In the history of the Fifth Republic – and even in the contemporary history of Western democracies – Nicolas Sarkozy is the only head of state to have been the subject of a love song written, composed and performed by a major performer of popular music.
Whether we like or dislike the sixth president elected by universal suffrage, we must admit that Carla Bruni’s portrait of him is generally sympathetic. Otherwise, Sarkozy is also the holder of a singular record: perhaps since Napoleon I, no political figure has given rise to as many songs in France as he has. I’m going to make you listen to a lot of it, but it will still be missing.
Michel Kemper, in his book If Sarkozy was sung to me, numbering more than two hundred. Two hundred songs on this President of the Republic but, previously, on a particularly noisy Minister of the Interior. It was at this time, in 2003, under the presidency of Jacques Chirac, that he appeared for the first time in a commercial song. And, surprise, it’s in a children’s song.
In the first episode of These songs that make the news this weekend, you hear excerpts from:
Carla BruniMy Raymond2013
Damn, The funny monster2003
Sinsemilia, More 2 Cops2004
Johnny Hallyday, Time passes2006
3d mickey, Playmobil2009
Mr Roux, Cowboy Bling Bling2009
Alexis HK, Chicken Manager2009
Soprano, I do not have2007
Michel Delpech, How we treat each other2009
Rodolphe Burger, Together2008
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Remember: during the summer of 2019, La Playlist de Françoise Hardy was a crossing of the musical baggage of an author, composer and performer considered as the arbiter of the elegance of pop in France.
In July and August 2017, we spent A Summer in Souchon, during which Alain Souchon guided us on a tasty walk through a lifetime of love for song.
All summer 2016, in the company of Vincent Delerm, we wandered around in La Playlist Amoureuse de la Chanson, truant exploration of popular heritage. You can also extend the delicacies of this summer chronicle with the French song lovers dictionary, co-published by Plon and franceinfo.