FRANCE GALL

Passed away on 7th January 2018, a tribute to an iconic singer

On 22nd March 1997, she performed her last live. Since then, her songs are still everywhere. The fame of France Gall, who died on 7th January 2018 at 70 years old, run through more than 50 years.

After “Sacré Charlemagne” (1964), “Poupée de cire, poupée de song” (written by Serge Gainsbourg – 1965 Eurovision Grand Prix), “Les sucettes” (Gainsbourg, 1967), her hits are almost all written by the greatest love of her life, Michel Berger: “Ça balance pas mal à Paris”, “Si maman, si”, “Viens, je t'emmène”, “Il jouait du piano debout”

Becoming an idol, she sang around the world, such as in Germany (“Ich liebe dich, so wie du bist”, “Ein bisschen Goethe, ein bisschen Bonaparte“), in Italy or in Spain.

Her songs keep engraved in memories – even if the public does not know all her dramas: the death of Michel Berger (1992), the diagnosis of her cancer (1993), the death of her daughter because of cystic fibrosis (1997).

From her yé-yé beginnings to now, this biography, including testimonies of close relations and colleagues, explores the many faces of an artist who had many lives – still between cheers and tears.

Born in Marseille in 1964, Alain Wodrascka settles in Paris at 20 years old to perform. Since his first biography about Claude Nougaro, he devoted about twenty-five biographies and albums to singers. Three of them were published at l'Archipel.