OLD FRENCH SONGS REVIVED

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 19 August 1933, Page 14

OLD FRENCH SONGS REVIVED

'T'lIEi world depression lias brought back one old feature of Paris life —the popular street song, which had practically disappeared before the invasion of jazz. Once more at street corners French songs, songs of the old type, ■semi-humorous and semi-senti-mental, which used to be the favourites of midinettes, are sung, writes Harold C’ardozo in the “Daily Mail.” The little dressmaking hands, pert in their plain black dresses, after a frugal luncheon, gather again at street corners where, with the aid of a squeaky violin and perhaps a concertina, the strains of the latest popular songs are played a score of times and J,he sheets of music sold to willing purchasers at a modest price. The girls of Paris love a popular song, and it is extraordinary how fast a favourite tune becomes known. A million copies of a “hit” are often sold within a few months, and though the return on each copy is very small, the music publishers make quite handsome profits on the number. M. Chiappe, the .Prefect of Police, has had a great deal to do with the song revival. He was approached by out-of-work musicians and singers and asked to remove the restrictions on

mg France

New Gaiety in Streets .of Paris

street-corner singing parties. He willingly agreed, and even allowed the singers to make their debut in the great square of the Prefecture of Police. Well-known instrumentalists nml singers have taken part in the campaign, and the midinettes have done the rest.

All the songs which are now popular arc of French origin arid have a distinctly French lilt. ‘ ‘Emilienne” and "Fes Gars de la . Marine” (which might be rendered "Sailors Doirit Care”) have been the two great favourites of late, but there will be plenty more on the same lines. It has been remarked that it is always times of stress arid depression which bring!forth the gayest and most humorous of French street songs, and the present somewhat critical' period is proving no exception. As long as there are bright love songs and humorous snatches dealing with the "girl whose riiother wants hrir to go home” or the "blue-collared sailor who has a sweetheart in every port.” the Paris midinetfes will go on singing them, and tlierc will be nothing very wrong with the world n