Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:26 pm
Hearing “Parlez-moi d’amour” played in a picture as an instrumental background, I resolved, knowing nothing about its origins, to find a recording of this entrancing melody. Next stop, naturally, Amazon, where I settled on a CD by a singer unknown to me with the beautiful name, Lucienne Boyer. Several others were available, but this collection was said to be recorded from original 78s, & was only $8.
From the liner notes I learned that she was an undistinguished cabaret singer until discovered in ’27 in Paris by Lee Shubert, who put her on Broadway; 9 mos. later, she returned to Paris a star, & a few yrs later recorded “Parlez-moi,” soon to become her signature. She returned in ’34, toured widely, & according to the notes, “became a virtual house-hold name throughout the States.” (This later celebrity makes me ashamed to be ignorant of her.)
The 18 numbers on this disk, recorded ’26-’33, vary widely in character, some performed in that intensely dramatic style that was necessary, I guess, to penetrate the drunken din in a cabaret; these I didn’t care for—without the drunken din, that is. Another surprise—that Naxos publishes a “Naxos Nostalgia” series, of which this is one example.
From the liner notes I learned that she was an undistinguished cabaret singer until discovered in ’27 in Paris by Lee Shubert, who put her on Broadway; 9 mos. later, she returned to Paris a star, & a few yrs later recorded “Parlez-moi,” soon to become her signature. She returned in ’34, toured widely, & according to the notes, “became a virtual house-hold name throughout the States.” (This later celebrity makes me ashamed to be ignorant of her.)
The 18 numbers on this disk, recorded ’26-’33, vary widely in character, some performed in that intensely dramatic style that was necessary, I guess, to penetrate the drunken din in a cabaret; these I didn’t care for—without the drunken din, that is. Another surprise—that Naxos publishes a “Naxos Nostalgia” series, of which this is one example.
Loved the movie and promptly bought the soundtrack to discover it was the Lucienne Boyer recording used in the film. I also loved the rhumba tune used when Anais dances to entice Henry, but they didn't include it on the soundtrack for some stupid reason.
