All summer, we talk about a great love song every day. Monday, July 24, the successful adaptation in French variety of a song by Guadeloupean Georges Plonquitte.
In 1977, Rosalie was a big success in Guadeloupe, then in Martinaique, Guyana, Haiti and everywhere where the French-speaking Creole culture of the Caribbean spreads – that is to say in Paris, Boston or here and there in Africa. It’s a song by Georges Plonquitte who, a few years earlier, was the leader of Typical Combo, a group that triumphed on the Caribbean dance floors of the 70s.
But for Rosalie to become a French song, an exceptional lyricist, Claude Lemesle, intervenes. If you don’t know his name, you know his work.
In this episode of These songs that make the summeryou hear excerpts from:
Carlos, Oasis Advertising, 1980
Carlos, Rosalie, 1978
Georges Plonquitte, Rosalie, 1977
Typical Combo, winding, 1972
Joe Dassin, Hello lovers, 1972
Michel Sardo, A girl with clear eyes, 1974
Serge Reggiani, The Barber of Belleville, 1977
Herve Vilard, We, 1978
Julio Iglesias, I did not change, 1980
Nana Mouskouri, I sing with you freedom, nineteen eighty one
Carlos, Rosalie, 1978
Georges Plonquitte, Rosalie, 1977
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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.