These party songs. “My brother” by Maxime Le Forestier or the love of siblings that never existed

This winter break, we explore love – all forms of love. Today, a great classic celebrating a brother who was never born, who is not an uncommon figure in our culture.

Here is a big Proust madeleine. Not only is it the enormous success that launched the career of Maxime Le Forestier, in 45 rpm in the spring of 1971 then as the first song of the first side of a historic album, at the start of the 1972 school year – but it is also a reverie for millions of French speakers who also regretted not having a little brother.

But the theme of the child who would like not to be the youngest in the family is quite classic in France.

In this episode of These party songsyou hear excerpts from:

Maxime Le Forestier, Besides, 1971

Agnes Capri, We want a little sister by Francis Poulenc (words by Jean Nohain), 1934 (1939 recording)

Madly Mesple, We want a little sister by Francis Poulenc (words by Jean Nohain), 1934 (1986 recording)

Thomas Pitiot, Little sister, 2005

Maxime Le Forestier, Besides, 1971

Eddie Mitchell, If you weren’t my brother, 1965

Bourvil, My brother from England, 1960

Bensé, Besides, 2008

Francis Cabrel, Only son, 2017

Maxime Le Forestier, Besides, 1971

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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.