Olympia 64

Its alright, def not bad so it gets and average rating. Its french. I will say it made me go down a rabbit hole of famous Opera performances on youtube which is something even tho thats def not related in any way musically

Live albums are cheating

First listen Saved 2/8 Top track: Amsterdam

Funny

No. Not for me.

Not my thing. That was some very dramatic vocals. I kind of wish I had been focusing more so I could understand more of what he was singing about.

Wish I knew what was being said

3.5

Good stuff.

french stuff, not my thing

My French listening is not as good as I’d like it to be, so I listened to Olympia 64 mostly as music rather than trying to focus on the lyrics, which I then read later. I’m almost in awe of how good Chanson is as an art form, and am kicking myself that I’d not got round to Jacques Brel before yesterday. His gift for melody and performance is impeccable, bringing a real sense of drama to the performances, and his voice is just beautiful. The arrangements also have drama when needed, but also a playfulness which certainly makes up for my not catching all of the lyrics. Having read the lyrics, I’m even more in awe. Full of simple yet devastating observations but also wordplay, you can see how some of the wordier songwriters working in English were attracted to Brel’s work. Having got this album at around the same time I discovered how much I liked Charles Aznavour, I’m pretty sure the universe is telling me to work on my French listening, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to do that now. Au revoir

Haven’t listened to something so FRENCH. 3.0

not my kind of music

The French are my near neighbours. I can watch a ferry leave for Dieppe three times a day from the window of my lounge. Heading due south, there is precisely one address between myself and France. On clear, calm summer's days, occasionally the French TV signal will overwhelm mine. Nonetheless, this here by Jacques Brel is precisely why we did a Brexit.

Eka biisi asetti kovat odotukset, myös teeman: erikoiset, hyljeksityt hahmot. Jälkimmäinen todellakin lunastettiin, oli maailmojen rajan tanssit. Hieno rikkumaton lauluääni. Hiukan liian samanlaisia ja tasapaksuja kukin biisi tosin, tempo- ja volyymivaihteluista huolimatta. Vahva 2 niin pakko antaa 3.

Tämä ei edusta yliopisto-opiskelijoille ominaista eksklusiivista ironiaa, vaan klassisen humanismin mukaista inklusiivista huumoria. Sanat ovat kauttaaltaan hauskat (sikäli kuin pysyn kärryillä): ne taittavat tulkinnan ylidramaattisuutta ja -romanttisuutta juuri sopivasti ja luovat vuorostaan tulkintaan uusia tasoja. On mahdollista, että olen vain yllättynyt, mutta mielestäni tämä on levy, joka kaikkien pitäisi kuulla (oikein).

Master of rhytmn, this goes so hard. My only complaint is that it makes me want to learn french.

Oho, ein französischer Künstler. Ok, lange tot, gehört zum französischen Inventar wie Elvis zum amerikanischen. Da kann man also nix falsch machen wenn man ihn als Feigenblatt mit auf die Liste packt. Jetzt aber weiter mit 90er Jahre Grunge, Indie, Alternative...

It's not my style of music, but I can appreciate the clear love of music that Jacques has. Probably a 2.5/5 for me.

Not my jam

Not my thing

Album was in French and sounded very dated. It was live in the singer sounded very commanding. Aside from that I couldn’t finish this out. 1.5/5.

This one was not of any interest to me. I'm more of an Air fan.

I truly wish I could speak French or at least understand it. I hear a lot of commitment and passion in his voice, but have no idea what he's saying. "ough, baguette!"

So incredibly French.

Wikipedia tells me this genre is Chanson, which they also tell me is generally any lyric-driven French song. Too bad I don't speak French so the lyrics are lost on me.

If the Paris Las Vegas had opened 35 years earlier, this album could have been recorded there.

Jeg kan godt sige jer min Duolingo-streak på 1000+dage kom på prøve her. Jeg forstod..............lidt af det?? Synes egentlig det lød meget godt, hans stemme minder mig lidt om Nick Cave, men altså der er meget der ryger hen over hovedet på en når det er så lyrikbaseret

Jeg nød det en del mere end jeg lige havde regnet med, mest fordi han lyder så skør

Han virker passioneret, men sprogbarrieren er nok lidt for svær for mig at overkomme. Croissant, Pain au chocolat, baguette, hon hon hon 🤌

Great musician and phenomenal live singer, but I'm unfortunately not fond of this type of old-school, French music. 2 stars

It was ok. Kind of sounded like sad circus music. I like some albums where I don’t know the language, but not this one.

Very old school. Don Draper would have loved it. I wish I spoke French, would have probably enjoyed it more.

french

Französische Chansons, gut gealtert.

Not terrible, but not for me.

Ça n’est pas si bon.

It sounds good, I'm not really qualified to talk about the contents of it that much. Will I listen to again: %1

The French Frank Sinatra. Franc Senêtre

Fun theatrical French pop. Not my usual first choice but I liked this a lot.

Enjoyed this!

Good addition to the list.

I have no idea what he's saying but I believe him

Could not be more French Didn't hate it, but wouldn't seek it out 2.5?

I liked this and while I couldn’t see myself going out of my way to put it on again if I stumbled upon it on shuffle it makes for easy listening.

2.5? Rounding down because doesn’t inspire me to seek more

Oui oui, hoh hoh hoh. Very French and something different. Probably won't return but I had fun

Sounds like Pepé Le Pew

Interesting

Not for me but what a performance!

Enough live albums - this is like listening to a musical which I cannot understand at all because it is in French. Why do I have to listen to this before I die?

not really what I'm looking for

I was hoping for more french lounge like Gainsbourg than musique francophone. It's fine

Not something I'd listen too, but I didn't think it was too bad.

I now know why Bowie covered Amsterdam. As for the rest of album I had to give up, it's hard work listening to a foreign language album.

c'est terrible

I can really appreciate this. I have a soft spot for "songwriters" like this. I'd love to know French as I listen to this. His voice is so impassioned that'd I'd love to know what he is singing about. There is a mix of standards from that time period (Sinatra) with the future of some of the music to come in the 60's. Very interesting.

Wasn't particularly impressed or turned off by this album. It just kind of was. I'd prefer to give it a 2.5, but due to the rating system I'll have to go with a 3 since a 2 is a bit harsh

I did not know that there was a live recording by Jacques Brel but this is a really good recording. I love the energy in his voice here.

2 strs

This was a cool and unique listen, especially with the top comment on this site providing so much context! I liked listening to it, but I can't really see myself ever revisiting it.

i went from "this album title sounds like a video game console from 1996 that only a dozen people owned" to "damn I wish I knew how to speak french" in the three times I listened to this album. the top review on this site and the Wikipedia page really helped, because without them I understood maybe 10-20% of what was even going on in the lyrics. amsterdam is a great song and easily the standout hit here, but jacqkie b. goes so many interesting places in the rest of these chansons. the first few tracks are like, *stereotypically* french, but he starts to wander into some darker territory toward the end. i wish i were capable of picking up on the subtleties and nuances of his lyrics, but there's still a lot to enjoy here at face value. favorites: Amsterdam, les vieux, tango funebre, les jardins du casino, le dernier repas, les toros avec final

This feels like an 'important' record but I put it on and pretty much forgot it was on until the mass cheering at the end. You probably had to be there. May revisit when I have more time to listen properly.

Qu'est-ce que c'est? Not for me, mate. I lived out my Parisian fantasises for a short while. My own ignorance defeated me.

This is a lot for 10AM on a Friday, but not a bad alot. Like 3 stars? An easy listen, but man, he's so stuffy and formal.

5.5/10

I've been duped! The album is Olympia 1964! Unless I'm listening to an album that is 19 centuries out of date. "Cest fini Miss Molly" isn't the literal translation, but it's interesting. But, as with all my reviews, if you need to add extra noise at the beginning and end of a song, and sometimes in the middle, then the album is a one star.

Okay, i'm not entirely sure what i'm listening to, but the crazy over-the-top theatrical french frank sinatra vibe has me smiling and chuckling most of the way through. There are definitely some "whoah" moments where it gets a bit too much, but the energy and attitude are engaging.

What. Why? Just why is this on the list? I'm so glad rock and roll came around or else this would have been the height of entertainment. I can't believe this was recorded live and people paid to see it. ACCORDION MUSIC?! Necessary to listen to before you die? COME ON

I'd probably enjoy this better if I understood the lyrics.

Really powerful and passionate performances, even though I don't usually enjoy live albums. Some uninteresting moments but overall solid. There's something about listening to other languages that I enjoy a lot. Highlights: Amsterdam Tango funebre

Favorite Track: Amsterdam Les jardins du casino

A really good album and I enjoyed listening to some songs in French.

Failing high school French probably impeded my enjoyment

Not bad but not my jam...

This is the best French music ever made

A great series of songs with really unique and interesting instrumentation, and Brel attacks everything with such passion and energy. The recording quality is pretty lacking at times (I mean sure it’s a live album from 1964, I wasn’t expecting it to sound meticulous, but they could have cut some of the constantly-peaking applause) and a slightly longer album may have been able to demonstrate a bit more diversity, but it’s really strong for what it is

Can’t do this. And have no business rating it.

This is too remote for me. I assume it is great storytelling and all that, but musically I find this of no particular interest to me. Ultimately I cannot really judge this.

I usually like the foreign language albums on this list, but I couldn't get into this one.

It’s cool, I suppose. I don’t know any French.. D:

fun

Liked this

I loved everything about this except the langauge. Excellent blues music but I didn't understand a single word

French guy sings in French. Pretty okay.

I guess if I grew up in Vichy France this guy would also blow my mind. Obviously a live album has its limitations in 1964, but this looses a lot of depth. La valse a Mille temps autoplayed after this, and sounds so much more clean and was recorded 5 years prior. Maybe there’s some remastering going on since it was released later but it should’ve been the pick here. You might think Brel is kind of a lifeless singer that came from money. Listen to Mille a temps and you’ll know he’s a decent singer that came from money.

Often say I wish there was more non-Anglo music on the list, I kinda get why there isn’t as much with this song. It is clearly a lyric driven song and I have no idea what he’s saying. The vocals are fine to below average and the backing music is uninteresting. Really just not much to appreciate as a non-French speaker. Also still anti-live album

Ich mag die franzosen

Итс олрайт, особенно вот Amsterdam, но музыка не моя. Лучшая песня - Amsterdam.

It sounds like any french song from that era. I hate french music. Never got into it.

I only got through this once and I’m pretty sure I won’t listen again. Probably mostly stylistically this wasn’t all that interesting to me. As with so many records from the ‘pre-rock’ era that are on this list I am very happy for the one listen.

As always, would prefer the recorded versions to a live album. But Jacques Brel is really rather good either way.

another lIve album that I could live without... I am probably suffering from not speaking french well enough to understand ...

A live album. Jaques has good studio albums. 28 minutes long as well. This album gets a low score, but that’s more h the fault of whoever picked it rather than on Monsieur Brel. He killed it on this, as he pretty much always done. So much passion in that voice. No clue what he’s saying, but I really feel it. Good work Jaques, bad work list maker. 3/5

It’s fine idk

I'm completely unfamiliar with Jacques Brel, but I've seen the album cover for this on one of the list websites for this challenge, and I've always wondered what kind of music it was. Now, I shall wonder no more! I thought this album was really great. I don't speak French, so I had to look up English translations of the lyrics, and I thought these songs were really well written. Obviously, some context is going to be missing due to running the lyrics through some janky-ass AI, but I still enjoyed the themes Brel sung about. The one thing that was not lost across a language barrier was Brel's emotion. I was really blown away by how passionately he sings, and how he manages to convey a wide variety of emotions just with the tone of his voice. The musical arrangements were nice, but they weren't really the focal point of this album. I don't know that I'd rush to listen to this again, but I found it enriching to listen to an album from another country in a different language to experience something that I know nothing about. This is the type of album I will be tempted to play for my kids some day, and tell them that I'm making them 'cultured.'

5/5 - Grand

No

This guys sounds like the inspiration for pepe le pew. I had no idea what was going on. At least Spanish music has good instrumentals. 1.0/10

Not my vibe, also not my language.

Enjoyable music, even if at times he sang a bit aggressively. Always nice to listen something other than English

Very french

Fun but forgettable French crooning

Je ne parle pas Français 3/5

Classy and charming

Fav: Le Plat Pays Least Fav: Les Timides

Guess it’s for someone. It’s an okay time. Just underwhelming and I don’t speak French and this guys voice is not super pretty and en never stops.

Que diable

Loved it. A voz e interpretação!!!!

No idea what was going on but it sounded so amazing and I instantly wanted to watch a video of this performance. Loved this from the list; it’s so nice when something DIFFERENT pops up! (ntm.)

did not listen to whole album, wtf was this??

What are we doing here? What album did this knock out? Whos man is this?

Made it through..

Thoroughly enjoyed this album while working, even smoked a bowl to these sweet melodies. 10/10 would recommend

Well, Jacques Brel was never for me - too grandiose - but it's defiantly what it is, so I'll give it a neutral 3.

good music to make a brunch with

Five stars for the power this recording of Amsterdam has over me alone.

французские лайвы каждый раз неожиданно в этом списке. наслушалась до состояния что кажется что почти все песни давно знаю. иц ок, но лайв...

French. Playful.

One of those artists that you (I) think you know because of their influence of others, but don't really know that well. More dramatic and vigorous in delivery than I expected, but the action is really in the lyrics (Amsterdam is my favourite)

I understand a little French, but I think I'm pretty out of my depth here. The performance on here is crazy, even if I'm a little uncomfortable in spots (specifically "Les bonbons", but is that by design? No idea). It does occasionally fade into the background, but it's a jaunty listen all the way through. It's always interesting learning about other country's national stars. Favorite tracks: "Amsterdam", "Au suivant"

best nice en cute

Ew it's French

That was the most stereotypically French thing I’ve ever heard. I imagine he did that whole thing while wearing a beret and carrying a baguette. The recording also kinda sucks.

Couldn’t understand. LOL

French theatrical songs. Guy has a super powerful voice. I wonder if singer from Rammstein was influenced by him. Tolerated this better than I thought I would.

Nah. This was lame.

dnf but cute!!

Amsterdam Les Toros Tango Funèbre

9/10 absolutely beautiful I love quirky french shit

Idk what this mf is saying, but the emotion and drama of the music is easily felt. Pleasant arrangements with an orchestra with a sweet accordion. Started cool - Amsterdam is a great track - but I lost interest as it went on. Probably would enjoy more if I understood the language…

I’m a sucker for this vintage French stuff. The accordion speaks to my heart. So much energy in this, I just wish I knew what he was saying.

I don’t think I’ve ever come across the name Jacques Brel before. He looks like an absolute chad on this album cover. I get the impression that he could be a serial impregnator. Anyway,I’ve tended to really enjoy older music, and today is no exception. Jacques sings with such passion that I can love his music without needing to understand French. I really enjoyed this today. It reminds me of very early Eurovision.

I really don't even know what I'm supposed to get out of this album, and Wikipedia didn't make it much clearer. I feel like this is the type of thing that wouldn't be for me even if I could understand the words. It's not bad, but it's also just hard for me to appreciate without a lot more context 3/5

Pas mon truc

Very French. Not bad, but I'm not a fan of Chanson

Meh.

Das hört sich wirklich ganz gut an.

french, but nice

This was just fine. Operatic, French, I can appreciate that the guy was technically good but every song sounded the same and it’s not a genre I like even in English.

It was okay. Not quite my jam, but still fine.

Nice voice and good singing for a live album, so doing this on one go seems meritable. It does make me wonder wether there'll be more albums in other languages too or this is just a one-off because it's french and stuff in french is automatically art or something.

I guess not everything French is worth exporting

This is fine, I don't think it's anything special. It was not unenjoyable to listen to, but at the same time not enjoyable.

I find it hard to keep a straight face while trying to listen to this... he's so... spirited?

I don't like live albums, but this one is actually pretty good. It's not my style of music, but the power that Jacques delivers is impressive. A very emotive singer, that's for sure.

Meh Standout songs: Amsterdam les Jardins du Casino

Du hörst schöne Musik und verstehst kein Wort des französischen Textes - und trotzdem ist es gut. Das Album ist perfekter französischer Chanson mit einer ausdrucksstarken Männerstimme. Europäische. Kurzweilig sind „Amsterdam“ und der europäische „Tango funèbre“.

A live performance of French songs. The singer has a very powerful voice. I understood nothing of it, and fell out of it by the end. Standouts: Amsterdam and Tango funebre

Not terrible and has its value, but not sure why this would be a must listen for anyone. Why on this list? 3 star album at best

French Frank Sinatra?

Rating: 5/10 Meh.

(I'm a native french speaker fyi) Never really listened to Brel before other than maybe at my grandparents house. I don't really like the lyrics even though it's partly what he's known for. What I will admit is that the emotion in his voice is extraordinary, it really draws you in. You can't ignore his immense talent. But yeah it's not really my cup of tea and it kinda makes me feel sad lol

Ganska trevligt, drömlängd på albumet

I'm somehow used to French music and this was totally unexpected. Very strong presentation, and "Amsterdam" really touched me deeply. Exactly the kind of stuff I'm looking for on the 1001 list. Happily surprised

French pop unique recognizable sound

Sixty years ago. SIXTY. For most of us, our parents may not even have met yet. For some people who may later read this review, your parents may not have even been born. I thought about that a lot when this album was playing. I had never head of this act, but not only was he huge in France but there was some crossover that spilled into the United States. Other musicians covered his work, and from the audience reaction he was huge. And yet, I knew nothing of this man or what he was singing. But the passion was obviously there. I would have liked more of the orchestra to back him up some, but that's more of a quibble. I gave this bigger leeway because of the fact that it was 60 years old, and obviously there was something to the phenomenon of Brel I had no connection with. He performed the pieces well, but I didn't have as much of a connection as someone who spoke French would have. He didn't just come out for 30 minutes, did he? THat doesn't seem like a long concert. Hopefully these were just some of the highlights. Anyway, for what it was, it was... okay.

Brel has a good voice and brings some nice energy, but I found myself bored at times. I don't know if it's because I can't connect with the French lyrics. Maybe it's the musical style - it sounds so dated or like a stereotypical backdrop to any scene set in Paris with the prominent accordion and violin work. I'm probably not being fair or don't understand the chanson genre so I'm giving it an average rating, but I just couldn't get into it.

Couldn't get through it. Maybe some other ti,e. He's a good enough singer, and I'm sure this is a good example of the genre. I couldn't do it. Grateful for having a streaming subscription so I don't have to buy or try to borrow stuff like this.

Olympia 64 offers a glimpse into the world of chanson, a genre that has deeply influenced artists like Scott Walker and The Divine Comedy. However, despite my love for the latter, I found connecting with Brel's voice and lyrics to be a challenge. Brel's distinctive voice and emotive delivery are central to the chanson tradition. As I struggled to understand his lyrics, sadly, I felt disconnected. For those who appreciate chanson and can connect with Brel's lyrics and unique style, Olympia 64 is undoubtedly a valuable addition to their collection. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 0 STAND OUT TRACK - None

Very emotive voice. But can't make it through the whole thing sincerely.

Not for me. An extra star because I recently went to L’Olympia.

Nice one

Good singer bur bad concert recording. Will not listen again

Whoa. Ok hold up. The passion with which this man sings is absolutely unmatched. What it must’ve been like to see him in person my goodness. You can hear his energy and passion in just the music. You can feel it. This man believes with every fiber of his being what he’s singing on this album. The audience at this show must’ve gotten a hell of a show holy shit. Regardless of your opinion of the music we can at least acknowledge what must’ve been this man’s incredible showman. Ok. Just needed to get that out of the way. This was such an interesting listen. I had no idea what he was saying for about 99% of the songs. But it didn’t matter. The music itself conveyed the tone and emotion of each song just fine. Also let’s acknowledge that this man was up there singing these songs by himself. No backup singers. Just a band (an immaculate band, mind you) and him. I got the feeling that this music was very French. Like this is what the people of France were listening to obsessively during its time. Like these songs, at times, sound stereotypically French. But I don’t care. This was a fun listen and I can’t say enough about the performance. Standout tracks: Amsterdam, Tango Funebre, Les Jardins du Casino, Les Toros Avec Final

Lite tveksam. Inte hans bästa låtar och dessutom live.

Sorry, not for me. Non parlez French…. 2.5

Being half-French probably made this an easier listen than it would be for Anglophones, but with all the emotion that Jacques puts into his performance, I'm sure the message gets across one way or the other. He really laid it all out there. Honestly, it almost became too much for me at times -- the theatricality on display is wild, and even at 28 minutes, I can't say I wanted it to go on much longer. But it's a great representation of French chanson, by one of the best to do it. It was a cool listen, and I'm glad I got the chance to check out some of Brel's work.

Definitely the most French thing I've ever heard. Dude has some passion I'll give him that just no idea what the hell he's singing. At least Spanish I kinda understand and Portuguese I can make some guesses. Not terrible and entertaining I guess. The crowd treats this guy like Taylor Swift, they go nuts which is pretty funny

This one's not my cup of tea.

A French delight. Listened with translated lyrics for some of the songs and they were pretty good.

I don't think Jacques Brel is for me, but he's certainly for someone's great grandfather.

Didn’t have the beautiful bounce of other French albums.

Sehr dramatischer Brel. J'aime.

Sure someone likes it but that person isn’t me

Zut Alors 28 minutes of my life gone in a swirl of gitane smoke and badly recorded crooneur nonsense. I'm sure this is fun if you get the words, but if it was an English guy with this level of histrionics and that musical backing it would be absolutely awful and nowhere near this list

2.5

Feel like I'd need to look more into the guy to know why this is included, but it's fine. He's belting it out on the opener, the rest can't really compare, even though his powerful voice does carry the rest of them too.

Live album

not bad but its live and if I had tried to go to the concert i probably would've waited in a line outside.

Would be OK, but I can't give more than 2 for a live album

I've heard of this artist but don't think I've listened before. Kind of amusing French music, but not particularly compelling.

I've never heard of this artist. He's Belgian and has a really interesting voice. This is a live album which, again, I'm not a huge fan. The music is really interesting, and I'll likely check out more of his studio work but this album itself did not really feel complete to me. Maybe it's the short length? Not sure. 2/5

banger after banger, love this guy

Nice. Always loved Amsterdam (and Ne me quitte pas), goosebump stuff, and I quite enjoyed the vibe of all of this. And as the 1001AYMHBYD list is so hilariously shit at acknowledging the existence of the non-English-speaking 95 percent of the world and its music, this is an automatic +1, makes 𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘲 é𝘵𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴. And no, I do not understand what Brel is singing. You don't have to, you know?

Swinging 60s French

I mean I’m open to music in other languages but when it seems to be so heavy in the lyrics and I can’t understand them, it makes it hard.

This was a fun half hour. Brel’s singing was smooth as butter. I have no idea what he was saying but it didn’t matter. The album exudes charm and sophistication - probably because it’s all in French.

Fine. Didn’t do it for me

Pleasant. I notice I get more drawn to 'pleasant' the past month or so. So tis was an album perfectly generated.

Surprisingly easy to listen to. The vocals were great with the melodies

It’s ok if you like mid-century French singers (Charles Trenet, etc)

great sounds, not my style though.

He had a lot of gusto

This was fun. Would probably be more fun to watch. He sounded like he was a good watch.

8/10, banger

4/5. Pretty passionate singing and powerful vocals. Soothing at times as well. I do not understand the language but I do believe it can surpass the understanding and strive on feeling only. I like how the instruments put themselves in the background for most of the songs, allowing the vocals to shine. Also, the happy go lucky songs still contain so much passion that it feels like these lyrics mean so much to the singer. Much better than I was expecting. Best Song: Amsterdam, Tango funebre

I find it very difficult to appreciate what this potentially is just because I have no idea what he is saying. You can hear the passion and skill, but it starts sounding like gibberish after a while.

l'un des rares albums francais de la liste. inoffensif, assez plaisant à écouter et bonne énergie. mais surement il y avait meilleur dans son catalogue que ce live album?

I tried really hard to connect with this, but I just couldn’t. I don’t know if it’s because I’m an English speaker (because Os Mutantes was one of my favorite albums yet on 1001), but this didn’t do it for me. No musical innovation, regular singing voice. Just kinda meh.

I feel like I missed much of what was here because I don't speak the language. +1 to give him the benefit of the doubt. 2/5

Jacques Brel, een grote naam, natuurlijk, alleen, (op)nieuw luisteren zou ik dit niet

Jacques Brel staat bekend menig gevoelige snaar te raken. Helaas niet die van mij

Leuk hoor, die Franse chansons. Maar heel erg fan ben ik in ieder geval niet

I do not speak French. And, today, I learned that I do not care to listen to the Chanson genre for pleasure. But I did learn what "Chanson" is, so there's that I guess. Apparently the "full" 15-song album that was featured in the 1001 book isn't available on Spotify, only the original 8-song version. Therefore this saved me listening to nearly double the amount of Chanson. Thank you, Spotify. Interesting Factoids from Wikipedia: *Jacques Romain Georges Brel was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed theatrical songs. He generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, but later throughout the world. He is considered a master of the modern chanson. *A "chanson" is generally any lyric-driven French song. The term is most commonly used in English to refer either to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music or to a specific style of French pop music which emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. *The songs of Jacques Brel have been translated into at least 95 languages. Standout Track: Amsterdam (honestly I wasn't going to pick one for this album but since this particular song has 13M streams on Spotify this got the nod)

good voice, not bad music, but i wouldn’t listen again, i respect the influence it has on people like Bowie but i overall don’t gravitate towards music like this

cute. relaxing kinda. i liked many of the songs. Le Plat Pays one of them. listen to it again

Didn’t understand a word!

Whatever? I could care less, frog man

Ooh La La.

It's apparently a French poetry thingy. It's a big hit-and-miss. Jacques Brel's half-sung half-spoken verses are pretty annoying at some places, but he does have a great voice when he actually sings. Overall, it's hard to appreciate it since if one doesn't know any French. I had a mixed impression with the instrumentals too, though it's interesting most of the time. I still appreciated it though. Though I wonder if it's a good introduction to the so-called "Chanson". Well, I know that Jacques Brel is considered as master of the genre but still... One of the most amusing albums I've ever encountered.

Please stop

How do you say "cut the grass" in French? Mow de lawn.

I knew absolutely nothing about this artist or album going in and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It's very theatrical but in an intimate and personal way rather than a grand, showtune-y kind of way. You can definitely hear the influence this had on singers such as Leonard Cohen which makes me see why Jacques Brel's would be included on this list. The instrumental work is also quite nice considering this performance is heavily focused on vocals. It's clear, punchy, and supports the singing perfectly.

Overly romantic sop. I can barely take Gainsbourg. This, not at all.

Probably good songwriting, but France so I don’t know. Still good though.

French + accordions, agghhh

Couldn’t understand a word, but loved the sound and passion he sings with.

A stirring sliver of Gallic brio. Bravo!

Although I didnt understand half of the album, the passion Jacques signs with and the people loving it makes it amazing to hear. Its a romantic pop ballards album like a Sinatra but from another country. Glad it found its way to me so I could learn and listen to it and “discover” it. Impressed by this one that was a left jab in the face.

Incredible! This is the type of album I hoped to be introduced to through this. I don’t know what he’s saying and I don’t want to. It’s beautiful, exotic, interesting. Loved it. Saved it to my library.

I’ll say it again, I don’t think lives should be on here, they slightly ruin the experience for me

This album is pretty bad before you consider the fact that it's French, making it even worse. 0/10

What a voice. I don't speak a lick of the language, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying other records. I also enjoy a good live album, and this is one. The orchestra is spellbinding, the vocal performances are passionate but precise, playful but sincere--and the crowd's enthusiasm is included appropriately. Another album that makes me want bourbon and a smoke. Highlights: Amsterdam, Tango funèbre, Le play pays

Really not my sort of thing at all, but it's very well done. Great singing voice, enjoyable songs, a very lively crowd.

Barely understand the lyrics, yet I know they’re beautiful (I’m drunk writing this)

I liked this album a lot. Very unique and theatrical singing style. I speak French so I am able to understand a lot of the lyrics which added to m appreciation. But even without that I found the melodies and the arrangements for the songs very agreeable. I'm going to give it 4 stars

Not my cup of tea, a little too old timey/foreign for me. I found myself skipping through the songs halfway through. The only reason it’s not 1 star is because the dude sounded like he was having a lot of fun singing

This album was unique — I’m grateful for the experience of listening to it, but it wasn’t for me. I heard the horns at the beginning of the very first song and got stoked for a big band album. But it was not big band at all. It was mostly a Frenchman singing so fast and garbling his words together. And don’t @ me, but French is an ugly language.

Would probably be lit if I was French and like 40 yrs old in 1964

Great chansons sung with much vigor.

Couldn't understand it but loved his passion

If you put ‘France’ into chat GpT I swear it would produce this album. My chief pleasure was recognising ‘Amsterdam’ from Bowie’s cover version. My GCSE French retains its usefulness

Liked it more than I thought. Sounds like something that would be playing in a French bakery or restaurant.

Bah.

Un bon album live de Brel, pas tellemnet grand chose à dire que le gars a de la voix et il fait toujours des beaux textes. 8/10

He’s got a good solid name and this is a good solid album. Not as good as a lot of the other French language stuff that Del Schwartz has opened me up to, but I had a good half hour listening to it. Probably better if I knew French. The best thing about this album is that on the cover he looks like a sexy Belgian Martin Clunes. 3/5

Not everyone's cup of tea but still enjoyable music.

I don’t know what he’s saying, but his vibe is pretty good. Not an all time classic for me but not a bad listen.

In 1964, many people were listening to the Beatles, but then there were some listening to this guy. I have no idea what he is saying, but he sure is passionate about it.

😵

Oui oui 🇫🇷🥖📯

Man, this guy sounds like he really has something to say. I really wish I knew what he was saying. He tossed a few words in there I caught, which was cool. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure I found the perfect soundtrack if I were ever getting dumped while bullfighting at a carnival sideshow on Christmas morning. Can’t really top that, I suppose.

Dude was good. Fun passionate songs

It's like can't speak English! Just kidding, very 60's romantic music. Tres chic and all that

Jaja, rustig maar, ik ga precies het cijfer geven dat jullie verwachten. Wie ik veel op Jacques Brel vind lijken is Stromae: ook uit Brussel, grijpt hij op de muziek van zijn tijd nietsontziend de grote thema's aan. Maar Brel is toch een klasse apart. Op dit album Olympia '64 hoor je hoe hij alles geeft tijdens zijn optredens. Brel zingt vaakt niet, eigenlijk schreeuwt hij. Het gaat over dood, liefde, hypocrisie, oorlog, alles. Een paar van zijn grootste nummers staan op deze plaat. Amsterdam, welbekend voor fans van Acda en De Munnik, Brel nam er nooit een studioversie van op. Le plat pays, door Brel zelf in het Nederlands gezongen in een vertaling die beter is dan het origineel (Mijn vlakke land). Les bourgeois (De burgerij), Jef, Madeleine, Les vieux, Au suivant, allemaal klassiekers (waarvan allemaal goede vertalingen bestaan). Op verzoek vertel ik nog wel waar het allemaal over gaat. Want dat is natuurlijk meteen het manco van Brel: als je het niet verstaat, hoor je alleen maar een man die zich ontzettend druk staat te maken op vrij ouderwetse muziek (een tango, een wals). Oud werd hij niet: op 49-jarige leeftijd blies hij de laatste adem uit. Zichzelf kapotgeleefd.

Ik kijk wat vaker naar een film, dan ik naar het theater ga. Om het zwart-wit te maken. In de film worden emoties klein gespeeld en dicht bij de werkelijkheid gehouden. In het theater worden de emoties uitvergroot. Duidelijker natuurlijk, maar ook ontzettend nep. Ik kan daar niet tegen. Jacques Brel is extreemvan theatraal. Mag je nog blij zijn dat je het zonder beeld luistert. Het (hier) zo bekende nummer Amsterdam is eigenlijk heel opbouwend. Maar vanaf de eerste tonen al heel groot en theatraal. En daar moet de rest van het nummer er nog eens overheen. Het is gewoon te veel. Kwaliteit? Zeker! En laten we eerlijk zijn. Die man werkt voor geld. Hij geeft alles. Maar het staat zo ontzettend ver van mij vandaan.

Ik ben wel blij dat dit album (of concert?) tenminste begint met het bekendste nummer. Zo kan ik er tenminste even inkomen. Want chansons hoor je amper meer, of het moet zijn bij de aftiteling van programma's, of bij de gecancelde Matthijs en de Snollebollekes. Het 'zingen' van Brel, met het overdreven gearticuleerde vertellen van verhalen, zullen velen beschrijven als vol van passie. Je zou het ook aanstellerig kunnen noemen. Blijkbaar deed hij alles vol overgave, zo ook het bier drinken. Maar ach, het is een van de weinige albums met wat van dit soort muziek. Een trekzak horen we niet zo vaak en een zingende zaag al helemaal niet. Je gaat gelijk in gedachten naar een Parijs uit vervlogen tijden. Melancholisch, nostalgisch, romantisch (althans, dat zeggen mensen over Parijs). Je waant je slenterend langs de oevers van de Seine, snuffelend door de boekenkraampjes. Om vervolgens een potje jeu de boules te spelen met een glas wijn en een stuk stokbrood met camembert in het park bij de Eiffeltoren. Het kabbelt een beetje voort op de achtergrond, terwijl ik aan het werk ben. Ik stoor me er niet aan, maar om nu te zeggen dat ik er bijzonder veel plezier uit haal, is teveel eer. Ik wil er 2,5 ster voor geven.

Interesting.

French chanson album? How did you know what I wanted for Valentines Day? Seriously, this was one of the best non-English language inclusions on this list (apart from The Cocteau Twins - ha). That voice was a force of nature. It made me sheepishly realise how much high school French I’ve forgotten. Sorry, Mme Shoestock.

Jacques Brel... ¿Qué más decir? La voz y la interpretación del cantante belga justifican la escucha de este disco en directo, aunque se eche de menos la inolvidable "Ne me quitte pas".

French, old, I'd call it ballroom singing

Zaskakująco dobre. Miejscami brzmiał podobnie do Kaczmarskiego. Solidne 4/5. Nie spodziewałem się, że spodoba mi się francuski grajek.

Pretty fun, I pictured a French musical

Non merci

Dude has pipes and knows how to work a crowd!

Crooning in french to the accordion. Not for me.

No idea what this dude was singing about, but he sang his heart out! Bravo!

Interesting listen, probably not something I would revisit, but a very lovely set of songs and music. 3/5!

if one of my half-hearted attempts to learn French ever took I might understand why this is on the list music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Çe la, c’est pas ma musique.

I won't do it

There is certainly a language barrier for someone like myself who only speaks English, and you can almost certainly tell that with any of these French albums. They just have this feeling towards them where I know I'm missing something lyrically, and its my fault. However, I feel music is music, and the music part should carry still, and this one only kind of does. His voice can be powerful, and some of the instrumentation is nice, the horns remind me Sgt. Pepper, but it feels very repetitive even in its short runtime, and that language barrier really is killer, but perhaps I should give it the benefit of the doubt? There's no way its another French album about diddling kids, right? Then again, perhaps I should be moved by the music enough to find out what he's singing, and I'm not. So, mixed feelings on this one.

I found absolutely nothing to like about this record. How anyone could enjoy it is beyond me. But, vive la difference.

This one wasn’t bad. I appreciate the exposure to the music of other cultures. I couldn’t understand the lyrics, so no comment there. It was definitely a style I’m unfamiliar with, but I annoyed it nonetheless

Live album by Jacques Brel who seems to be a legendary figure in music (and other arts). I'm happy to admit he is a great virtuoso and a massive influence on modern music, but it's too hard to enjoy this type of singing for me. French bards are not high in my hierarchy of greatest acts of last century. Very average experience for me.

2.5-3 only for the energy he had. Not my style but appreciate the voice

I don’t speak fluent enough french to understand the words, but it’s crazy how the emotion behind them transcends that. This was a live album recorded in the 60’s, so the sound quality was not there. But, Jacques’ voice was powerful. I can see why other artists have taken after him.

Euh okay.

Didn't feel too strongly about this one way or the other. I think it's good, definitely not bad by any means. Just not really for me. It definitely helped that it came in at a breezy 28 minutes.

Amsterdam was my favorite track!

Sure, ok. I suppose to French folks, this guy is like Frank Sinatra. Maybe I’ll be able to answer random trivia questions correctly after listening to this album, but it was nothing special for me. 2.7.

Not familiar with Brel. I didn't know he wrote "Ne Me Quitte Pas". Seems like he might be on this list for importance, not necessarily this album. It's alright. 3.3

Je ne comprends pas assez le français pour comprendre toutes ces chansons, mais j'entends bien l'esprit français. Typiquement romantique et passionné mais un peu daté

An interesting dive in to French live pop music. I woulda thought Edith Piaf would be the go-to for French music. this was a fun listen and while I don't get what makes it a must-listen I'm glad I got it. 3/5.

nah.

Quite different from most UK and US music. It's singing, but it sounds more like he's telling a story half the time. He definitely has conviction, even if I only understand half of the French. The length is good. Short, but it shouldn't have been longer. Favorite song: Le Plat Pays

Just not my type of music

Very French, it's definitely a vibe but I personally like the vibe. Someone else said he's like a French Leonard Cohen and I agree, very story driven music but fun and enjoyable to listen to even with my very very limited French. Favorite song Le Plat Plays (mostly because I understand the most of that one)

First "French Crooner" (I guess "chanson" is the proper term) album I've come across. I can imagine this as musical theater. The klezmer and big band sound is good fun. I can see why folks went a little crazy for him. Thumbs up. Unexpected banger: Les Timides

Language barrier made it more difficult to enjoy, but appreciate it.

One of the main reasons I want to learn French is Jacques Brel. How he minds each phoneme, the passion for each phrase, and the charisma spilled all over each song testifies to his authenticity. It is contagious and charming. Jacques is one of those big European icons from the twentieth century that were poorly known in America. Victims of the self-absorption happening in the USA during the Cold War. Lucky us that we have ways to dig into the past and get to know those left at the margin. Great album, unmatched artist.

Oof. That was a difficult listen. Just couldn't get into this one.

Imagine how much cigarette smoke was in that room. With that said, cool live album with great energy! I’m afraid I’m missing some of the cultural significance not being a Francophone, but it’s still good taken out of context and listened to as is.

This album is pleasant enough, but I am just too unfamiliar with the music and style to give it an informed rating. The instrumentation is sparse with Jacques Brel's voice being the centerpiece. I know he has been a trenmendous influence on popular songwriters so there is obviously something in his writing that resonates with people.

Great orchestra, well sung but don't care for the vocal style

Fun cabaret album by a powerful performer - I don’t speak French but I can get the context - so I know I’m losing out - yet it’s still a good listen I’d like to revisit.

What in the French hell

It's inoffensive, but none of us needed this.

like a French musical theater soundtrack. Isn't bad, but I don't think I will ever listen to this again.

Father John Misty think he Scott Walker. Scott Walker think he Jacques Brel. Jacques Brel think he the Hamburglar.

guys obviously talented as fuck but without subtitles I have no idea what any of these songs are about so uh

Admittedly I’m a stupid American so I’m not very educated on French music. It seems as though this guy is a pretty prominent artist in “classic” French music. One of the reviewers provided some great context on some of the songs that non-French speakers couldn’t understand. Even outside of that, the raw emotion in his voice was surely entertaining. Combined with the fact that this was recorded live, I think this album was pretty solid and I’m glad I gave it a listen.

Certainly a committed and convincing singer. One only wishes one knew what he was singing.

At first I didn't even want to listen to the album, because it felt like from the album cover it's just gonna be another swingy, jazzy, sinatraesque old record which I wasn't really in the mood for at the moment. But I'm really glad I did listen. They are great french chansonos with so much artistry and energy packed into them. Amsterdam, for example, is just amazing in how much of a sense of fierceness, life, but at the same time composure it conveys. With this record you often don't need to even understand the language for its strong emotion to get conveyed either way. Really liked it 8/10

Chanson wie man es sich vorstellt - auch die Liveatmosphäre macht die Scheibe so autentisch.

Bah.

Feels like I maybe losing a bit in translation here. Apparently the physical show of this performance was quite the spectacle and obviously I don’t understand all of the lyrics. But either way, it’s not capturing my attention.

bought this on vinyl to listen to. now my house smells of cigarettes and all my whiskey is gone.

Has to be a five. Brel is a top ten artist for me, love him :)