Raymond Lefèvre
Encyclopedia
Raymond Lefèvre was a French
easy listening
orchestra
leader, arranger
and composer
.
Born in Calais
, France
, Lefèvre is best known for his 1968 theme
"Soul Coaxing (Ame Caline)
", which became an international hit
. He also wrote soundtrack
s for movies
with Louis de Funès
like La Soupe Aux Choux (1981) or the series of legendary Le Gendarme de Saint Tropez. During the late 1950s and early 1960s he accompanied Dalida
on most of her recordings
(Bambino, Por Favor, Tu peux tout faire de moi, Quand on n'a que l'amour), amongst many others. He started his musical career in 1956 on the Barclay Records
label
.
at 17 years old. During the early 1950s he played the piano
for the Franck Pourcel
orchestra. In 1953 he played the piano at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. He started his musical career in 1956 on the Barclay label and recorded his debut album
in the same year.
He worked in the French television programs Musicorama (1950s) and Palmarés des Chansons (1965, 1966, 1967) accompanying famous artists as Dalida
, Claude Francois
, Richard Anthony
, with his own orchestra.
His recording of "The Day the Rains Came" was a best seller in the United States
in 1958. The song "Ame Caline" (Soul Coaxin') became an international hit in 1968 and "La La La (He Gives Me Love)" was a minor hit in 1968 in Canada
and the United States. In 1969 his recording of "La Reine de Saba" (Queen of Sheba) became a big hit in Japan
. Between 1972 and the early 2000s he made successful tours in Japan.
He often worked on the soundtracks of Louis de Funès
movies.
, three times for Monaco
(in 1961
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1961mc, 1962
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1962mc, and 1963
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1963mc) and once for Luxembourg
(in 1970
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1970lu).
avant-garde
drummer
, Lucas Perny, remixed and recored drums to Raymond Lefèvre's title song from the French
1981 movie comedy La Soupe Aux Choux (Cabbage soup).
.
Music for movies with Louis de Funès:
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
leader, arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Born in Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Lefèvre is best known for his 1968 theme
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
"Soul Coaxing (Ame Caline)
Soul Coaxing (Ame Caline)
Soul Coaxing is an instrumental tune recorded in France, recorded by the Raymond Lefèvre orchestra and released in 1968. It was often used as a theme tune for Radio Caroline, Radio Luxembourg and other radio stations, including some in the United States...
", which became an international hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
. He also wrote soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s for movies
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
with Louis de Funès
Louis de Funès
Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza was a very popular French actor who is one of the giants of French comedy alongside André Bourvil and Fernandel...
like La Soupe Aux Choux (1981) or the series of legendary Le Gendarme de Saint Tropez. During the late 1950s and early 1960s he accompanied Dalida
Dalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
on most of her recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
(Bambino, Por Favor, Tu peux tout faire de moi, Quand on n'a que l'amour), amongst many others. He started his musical career in 1956 on the Barclay Records
Barclay Records
Barclay Records is a French record label founded in the mid-1950s by Eddie Barclay under the alias, Edouard Ruault. Eddie Barclay also founded the Riviera label in the early-1950s....
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
Early career
He was accepted at the Paris ConservatoryConservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
at 17 years old. During the early 1950s he played the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
for the Franck Pourcel
Franck Pourcel
Franck Pourcel was a French easy listening musician.-Biography:Born in Marseille, Pourcel's father started to teach him music at the age of six...
orchestra. In 1953 he played the piano at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. He started his musical career in 1956 on the Barclay label and recorded his debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
in the same year.
He worked in the French television programs Musicorama (1950s) and Palmarés des Chansons (1965, 1966, 1967) accompanying famous artists as Dalida
Dalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
, Claude Francois
Claude François
Claude François was a French pop singer, songwriter and dancer. He wrote "Comme d'habitude," the original version of "My Way."-Early life:...
, Richard Anthony
Richard Anthony (French singer)
Richard Anthony is a French singer, born 13 January 1938 in Cairo, Egypt, as Ricardo Btesh.-Biography:Richard's father was an industrialist, and his mother was the daughter of an English diplomat...
, with his own orchestra.
His recording of "The Day the Rains Came" was a best seller in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1958. The song "Ame Caline" (Soul Coaxin') became an international hit in 1968 and "La La La (He Gives Me Love)" was a minor hit in 1968 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States. In 1969 his recording of "La Reine de Saba" (Queen of Sheba) became a big hit in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Between 1972 and the early 2000s he made successful tours in Japan.
He often worked on the soundtracks of Louis de Funès
Louis de Funès
Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza was a very popular French actor who is one of the giants of French comedy alongside André Bourvil and Fernandel...
movies.
Eurovision
Lefèvre conducted entries four times at the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
, three times for Monaco
Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest
Monaco first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959. The country's first and only win in the contest came in 1971, when Séverine performed "Un banc, un arbre, une rue". In 1972 Monaco was expected to host the contest, but declined...
(in 1961
Eurovision Song Contest 1961
The Eurovision Song Contest 1961 was the sixth Eurovision Song Contest. A total of sixteen countries took part in the Contest, including the three debuting countries: Finland, Spain, and Yugoslavia. It was held on 18 March 1961 and was the first to take place on a Saturday night, a tradition that...
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1961mc, 1962
Eurovision Song Contest 1962
The Eurovision Song Contest 1962 was the seventh in the series. France's win was their third and marked the first time a country had won three contests. Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, and Spain all scored "null points" for the first time....
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1962mc, and 1963
Eurovision Song Contest 1963
The Eurovision Song Contest 1963 was the 8th Eurovision Song Contest. France had won the contest in 1962 but were incapable of hosting in 1963, as was their right, due to financial shortcomings. As was the case in 1960 - and as would become a tradition when smaller broadcasters could not afford to...
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1963mc) and once for Luxembourg
Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest
Luxembourg was one of the countries to participate in the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956.From their debut to 1993 Luxembourg competed frequently in the Contest, being absent from the contest once during this period...
(in 1970
Eurovision Song Contest 1970
The Eurovision Song Contest 1970 was the 15th Eurovision Song Contest, held on 21 March 1970 at the RAI Congrescentrum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Amsterdam contest is regarded as one of the most significant in Eurovision history for a number of reasons....
http://www.diggiloo.net/?1970lu).
Tribute
In 2009, SlovakSlovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, Lucas Perny, remixed and recored drums to Raymond Lefèvre's title song from the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
1981 movie comedy La Soupe Aux Choux (Cabbage soup).
Film Music (excerpt)
The first soundtrack Lefèvre wrote in 1957 for Fric-frac en dentelles with Peter van EyckPeter van Eyck
Peter van Eyck, born Götz von Eick , was a German-American actor.-Biography:...
.
Music for movies with Louis de Funès:
- 1964 - Le gendarme de St. Tropez
- 1965 - Le gendarme à New YorkLe gendarme à New YorkGendarme in New York is the sequel to the French comedy film Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez. It stars Louis de Funès as the gendarme. With Michel Galabru, Christian Marin, Grosso and Modo, Alan Scott-Plot:...
(with Paul MauriatPaul MauriatPaul Mauriat was a French orchestra leader, specializing in light music. He is best known in the United States for his million selling remake of André Popp's "Love is Blue", which was #1 for 5 weeks in 1968...
) - 1967 - Les grandes vacances
- 1968 - Le gendarme se marieLe gendarme se marieThe Gendarme Gets Married is the continuation of the gendarme series, starring Louis de Funès. It is followed by three more films. The series of comic films was started by Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez, this was the Cruchot's daughter's final appearance....
- 1970 - Le gendarme en baladeLe gendarme en baladeThe gendarme to stroll is a continuation of the gendarme series starring Louis de Funès. It is followed by two more films, Le gendarme et les extra-terrestres and Le gendarme et les gendarmettes. It is also preceded by three "Le Gendarme" films....
- 1979 - Le gendarme et les extra-terrestresLe gendarme et les extra-terrestresThe Gendarme and the Extra-Terrestrials is a continuation of the Gendarme series starring Louis de Funès. It is followed by one more film, Le gendarme et les gendarmettes.- Plot :...
- 1981 - La soupe aux chouxLa soupe aux chouxLa Soupe aux Choux is a 1981 French film directed by Jean Girault, based on a novel by René Fallet. It was the second to last movie made by French comedian Louis de Funès.-Plot:...
- 1982 - Le gendarme et les gendarmettesLe gendarme et les gendarmettesThe gendarme and the gendarmettes is the sixth and last movie of the Gendarme series starring Louis de Funès, in his final performance. This was also director Jean Girault's final film.- Synopsis :...
Records (excerpt)
- Concerto pour une voix..., LP 1970, Riviera 550.005 France
- Concerto pour une voix..., LP 1970, Riviera/Seven Seas SR471 Japan
- Raymond Lefèvre et son grand orchestre, LP 1970, No.12 Riviera 70019 France/Canada
- Variétés, LP 1971, Barclay 521146 UK
- This is Raymond Lefèvre, LP 1971, Riviera SLMP 045
- Softly, LP, Riviera RLP 16 001
- Hits A Francaise, LP, Riviera RLP 16 006
- Raindrops keep fallin' on my head, LP, Riviera RLP 16 007
- Raymond Lefèvre, LP, Riviera RLP 16 008
- Soul Symphonies (Raymond Lefevre & son Grand Orchestre), LP 1971, Riviera RLP 16 027
- Yesterday's Hits in Tomorrow's Sound, LP 1972, Riviera RLP 16.031
- Soul Symphonies No 2 (Raymond Lefevre et son Grand Orchestre), LP 1971, Riviera RLP 16.041
- Raymond Lefevre spielt Filmmelodien, LP 1976, Riviera RLP 16.092 (Germany)
- Raymond Lefèvre (Japanese Maxi-Single, 45rpm), with La Reine De Saba, Eus, Et Maintenant, Tombe La Neige, Barclay CML 11
- Concerto pour une voix..., LP 1977, Barclay 45510 Canada
- Je t'aime moi non plus / Concerto pour une voix..., CD 1998, Riviera/Seven Seas VICP-60558 Japan
- Mamy Blue / Holidays, CD, ...
- Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus / Concerto.., CD, ...
- Sans Toi Je Suis Seul, CD, ...
- Best, Japan-CD, ...
- Phantom of the Opera, Japan-CD, Victor VICP 41 281
- Pop Classics, Japan-CD, ...
- New Best One:Plays Classics, Japan-CD, Victor VICP...
- La Reine de Saba/Adagio Cardinal, Japan-CD, Victor VICP 60557
- Colezo! Twin, 2 CD, Japan-CD, ...
- New Best One, Japan-CD, Victor VICP 41...