Major maneuvers in Parisian department stores: Galeries Lafayette have announced their decision to sell the famous BHV. Let’s explore the evolution of the image of these department stores through the memory – and the present – of song.
Remember: there was a time when the song bore witness to the excitement that department stores could arouse. In 1928, Bach, Laverne and Nina Myral sang this kind of hysterical hymn, to the glory of these Parisian temples of consumption. But, already, at the time, we were talking about forced conversions for these huge establishments: the Grands Magasins Dufayel closed in 1930, two years after this song.
And, you heard it this week on France Info: the Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville, the BHV is going to be sold by its owner, the Galeries Lafayette.
In the second episode of These songs that make the news airing this weekend, you hear excerpts from:
Bach, Laverne and Nina Myral, In shops1928
Fabe, We are not all lucky2000
Jacky, Go to the Samar’, 1932
David McNeill, At the time when the abbots1972
Lucette Raillat, I pace1959
Edith Piaf, The bell’s kids1936
Tekitek, Galeries Lafayette2009
Nadjee, Fifteen2020
Chanceko, Gallery Lafayette2020
nessbeal, Again2022
FA, Castle of Versailles2019
Benabar, The Little Saleswoman2018
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And you can also find on this link the podcast Behind our voices, with the writing and composition secrets of eight major artists of the French scene, Laurent Voulzy, Julien Clerc, Bénabar, Dominique A, Carla Bruni, Emily Loizeau, Juliette and Gaëtan Roussel.