Songs, film scores, credits, musical tales… Sacem will pay tribute to the composer, born in 1924, whose glorious track record would make many musicians today dream of.
Celebrating November 7 the 100e anniversary of the birth of André Popp, Sacem will pay tribute to a composer whose track record would make many musicians today dream of. He thus signed the melody of Tom Pilibiwhich, in 1960, allowed Jacqueline Boyer and France to win the Eurovision grand prize. In 1964, he participated in the competition again with Mallory’s song by Rachel, and again in 1967 with Vicky Leandros who defended the colors of Luxembourg with Love is blue.
The 4e place awarded by the jury did not prevent the song from being immediately noticed and recorded by Michèle Torr and the Compagnons de la Chanson. Because he is missing a title on the LP he is preparing, the conductor Paul Mauriat produces an instrumental version. He doesn’t imagine for a single moment that it could become a success. This shows his surprise, and that of André Popp, when he learned during the summer of 1968 that across the Atlantic, Love is blue entered the Billboard- the equivalent of our hit parade and now occupies first place. The enthusiasm is such that the ranking will not experience the slightest upheaval for six weeks.
A DJ from Minneapolis is at the origin of this craze. Immediately seduced by the Music, he began playing it every hour in his nightclub. A radio programmer took it over and, very quickly, other stations took over. This is how the sales of this song, subsequently recorded by dozens of performers, including Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis, will pass the milestone of 40 million records sold worldwide. And it’s not over yet. She will appear on George Benson’s next album.
Other songs signed by André Popp had a moment of glory, certainly more modest, nevertheless significant. Among them are The washerwomen of Portugalby Jacqueline François and Manchester et Liverpool by Marie Laforêt, as well as titles performed by Barbara, Juliette Gréco, Isabelle Aubret, Brigitte Bardot, France Gall, Nana Mouskouri, Françoise Hardy and Catherine Sauvage.
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He is also at the origin of a number of credits for television, such as Head and legsthe first game on the small screen, hosted by Pierre Bellemare but also by Babar et Colargol. He has finally written several film scores including that of Tintin and the mystery of the Golden Fleecein 1961, with Jean-Pierre Talbot and Georges Wilson.
Boris Vian, Raymond Queneau…
André Popp also has a series of five educational musical tales, which have become classics in every sense of the word. The adventure began in 1956 with Piccolo Saxo et Compagnie, or the short story of a great orchestra. Jean Broussolle – one of the Compagnons de la Chanson, wrote a story set in the Kingdom of Music in which most musical instruments are the heroes. André Popp illustrates his point through a score where the interventions of the string, woodwind or brass families allow young ears to learn to recognize them. François Périer agrees to tell it on the microphone.
This LP, initiated by Jacques Canetti, then artistic director of Philips records, was rewarded with a Grand Prix du Disque. It has had four sequels and has touched several generations of children since then. It remains today “a reference symphonic educational work”. Regularly appearing in the classical training program, Little Saxo was performed two years ago in Rouen, with François Morel in the role of the reciter. The ecological symphonythe fifth part of the story, will be premiered on December 14 and 15 at the Dijon Opera.
In his 50-year career, André Popp has worked several times with Boris Vian, Raymond Queneau and Philippe Soupault. He also accompanied Georges Brassens during the recording of his first album and made arrangements and orchestrations for Anthony Perkins, Henri Salvador, Zizi Jeanmaire, as well as those of Jacques Brel’s first songs, including When we only have lovehis first success. Anxious to perpetuate his memory, Daniel Popp, one of his three sons, delved into the family archives and found the tapes allowing him to produce a complete instrumental album on 13 CDs. A work that he describes as a “musical planet” and which, obviously, has not finished touring.
