Charles Trenet - Biography
By J Poet
Charles Trenet was one of the last great chansonniers, a sophisticated singer/songwriter who published over 1,000 songs in a career that stretched from 1932 to his death in 2001. More than 400 artists all over the world recorded his most famous song, “La Mer” - in the US, Bobby Darren had a massive hit with a translated version called “Beyond The Sea.” His smooth vocals, youthful appearance and upbeat personality won him the nickname “Le Fou Chantant” – The Singing Fool – although the term fool was used in the medieval sense of a wise trickster. His songs remained upbeat, even during the dark years of WWII and the German occupation of France. In the 1950s, he was the most popular songwriter in France, writing songs that became worldwide hits including “Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours (I Wish You Love)” a smash hit for Gloria Gaynor in 2002. He recorded prolifically from the 40s to 1999, making his last album Les poètes descendent dans la rue (Poets Take to the Streets) (1999 WEA France) two years before he died at age 88.
Trenet was born in Narbonne on May 18th 1913. He had a comfortable middle-class upbringing, but at age seven contracted typhoid fever, which kept him out of school for several years. During his recovery he began writing poems and painting. He returned to school and graduated with honors in 1927 before leaving for Berlin, where he studied art and discovered jazz and the music of Gershwin. In 1930 re returned to Paris and worked at Joinville film studios. He began writing poetry as Jacques Brévan and worked as a freelance reporter for several newspapers. His first novels were first published as a series of articles in various papers.
In 1932 he met Johnny Hess, a piano player, and began writing songs. He placed tunes in the film La bariole (1933) and got a publishing deal with SACEM. As Charles and Johnny the duo became famous for the hits “Quand les beaux jours seront là” and “Sur le Yang Tsé Kiang,” on Pathé 78s, but when Trenet was called up for military service the act ended. His first solo 78 “Je chante/Fleur bleue” (Columbia) was a major hit. On his discharge in 1938, Trenet was asked to join the cast of Casino de Paris by its author Maurice Chevalier. His boyish good looks and curly blond hair made him a sensation and he was hired to open a show for Lys Gauty, a famous movie star and singer. According to legend, Trenet was to sing three songs before the star took the stage, but he received ovation after ovation, returning to sing so many songs that Gauty never went on. By the end of the year he was the top singer/composer in France. His 1938 album Boum! Won the Grand prix du disque for 1939.
Trenet began his acting career shortly thereafter with La route enchantée (1938) and Je chante (1938). He contributed songs to these light musical comedies as well and began recording for Columbia Records France. He served briefly in the Army in WWII, but was back in Paris in 1940 where he resumed his cabaret career, singing for German officers and soldiers during the occupation. He was accused of being Jewish, which he denied, and after the war he was often accused of being a Nazi collaborator, although it was more likely that he was blindly apolitical. After the war he moved to Hollywood for five years and met George Gershwin, Louis Armstrong and Charlie Chaplin. He wrote “La Mer” which was translated into English by Jack Lawrence as “Beyond the sea.” It swept the world becoming his most successful composition.
Trenet returned to Paris in 1951 for a concert at Théâtre de l’Etoile that introduced classic songs like “De la fenêtre d’en haut” and “La folle complainte.” In 1955 he wrote “Route nationale 7,” “Moi j’aime le music-hall” and “La java du diable.” During the 60s rock’n’roll replaced the chanson and Trenet made few public appearances although he’d already sold more than 10 million records worldwide. He did cut one album Fidéle (Faithful) (1969 EMI) at the end of the decade. In 1973 he celebrated his 60th birthday with Chansons en liberté (1973 EMI) a collection of old hits and new songs. In 1975 he announced his retirement, but returned in 1981 with Vari! Vari! Vari! (True True True) (EMI), songs about his childhood in southern France.
In 1987 he undertook a short tour of France, looking like a man half his age, then launched an international tour, before another “retirement.” In the 90s, starting at age 79, he made three of his strongest albums Mon coeur s’envole (My Heart Flies To You) (1992 WEA France), Fais ta Vie (Make Your Life) (1995 WEA France) and Les poètes descendent dans la rue (Poets Take to the Streets) (1999 WEA France.) In 1999 he gave three concerts at Salle Pleyel in Paris, but the following year he had his first stroke and was rushed to the hospital. Another stroke in 2001 finally stilled his golden voice.
Ternet’s songs are widely available on CD. Try Anthologie (1999 EMI France), which includes 20 of his best-known songs, 48 Titres Originaux (Intense France) a two disc set of early hits, or 100 Chansons (EMI France) a box set with a complete career overview.