Stromae

Image is from here.

Paul Van Haver (1985) or  Stromae as we call him, is a Belgian singer-songwriter. Stromae is a mix up from the word maestro. Stromae tells in the program Toute le monde en parle (Everybody talks about it) that he's more Belgian than Rwandan because he has lived in Rwanda with his dad only one year. Though the father left when Stromae was very young the Belgian mother prefered the home culture to be African.

The lyrics made by Stromae are confusing and sometimes the music videos are hideous and disfigured. He is like the male Lady Gaga but the music style is different. Sometimes songs are spoken and the way Stromae uses his facial expressions reminds me of the other famous Belgian: the chanson singer and actor Jacques Brel (1929-1978). He was also a very very powerful and unforgettable performer: Ne me quittes pas ("Don't leave me" English version of Patricia Kaas is "If you go away"), Les flammandes (The Flemish), Mathilde, Madeleine. You can compere those performances with the these ones of Stromae: Moules Frites (Fried clams) ja Tous les mêmes (All the same). 

2009 radio hit in Europe was single "Alors on danse" ("Let's dance"). The song emphasizes the technique of simple performance that Stromae uses. At Ebba Awards Gala he shows how he can play and sing the whole song by himself. One specially interesting song and music video is "Tous les mêmes", where Stromae mixes up the limits between man and woman. His monotonic singing voice, strong lyrics and weird clothes makes him one of the most interesting artists.

New hit is called "Papaoutai", which is kind of nonsense, but it's pronounced the same as "Papa oú t'es",  "Dad where are you".

The song that I chose for today is Fromidable ("Magnific"), which is bit hideous I think. It tells about a man whose life has been magnificent but right now he's drunk and coming on the women. Stromaes performance is brilliant. His 100% commitment and how hi puts his soul into the performance is brilliantly confusing.


Check also: Tous les mêmes (All the same), Formidable (Magnific) live performance in subway, Papaoutai live performance in So You Think You Can Danse program, as guest in Vivement Dimanche, in On n'est pas couché program discussions e.g. about the making of and meaning of the songs  Papaoutai and Alors on dance, Moules Frites (Fried clams) live performance in Zénithissä in March 2014, Carmen, Bâtard (Bastard) and last Stromae shows how to make a hit song in one minute.

FORMIDABLE

Formidable, formidable

Tu étais formidable, j'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables,

Formidable,

Tu étais formidable,

J'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables.

Eh, l'bébé, oups : mademoiselle,

Je vais pas vous draguer, promis, juré,

J'suis célibataire et depuis hier - putain,

J'peux pas faire d'enfants, mais bon, c'est pas... eh, reviens !

5 minutes quoi, j't'ai pas insulté, j'suis poli, courtois,

Et un peu fort bourré et pour les mecs comme moi

Vous avez autre chose à faire, vous m'pourriez vu hier

Où j'étais

Formidable, formidable

Tu étais formidable, j'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables,

Formidable,

Tu étais formidable, j'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables.

Eh tu t'es regardé, tu t'crois beau

Parce que tu t'es marié ?!

Mais c'est qu'un anneau, mec, t'emballes pas,

Elle va t'larguer comme elles font chaque fois,

Et puis l'autre fille, tu lui en a parlé ?

Si tu veux je lui dis, comme ça c'est réglé,

Et au p'tit aussi, enfin si vous en avez,

Attends 3 ans, 7 ans et là vous verrez

Si c'est

Formidable, formidable,

Tu étais formidable, j'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables,

Formidable,

Tu étais formidable, et j'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables.

Et, petite, oh, pardon : petit,

Tu sais dans la vie y'a ni méchant ni gentil,

Si maman est chiante, c'est qu'elle a peur d'être mamie,

Si papa trompe maman, c'est parce que maman vieillit, tiens !

Pourquoi t'es tout rouge? Beh, reviens, gamin,

Et qu'est-ce que vous avez tous

A me regarder comme un singe, vous ?

Ah, oui, vous êtes saints, vous,

Bande de macaques !

Donnez moi un bébé singe, il sera

Formidable, formidable

Tu étais formidable, j'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables,

Formidable,

Tu étais formidable, j'étais fort minable,

Nous étions formidables

MAGNIFIC

Magnific, magnific
You were magnific, I was pathetic
We were magnific
Magnific
You were magnific
I was pathetic
We were magnific

Hello, darling oups: miss
I'm not gonna seduce you, I promise, I swear
I'm single since yesterday - fuck
I can't have babies, oh well, it's not... hey come back!
5 minutes what, I didn't hurt you, I'm polite, well-mannered

And just only bit strongly drunk and to the guys like me
You have other stuff to do, maybe you saw mw yesterday
Where I was

Magnific, magnific
You were magnific, I was pathetic
We were magnific
Magnific
You were magnific, I was pathetic
We were magnific

Have you looked at yourself, do you think you are pretty
Because you are married?
It's nothing more than a ring, don't get carried away
The woman will dump you like the women will always do
And the other girl, have you talked to him?
If you want I can tell, that's how the problem's solved
And to the kind too, if you have one
Wait 3 years, 7 years and then you see
If it is

Magnific, magnific
You were magnific, I was pathetic
We were magnific
Magnific
You were magnific, I was pathetic
We were magnific

Hey girl, oh sorry: boy
You know that in the life there are no mean and no kind people
If mom is tiresome, it's because she's afraid to be a mom
If dad cheats mom, it happens because mom has gotten old, ha!
Why are you so red? Eeeeh, come back girly
Did you all
Look at me like a monkey, you!
Aa, yes you are all saints, you
Group of macaques!
Gimme a monkey baby, it becomes

Magnific, magnific
You were magnific, I was pathetic
We were magnific
Magnific
You were magnific, I was pathetic
We were magnific

Collection - Mom & Dad

Because today is the Parent's Day I gathered some songs about the lovely parents. 
Luv ya mom and dad :)

Ladies first! So let's begin with the songs about dear mom:

 Mama of the German artist called F-Raz (in the real life: Fahrang Raz..)

From Germany to Cuba - Madre by Orishas

 Then we will see how is it in Italian: 

Mamma  by singer/actress Milva

Mamo in Russian with the freaky video on the background where the singer 

Anastasia Prihodko gets old during the performance

Then the Finnish group called Värttinä sings about Maamo 

And I think I don't have to present you 

the Spanish Enrique Iglesias  

but today his singing about Mamacita 

Then to my very favorite: French Algerian band Les Boukakes singing Mama 

The one track by Spanish Haze (for real Sergio López Sanz) from Sevilla yay! 
Madre Amadisima - this isn't so rap as I'm used to hear from him. 

 Then we go a bit to the sideways for now it's about mother earth, but that's the same - mom is mom.
Mama Tierra by Macaco a Spanish band from Barcelona

Then we stay on the same subject
and let the German dancehall group Culcha Candela sing about Mother Eart

Salsa version of Madre interpreted by Colombian singer Yuri Buenaventura from guess where?
Yep, from Buenaventura.

Then my beloved Christophe Maé singing in French Maman
Check his other beautiful songs in my blog by cliking the name :)

Si maman si by France Gall also from France and with the clothes of 70's...

Because before mothers are moms they are always daughters first so lets take both.
Mothers and daughters interpreted by Belgian band Vaya Con Dios

And ladies and gentlemen! Daddies turn!

Tego Calderon from Puerto Rico sings to his dad: A mi papa 

Then a cheerful song about the dad who's head is not updated, his a bit untrendy. 

Papa t'es plus dans l'coup from the movie 8 femmes

Then Daddy gives a piece of advice: Mon pere m'a dit by mostly French Zebda
Sorry for the quality of the sound, find more about Zebda in my blog by clicking the name :)

The without fathers wouldn't be sons and vice versa so: 

 Like Father like son from the musical Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida

And in the end English blues and rock singer Joe Cocker
and his deep voice present My father's son

Post more links or songs if you know! :)

El Barrio

Image is from here

Today is the turn of a spanish band El Barrio. They were touring with their new album Duermevela when I was living in Andalucía where is the origin of El Barrio. The singer songmaker composer José Luis Figuerero from Cadíz is a multitalent with the flamenco techniques. The lyrics are like tales like to days  Crónicas de una loca the "Story of a crazy". The style of El Barrio is basicly flamenco with a pop and rock seasonig. From time to time the songs are light sometimes they are dark. The bit darker tunes offers you this track: Patio de naranjo "The orange tree patio". Lighter and worth listening is: Crónicas de un gay  "The story of a gay". 

Check also: Andalucía, Calla ("Quiet"), Cartitas de Amor ("The cards of love"), Mi amor ("My love"), Crónicas de un gay ("Story of a gay"), Patio de naranjo ("The orange tree patio"), Vete con Don José y Delfín Amaya ("Beat it"), Quiereme ("Love me").

CRÓNICAS DE UNA LOCA

Ni locura ni enfermos mentales..
Ay personas que para curarse,
van de la mano de un mata sano,
medicando las duras verdades.

La encontre, con la mirada nublaa,
No atendia a mi interes,
parecia de cristal.
La encontre, sin ganitas de vivir,
maldiciendo al destino,
que la dejo postrada allí.

*Canta y no llores, y que cantando vas alejando tus temores,
Canta y no llores, y que cantando duelen menos los dolores.*

La ví sentada en un viejo rincon,
de aquel patio solitario de un manicomio,
El duro viento de un invierno gris,
mecia su pelo como las locas.

Todos los dias se ponia aquel mismo vestido,
que uno de sus hijos le compro hace años.
Mano derecha guardaba una rosa deshojada y fria, como la roca.
Pintaba cuadros, siempre tuvo el mar como referencia y motivaciones
Tenia en sus ojos ese brillo gris, que te da una vida de un par de cojones.

Cojio mi mano, me miro de frente, e indirectamente me dijo al oido:
-Sienta a mi lao, cierra los ojos y siente como indiferente se pasan los dias.

*Canta y no llores.. *

La encontre y me hablo de soledad
no creia en el amor, era la infelicidad.
La encontre , se reia sin querer,
de los hombres que seguian la doctrina de un querer.

*Canta y no llores... *

Con paso medio lento me llebaste amor,
cojido de tu mano hasta el dormitorio,
ilusionada te dio por jugar, con una vieja casa llena de muñecas.
En un libro viejo guardaban poemas que alguien titulo "Soy un triste abalorio"
Su piel era arrugada como una maceta,
el tiempo pribo de que floreciera.

La encontre, con la mirada nublaa,
No atendia a mi interes,
parecia de cristal.
La encontre,sin ganitas de vivir,
maldiciendo al destino,
que la dejo postrada allí.

*Canta y no llores.. *

STORY OF A CRAZY

Neither insanity nor the mental illnesses

There are humans who grab hand of the imposter

For to get better

They medicate the hard verities

I found that woman and the that misty look

She didn't notice my interest

She looked like a crystal

I found her without the joy of living

She cursed her destiny

That let her lie there broken

*Sing and don't cry

Because by singing the fears go away

Sing and don't cry

Because by singing the pain diminish

I saw her sitting there in the old corner

On that lonely yard of the mental hospital

The rough wind of the grey winter

Yank her hear like the lunatics

Every day she put on the same dress

The one that one of her children bought her many years ago

They had removed the spikes of the rose she guarded, it vas cold as a rock

She made paintings,  and she saw the sea as a reference and as a motivation

She had the grey shine in her eyes, the shine that gives you the infernal life

She grabbed my hand and looked straight in my eyes and briefly she wispered

-Sit next to me close your eyes and feel how

Indifferently the days go by

*Sing and don't cry... *

I found her and she told me about loneliness

She didn't believe in love

She was the unhappiness

I found her, though she didn't want to she laughed at the men who followed the doctor of lust

*Sing and don't cry... *

More slowly you took my love

Hand in your hand till the bedroom

You were excited, you saw it as a game with the old doll house full of dolls

Inside of the old book they kept the poems

Someone named them" I am a sad pearl"

Her skin was wrinkled like ajar

That time has took from them who bloom

I found that woman and the that misty look

She didn't notice my interest

She looked like a crystal

I found her without the joy of living

She cursed her destiny

That let her lie there broken

*Sing and don't cry... *

Collection III - Places

Manchester England 
From Hair Musical

from here

Ethiopia 
by Ejigayehu Shibabaw aka "Gigi"
from Ethiopia

from here

Bruxelles 
of the Bénabar
From France

Champs-Elysées
Made by
Joe Dassin

From America

Heaven 
By the great Bryan Adams
From Canada

from here

Vienna 
By adorable William Martin "Billy" Joel
From America

from here

Buenos Aires  
from musical Evita 
sang by the famous American: Madonna

from here

Axel Landquist Park 
by Thåström from Sweden

from here

Welcome to Estonia 
the rough song of Tanel Padar and the Sun 
Surprisingly from Estonia

from here

Africa Home 
By Mono & Nikitaman from Germany