Whilst looking for something else this evening, I came across the Eurovision song contest of 1967. It was at this event that singer Vicky Leandros, representing Luxembourg, first presented ‘L’Amour Est Bleu‘, (‘Love Is Blue’). There’s a recording on YouTube of her Eurovision performance, but its soundtrack isn’t very good quality, so I’ve chosen to use this one instead. (The French lyrics, with an English translation, may be found here.)
The song was popularized in the USA in an instrumental version by Paul Mauriat and his orchestra. To date it’s the only piece by a French artist to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (in 1968).
I was still a child then, but I remember both versions. Lots of nostalgia there . . .
Peter
My parents had the second one…
As Maurice Chevalier, Hermione Gingold once sang: "I Remember It Well".
In 1968 I was a 26 year old police officer in NJ and married. The midnight tour was eased by my keeping a AM/FM portable radio in the squad-car (dimensions: l=18 inches, W= 4 inches, H= 8 inches and weight with 6-D cell batteries about that of an M1 carbine.
Songs like "Love is Blue" wafted out the open window of the 68 Ford cruiser on a sultry summer's night.
Those were the good old days!
Holy crap!
I've caught myself humming that tune at different times my entire life (I'm 47.) and never knew where it came from or what it was or if I had created it in my own mind.
I can't remember ever having heard it before, but I'm guessing Mom must have had the 45 of it playing repeatedly at some point for it to get lodged in my noggin this long.
Thanks Peter!!
FishStyx
Brings me back! This is one of the songs I loved back then.