Some voices sound real, not studio manipulated for emotional resonance. One of the realest voices is that of Édith Piaf (1915-1963). You don’t need to understand French to feel the emotion in her Ne Me Quitte Pas. In my collection I have as mp3: Absolutely (a hits collection), Live in Carnegie Hall 1957, Recital 1960 (at Olympia a comeback following a two-year illness) lp to cd transfer, Mon Legionnaire (another hits collection) a stand-alone & the La Vie en Rose Soundtrack.
She’s an acquired taste, like Yma Sumack, well worth developing. Her version of Le Marseilles gave me goose bumps. I’d love my memorial service to to start with her Je Ne Regrette Rien & as people leave, Ne Me Quitte Pas should be played. If you are unfamiliar any hits collection is a good starter.
Rounding out the mp3 collection is, naturally, Jacques Brel: Ces Gens-La, 1967, Ne Me Quitte Pas. More fine French melodrama with some unexpected production flourishes like an ondes martenot on some tracks. Tino Rossi: Vintage 2010 – a hits collection of similar vintage French, non-rock, pop. Liane Foly: Reve Orange, Lumieres – two sweet slightly jazzy adult pop albums; finally Barbra Streisand: Je M’Appelle Barbra (1966) – well-sung but not as melodramatic as Piaf or Rossi.
Piaf recorded under rather limited conditions whereas current vocals have an arsenal of studio gimmicks to amp up the emotion. But not all of them rely on that, though they may use them. Pink is one of those who doesn’t need them. I have as stand-alones: Can’t Take me Home 2000, Mizzunderstood 2001, Try This 2003, I’m Not Dead 2006 & Fun House 2008. I like the emotional rawness of her voice & the fact that, unlike Adele, she doesn’t feel the need to sing the shit out of very song. If you are unfamiliar with Pink, start with a hits collection & then hit the trapeze.
Smoking Gun
I have to confess
there seems no way around this
even though I’m not so clear on it myself
on what did happen
true I was there
I was not really paying attention
you know how the mind can wander
for a few brief seconds
I was wondering about the weather
at a time like that
can you imagine
when there were such vital things going on
things that needed my full focus
suddenly I was preoccupied
with the weather
noting that it wasn’t as cold
as it has been
that the chill yesterday was really something
I could hardly breath
and I was standing there
with all this going around me
wishing I had a worn warmer coat yesterday
not that the coat I have on now
isn’t warm enough
and wasn’t that cold
despite the wind factor
but I knew it was going to get worse
the cold I mean
and well that’s why I’m not sure what went on
during those few seconds
yes I know how critical it is
that I remember
I’ve told you everything that went on
but at as for those few moments
I can’t swear
I can approximate
it couldn’t have been that much different
from what else was happening
it all happened so fast
I didn’t have time to catch my breath
let alone fix it in my mind
if I had known it would be so important
I would have been more attentive
one doesn’t make notes constantly
on every little event and circumstance
I didn’t even have time
to get out my cellphone
it was over before I could take picture
yes I feel bad about not being able
to tell you more
in point of fact I’m merely a bystander
I had no obligation to be more attentive
we’re not watch guards
of each other
if we were
who would feel comfortable
everyone spying one each other
taking pictures of every moment
I’d never leave the house
I’m no criminal
the fact that I w as inattentive
for a few brief moments
doesn’t make me one either
I’ve told you all I can
all I’m going to tell you
nothing can make me any clearer
I did say I was there
I was looking
I didn’t see anything
I didn’t look away
I just drifted off
for those few moments
what did I miss
(2008)
TOpoet 