Trente Ans Déjà

French television do programs called X ans déjà (X years already) commemorating the deaths of well know artists. Last night was Claude François, Trente Ans Déjà. My daughter calls him the butt in your face singer http://youtube.com/watch?v=AQyyqIHdkRA Watch the video to see what she means. Despite the belief that Paul Anka wrote “My Way” it was this man. His sons have had a wonderful life collecting royalties.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AmHntiV2Ebs&feature=related and http://youtube.com/results?search_query=my+way&search_type=

All these programs are similar regardless of the performer, with clips of their music plus comments from various people.

This singer was in the forefront of disco, the big stage show with his troupe of half dressed dancers. He died 30 years ago around his 40th birthday because he was a fanatic on details and a light bulb was out and he tightened it while standing in his bath…

I had taped the Claude François 20 Ans Déjà as an example of this type of programming. When I showed my step mom on a visit to Geneva she thought he was wonderful and I now she spent time when I was at work watching the video. Another New York friend also found him intriguing…

All in all, this type of programming has helped me learn about French pop culture in the years before I arrived on the continent. Also these programs were some of the first I could understand because they didn’t need the intense concentration that dramatic programs needed.