Charles Trenet (born Louis Charles Auguste Claude Trénet, 18 May 1913,
NarbonneNarbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon région. It lies from Paris in the Aude département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
– 19 February 2001,
CréteilCréteil is a commune in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Créteil is the préfecture of the Val-de-Marne département, as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Créteil...
, France) was a
FrenchFrench people can refer to:* The legal residents and citizens of France, regardless of ancestry. For a legal discussion, see French nationality law.* People whose ancestors lived in France or the area that later became France....
singer and
songwriterA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well as the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer.-History and background of songwriters:...
, most famous for his recordings from the late 1930s until the mid-1950s, though his career continued through the 1990s. In an era in which it was exceptional for a singer to write his or her own material, Trenet wrote prolifically and declined to record any but his own songs.
His best known songs include "
Boum!Boum! is a popular song by the French singer/songwriter Charles Trenet which won him the Grand Prix du Disque. Its light, irreverent lyrics express a joie de vivre which suited the mood of the French public at the time of its release in 1938.It includes depictions of the sounds made by various...
", "La Mer", "Y'a d'la joie", "
Que reste-t-il de nos amours?"Que reste-t-il de nos amours?" is a French popular song, with music by Léo Chauliac & Charles Trenet and lyrics by Charles Trenet ....
", "Ménilmontant" and "Douce France". His catalogue of songs is enormous, numbering close to a thousand. While many of his songs mined relatively conventional topics such as love, Paris, and nostalgia for his younger days, what set Trenet's songs apart were their personal, poetic, sometimes quite eccentric qualities, often infused with a warm wit. Some of his songs had unconventional subject matter, with whimsical imagery bordering on the surreal. "Y'a d'la joie" evokes 'joy' through a series of disconnected (though all vaguely phallic) images, including that of a subway car shooting out of its tunnel into the air, the Eiffel Tower crossing the street and a baker making excellent bread. The lovers engaged in a
minuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, meaning small, pretty, delicate, a diminutive of menu, from the Latin minutus; menuetto is a word that occurs only on musical scores...
in "Polka du Roi" reveal themselves at length to be 'no longer human': they are made of wax and trapped in the
Musée GrévinThe Musée Grévin is a waxwork museum in Paris located on the Grands Boulevards in the IXe arrondissement on the right bank of the Seine, at 10, Boulevard Montmartre, Paris, France. It is open daily; an admission fee is charged....
. Many of his hits from the 1930s and 1940s effectively combine the melodic and verbal nuances of French song with American swing rhythms.
His song "La Mer", which according to legend he composed with Léo Chauliac on a train in 1943, was recorded in 1946. "La Mer" is perhaps his best known work outside the French-speaking world, with over 400 recorded versions. The song was given unrelated English words and under the title "
Beyond the Sea"Beyond the Sea" is a 1946 contemporary pop song with music taken from the song "La Mer" by Charles Trenet and lyrics by Jack Lawrence.Trenet had composed "La Mer" with French lyrics totally different and unrelated to the English language version that Lawrence composed...
" (or sometimes "Sailing"), was a hit for
Bobby DarinBobby Darin was an American singer and musician.Darin performed widely in a range of music genres, including pop, jazz, folk and country...
in the early 1960s, and
George BensonGeorge Benson is an Grammy Award winning American musician, whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist. He is also known as a pop, R&B, and scat singer. This one time child prodigy topped the Billboard 200 in 1976 with the triple-platinum album, Breezin...
in the mid-1980s. "La Mer" has been used in many films such as
The DreamersThe Dreamers is a 2003 French/British/Italian co-produced drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. The film's screenplay is based on Gilbert Adair's novel The Holy Innocents. Adair also wrote the screenplay for the film...
,
Bernardo BertolucciBernardo Bertolucci is an Italian film director and screenwriter, probably best known for such films as Last Tango in Paris, The Last Emperor, Stealing Beauty, and The Dreamers.-Early years and background:...
's 2003 film, and more recently in the closing scene (on the beach) of Mr. Bean's Holiday. The song was also used in the opening credits of the 2007 film, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly", which ironically used the song to highlight the paralyzing effects of a stroke that felled his fellow Frenchman, Jean-Dominique Bauby. Other Trenet songs were recorded by such popular French singers as
Maurice ChevalierMaurice Auguste Chevalier was a French actor, singer, and popular entertainer. Chevalier's signature songs included "Louise", "Mimi", and "Valentine". His trademark was a boater hat, which he always wore on stage with his tuxedo.-Early life:He was born in Paris to a house painter father and mother...
,
Jean SablonJean Sablon was a popular French singer and actor.The son of a composer, with brothers and sisters who had successful careers of their own in musical entertainment, Jean Sablon studied piano at the Lyceé Charlemagne in Paris...
and
FréhelFréhel was a French singer and actress.Born in Paris, France to a poor and dysfunctional Breton family, Marguerite Boulc'h was a child left to a life on the streets in the dark side of Paris...
.
Early life
When he was seven years old, his parents divorced and he was sent to boarding school in
BéziersBéziers is a town in Languedoc in the southwest of France. It is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August...
, but he returned home just a few months later, suffering from typhoid fever. It was during his convalescence at home that he developed his artistic talents, taking up music, painting and sculpting. In 1922 the Trenet moved to
PerpignanPerpignan is a commune and the capital of the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France...
this time as a day pupil. A water-colourist friend of the family André Fons-Godail, the "Catalan Renoir", used to take him out painting. His poetry is said to have the painter's eye for detail and colour. Many of his songs had references to his surroundings such as places near Narbonne, the
PyreneesThe Pyrenees are a range of mountains in southwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain...
and the
Mediterranean coastThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it...
.
He hated
mathematicsMathematics is the science and study of quantity, structure, space, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns, formulate new conjectures, and establish truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions....
with a passion but passed his "
baccalauréatThe baccalauréat , often known in France colloquially as le bac, is an academic qualification which French and international students take at the end of the lycée . It was invented under Napoleon I in 1808...
" with flying colours in 1927. After leaving school he left for
BerlinBerlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union...
where he studied art, and later he also briefly studied at art schools in France. When Trenet first arrived in
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the 1930s, he worked in a movie studio as a props handler and assistant, and later joined up with the artists in the
MontparnasseMontparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred on the intersection of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes...
neighbourhood. His admiration of the surrealist poet and Catholic mystic
Max JacobMax Jacob was a French poet, painter, writer, and critic.-Biography:IM SO COO;Lin Quimper, Brittany, France, he enrolled in the Paris Colonial School, which he left in 1897 for an artistic career...
(1876-1944) and his love of jazz were two factors that influenced Trenet's songs.
Before World War II
From 1933 to 1936, he worked with the Swiss
pianistThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Johnny Hess as a duo known as "Charles and Johnny". They performed at various Parisian venues, such as Le Fiacre, La Villa d'Este, the Européen and the Alhambra. They recorded 18 discs for Pathé, the most successful of which was "Quand les beaux jours seront là/Sur le Yang-Tsé-Kiang". The Charles and Johnny records feature Hess on piano, with the two frequently singing in two-part harmonies with quickly alternating solo spots for the two. Around 1935, the duo appeared regularly on the radio on a broadcast called
Quart d'Heure des Enfants terribles.
The duo continued until 1936 when Trenet was called up for
national serviceNational service is a common name for mandatory or voluntary government service programs . National service was common in the 20th century, and many young people spent one or more years in such programs...
. It was after his national service that Trenet received the nickname that he would retain all his life: "Le fou chantant" (the singing madman). In 1937, Trenet began his solo career, recording for Columbia, his first disc being "Je chante/Fleur bleue". The exuberant "Je chante" gave rise to the notion of Trenet as a "singing vagabond", a theme that appeared in a number of his early songs and films.
World War II
At the start of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Trenet was mobilized. He was in barracks at
Salon-de-ProvenceSalon-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. It is the location of an important air base.-History:...
until he was demobilized in June 1940, when he moved back to Paris. There he would perform at the Folies-Bergère or at the Gaieté Parisienne (two famous cabarets) in front of a public often consisting of
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
officers and soldiers. The collaborationist press tried to compromise his name and published that "Trenet" was the anagram of "Netter" — a Jewish name. He was able to show his family tree to the authorities, proving that he had no Jewish origin. This act of self-defence was held against him long after the end of the war. Like many other artists of the time, he chose to go on entertaining the occupying forces rather than sacrifice his career, showing little interest in the Jewish issue. He agreed, when asked by the Germans, to go and sing for the French prisoners in Germany. It is only fair to note that, as a homosexual, (see the section
Return to France below) Trenet was himself in grave danger of deportation to the camps and may have had little choice but to co-operate and keep a low profile.
The refrain from the song Verlaine, "Blessent mon coeur d’une longueur monotone...", ("Wound my heart with monotonous langour...") from Paul Verlaine's Song of Autumn, (popularized by Trenet) was used as the Allied code to the French "underground" signaling that the Normandy invasion in June of 1944 was imminent.
After the war
After the war he decided to move to
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he lived for a few years and where he quickly became a success. After a few triumphant concerts at the Bagdad in
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Trenet became a big hit and was approached by Hollywood. He met the likes of Louis Armstrong and began a long-lasting friendship with
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer Chaplin, KBE was an English comedic actor and film director. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker, composer and musician in the early to mid Classical Hollywood era of American cinema.Chaplin acted in, directed, scripted, produced and...
.
Return to France
On 14 September 1951, Trenet returned to Paris and made a comeback at the "Théâtre de l'Etoile". He incorporated ten new songs into his act, including "De la fenêtre d'en haut" and "La folle complainte". In 1954 he performed at the "
OlympiaParis Olympia is a music hall at 28, Blvd. des Capucines, in the 9th arrondissement Paris, France.Founded in 1888 by Joseph Oller, the creator of the Moulin Rouge, the Olympia is the oldest music hall in Paris and one of the most famous music halls in the world, today easily recognizable by its...
" music-hall in Paris for the first time. The following year he wrote the famous "Route nationale 7" (a tribute to the introduction of paid holidays).
In 1958, Trenet was the headlining act at the "Bobino" and the "Alhambra". In 1960 he returned to the "Théâtre de l'Etoile", appearing on stage for the very first time without the famous
trilbyA trilby hat is a soft felt men's hat with a deeply indented crown, and a pinch at the front. The brim is narrow and often sharply upturned at the back. Traditionally it was made from rabbit hair felt, but is now sometimes made from other materials, including tweed and wool. Trilbies are softer...
hat which had for so long been part of his act.
In 1963, Trenet spent 28 days in prison in
Aix-en-ProvenceAix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city in southern France, some north of Marseille...
. He was charged with corrupting the morals of four young men under the age of 21 (they were 19). His chauffeur claimed that Trenet was using him as a pimp. The charges were eventually dropped, but the affair brought to public light the fact that Trenet was homosexual. He was never particularly public about it and spoke of it rarely.
1970s
In 1970, Trenet flew to Japan to represent France at the Universal Exhibition in Osaka. The following year he left Columbia, his long-time record label, and recorded
Fidèle and
Il y avait des arbres. He also made a memorable appearance at the "Olympia".
In 1973, Trenet, who had just celebrated his 60th birthday, recorded a new album,
Chansons en liberté. The twelve songs on this album were an interesting mix of old and new compositions. His 60th birthday was celebrated in grand style by the French media.
Trenet made a surprise announcement in 1975, declaring that he was retiring from the music world. At the end of his final concert at the "Olympia" he bade his audience an emotional farewell. Following the death of his mother in 1979, he shut himself away from the world for the next two years.
Later career
Nevertheless, in 1981 Trenet made a comeback with a new album, devoted to sentimental memories of his childhood. Trenet then returned to his peaceful semi-retirement in the South of France, occasionally rousing himself to give a special gala performance in France or abroad.
After giving farewell concerts in France, Trenet was persuaded out of retirement by a French Canadian lawyer, Gilbert Rozon, in 1983 for a farewell concert in
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
. Rozon became Trenet's manager thereafter and as a result Trenet performed many more concerts including a series every night for three weeks at the
Palais des CongrésThe Palais des congrès de Paris is a concert venue and convention centre in the Paris, France.- Venues :The four main venues are:*Grand Amphithéâtre: 3,723 seats*Amphithéâtre Bordeaux: 650 seats*TV studio- Past events :...
in Paris in 1986.
On 21 May 1999, he returned to the forefront of the music scene with a brand new album entitled
Les poètes descendent dans la rue (
Poets Take to the Streets). Nearly sixty years after writing his legendary classic "La mer", Trenet proved that he was capable of coming up with fourteen inspired new tracks. Following the success of the album, Trenet returned to the live circuit. His concerts proved a huge success, fans in the audience breaking into rapturous applause.
In April 2000 old age began to catch up with Trenet, however, and he was rushed to hospital after suffering a
strokeA stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by thrombosis or embolism or due to a hemorrhage...
. The singer was forced to spend several weeks in hospital recovering, but by the autumn of that year he was well enough to attend the dress rehearsal 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 most well-known singers in the world...
's show at the Palais des Congrès (on the 25th of October). However, this was his final public appearance.
In November 2000 the
NarbonneNarbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon région. It lies from Paris in the Aude département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
house in which Trenet was born — which had become 13 Avenue Charles Trenet — was turned into a tiny museum. Visitors were able to view souvenirs from Trenet's childhood and family life (especially those belonging to his mother, who had spent most of her life in the house), as well as original drafts of the songs which had made his career.
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