Jean Ferrat
Encyclopedia
Jean Ferrat was a French singer-songwriter and poet. He specialized in singing poetry, particularly that of Louis Aragon
.
, Hauts-de-Seine. He was the youngest of four children from a modest family which moved to Versailles
in 1935, Ferrat studied at the Jules Ferry College. His father, a Russian Jew, was deported to Auschwitz in 1942, where he died. Ferrat dropped out of school to help the family survive.
In the early 1950s he started in Parisian cabaret. After that he has avoided any particular musical style, but remained faithful to himself, his friends and his public.
In 1956, he set "Les yeux d'Elsa" ("Elsa's eyes"), a Louis Aragon
poem which Ferrat loved, to music. Its rendition by popular artist André Claveau
brought Ferrat some initial recognition as a songwriter.
His first 45 RPM
single was released in 1958, without success. It was not until 1959, with publisher Gérard Meys, who also became his close friend and associate, that his career started to flourish. He signed with Decca
and released his second single, "Ma Môme", in 1960 under the musical direction of Meys.
In 1961 Ferrat married Christine Sèvres, a singer who performed some of his songs. She died in 1981 at age 50. He also met Alain Goraguer
, who became an arranger of his songs. His debut album, Deux Enfants du Soleil, was released that year. Ferrat also wrote songs for Zizi Jeanmaire
and went on the road, sharing billing with her at the Alhambra for six months.
Nuit et Brouillard, which followed in 1963, was awarded the Académie Charles Cros's Grand Prix du Disque
. Ferrat toured again in 1965, but stopped performing on stage in 1973.
In 1990, he received an award from the Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
, (SACEM) the French association of songwriters, composers and music publishers.
In 2010, Ferrat died of a long illness at the age of 79. He lived in a small village of 700 people in Ardeche.
Louis Aragon
Louis Aragon , was a French poet, novelist and editor, a long-time member of the Communist Party and a member of the Académie Goncourt.- Early life :...
.
Biography
Ferrat was born in VaucressonVaucresson
Vaucresson is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the Hauts-de-Seine department from the center of Paris.The people who live in the commune are called Vaucressonais. Vaucresson contains abundant parkland; 22 of its 308 hectares are classed as natural zones...
, Hauts-de-Seine. He was the youngest of four children from a modest family which moved to Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
in 1935, Ferrat studied at the Jules Ferry College. His father, a Russian Jew, was deported to Auschwitz in 1942, where he died. Ferrat dropped out of school to help the family survive.
In the early 1950s he started in Parisian cabaret. After that he has avoided any particular musical style, but remained faithful to himself, his friends and his public.
In 1956, he set "Les yeux d'Elsa" ("Elsa's eyes"), a Louis Aragon
Louis Aragon
Louis Aragon , was a French poet, novelist and editor, a long-time member of the Communist Party and a member of the Académie Goncourt.- Early life :...
poem which Ferrat loved, to music. Its rendition by popular artist André Claveau
André Claveau
André Claveau was born in Paris and was a very popular singer in France from the 1940s to 1960s....
brought Ferrat some initial recognition as a songwriter.
His first 45 RPM
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
single was released in 1958, without success. It was not until 1959, with publisher Gérard Meys, who also became his close friend and associate, that his career started to flourish. He signed with Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and released his second single, "Ma Môme", in 1960 under the musical direction of Meys.
In 1961 Ferrat married Christine Sèvres, a singer who performed some of his songs. She died in 1981 at age 50. He also met Alain Goraguer
Alain Goraguer
Alain Goraguer is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gainsbourg, arranger and composer. He reached his creative peak in the 1960s and 1970s...
, who became an arranger of his songs. His debut album, Deux Enfants du Soleil, was released that year. Ferrat also wrote songs for Zizi Jeanmaire
Zizi Jeanmaire
Zizi Jeanmaire is a ballet dancer and widow of renowned dancer and choreographer Roland Petit. She became famous in the 1950s after playing the title role in the ballet version of Carmen, produced in London in 1949, and went on to appear in several Hollywood films.-Background:Born in Paris,...
and went on the road, sharing billing with her at the Alhambra for six months.
Nuit et Brouillard, which followed in 1963, was awarded the Académie Charles Cros's Grand Prix du Disque
Grand Prix du Disque
The Grand Prix du Disque is the premier French award for musical recordings. The award was inaugurated by l'Académie Charles Cros in 1948 and offers prizes in various categories. The categories vary from year to year, and multiple awards are often made in any one category in the same year...
. Ferrat toured again in 1965, but stopped performing on stage in 1973.
In 1990, he received an award from the Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique is a French professional association collecting payments of artists’ rights and distributing the rights to the original songwriters, composers and music publishers.-History:...
, (SACEM) the French association of songwriters, composers and music publishers.
In 2010, Ferrat died of a long illness at the age of 79. He lived in a small village of 700 people in Ardeche.
Translations
Didier Caesar (alias Dieter Kaiser), a Belgian-German singer has translated some of Ferrat's songs into German.Discography
- 1961: Deux enfants au soleil ("Ma Môme", "Federico Garcia Lorca", etc.)
- 1963: Nuit et brouillard ("C'est beau la vie", "Nous dormirons ensemble", etc.)
- 1964: La Montagne ("Que serais-je sans toi", "Hourrah !", etc.)
- 1965: Potemkine ("C'est toujours la première fois", "On ne voit pas le temps passer", etc.)
- 1966: Maria ("Heureux celui qui meurt d'aimer", "Un enfant quitte Paris", etc.)
- 1967: À Santiago ("Cuba si", "Les Guérilleros", etc.)
- 1969: Ma France ("Au printemps de quoi rêvais-tu ?", "L'Idole à papa", etc.)
- 1970: Camarade ("Sacré Félicien", "Les Lilas", etc.)
- 1971: La Commune ("Les touristes partis", "Aimer à perdre la raison", etc.)
- 1971: Ferrat chante Aragon ("Le Malheur d'aimer", "Robert le Diable", etc.) sold more than 2,000,000 copies
- 1972: À moi l'Afrique ("Une femme honnête", "Les Saisons", etc.)
- 1975: La femme est l'avenir de l'homme ("Dans le silence de la ville", "Un air de liberté", etc.) sold 500,000 copies
- 1979: Les Instants volés ("Le Tiers chant", "Le chef de gare est amoureux", etc.)
- 1980: Ferrat 80 ("Le Bilan", "L'amour est cerise", etc.) certified platinum record
- 1985: Je ne suis qu'un cri ("La Porte à droite", "Le Chataîgnier", etc.)
- 1991: Dans la jungle ou dans le zoo ("Les Tournesols", "Nul ne guérit de son enfance", etc.)
- 1995: Ferrat chante Aragon Vol. 2 ("Complainte de Pablo Neruda", "Les feux de Paris", "Lorsque s'en vient le soir", etc.)
- 2002: Ferrat en scène