Chanson D'Amour
Encyclopedia
"Chanson D'Amour" is a popular song written by Wayne Shanklin
which was a Top Ten hit in 1958 for Art and Dotty Todd
; a remake by the Manhattan Transfer
was an international hit - #1 in the UK - in 1977.
In 1958 the husband and wife team of Art and Dotty Todd were the resident act at the Chapman Park Hotel in Los Angeles. The duo had had a UK Top Ten hit in 1953 with "Broken Wings" but were known in their native United States as veterans of the California lounge circuit; the Todds also sang on their own radio show. Art Todd recalls how Wayne Shanklin gave the duo the song "Chanson D'Amour": "Wayne Shanklin stopped us one day and said, 'I've got a great song for you.'" Shanklin produced a demo
of Art and Dotty Todd singing "Chanson D'Amour" which was shopped to Era Records
who released the demo track as a single. According to Art Todd: "The airplay was just sensational. This was just at the beginning of rock 'n' roll and the old-time DJs hated rock 'n' roll and they jumped on our song." Art and Dotty Todd's "Chanson D'Amour" reached #6 in April 1958.
A cover version
of "Chanson D'Amour" by the Fontane Sisters
charted concurrently with the Art and Dotty Todd version; peaking at #12 "Chanson D'Amour" afforded the Fontane Sisters their last major hit (the group would have one more entry in the Billboard Hot 100
: "Jealous Heart
" at #94).
Also in 1958 Belgian singer Angèle Durand recorded a version which rendered the English lyrics in Dutch; this "Chanson D'Amour" would become Durand's signature song. Wendy Van Wanten would remake this version in 1998.
In the UK both the Art and Dotty Todd and Fontane Sisters versions of "Chanson D'Amour" were issued along with domestic covers by Tony Brent
and Steve Martin. However "Chanson D'Amour" would not debut on the UK charts until 1977 when it would become a #1 hit for the Manhattan Transfer, a 1969 remake by the Dalys also having missed the charts.
The Manhattan Transfer remade "Chanson D'Amour" for their 1976 Richard Perry
-produced Coming Out album. According to group member Alan Paul, Laurel Massé - who sang lead on the track - suggested the remake: "We'd been recording all day and we hadn't gotten that far. Just as we were about to leave [the studio], Laurel shouted, 'Hey wait a minute, I've got an idea.' She used an Edith Piaf
sound in her voice [to sing "Chanson D'Amour"] and we recorded it in one take." According to Laurel Massé, however, Janis Siegel sang lead on the recording. Overlooked in the United States in its single release, the Manhattan Transfer's version of "Chanson D'Amour" became a European hit breaking out on the charts in France at the start of 1977 to peak there at #8: the track subsequently became a hit in Germany (#20), the Netherlands (#6), Norway (#1 for two weeks) and Switzerland (#6). In the English speaking world "Chanson D'Amour" afforded the Manhattan Transfer a chart-topping hit in the British Isles reaching #1 in both the UK - for three weeks - and Ireland in March 1977 with hit status also evident in Australia (#9), New Zealand (#14) and South Africa (#14). "Chanson D'Amour" would prove to be the Manhattan Transfer's most widespread international success despite being largely overlooked in the group's native United States where the track registered only on Easy Listening chart in Billboard
at #16. The song had made an interim Easy Listening chart appearance in 1966 when a remake by the Lettermen
reached #8.
"Chanson D'Amour" was featured in the series finale of the long-running British sitcom Are You Being Served. The song is briefly excerpted in the Beatles song "All You Need Is Love
."
Wayne Shanklin
Wayne Shanklin was an American music performer, composer, arranger, and producer....
which was a Top Ten hit in 1958 for Art and Dotty Todd
Art and Dotty Todd
Art and Dotty Todd were an American husband and wife singing duo who reached the Top Ten in the UK and the US with the respective hits "Broken Wings" and "Chanson D'Amour" ....
; a remake by the Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...
was an international hit - #1 in the UK - in 1977.
In 1958 the husband and wife team of Art and Dotty Todd were the resident act at the Chapman Park Hotel in Los Angeles. The duo had had a UK Top Ten hit in 1953 with "Broken Wings" but were known in their native United States as veterans of the California lounge circuit; the Todds also sang on their own radio show. Art Todd recalls how Wayne Shanklin gave the duo the song "Chanson D'Amour": "Wayne Shanklin stopped us one day and said, 'I've got a great song for you.'" Shanklin produced a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of Art and Dotty Todd singing "Chanson D'Amour" which was shopped to Era Records
Era Records
Era Records was an independent American record label located in Hollywood, California. It was founded by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell in 1955 as a pop, country and western and jazz label. Era had a #1 hit in 1956 with Gogi Grant's "The Wayward Wind", written by Newman. In 1959 Bedell sold his...
who released the demo track as a single. According to Art Todd: "The airplay was just sensational. This was just at the beginning of rock 'n' roll and the old-time DJs hated rock 'n' roll and they jumped on our song." Art and Dotty Todd's "Chanson D'Amour" reached #6 in April 1958.
A cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Chanson D'Amour" by the Fontane Sisters
The Fontane Sisters
The Fontane Sisters were a trio from New Milford, New Jersey.-Early years:Their mother, Louise Rosse, was both a soloist and the leader of the St. Joseph's Church choir in New Milford. Bea and Marge started out singing for local functions, doing so well, they were urged to audition in New York City...
charted concurrently with the Art and Dotty Todd version; peaking at #12 "Chanson D'Amour" afforded the Fontane Sisters their last major hit (the group would have one more entry in the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
: "Jealous Heart
Jealous Heart
"Jealous Heart" is a classic C&W song which has also been recorded by several Pop singers.-Early versions:The first recording of "Jealous Heart" was made in 1944 by its composer Jenny Lou Carson...
" at #94).
Also in 1958 Belgian singer Angèle Durand recorded a version which rendered the English lyrics in Dutch; this "Chanson D'Amour" would become Durand's signature song. Wendy Van Wanten would remake this version in 1998.
In the UK both the Art and Dotty Todd and Fontane Sisters versions of "Chanson D'Amour" were issued along with domestic covers by Tony Brent
Tony Brent
Tony Brent was a British traditional pop music singer, most active in the 1950s. He scored seven Top 20 chart hits in the UK over an almost six year period, starting in January 1953.-Biography:...
and Steve Martin. However "Chanson D'Amour" would not debut on the UK charts until 1977 when it would become a #1 hit for the Manhattan Transfer, a 1969 remake by the Dalys also having missed the charts.
The Manhattan Transfer remade "Chanson D'Amour" for their 1976 Richard Perry
Richard Perry
Richard Perry is an American music producer. Perry began as a performer in his adolescence, but shifted gears after graduating college and rose through the late 1960s and early 1970s to become a highly successful and popular record producer with over a dozen gold records to his credit by 1982...
-produced Coming Out album. According to group member Alan Paul, Laurel Massé - who sang lead on the track - suggested the remake: "We'd been recording all day and we hadn't gotten that far. Just as we were about to leave [the studio], Laurel shouted, 'Hey wait a minute, I've got an idea.' She used an Edith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
sound in her voice [to sing "Chanson D'Amour"] and we recorded it in one take." According to Laurel Massé, however, Janis Siegel sang lead on the recording. Overlooked in the United States in its single release, the Manhattan Transfer's version of "Chanson D'Amour" became a European hit breaking out on the charts in France at the start of 1977 to peak there at #8: the track subsequently became a hit in Germany (#20), the Netherlands (#6), Norway (#1 for two weeks) and Switzerland (#6). In the English speaking world "Chanson D'Amour" afforded the Manhattan Transfer a chart-topping hit in the British Isles reaching #1 in both the UK - for three weeks - and Ireland in March 1977 with hit status also evident in Australia (#9), New Zealand (#14) and South Africa (#14). "Chanson D'Amour" would prove to be the Manhattan Transfer's most widespread international success despite being largely overlooked in the group's native United States where the track registered only on Easy Listening chart in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
at #16. The song had made an interim Easy Listening chart appearance in 1966 when a remake by the Lettermen
The Lettermen
The Lettermen are an American male pop music vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959...
reached #8.
"Chanson D'Amour" was featured in the series finale of the long-running British sitcom Are You Being Served. The song is briefly excerpted in the Beatles song "All You Need Is Love
All You Need Is Love
"All You Need Is Love" is a song written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first performed by The Beatles on Our World, the first live global television link. Watched by 400 million in 26 countries, the programme was broadcast via satellite on 25 June 1967...
."