“And now” by Gilbert Bécaud, the story of a dazzling hit

To the tune of a bolero reminiscent of Maurice Ravel’s, “Et Now” is one of Gilbert Bécaud’s most memorable songs. It tells the story of a love that ends badly, the true story of German actress Elga Andersen. After breaking up with her lover, she confided in Gilbert Bécaud on a Paris-Nice flight. “She said to me, with a very strong foreign accent: and now what am I going to do?”, told the singer in 1980. The song will be written in one day.

Very quickly, “And now” becomes a huge hit, which remains at the top of the charts for weeks. It is then taken over by many artists, such as Eddy Mitchell, Isabelle Aubret, Petula Clark. An English version is even developed by Gilbert Bécaud himself. In total, “more than 300 versions have been recorded, among others by Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra”, indicates Jacques Pessis, author of the book “Bécaud, we come back to look for you” (Editions Archipel). Elga Andersen will sing it in her turn, contributing to the immense success of “And now”.