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Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall (9 October 1947 – 7 January 2018), known professionally as France Gall, was a French '' yé-yé'' singer. In 1965, aged 17, she won the
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...
for Luxembourg. Between 1973 and 1992, she collaborated with singer-songwriter Michel Berger.


Early years

Gall was born in Paris on 9 October 1947, to a highly musical family. Her father, the lyricist
Robert Gall Robert Gall (27 May 1918, in Saint-Fargeau, Yonne – 16 May 1990) was a French lyricist. He married Cécile Berthier, daughter of Paul Berthier, co-founder of Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois. Robert and Cécile are parents of singer Franc ...
, wrote songs for
Édith Piaf Édith Piaf (, , ; born Édith Giovanna Gassion, ; December 19, 1915– October 10, 1963) was a French singer, lyricist and actress. Noted as France's national chanteuse, she was one of the country's most widely known international stars. Pia ...
and Charles Aznavour. Her mother, Cécile Berthier, was a singer as well and the daughter of
Paul Berthier Paul Berthier (1884–1953) was the co-founder of Manécanterie des Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois in 1906. He wrote a doctoral thesis on the legal protection of composers which has long been authoritative and an essay on Jean-Philippe Ra ...
, the co-founder of
Les Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois The Little Singers of Paris (, literally "Little Singers of the Wooden Cross") is a boys' choir with its main location in Autun, France. It has its origins in 1907 in Paris, moved to Lyon during the Second World War, but moved back to Paris.
. The only daughter of her family, France had two brothers: Patrice and Philippe. In spring 1963, Robert Gall encouraged his daughter to record songs and send the demos to the music publisher Denis Bourgeois. That July, she auditioned for Bourgeois at the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while th ...
in Paris, after which Bourgeois wanted to sign her immediately. France was subsequently signed to
Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
. At the time, Bourgeois was working for the label as
artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...
for
Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoca ...
and assumed this role for Gall as well. He encouraged her to record four tracks with the French
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
musician, arranger and composer
Alain Goraguer Alain Goraguer (born 20 August 1931, Rosny-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis) is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gainsbourg, arranger and composer. He has composed some or all of the music for films including '' La Planète Sauv ...
.


Early career

The first airplay of France's first single, "''Ne sois pas si bête''" ("Don't Be So Stupid"), occurred on her 16th birthday. It was released in November and became a hit, selling 200,000 copies. Gainsbourg, who had released several albums and written songs for singers including Michèle Arnaud and Juliette Gréco, was asked by Bourgeois to write songs for Gall. Gainsbourg's "''N'écoute pas les idoles''" ("Don't listen to the idols") was Gall's second single; it reached the top of the French charts in March 1964 and stayed there for three weeks. At the same time, Gall made her live debut, opening for Sacha Distel in Belgium. She teamed up with Distel's business manager, Maurice Tézé, a lyricist, which allowed her to create an original repertoire, unlike the majority of her contemporaries who sang adaptations of Anglophone hits. Elaborate orchestrations by
Alain Goraguer Alain Goraguer (born 20 August 1931, Rosny-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis) is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gainsbourg, arranger and composer. He has composed some or all of the music for films including '' La Planète Sauv ...
blended styles, permitting her to navigate between
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
,
children's song A children's song may be a nursery rhyme set to music, a song that children invent and share among themselves or a modern creation intended for entertainment, use in the home or education. Although children's songs have been recorded and studied ...
s, and anything in between. Examples of this mixed-genre style included "Jazz à gogo" (by
Alain Goraguer Alain Goraguer (born 20 August 1931, Rosny-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis) is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gainsbourg, arranger and composer. He has composed some or all of the music for films including '' La Planète Sauv ...
and
Robert Gall Robert Gall (27 May 1918, in Saint-Fargeau, Yonne – 16 May 1990) was a French lyricist. He married Cécile Berthier, daughter of Paul Berthier, co-founder of Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois. Robert and Cécile are parents of singer Franc ...
) and "Mes premières vraies vacances" (by Jacques Datin and Maurice Vidalin). Gall and Gainsbourg's association produced many popular singles, continuing through the summer of 1964 with the hit song "'' Laisse tomber les filles''" ("Leave the girls alone") followed by "''Christiansen''" by Datin-Vidalin. Gainsbourg also secretly recorded Gall's laughter to use on "", a track on his 1964 album ''Gainsbourg Percussions''.''France Gall par France Gall'', autoportrait télévisé ( France 3, 2001), quoted in the French Wikipedia article about France Gall. Original quote: "''C’est quelqu’un que j’avais du plaisir à voir parce que je l'admirais et j’aimais ce qu’il écrivait. Et j’aimais bien sa timidité, son élégance et son éducation. C’était très agréable comme relation. ..J'étais très impressionnée que cet homme travaille pour moi et s'intéresse à moi ...''"


1965

Having previously resisted, Gall gave in to her managers at the end of 1964 and recorded a single intended for children. The song "''
Sacré Charlemagne "Sacré Charlemagne" is a song by France Gall. It was released in 1964 as a single, on an EP, and on an album, credited to "France Gall et ses petits amis". According to the charts U.S. '' Billboard'' published in its "Hits of the World" sectio ...
''", written by her father, and set to the music of George Liferman, was a hit in 1965, peaking at number one in France and number five in Turkey.


Eurovision

Gall was then selected to represent
Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest 1965 Luxembourg was represented by French singer France Gall, with the song " Poupée de cire, poupée de son", at the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 20 March in Naples. The song, composed by Serge Gainsbourg, was chosen internally ...
. From the ten songs proposed to her, she chose Gainsbourg's "'' Poupée de cire, poupée de son''". On 20 March 1965, Gainsbourg, Gall, and Goraguer attended the finals of the song contest in
Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, where the song was "allegedly booed in rehearsals for straying so far from the sort of song usually heard in the Contest at this point."Jamie McCloughlin
A Bluffer's Guide to Eurovision
13 July 2009. Accessed 20 February 2012.
Although the delivery during the live show may not have been Gall's strongest performance — one critic wrote that Gall's performance was "far from perfect," another noted that her voice was out of tune and her complexion pale, and when Gall called
Claude François Claude Antoine Marie François (; 1 February 1939 – 11 March 1978), also known by the nickname Cloclo, was a French pop singer, composer, songwriter, record producer, drummer and dancer. François co-wrote the lyrics of "Comme d'habitude" (c ...
, her lover at the time, immediately after the performance, he shouted at her, "You sang off key. You were terrible!" — the song impressed the jury and it took the Grand Prix. Success at Eurovision ensured that Gall became even better known outside Europe and she recorded "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" in French, German, Italian and Japanese. There appears to be no English version released by France Gall, although there was an English cover version by the English 1960s star
Twinkle Twinkle may refer to: * Twinkling, the variation of brightness of distant objects People * Twinkle (singer) (1948–2015), born Lynn Annette Ripley, English singer-songwriter * Twinkle Khanna, Indian movie actress * Twinkle Bajpai, female conte ...
.


Summer tour

In 1965, Gall toured France for several months with "''Le Grand Cirque de France''" ("The Great Circus of France"), a combination of radio show and live circus. Her singles continued to chart successfully, including the Gainsbourg-penned "''Attends ou va-t'en''" ("Wait for me, or go away") and "''Nous ne sommes pas des anges''" ("We are not angels"). She also had a hit with the song "''L'Amérique''" ("America") by Eddy Marnay and Guy Magenta. Stewart Mason sums up this early period of Gall's career, culminating in the Eurovision win:
though many dismissed Gall as a Francophone
Lesley Gore Lesley Sue Goldstein (May 2, 1946 – February 16, 2015), known professionally as Lesley Gore, was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. At the age of 16, she recorded the pop music, pop hit "It's My Party (Lesley Gore song), I ...
, making fluffy and ultra-commercial pop hits with little substance, Gall's hits from this era stand up far better than most. Only Françoise Hardy was consistently making records up to these standards during this era. Though Gall's high, breathy voice was admittedly somewhat limited, she made the most of it. Even dopey hits like "
Sacré Charlemagne "Sacré Charlemagne" is a song by France Gall. It was released in 1964 as a single, on an EP, and on an album, credited to "France Gall et ses petits amis". According to the charts U.S. '' Billboard'' published in its "Hits of the World" sectio ...
", a duet with a pair of puppets who were the stars of a children's show on French TV, have an infectious, zesty charm; meatier tunes, like the sultry jazz-tinged ballad "''Pense a Moi''" and the brilliant rocker "''Laisse tomber les filles''", were as good as any single produced in the U.S. or Great Britain at the time.


Film opportunities

After a TV film directed by
Jean-Christophe Averty Jean-Christophe Averty (; 6 August 1928 – 4 March 2017) was a French television and radio director, and Satrap of the College of 'Pataphysique. Many of his television productions from the 1960s were early examples of French video art. His studi ...
and dedicated to the songs of Gall was distributed in the United States in 1965, Gall was sought by
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
to appear as Alice in a musical film version of ''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...
'', after having already made ''
Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...
'' into a cartoon in 1951. Although Gall had insisted she did not want to become involved in film work, this was the only project which appealed to her. The project was cancelled after Disney's death in 1966. In 1966, Gall appeared in the television film ''Viva Morandi'', made in the same psychoanalytical mould as the (1965)
Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...
film ''
Giulietta degli Spiriti ''Juliet of the Spirits'' ( it, Giulietta degli spiriti) is a 1965 fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini and starring Giulietta Masina, Sandra Milo, Mario Pisu, Valentina Cortese, and Valeska Gert. The film is about the visions ...
'' (''Juliet of the Spirits''). She played "La Grâce" alongside Christine Lebail, who played "La Pureté", both singing "Les Sucettes" in a segment which was prominently labelled "Fantasy", in a clear reference to the song's sexual undertones. In 1993, she considered appearing on screen for a cinematographic collaboration with her best friend, screenwriter Telsche Boorman. This planned project was never completed due to Boorman's death in 1996. In January 2010, Gall was portrayed by
Sara Forestier Sara Forestier (born 4 October 1986) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter. Life and career Forestier began her film career in 2001. She received a César Award for Most Promising Actress for her performance in '' Games of Love and ...
in a feature film released in France, ''Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque)'', based on the graphic novel by writer-director Joann Sfar.


1966

In 1966, her children's song "Les Leçons particulières" ("Private lessons") was the subject of public notoriety and displeasure; the same occurred when
Jean-Christophe Averty Jean-Christophe Averty (; 6 August 1928 – 4 March 2017) was a French television and radio director, and Satrap of the College of 'Pataphysique. Many of his television productions from the 1960s were early examples of French video art. His studi ...
choreographed a troupe of men on all fours to illustrate another of her children's songs, "J'ai retrouvé mon chien" ("I've found my dog"), on his television programme, ''Les Raisins verts''. Also in 1966, Gall released another successful song written by Gainsbourg called “
Les sucettes "Les Sucettes" ("Lollipops") is a French pop song written by Serge Gainsbourg and first recorded by France Gall in 1966. One of Gall's biggest hits, it was an unusually risqué song for its time, although she has said she was unaware of the fa ...
” (Lollipops). Though the song was superficially about a young girl, Annie, who likes aniseed flavoured lollipops, plays on words within the song revealed it to be about oral sex."SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK: France Gall"
''The New European, 18 January 2018
Gall was only 18 at the time the song was released and maintained that she was ignorant about the song's double entendre. She said she had sung “with an innocence of which I’m proud” and later said that her humiliation led her to avoid going out in public after being “betrayed by the adults around me”. She then refused to sing the song afterwards. She left France for a tour in Japan shortly after the song was released and was reportedly not able to trust another producer again until meeting Michel Berger.


Psychedelic era and transition to adulthood

At the beginning of 1967, Gall sang a duet with
Maurice Biraud Maurice Biraud (3 March 1922 – 24 December 1982) was a French film actor. He appeared in 90 films between 1951 and 1982. Biraud was born on 3 March 1922 in Paris. He married actress Françoise Soulié in 1956. He died on 24 December 1982 i ...
, "La Petite", which describes a young girl coveted by a friend of her father. The controversy over this performance overshadowed her release that year of Gainsbourg's poetic ''Néfertiti''. Her next single was recorded with the orchestration of the English composer David Whitaker. New authors Frank Thomas and were brought on board. They wrote "Bébé requin" ("Baby Shark"), a song which was a success for Gall at the end of 1967, her last one for 6 years . This was followed by "Teenie Weenie Boppie", an anti- LSD song by Gainsbourg, which has been described as "a bizarre tune about a deadly LSD trip that somehow involves Mick Jagger".Mason, Stewart
France Gall biography
all Music Guide, accessed 20 February 2012.
Gainsbourg then sang an anti-capital punishment song with Gall, "Qui se souvient de
Caryl Chessman Caryl Whittier Chessman (May 27, 1921 – May 2, 1960) was a convicted robber, kidnapper and serial rapist who was sentenced to death for a series of crimes committed in January 1948 in the Los Angeles area. Chessman was charged with 17 counts a ...
?" ("Anyone remember Caryl Chessman?"), about the
death row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting Capital punishment, execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of ...
prisoner. Stewart Mason wrote about this period, "The psychedelic era found Gall, under Gainsbourg's guidance, singing increasingly strange songs ... set to some of Gainsbourg's most out-there arrangements." Her next record "C'est toi que je veux", again with Whitaker, also failed to make an impact. With this string of recordings in the late 1960s, none of them an unmitigated success, and making the transition from teenage to adult performer, Gall faced some challenges in this period through the early 1970s. Mason wrote,
No longer a teenager, but without a new persona to redefine herself with, (and without the help of Gainsbourg, whose time was taken by his own albums and those of his wife Jane Birkin), Gall floundered both commercially and artistically. A label change from Philips to BASF in 1972 didn't help matters ..."


German-language career

Although struggling in her home country, Gall regularly recorded in Germany from 1966 to 1972, in particular with the composer and orchestrator
Werner Müller Werner may refer to: People * Werner (name), origin of the name and people with this name as surname and given name Fictional characters * Werner (comics), a German comic book character * Werner Von Croy, a fictional character in the ''Tomb Ra ...
. She had a successful German career with songs by Horst Buchholz and
Giorgio Moroder Giovanni Giorgio Moroder (, ; born 26 April 1940) is an Italian composer, songwriter, and record producer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Disco", Moroder is credited with pioneering euro disco and electronic dance mu ...
: "Love, l'amour und Liebe" (1967), "Hippie, hippie" (1968), "Ich liebe dich, so wie du bist" ("I love you the way you are") (1969) and "Mein Herz kann man nicht kaufen" ("My heart is not for sale") (1970). Her other German hits included "Haifischbaby (Bébé requin)", "Die schönste Musik, die es gibt" ("The most beautiful music there is"/"Music To Watch Girls By"), "Was will ein Boy" ("What does a boy want?") (1967), "Ja, ich sing" ("Yes, I sing"), "A Banda (Zwei Apfelsinen im Haar)" ("Two oranges in my hair"), "Der Computer Nr. 3" (1968), "Ein bisschen Goethe, ein bisschen Bonaparte" ("A bit of Goethe, a bit of Bonaparte"), "I like Mozart" (1969), "Dann schon eher der Piano player" ("I prefer the piano player") (1970), "Ali Baba Und Die 40 Räuber" ("Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves") (1971), "Komm mit mir nach Bahia, Miguel" ("Come with me to Bahia, Miguel") (1972).


Post-Gainsbourg career


New label, new beginnings

Gall had several other releases in France in 1968, none of which aroused any great interest. At the end of 1968, on reaching the age of 21, Gall separated from Denis Bourgeois and spread her wings upon the expiration of her contract with
Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
. She moved to a new record label, La Compagnie, in 1969, with whom her father Robert signed a contract,Pierre Pernez, ''France Gall, comme une histoire d'amour'' (chapter "Un Nouveau Contrat"). Publisher: Cité where she made a number of recordings, but did not succeed in finding a coherent style with Norbert Saada as
artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...
. She went her own way in 1969 with two adaptations: one Italian and the other British: "L'Orage/La Pioggia)" ("The Storm") which she sang with Gigliola Cinquetti at the 1969
Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annual ...
, and "Les Années folles" ("Gentlemen Please"), created by Barbara Ruskin. Her songs "Des gens bien élevés", "La Manille et la révolution", "Zozoï" and "Éléphants" were largely ignored. La Compagnie went bankrupt within three years of its creation, co-founder and singer Hugues Aufray blaming the failure entirely on Norbert Saada. The early seventies continued to be a barren period for Gall. Although she was the first artist to be recorded in France for
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
in 1971, her singles "C'est cela l'amour" (1971) and "Chasse neige" (1971), faltered in the charts. In 1972, Gall, for the last time, recorded songs by Gainsbourg, "Frankenstein" and "Les Petits ballons", but these also failed to chart. The results of her collaboration with Jean-Michel Rivat as artistic director, "La Quatrieme chose" (1972), "Par plaisir" and "Plus haut que moi" (1973) all failed to meet with commercial success. From the 1970s onwards, Gall started regularly visiting Senegal. She bought a hideaway there on the island of N'Gor, close to
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
in 1990.


Collaboration with Michel Berger

Gall was enthralled by Michel Berger's music when she heard his song "Attends-moi" ("Wait for Me") one day in 1973. During a later radio broadcast, she asked him for his opinion on songs which her then producer wanted her to record. Although he was disconcerted by the quality of the songs, there would be no question of collaboration. Only six months later, in 1974, after she sang vocals on the song "Mon fils rira du rock'n'roll" on Berger's new album, Gall's publisher asked him, at her behest, to write for her. Gall had already made her mind up that "It will be him and nobody else". In 1974, "La Déclaration d'amour" was to be the first in a long line of hits which marked a turning point in Gall's career. Meanwhile, the two artists had fallen in love and married on 22 June 1976, the only marriage for both."Michel Berger : l’éternel jeune homme qui marqua à jamais le patrimoine de la chanson française"
''Senior Actu'', 16 November 2007
After they married, Gall only sang songs written by Berger until his death in 1992.


Musicals

In 1978, pushed by Berger, she once again trod the boards of the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while th ...
, where she had auditioned 15 years earlier, starring in a show titled ''Made in France''. The most novel aspect of this show was that, except for the Brazilian drag act Les Étoiles, the members of the orchestra, choir and the dance troupe were exclusively female. In this show, France sang "Maria vai com as outras" the original, Brazilian (Portuguese) version of "Plus haut que moi". In 1979, Gall took part in a new show which remains memorable for many. Composed by Michel Berger and written by the Québécois author
Luc Plamondon Luc Plamondon, OC, CQ (b. March 2, 1942 in Saint-Raymond, Quebec), is a French-Canadian lyricist and music executive. He is best known for his work on the musicals ''Starmania'' and ''Notre-Dame de Paris''. He is the brother of Louis Plamondo ...
, the rock opera '' Starmania'' enjoyed a success not usual for musicals in France. The show played for one month at the
Palais des congrès de Paris The Palais des congrès de Paris is a concert venue, convention centre and shopping mall at the Porte Maillot in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. The venue was built by French architect Guillaume Gillet, and was inaugurated in 1974. Nearb ...
. In 1982, Gall rehearsed in the Palais des Sports of Paris to present ''Tout pour la musique'', an innovative spectacle marked by its use of electronic music. The songs "Résiste" and "Il jouait du piano debout" ("He played the piano standing") quickly became French pop standards.


1980s and humanitarian projects

In 1985, Gall joined Chanteurs Sans Frontières, on the initiative of Valérie Lagrange. She also worked for S.O.S Éthiopie for the benefit of Ethiopia under the aegis of
Renaud Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan (), known as Renaud (), born 11 May 1952, is a French singer, songwriter and actor. His characteristically 'broken' voice makes for a very distinctive vocal style. Several of his songs are popular classics in F ...
. At the same time, she gave a successful series of concerts lasting three weeks at the new venue
Le Zénith Le Zénith () is the name given to a series of indoor arenas in France. The first arena, the "Zénith Paris" is a rejuvenation of the Pavillon de Paris. In French culture, the word "zénith" has become synonymous with "theater". A zénith is a ...
in Paris, where she performed new songs like "Débranche" ("Loosen-up"), "Hong-Kong Star", and gave solid acoustic performances of "Plus haut", "Diego libre dans sa tête" and "Cézanne peint". In 1985 and 1986, Gall worked with Berger, Richard Berry, Daniel Balavoine and for the benefit of Action Écoles, an organisation of schoolboy volunteers which collects essential food products in France for African countries where famine and drought prevail. On 14 January 1986, during a trip to Africa, Balavoine died in a helicopter crash. In 1987, the song "Évidemment", written by Berger and sung by Gall, was a moving homage to their lost friend. The song appeared on the album ''Babacar''. On the same album, the song "Babacar" was about a child Gall and Berger had thought to adopt from Dakar, Senegal after meeting a mother who had begged Gall to take her child. Instead of adopting the child Berger and Gall decided to help financially by writing a song about the dilemma and donating the proceeds of the song to the child. The costs covered an apartment for the family and paid study costs for both the mother and child. Gall topped the pop charts in many countries in 1987 and 1988 with another song from the ''Babacar'' album, " Ella, elle l'a" ("Ella′s got it"), a Berger tribute to
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
. Following the release of ''Babacar'', Gall launched a new show produced by Berger. Opening at Le Zénith, the successful production toured throughout Europe, and gave rise to the live album ''Le Tour de France '88''.


1990s and later

Gall took a break from singing in the early 1990s and did not record any more for several years to come. She did, however, make an album called ''Double Jeu'' with Berger released 12 June 1992. Following the release of ''Double Jeu'', Gall and Berger announced a series of concerts in various Parisian venues; this project was nearly cancelled by Berger's death from a heart attack on 2 August 1992. Although Gall was strongly affected by Berger's death, she wanted to complete the project they had planned. She decided to commit to the performances at Bercy and promoted the songs that she and Berger had created together. She finally performed at the Bercy in September. All the songs she performed were written by Michel Berger from ''Double Jeu'', and from their discographies. A year later, she went back on stage and performed in a new show in the Salle Pleyel in Paris featuring new musicians. The repertoire featured songs written exclusively by Berger, though Gall included her own versions of songs originally performed by others. In 1996, Gall asked
Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard ( , ; ; 3 December 193013 September 2022) was a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic. He rose to prominence as a pioneer of the French New Wave film movement of the 1960s, alongside such filmmakers as Fran ...
to produce the video clip of her song "Plus haut", taken from her album ''France''. Godard initially refused, but later agreed, and directed a dreamy, picturesque video titled "''Plus Oh!''" near his residence in Rolle, Switzerland. It was given its first and only airing (due to copyright issues) on 20 April 1996 on the French television channel M6. After a year in Los Angeles, she released her eighth studio album, ''France'', in 1996. That same year, she decided to headline at the Paris Olympia. The next year, in 1997, she announced her retirement and recorded an unplugged show for French television showcasing songs from her final album.


Personal life

Gall married her collaborator and songwriter, Michel Berger, on 22 June 1976. They had two children together, Pauline and Raphaël. Her daughter Pauline was diagnosed with
cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine. Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus as a result of frequent lung infections. O ...
soon after she was born. She and Berger had decided to focus their hopes on the progress of medical research and to keep details of Pauline's condition a secret from the public. She entered into a pact with her husband to alternate their professional projects to take care of their daughter in the hope that a cure would be found. Michel Berger died of a heart attack in 1992, at age 44. In April 1993 Gall was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was successfully treated. Pauline died in December 1997. Following the death of her daughter, Gall made only occasional public appearances. She was a patron of the French charity Cœurs de Femmes and a regular
poker Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, however in some places the rules may vary. While the earliest known form of the game w ...
player up until her death.


Death and legacy

As a farewell to her career, a documentary movie was shot in 2001, ''France Gall par France Gall'' and millions watched the documentary when it was broadcast on French television that year. Gall staged and appeared in the 2007 France 2 documentary, ''Tous pour la musique'', marking the 15th anniversary of Michel Berger's death. A long-term breast cancer survivor, Gall died, aged 70, of an infection after a two-year battle with a
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
of undisclosed primary origin, at the
American Hospital of Paris The American Hospital of Paris (''Hôpital américain de Paris''), founded in 1906, is a private, not-for-profit hospital that is certified under the French healthcare system. Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, in the western suburbs of Paris, France, ...
in
Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...
on 7 January 2018."Mort de France Gall, une chanteuse qui donnait tout pour la musique"
''Le figaro'', 7 January 2018
-
- Maev Kennedy
"France Gall: French singer who inspired My Way dies age 70"
''The Guardian'', 8 January 2018
She was buried with her husband and daughter on 20 Avenue Rachel (division 29) at
Montmartre Cemetery The Cemetery of Montmartre (french: link=no, Cimetière de Montmartre) is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France, that dates to the early 19th century. Officially known as the Cimetière du Nord, it is the third largest necropolis ...
in Paris.


Discography


Albums

* '' N'écoute pas les idoles'' (March 1964) * ''France Gall'' (''Mes premières vraies vacances'') (August 1964) * ''
Sacré Charlemagne "Sacré Charlemagne" is a song by France Gall. It was released in 1964 as a single, on an EP, and on an album, credited to "France Gall et ses petits amis". According to the charts U.S. '' Billboard'' published in its "Hits of the World" sectio ...
'' (December 1964) * '' Poupée de cire, poupée de son'' (April 1965) * ''
Baby pop ''Baby pop'' is the third 12-inch album by French singer France Gall and she is accompanied by Alain Goraguer Alain Goraguer (born 20 August 1931, Rosny-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis) is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gai ...
'' (October 1966) * ''
Les Sucettes "Les Sucettes" ("Lollipops") is a French pop song written by Serge Gainsbourg and first recorded by France Gall in 1966. One of Gall's biggest hits, it was an unusually risqué song for its time, although she has said she was unaware of the fa ...
'' (November 1966) * ''
1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...
'' (January 1968) * ''
France Gall Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall (9 October 1947 – 7 January 2018), known professionally as France Gall, was a French ''yé-yé'' singer. In 1965, aged 17, she won the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg. Between 1973 and 1992, s ...
'' (1973) * ''Cinq minutes d'amour'' (1976) * ''
France Gall Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall (9 October 1947 – 7 January 2018), known professionally as France Gall, was a French ''yé-yé'' singer. In 1965, aged 17, she won the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg. Between 1973 and 1992, s ...
'' (6 January 1976) * ''
Dancing Disco ''Dancing disco'' is the eleventh studio album by French singer France Gall, released in April 1977. It was conceived as a concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do ind ...
'' (27 April 1977) * ''
France Gall Live France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
'' (live album, 9 November 1978) * '' Starmania'' (various artists) (16 October 1978) * ''
Paris, France Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
'' (19 May 1980) * ''
Tout pour la musique ''Tout pour la musique'' is the thirteenth studio album by French singer France Gall Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall (9 October 1947 – 7 January 2018), known professionally as France Gall, was a French ''yé-yé'' singer. In 196 ...
'' (10 December 1981) * ''
Palais des Sports Palais des Sports (French: Palace of Sports) is a generic name of comprehensive indoors sports venue, mostly in the French-speaking world, including: ; France: *Palais des Sports de Beaulieu, Nantes * Palais des sports Ghani-Yalouz, Besançon * Pal ...
'' (live album, 4 November 1982) * ''
Débranche! ''Débranche!'' is the fourteenth studio album by French singer France Gall Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall (9 October 1947 – 7 January 2018), known professionally as France Gall, was a French ''yé-yé'' singer. In 1965, aged 1 ...
'' (2 April 1984) * '' France Gall au Zénith'' (live album, 4 February 1985) * '' Babacar'' (19 February 1987) * '' Le Tour de France 88'' (live album, 7 November 1988) * '' Double jeu'' (with Michel Berger, 12 June 1992) * ''
Simple je – Débranchée à Bercy ''Simple je – Débranchée à Bercy'' is a live album by French singer France Gall Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall (9 October 1947 – 7 January 2018), known professionally as France Gall, was a French ''yé-yé'' singer. In 196 ...
'' (live album, 29 October 1993) * ''
Simple je – Rebranchée à Bercy Simple or SIMPLE may refer to: *Simplicity, the state or quality of being simple Arts and entertainment * ''Simple'' (album), by Andy Yorke, 2008, and its title track * "Simple" (Florida Georgia Line song), 2018 * "Simple", a song by Johnn ...
'' (live album, 28 January 1994) * ''
Pleyel Ignace Joseph Pleyel (; ; 18 June 1757 – 14 November 1831) was an Austrian-born French composer, music publisher and piano builder of the Classical period. Life Early years He was born in in Lower Austria, the son of a schoolmaster named Ma ...
'' (live album, concert recorded in 1994, published in December 2005) * ''
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
'' (29 March 1996) * ''Concert public (live, Olympia 1996) & Concert privé (Concert acoustique TV M6 1997)'' (24 April 1997) * ''
Best of France Gall Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...
'' (compilation, 15 June 2004) * ''
Évidemment Évidemment may refer to: * "Évidemment" (France Gall song), 1987 * "Évidemment" (Orelsan and Angèle song), 2022 * "Évidemment" (La Zarra song), the French entry for Eurovision 2023 {{Disambiguation ...
'' (compilation, 7 October 2004)


Singles

* 9 October 1963 — "Ne sois pas si bête", adaptation by Pierre Delanoë of "Stand a little closer", original words and music by
Jack Wolf Jack Keil Wolf (March 14, 1935 – May 12, 2011) was an American researcher in information theory and coding theory. Biography Wolf was born in 1935 in Newark, New Jersey, and graduated from Weequahic High School in 1952. He received his under ...
and
Maurice "Bugs" Bower Maurice may refer to: People * Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr *Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor *Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and L ...
* 1964 — "N'écoute pas les idoles", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1964 — "Jazz à gogo", words by
Robert Gall Robert Gall (27 May 1918, in Saint-Fargeau, Yonne – 16 May 1990) was a French lyricist. He married Cécile Berthier, daughter of Paul Berthier, co-founder of Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois. Robert and Cécile are parents of singer Franc ...
music by
Alain Goraguer Alain Goraguer (born 20 August 1931, Rosny-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis) is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gainsbourg, arranger and composer. He has composed some or all of the music for films including '' La Planète Sauv ...
* 1964 — " Laisse tomber les filles", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1964 — "
Sacré Charlemagne "Sacré Charlemagne" is a song by France Gall. It was released in 1964 as a single, on an EP, and on an album, credited to "France Gall et ses petits amis". According to the charts U.S. '' Billboard'' published in its "Hits of the World" sectio ...
", words by Robert Gall and music by
Georges Liferman Georges may refer to: Places *Georges River, New South Wales, Australia *Georges Quay (Dublin) *Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania Other uses *Georges (name) * ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas * "Georges" (song), a 1977 ...
* 1965 — " Poupée de cire, poupée de son", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1965 — "Attends ou va-t'en", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1965 — "Nous ne sommes pas des anges", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1965 — "Baby pop", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1966 — "
Les Sucettes "Les Sucettes" ("Lollipops") is a French pop song written by Serge Gainsbourg and first recorded by France Gall in 1966. One of Gall's biggest hits, it was an unusually risqué song for its time, although she has said she was unaware of the fa ...
", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1967 — "Néfertiti", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1967 — "Bébé requin", words by Jean-Michel Rivat and Frank Thomas, music by Joe Dassin * 1967 — "Toi que je veux", words by Jean-Michel Rivat and Frank Thomas, music by Joe Dassin * 1968 — "Le Temps du tempo", words by Robert Gall and music by
Alain Goraguer Alain Goraguer (born 20 August 1931, Rosny-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis) is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gainsbourg, arranger and composer. He has composed some or all of the music for films including '' La Planète Sauv ...
* 1968 — "Y'a du soleil à vendre", words by Robert Gall and music by
Hubert Giraud Hubert Yves Adrian Giraud (3 March 1920 – 16 January 2016) was a French composer and lyricist. Career Giraud began his career playing the harmonica with Django Reinhardt's jazz group, the Quintette du Hot Club de France. In 1941, he was recru ...
* 1968 — "24 / 36", words by Jean-Michel Rivat and Frank Thomas, music by Joe Dassin * 1969 — "Homme tout petit", words by Jean-Michel Rivat and Frank Thomas, music by
Jean-Pierre Bourtayre Jean-Pierre or Jean Pierre may refer to: People * Karine Jean-Pierre b.1977, White House Deputy Press Secretary for President Joe Biden 2021- * Jean-Pierre, Count of Montalivet (1766–1823), French statesman and Peer of France * Eugenia Pierre ( ...
* 1969 — "Les Années folles", adaptation by Boris Bergman of the British song "Gentlemen Please", original words and music by Barbara Ruskin * 1969 — "Baci, baci, baci", adaptation by Eddy Marnay from Italian lyrics by Sergio Bardotti and Claudio Tallino and music by Franco and
Giorgio Bracardi Giorgio Bracardi (born 3 May 1933) is an Italian actor, composer and stand-up comedian. Life and career Born in Rome, the older brother of the actor, pianist and composer Franco, for many years Bracardi worked around the world as a piano playe ...
* 1970 — "Zozoï", words by Robert Gall and music by
Nelson Angelo Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
* 1970 — "Les Éléphants", words by
Jean Schmitt Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...
and music by
Jean Géral Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Je ...
* 1971 — "C'est cela l'amour", words by
Jacques Lanzmann Jacques Lanzmann (4 May 1927 – 21 June 2006) was a French journalist, writer and lyricist. He is best known as a novelist and for his songwriting partnership with Jacques Dutronc. Early life Lanzmann spent the early part of his life in Auverg ...
and music by Paul-Jean Borowsky * 1971 — "Chasse neige", words by Étienne Roda-Gil and music by Julien Clerc * 1972 — "Frankenstein", words and music by Gainsbourg * 1972 — "5 minutes d'amour", words by Jean-Michel Rivat and Frank Thomas, music by
Roland Vincent Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...
* 1973 — "Plus haut que moi", adaptation by
Yves Dessca Yves may refer to: * Yves, Charente-Maritime, a commune of the Charente-Maritime department in France * Yves (given name), including a list of people with the name * ''Yves'' (single album), a single album by Loona * ''Yves'' (film), a 2019 Fren ...
and Jean-Michel Rivat of "Maria vai com as outras" by Toquinho and
Vinicius de Moraes Marcus Vinícius da Cruz e Mello Moraes (19 October 1913 – 9 July 1980), better known as Vinícius de Moraes () and nicknamed O Poetinha ("The little poet"), was a Brazilian poet, diplomat, lyricist, essayist, musician, singer, and playwright ...
* 1973 — "Par Plaisir", words by Yves Dessca and Jean-Michel Rivat, music by
Roland Vincent Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...
* May 1974 — "La Déclaration d'amour", words and music by Michel Hamburger (Michel Berger) * October 1974 — "Mais, aime la", words and music by Berger * 1975 — "Comment lui dire", words and music by Berger * April 1976 — "Ce soir je ne dors pas" * June 1976 — " Ça balance pas mal à Paris" (duet with Michel Berger), words and music by Berger * May 1977 — "Musique", words and music by Berger * October 1977 — "Si, maman si" * January 1978 — "Le meilleur de soi-même" * March 1978 — "Viens je t'emmène", words and music by Berger * January 1979 — "Besoin d'amour", words by
Luc Plamondon Luc Plamondon, OC, CQ (b. March 2, 1942 in Saint-Raymond, Quebec), is a French-Canadian lyricist and music executive. He is best known for his work on the musicals ''Starmania'' and ''Notre-Dame de Paris''. He is the brother of Louis Plamondo ...
and music by Berger * June 1980 — "Il jouait du piano debout", words and music by Berger * October 1980 — "Bébé, comme la vie", words and music by Berger * October 1980 — "Donner pour donner" (duet with
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
), words by Michel Berger and
Bernie Taupin Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English songwriter, singer and visual artist. He is best known for his long-term collaboration with musician Elton John, a songwriting partnership that is one of the most successful in history. Tau ...
, music by Michel Berger 
Archives INA : Reportage Antenne 2, 1981
* 1981 — "Tout pour la musique", words and music by Berger * 1981 — "Résiste", words and music by Berger * May 1981 — "Amor También", words and music by Berger * 6 April 1984 — "Débranche", words and music by Berger * 17 September 1984 — "Hong Kong Star", words and music by Berger — Archives INA : Extrait de "Hong Kong Star", Antenne 2, 1984 FR No. 6 * 4 February 1984 — "Calypso", words and music by Berger * 20 May 1984 — "Cézanne peint", words and music by Berger * 3 April 1987 — " Babacar", words and music by Berger FR No. 11 GER No. 14 * 24 August 1987 — " Ella, elle l'a", words and music by Berger FR No. 2 GER No. 1 NL No. 38 * 7 March 1988 — "
Évidemment Évidemment may refer to: * "Évidemment" (France Gall song), 1987 * "Évidemment" (Orelsan and Angèle song), 2022 * "Évidemment" (La Zarra song), the French entry for Eurovision 2023 {{Disambiguation ...
", words and music by Berger * 12 September 1988 — "Papillon de nuit", words and music by Berger * 20 March 1989 — "La chanson d'Azima" * 29 May 1992 — "Laissez passez les rêves", words and music by Berger, duet with Michel Berger * 12 October 1992 — "Superficiel et léger" * 15 January 1993 — "Les élans du coeur" * 6 May 1993 — "Mademoiselle Chang" (live) * 5 November 1993 — "Si, maman si" (live) * December 1993 — "Il jouait du piano debout" (live) * 2 February 1994 — "La négresse blonde" (live) * 15 March 1994 — "Paradis Blanc" (live) * 14 November 1994 — "Les princes des villes" * 15 March 1996 — "Plus haut" * 5 November 1996 — "Privée d'amour" * 25 October 1996 — "
Message personnel "Message personnel" is a song by Françoise Hardy from her 1973 album '' Message personnel''. It was also released as a single. Writing and composition * Françoise Hardy: Title of the song and words of the spoken part. * Michel Berger: Lyrics ...
" * 14 February 1997 — "Résiste" (remix) * 15 May 1997 — "Attends ou va-t'en" (live) * 2004 — "Zozoï" — Reissue of 1970 single * 20 August 2004 — "La seule chose qui compte"


References


External links


Clips from INA archives

Official website managed by WEA Music
(offline)
France Gall biography on RFI
(offline)

(offline)
French forum of France Gall & Michel Berger
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gall, France Yé-yé singers 1947 births 2018 deaths Singers from Paris French child singers German-language singers Eurovision Song Contest winners Eurovision Song Contest entrants for Luxembourg Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 1965 Philips Records artists French poker players French women pop singers Deaths from cancer in France Burials at Montmartre Cemetery Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur