She (Charles Aznavour song)
Encyclopedia
"She" is the title of a song written, recorded and released by Charles Aznavour
and Herbert Kretzmer
.
It reached number 1 in the UK single charts in 1974
, but was not successful in the USA or France
. The song was written as a theme tune for the British TV series Seven Faces of Woman. The song was recorded by Aznavour in several different languages aside from English
, namely French
and Italian
, as well as Spanish
and German
.
The French version is called "Tous les visages de l'amour", this means "All the Faces of Love". The German version is called "Sie" and the Italian version is called "Lei". Both these titles translate as "She"
The British sitcom Fawlty Towers
features a scene in the episode "Basil the Rat
" in which hapless Spanish waiter Manuel
sings an excerpt of the song while sitting on his bed.
Charles Aznavour
Charles 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...
and Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer OBE is a South African-born English journalist and lyric writer. He is perhaps best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation of Les Misérables.-Journalist:...
.
It reached number 1 in the UK single charts in 1974
1974 in music
-January–April:*January 3 – Bob Dylan and The Band kick off their 40-date concert tour at Chicago Stadium. It's Dylan's first time on the road since 1966.*January 17...
, but was not successful in the USA or France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The song was written as a theme tune for the British TV series Seven Faces of Woman. The song was recorded by Aznavour in several different languages aside from English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, namely French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, as well as Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
The French version is called "Tous les visages de l'amour", this means "All the Faces of Love". The German version is called "Sie" and the Italian version is called "Lei". Both these titles translate as "She"
Cover versions
The song has been recorded by many different artists over the years:- Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
recorded a cover version in 19991999 in music-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
for the soundtrack of the film Notting HillNotting Hill (film)Notting Hill is a 1999 British romantic comedy film set in Notting Hill, London, released on 21 May 1999. The screenplay was by Richard Curtis, who had written Four Weddings and a Funeral. It was produced by Duncan Kenworthy and directed by Roger Michell...
, with Trevor JonesTrevor Jones (composer)Trevor Alfred Charles Jones is a South African orchestral film score composer. Although not especially well known outside the film world, he has composed for numerous films and his music has been critically acclaimed for both its depth and emotion.-Career:At the age of five, Jones already had...
producing. It is featured over the film's opening and closing credits. This cover was a big success. - The Irish artist Joe DolanJoe DolanJoseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan was an Irish entertainer, recorder and singer of easy listening songs...
recorded a version of the song on the album Memories. - Dave StewartDavid A. StewartDavid Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
and Terry HallTerry Hall (singer)Terry Hall is the lead singer of The Specials, and formerly of Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, Terry, Blair & Anouchka and Vegas. He has released two solo albums and has also collaborated with many artists including David A...
's short-lived project VegasVegas (duo)Vegas was a musical outfit, active in the early 1990s. The duo was formed by the former Specials & Fun Boy 3 singer Terry Hall and Eurythmics member David A. Stewart. They released their self-titled début album in 1992 as well as a trio of singles....
had a minor UK hit with the song in 1992. - A version of the song by Peter SkellernPeter SkellernPeter Skellern is an English singer-songwriter and pianist.-Career:Skellern attended Derby Grammar School and studied piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He later joined pop groups called 'Harlem' and 'March Hare'...
can be found on the compilation album Music To Watch Girls By. - Laura PausiniLaura PausiniLaura Pausini, is a Grammy Award-winning Italian soul singer-songwriter. She debuted in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an international hit, reaching the top spot on the Italian...
also sings an Italian version of the song called "She (Uguale a lei)" - Horacio Fontova recorded a cover for the TV program Música para Soñar (ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) and that version is also on the soundtrack. - Palo Pandolfo, also from ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, made a Spanish version called Ella for his album Antojo (2004). - Paul Byrom of Celtic ThunderCeltic ThunderCeltic Thunder is a singing group composed of male soloists who perform both solo and ensemble numbers. Celtic Thunder debuted in August 2007 at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland...
performs the song on their CD and during their television special. - Il DivoIl DivoIl Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
sings the Italian version "Lei" on their 2008 CD "The Promise". - Péter MátéPéter MátéPéter Máté is a Hungarian footballer who plays for Debreceni VSC as a defender.-Club career:Máté was born in Püspökladány, Hungary and started his career at his local football club, Tünet SE...
recorded a Hungarian version of the song called "Ő" in 1984. - Yuna ItoYuna Itois an American pop singer-songwriter and actress who is active in Japan.She was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Hawaii. Ito made her musical debut in Japan with the single, "Endless Story", which was used as one of the theme songs for the popular 2005 film Nana; she also starred in the film,...
recorded a cover version of the song as a part of her project Yuna Ito ~ Respects, the second cover of the project, released on August 25th, 2010. - Matti CaspiMatti CaspiMatti Caspi is an Israeli composer, musician, singer, and lyricist. Born in 1949, he is regarded as one of Israel’s top musicians.His music style is difficult to classify. He is influenced by classical music, Brazilian and Latin music, Jazz, Rock and other genres. It is possible to hear all these...
recorded a Hebrew version of the song, called "She" (Hebrew: "היא" pronounced ) for his 2005 album "You are my woman" (Hebrew: "את האישה שלי"). The lyrics were translated by Ehud ManorEhud ManorEhud Manor was an Israeli songwriter, translator, and radio and TV personality.-Career:Manor began working for Israel radio in the 1960s, as a musical editor...
. Charles Aznavour participated in the video clip. - Bryan FerryBryan FerryBryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
joined Charles Aznavour to record a duet on Aznavour's double album Duos. - Daniel Boaventura recorded a cover version in 2011 for the soundtrack of the brazilian telenovela Morde & AssopraMorde & AssopraMorde & Assopra is a Brazilian telenovela that first aired on Rede Globo in 2011.-Cast:-External links:*...
(Rede GloboRede GloboRede Globo , or simply Globo, is a Brazilian television network, launched by media mogul Roberto Marinho on April 26, 1965. It is owned by media conglomerate Organizações Globo, being by far the largest of its holdings...
).
The British sitcom Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
features a scene in the episode "Basil the Rat
Basil the Rat
"Basil the Rat" is the sixth and final episode of the second season of the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers and the final episode of the programme as a whole.-Synopsis:Fawlty Towers is in threat of closure by a Health and Safety inspector...
" in which hapless Spanish waiter Manuel
Manuel (Fawlty Towers)
Manuel is a fictional character from the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers. Played by Andrew Sachs, he is an iconic character in British comedy history...
sings an excerpt of the song while sitting on his bed.
Trivia
- Bryan FerryBryan FerryBryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
covered it at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival2009 Cannes Film FestivalThe 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 13 to May 24, 2009. French actress Isabelle Huppert was the President of the Jury. It was announced on March 19, 2009, that Pixar's film Up would open the festival...
with Aznavour joining him on stage at the end of the performance. - Simon CowellSimon CowellSimon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
claimed that Charles Aznavour's "She" is "one of the most beautiful songs of all time." - The first 6 notes and words of the 1987 The CureThe CureThe Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
single "Hot! Hot! Hot!" sung in falsetto by Robert Smith are a direct quote from "She". - Jay-RJay-RGaudencio Sillona III , who performs under the mononym Jay R, is a Filipino singer-songwriter, actor, record producer and model. In 2003, he released his debut album, Gameface, under Universal Records...
, the R&B prince, covered it for Philippine soap opera Beauty QueenBeauty Queen"Beauty Queen" is the second song from Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure. The lyrics refer to Ferry's girlfriend, Valerie Leon, one-time UK beauty queen, B-movie actress and model working in the Newcastle area, circa 1973.-Musicians:...
. - CBBCCBBCCBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
used the song for a reflective montage at the end of the memorial retrospective My Sarah Jane, celebrating the long-running WhoniverseWhoniverseWhoniverse, a portmanteau of the words "Who" and "universe", is a word used to describe the fictional setting of the television series Doctor Who, K-9 and Company, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and K-9, as well as other related stories...
character Sarah Jane SmithSarah Jane SmithSarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British BBC Television science-fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-offs K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures....
following the death of actress Elisabeth SladenElisabeth SladenElisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on...
.