Françoise Hardy [1944-2024]

Artist: Françoise Hardy

LP: The Best of Françoise Hardy

Song: "Only You Can Do It (Je Veux Qu'il Revienne)"

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Song: "I Still Love Him (Pourtant Tu M'Aimes)"

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I was sad to hear that French singer-actress-icon Françoise Hardy died on Tuesday of this past week after a years-long battle with cancer. Hardy passed away on the same day I was with my mother, celebrating her 81st birthday. 

 

I really didn't know very much about the life and career of Françoise Hardy until reading all about her today on her Wikipedia page. But what I did know is that whenever I found any of her records for sale, I should just go ahead and buy them. They're guaranteed beautiful, moody, ultra-cool pop tonic every time. There's a wonderful piece here from The New York Times that explores what it means to the French to have lost at this particular time their "voice of melancholy cool." 

 

Françoise Hardy

[ January 17, 1944 — June 11, 2024 ]

We will miss you, Françoise.

The Moments

Artist: The Moments

LP: Look At Me
Song: "Girls (French version)"

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Song: "Look At Me (French version)"

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Last night I went sifting through my soul and R&B records to find something quiet and romantic to bring my enjoyable evening to a delicate close. This 1975 LP by The Moments that I put on the console was already hitting the spot, and then they started singing in French!

I had not realized until now that The Moments were the same fellows who later turned into Ray, Goodman, and Brown. Stang Records evidently wouldn't let the trio keep the name when The Moments decided to leave the label in 1979. (Update: Oh. I guess I did know this 10 years ago. My memory just ain't what it used to be.) Mais peu importe comment vous les applez, ils sont simplement magnifiques! 

[ Harry Ray: December 15, 1946 — October 1, 1992 ]

[ Al Goodman: March 30, 1943 — July 26, 2010 ]

[ Billy Brown: b. June 30, 1946 ]