The song forces the entrance to the ball

The Crépol drama reminds us: for generations, our popular culture has been full of scenes of violence at the entrance to nightclubs and parties, most often in a comedic tone.

Songs are made for that: we transform the tensions that run through society into objects of amusement, emotion, pleasure – of catharsis. And, in 1979, Renaud recounted the exact opposite of the Crépol affair – the death of a thug, at the entrance to a popular ball. This song echoes a certain number of news items from the time – and even from all periods.

Renaud chose to give a voice to the black jackets, the thugs, the dangerous youth – as they say at the time – and we often see in him the figure of the gang of violent teenagers who come to spoil the party. Here is Goodbye kitty in 1977, again, cThis is my last ball in 1979, Fighting in 1980.

In the second episode of These songs that make the news, broadcast this weekend, you hear excerpts from:

Renaud, It’s my last ball, 1979

Renaud, Goodbye kitty, 1977

Renaud, It’s my last ball, 1979

Renaud, Fight! 1980

Michel Sardou, Popular Balls, 1970

Léo Ferré, The Loubards, 1986

Excerpt from the film Green Hearts by Édouard Luntz, 1966

Serge Gainsbourg, Ball scene n°1, 1966

Bénabar, The 115, 2012

Orelsan, Holes in the head, 2011

Jul, In my paranoia, 2014

Jul, I forget everything, 2014

Gradur, Militarized, 2015

Sofiane feat. GLK, Mortal Kombat, 2016

Renaud, It’s my last ball, 1979

You can also follow the news of this column on Twitter.

And you can also find the podcast on this link 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.