"What LJ is listening to." As the resident music aficionado, enquiring minds I'm sure want to know.
As I am want to do, when Oscar time rolls around, I try to see as many nominated films as possible. This not only includes those nominated for Best Film, but also those with Best Actor/Actress nominees. One of these films really piqued my interest, since I was only vaguely aware of the main character. I knew her name, but nothing of her life. My only real knowledge of her craft came from the jukebox at La Carafe in Houston.
Edith Piaf
It is amazing how many cd's of her music are available. The one I bought is of her concerts at Carnegie Hall in 1955 and 1957. One reason I chose this one was because she gives a brief introduction to the songs, to give you an idea of what the song is about. The other is that I like live recordings - you get to hear all the inflections, imperfections, emotion of the performance. Within a few songs, you can hear the pain and sorrow coming from her. The quality of the recording isn't always the greatest (the music at times is barely audible and her voice is garbled at times, especially with the 1957 recording). However, the pain, sorrow, sadness and emotion clearly comes through. One of my favorite songs is sung in English, "Heaven Have a Mercy":
No more smiles, no more tears
No more prayers, no more fears
Nothing left, why go on
When your lover is gone
Shout with one
Ring the bells
Throughout the towns
And the farms
Will the shouts and the bells
Bring him back to my arms
Must each man go to war
Evermore, evermore
While some lone woman stands
Empty heart, empty hands
When the time came to part
And he kissed me goodbye
From the depths of my heart
Came a great lonely cry:
Heaven have mercy!
Heaven have mercy!
Miners came
They carved his name
Upon a cross...
Heaven Have A Mercy
I remember the dance
Where we first fell in love
How we whirled 'round and 'round
While the stars danced above
We would walk by the shore
Watch the ships sail away
Lovers need nothing more
Just a new dream each day
So we dreamed of a home
With a garden so fine
And a son with his eyes
And a nose just like mine
Now it's done, why be brave?
Why should I live like this?
Shall I wait by the grave
For my lost lover's kiss?
Stop the bell! Stop the bell!!
I've no tears left to cry
Must I stay here in hell?
Lord above, let me die...
Heaven have mercy!
Heaven have mercy!
Heaven have mercy!
Another favorite is "C'est A Hambourg" - the inflections of her accent are enthralling.
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2 comments:
Edith (pronounced with a long "a" for the first syllable and "deet" for the second) was hugely popular with my junior high French teacher. She also made an audio cameo in Saving Private Ryan.
Amazing lyrics.
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