It is misery that hits the trawler – the phrase sung by Hugues Aufray is particularly beautiful, and resonates with the news of this week.
You have heard on France Info, in fact, that France is preparing to take retaliatory measures against British trawlers after Great Britain’s commitments on the licenses granted to French fishing vessels, commitments made at the time of the Brexit, have not been respected. And it is simple, then, to weave together the present annoyances of the fishing industry and the rich tradition of a song pitying fishermen for their plight.
In the first episode of These songs that make the news this weekend, you hear excerpts from:
Hugues Aufray, There are four sailors, 1999
Mr and Mrs Botrel, The Paimpolaise, 1906
Jean Lumière, The Paimpolaise, 1946
Kanerien Pempoull, Canticle of Our Lady of Good News, 2007
Icebreaker Orchestra, Les Petits Graviers, 2014
The Gâs of the almanac, Cornish fishermen, 1900 (2011 registration)
I AM, Where are the roses?, 1993
Hugues Aufray, The Sailor and the Blessed Virgin, 1968
Gerard Manset, Finish a fisherman, 1984
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Remember: during the summer of 2019, La Playlist de Françoise Hardy was a journey through the musical baggage of an author, composer and performer considered to be the arbiter of the elegance of pop in France.
In July and August 2017, we spent Un été en 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 column with the French song lover dictionary, co-published by Plon and franceinfo.