Now comes my first foreign post. I only recently became fascinated with French Pop music in the past couple of years. I had a Serge Gainsbourg CD since I felt his music was good bachelor pad stuff, and it worked. Soon I was into more traditional French musicians like Edith Piaf and Yves Montand. However, only recently did I stumble upon Jacques Brel after some reading up on Scott Walker and how Brel was a huge influence.

Brel was the quintessential French Cabaret singer from the 50’s until his death in the late 70’s. For those who love Edith Piaf and those other classic torchlight French singers, Jacques is the man.

He was such an influence not only to Scott Walker, but his songs were also performed in English by people like Shirley Bassey, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Robyn Hitchcock, Cyndi Lauper, Nana Mouskouri, Olivia Newton-John, Dusty Springfield, Bobby Vinton and Andy Williams.

Grab a glass of pernod or cafe creme, light up one of your cherished Gauloises and engulf yourself in the dark-yet-lovely poetry of Jacques Brel Brel.