Françoise Hardy, an iconic figure in French music, passed away at the age of 80, as announced by her son Thomas Dutronc on Tuesday, June 11th. Over her nearly 60-year career, she gifted her audience with 28 albums. From 1962 to 2018, she sang about melancholy, love, and the passage of time. Let’s take a look back at five songs that marked her career and life.
1. “Tous les garçons et les filles de mon âge” (1962):
Her first major success, the song “Tous les garçons et les filles de mon âge,” was released when Françoise Hardy turned 18. In this melancholic ballad, which she wrote and composed herself, the young singer expresses the sorrow of a teenager who has never experienced love and sees so many young people around her falling in love. This feeling of melancholy ensured its lasting legacy.
2. “Mon amie la rose” (1964):
Set to a bolero rhythm and delicate guitar arpeggios, “Mon amie la rose” is among the most well-known songs in her repertoire. Written by Cécile Caulier following the sudden death of actress Sylvia Lopez in 1959, Françoise Hardy took on this song that had no interpreter and gave voice to the text about the fragility of things, the life of a flower that lasts only from morning until evening.
3. “Comment te dire adieu” (1968):
An adaptation of the American song “It Hurts to Say Goodbye,” the lyrics of “Comment te dire adieu” were written by Serge Gainsbourg, whose unmistakable style shines through. With the rhyming sounds of “ex” and “eu,” Françoise Hardy sings over a syncopated instrumental about the sorrows and quarrels of former lovers.
4. “Message Personnel” (1973):
For a minute and a half, Françoise Hardy’s voice speaks to someone to whom she cannot confess her love, simply talks. She then sings on lyrics by Michel Berger that follow, like an invitation, the text written by the singer. Addressing themes of communication difficulties and budding relationships that run through Françoise Hardy’s work, “Message Personnel” has often been interpreted as a nod from Michel Berger to Véronique Sanson, from whom he had recently separated.
5. “Tant de belles choses…” (2004):
Françoise Hardy wrote this song for her son Thomas Dutronc, born from her relationship with singer Jacques Dutronc. Battling a serious illness, she composed “Tant de belles choses…” to console him as he was deeply affected by her health problems. She touches on the strength of their bond, the things still to experience, and closes the text with advice, almost a prayer: “In this time that connects heaven and earth lies the most beautiful of mysteries. Think about it when you fall asleep, love is stronger than death.”