboukas, known as Théo Sarapo , was the last husband of the French singer Édith Piaf. Formerly a hairdresser, he was 26 years old when he married the 46-year-old Piaf...
)
1963 (her last recording)
Filmography
- La garçonne
La Garçonne is a 1936 French black-and-white film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Victor Margueritte...
(1936), Jean de LimurJean de Limur was a French film director, actor and screenwriter. His works include La Garçonne and The Letter .-Filmography:* 1929 : The Letter...
- Montmartre-sur-Seine (1941), Georges Lacombe
-Filmography:* 1928 : La Zone * 1931 : Boule de gomme* 1932 : La Femme invisible* 1933 : Un jour d'été* 1933 : Ce cochon de Morin* 1934 : Jeunesse* 1935 : Épousez ma femme* 1935 : La Route heureuse...
- Étoile sans lumière (1946), Marcel Blistène
Marcel Blistène, born Marcel Blitstein , was a French film director.Marcel Blistène joined Paramount in 1930 as an assistant, after studying literature...
- Neuf garçons, un cœur (1947), Georges Freedland
- Si Versailles m'était conté
Royal Affairs in Versailles is a 1954 French historical drama directed by Sacha Guitry, which tells some episodes through portrayal of the personalities who lived in Versailles' castle...
(1954), Sacha GuitryAlexandre-Pierre Georges Guitry was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the Boulevard theatre.- Biography :...
- French Cancan
French Cancan is a 1954 French musical film written and directed by Jean Renoir and starring Jean Gabin and María Félix.-Plot:Set in 1890s Paris, Henri Danglard is the owner of a cafe, which features his mistress, Lola, as a belly dancer...
(1954), Jean RenoirJean Renoir was a French film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and author. As a film director and actor, he made more than forty films from the silent era to the end of the 1960s...
- Música de Siempre (1958), sang La vida en rosa, the Spanish version of "La Vie en rose
"La Vie en Rose" was the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf.-Signature song of Édith Piaf:Édith Piaf first popularized La Vie en Rose in 1946. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the melody of the song by "Louiguy" . Initially, Piaf's peers and her songwriting team did not think the song...
".
- Les Amants de demain (1959), Marcel Blistène
Discography
The following titles are compilations of Édith Piaf's songs, and not reissues of the titles released while Édith Piaf was active.
- The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Édith Piaf, original release date: June 1991
- Édith Piaf: 30th Anniversaire, original release date: 5 April 1994
- Édith Piaf: Her Greatest Recordings 1935–1943, original release date: 15 July 1995
- The Early Years: 1938–1945, Vol. 3, original release date: 15 October 1996
- Hymn to Love: All Her Greatest Songs in English, original release date: 4 November 1996
- Gold Collection, original release date: 9 January 1998
- The Rare Piaf 1950–1962 (28 April 1998)
- La Vie en rose, original release date: 26 January 1999
- Montmartre Sur Seine (soundtrack import), original release date: 19 September 2000
- Éternelle: The Best Of (29 January 2002)
- Love and Passion (boxed set), original release date: 8 April 2002
- The Very Best of Édith Piaf (import), original release date: 29 October 2002
- 75 Chansons (Box set/import), original release date: 22 September 2005
- 48 Titres Originaux (import), (09/01/2006)
- Édith Piaf: L'Intégrale/Complete 20 CD/413 Chansons, original release date: 27 February 2007
There are in excess of 80 albums of Édith Piaf's songs available on online music stores.
Édith Piaf on DVD
- Édith Piaf – A Passionate Life (24 May 2004)
- Édith Piaf : Eternal Hymn (Éternelle, l'hymne à la môme, Non-US Format, Pal, Region 2, import)
- Piaf – Her Story, Her Songs (June 2006)
- Piaf: La Môme (2007)
- La Vie en rose
La Vie En Rose is a 2007 French biographical film about the life of French chanteuse Édith Piaf co-written, and directed by Olivier Dahan. Marion Cotillard stars as Piaf. The title La Vie en Rose comes from Piaf's signature song...
(biopic, 2008)
- Édith Piaf – The Perfect Concert and Piaf The Documentary (February 2009)
Books on Édith Piaf
- The Wheel of Fortune: The Autobiography of Édith Piaf by Édith Piaf (originally written in 1958, 5 years before her death), Peter Owen Publishers; ISBN 0720612284
- Édith Piaf, by Édith Piaf and Simone Berteaut, published January 1982; ISBN 2904106014 memoirs, written by stepsister
- The Piaf Legend, by David Bret
David Bret is a French-born British author of showbiz biographies. He chiefly writes on the private life of movie stars and singers in a somewhat sensationalist style.-Life:...
, Robson Books,1988.
- Piaf: A Passionate Life, by David Bret, Robson Books, 1998, revised JR Books, 2007
- "The Sparrow – Edith Piaf," chapter in Singers & The Song (pp. 23–43), by Gene Lees, Oxford University Press, 1987, insightful critique of Piaf's biography and music.
- Marlene, My Friend, by David Bret, Robson Books, 1993. Dietrich dedicates a whole chapter to her friendship with Piaf.
- Oh! Père Lachaise, by Jim Yates, Édition d'Amèlie 2007, ISBN 978-0-9555836-0-5. Piaf and Oscar Wilde meet in a pink-tinted Parisian Purgatory.
- No Regrets: The Life of Edith Piaf, by Carolyn Burke, Alfred A. Knopf 2011, ISBN 978-0-307-26801-3. An in-depth and insightful look at Piaf's life.
External links