RENAUD (ABO#072)

RENAUD
UNE COMPIL' QUE J'LA TROUVE VACHEMENT BIEN ...
PAS VOUS ? AH BON ...
(1976-2006)

Renaud has undoubtedly been the most rebelious french singer of all times. He has never really been a master of music or singing. However, his songs really fit in French chanson landscape. Like other singers in France, Renaud's talent is in his lyrics. If you don't understand French, I just can advise you to get translation from his texts. His major work came in the 80's even if two of his greatest albums have been released in the 90's and his early works are really worth a listen.
As I said, if Renaud is not a musician per se, he has managed to get together some of the greatest musicians of French scene such as Bernard Paganotti, Jean-Pierre Alarcen and others...
At the end of the 90s, Renaud fell down into alcoholism and drug abuse causing him to disappear from the musical news for about 7 years. After that painful episode of his life, he made one of the best sold album of his career with the 2002's 'Boucan D'Enfer'. If there are great songs, we hardly recognize our beloved Renaud, ironic and clever. The new one is more a "Vieux con" disliking nearly everyone and everything as he tells in his song 'Docteur Renaud Mister Renard'. Nethertheless, this album is still a great listen even if Renaud's singing is deeply injured (and much more when he sings live since that come back).
What I was expecting sadly happened with his last album to date, 'Rouge Sang', where, for the very first time in my life as a Renaud connoisseur, no track really met my interest. That's why my Baistophe stops in 2002.

CD1 :
1. Société Tu M'Auras Pas
2. Hexagone
3. Rita
4. Laisse Béton
5. Je Suis Une Bande De Jeune
6. Charognards

7. Mélusine
8. Sans Dec'
9. C'Est Mon Dernier Bal
10. Chanson Pour Pierrot
11. Marche A L'Ombre
12. Les Aventures De Gérard Lambert
13. Dans Mon H.L.M.
14. It Is Not Because You Are

15. Pourquoi D'abord ?
16. Manu
17. Le Retour De Gérard Lambert
18. Le Père Noël Noir
19. J'Ai Raté Téléfoot
20. La Jeune Fille Du Métro
21. Dès Que Le Vent Soufflera
22. Deuxième Génération
23. En Cloque

CD2 :
1. Morgane De Toi
2. Ma Chanson Leur A Pas Plu (1)
3. La Pêche A La Ligne
4. Mistral Gagnant
5. Tu Vas Au Bal ?
6. Morts Les Enfants
7. Il Pleut
8. Triviale Poursuite
9. Putain De Camion
10. Marchand De Cailloux

11. L'Aquarium
12. P'tit Voleur
13. Le Tango Des Elus
14. La Ballade Nord-Irlandaise
15. Ma Chanson Leur A Pas Plu (2)
16. Zénobe
17. C'Est Quand Qu'on Va Où ?
18. Le Petit Chat Est Mort
19. La Médaille
20. Baltique
21. Mon Nain De Jardin
22. Mon Bostrot Préféré

My Renaud TOP3 :
1. Marche A L'Ombre (1980)
2. Marchand De Cailloux (1991)
3. La Belle De Mai (1994)

My Renaud BOTTOM3 :
1. Rouge Sang (2006)
2. Cant'el Nord (1995)
3. Le Petit Bal Du Samedi Soir (1981)