Charles Trenet

Biography

Charles Trenet, born Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet on May 18, 1913, in Narbonne, Aude, France, began his career in the 1930s after studying art in Berlin and working as a props handler in a Paris film studio. He formed a popular cabaret duo, Charles and Johnny, with Swiss pianist Johnny Hess from 1933 to 1936, performing in Parisian venues and recording 18 discs for Pathé, including the hit 'Quand les beaux jours seront là/Sur le Yang-Tsé-Kiang.' After national service in 1936, where he earned the lifelong nickname 'Le Fou chantant' (The Singing Madman) for his eccentric stage persona—often featuring a shaved head, monocle, and playful antics—he launched a solo career in 1937, recording for Columbia and gaining fame with songs like 'Je chante' and 'Fleur bleue.'[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• Trenet published around 850-1,000 songs, plus books of poetry and novels, and was a longtime friend of Charles Chaplin.[1]
• His iconic song 'La Mer' was composed with Léo Chauliac on a train in 1943 but shelved for three years as not 'swing enough' before its 1946 recording, spawning over 400 covers.[1][2]
• During World War II, Trenet performed for French POWs in Germany and at Paris cabarets frequented by German officers, later making a U.S. trip post-war where he befriended Hollywood stars.[2][3]
• Trenet's birthplace house in Narbonne has been turned into a museum.[3]

Associated Acts

• Charles Trenet et son orchestre - eponymous, original
• Charles & Johnny - eponymous, original

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Johnny Hess - Duo partner in cabaret act Charles and Johnny ('Quand les beaux jours seront là/Sur le Yang-Tsé-Kiang', 18 discs for Pathé) [1933-1936]
• Michel Emer - Musician collaborator ('Y'a d'la joie') [1938]
• Léo Chauliac - Musician collaborator ('La Romance de Paris', 'Douce France', 'La Mer') [1941-1947]

Artists Influenced

• Bobby Darin - Adapted Trenet's 'La Mer' into hit 'Beyond the Sea' ('Beyond the Sea') [1959]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. La mer (Disque D'or)
2. Douce France (Disque D'or)
3. Si tu vas à Paris - Remasterisé en 2017 (Chansons sans époques: 1964 - 1968 (Remasterisé en 2017))
4. Que reste-t-il de nos amours ? (Disque D'or)
5. La mer
6. La mer - Remasterisé en 2017 (1943 - 1948 (Remasterisé en 2017))
7. Boum ! (Disque D'or)
8. Ménilmontant (Anthologie)
9. Verlaine - Remasterisé en 2017 (1940 - 1942 (Remasterisé en 2017))
10. Y'a d'la joie (Disque D'or)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #chanson, #french-singer