Death of Charles Dumont, composer of “Je ne regrette rien” by Édith Piaf

MUSIC – Shadow Man. Monument of French song, the French composer Charles Dumont died this Monday, November 18, at the age of 95, leaving behind a musical repertoire mainly sung by others.

According to AFP, who learned of his disappearance from his partner Florence, the singer, author and composer died following a long illness at his home. But during his long and vast career in music, he especially composed in 1956 the legendary I don't regret anything by Edith Piaf.

Having become an unforgettable Môme standard, known throughout the world and covered in French, as in English, by an innumerable number of artists, I don't regret anything had also allowed the career of this trained trumpeter to take off.

“My mother gave birth to me but Édith Piaf brought me into the world”repeated to anyone who would listen, the singer and pianist born in Cahors in March 1929. “Without her, I would never have done everything I did, neither as a composer, nor as a singer”he also assured during an interview with AFP in 2015.

This initial collaboration, after several refusals, marked the beginning of a fruitful friendship with Édith Piaf, which gave birth to more than thirty pieces, including My God or The balls of the ball. It was also possible to hear them singing together on the song The Loverswritten by four hands in 1962.

Songs for Jacques Tati

With his sixty-year career, Charles Dumont is not just limited to La Môme. Indeed, the French composer has worked with an impressive gallery of artists, from Dalida to Tino Rossi, including Bourvil, Juliette Gréco and Barbra Streisand.

The man who was also an officer of the Legion of Honor also has some rather notable original soundtracks in his repertoire. Notably with director Jacques Tati for the films Traffic et Parade in 1971 and 1974.

According to AFP, his last appearance on stage dates back to 2019 at the Eiffel Tower theater. “When you come back in front of an audience, who comes to see you as they did 20, 30 or 40 years ago and gives you the same welcome, then they give you back your 20 years”he said at the time. And if he was first known for his protest songs, before a period of “ crooner » at the end of the 1960s, Charles Dumont mainly wrote on the theme of love during his career.

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