The Cabaret Has Closed: Damia and "La Guingette a Fermé ses Volets"

Today's random tune is by "la tragédienne de la chanson," French singer Marie-Louise Damien who is considered the third greatest singer of French chansons réalistes after Edith Piaf and Barbara. Known by her performing name of Damia, she was born in Paris in 1889 in the 13th arondissement, but was raised in Lorraine amid 8 siblings. She ran away from home and arrived in Paris at age 15 to be a performer where she caught the eye of Robert Hollard, who began an extramarital affair with her but also encouraged her to sing. By 1911 she was performing solo and with stars like Maurice Chevalier, but the murder of one of her early backers, singer Harry Fragson, led her to leave Paris for the United States in 1913, where she performed on Broadway until 1916 when she returned to France and sang on the front. Back in France, she was often a singer of second billing but received help from American dancer Loie Fuller on her stage performance and eventually became a star. She became the first singer to have a single spotlight trained on her face, bare arms and hands. She also began a series of lesbian relationships starting with architect Eileen Gray, and later French art promoter and filmmaker Gab Sorère. She also appeared in films with early silent film stars, and later with Anthony Quinn. Her farewell tour was in 1956, though she lived until 1978. She is buried in the Cimetière Parisien de Pantin. This song, La Guinguette a Fermé ses Volets, can be found on many collections - we got it from The Rough Guide to Paris Café (Second Edition), released in 2010.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie-Louise_Damien

Cheeseburgers and Fries All Around: Thomas Pigor and Benedikt Eichhorn with "Junk Junk Junk Food"

Why not follow up yesterday's song about drinking with something else bad for you - junk food! Junk Junk Junk Food is by German duo Thomas Pigor and Benedikt Eichhorn, a cabaret and chanson act from Berlin, who became known throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland for their "salon hip-hop." This style of music is described as a modern form of chanson with satirical lyrics. Junk Junk Junk Food can be found on the 2011 album Mit Pigor Durch Das Jahr.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Seize It: Aldebert and "Carpe Diem"

Our random tune today is dedicated to Pauline Hess, Mike's sister who is providing great elder care to his mom. It's her birthday today, and she could kind of use a carpe diem moment once in awhile. So today's song, Carpe Diem by French singer-songwriter Aldebert, is completely appropriate. Aldebert is a native of Paris raised with the music of Georges Brassens, Serge Gainsbourg and Jacques Brel - whom he credits with influencing his own music. He studied photography, but decided to devote his talents to his love of chanson. He released his first album in 2000 and began touring Europe. He performed over 300 concerts in four years, and won the prestigious Radio France award for Best Chanson Singer in 2003. He is now considered a leading exponent of the nouvelle chanson movement. The song references the famous scene in the movie Dead Poets Society, and is about a girl who opens the eyes of the singer to a wider world view and yet teaches him humility. You can find Carpe Diem on Aldebert's 2004 album L'annee du Singe and on the compilation CD Putumayo Presents: Paris (2006).

Micky D's, Anyone?: Pigor and Eichhorn with "Junk Junk Junk Food"

The random tune for today may or may not make you hungry. Junk Junk Junk Food is by German duo Thomas Pigor and Benedikt Eichhorn, a cabaret and chanson act from Berlin, who became known throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland through their "salon hip-hop." This style of music is described as a modern form of chanson with satirical lyrics. Junk Junk Junk Food can be found on the 2011 album Mit Pigor Durch Das Jahr.

I Want You to Want Me: Niuver and "Quiereme Mucho"

Today has been a very busy day, and I'm sorry to say I haven't been able to think of some good words to put together. So, I'll let the lyrics of this love song speak for themselves (with a crappy attempt at translation through Google Translate).

Spanish

Como voy a dejar que el miedo, se sienta bien conmigo.

Yo no quiero pensar, quiero vivir... sin correr.

Yo no sé lo que haré.

Si mañana es sin ti... ¿donde irás tú sin mí ?... no sé,

Correteando en el juego del volver a empezar,

cuídame y te querré cariño...

Quiéreme mucho para no olvidarte

quiéreme mucho que yo te amaré,

del otro lado se llega a otra parte, bien lo sé...

Quiéreme ahora y no digas nada

bésame toda que sonreiré,

quiéreme mucho antes que te quiera

Y así te querré...

Sólo te quiero dar, un poco más... de lo que soy!

No me voy a quedar, mirándote... Así no más...

Soy de mar soy de fé, Tú sin mí no te irás,

Y yo quiero vivir, contigo...

Soy de mar, soy de fé, Tú sin mí morirás,

Y yo quiero vivir contigo....

Quiéreme mucho para no olvidarte,

quiéreme siempre que yo te amaré,

del otro lado se llega a otra parte, bien lo sé...

Quiéreme ahora y no digas nada,

bésame toda, que sonreiré,

quiéreme mucho antes que te quiera,

Y así te querré...

Crappy Translation Effort

Shall I let fear sit well with me?

I do not want to think, I want to live ... without running.

I do not know what I'll do.

If tomorrow is without you ... Where will you go without me? ... I don't know,

Running around in the game to start over,

save me and I'll love you darling ...

Love me deeply so I do not forget you,

Love me deeply so that I will love you,

you come across elsewhere, so well this I know ...

Love me now and say nothing

Kiss me so that I'll smile,

Love me deeply before I love you

And I will love you ...

I just want to give a little more ... than that which I am!

I'm not staying, looking at you ... not anymore ...

I am sea, I am faith, you do not go without me,

And I want to live, with you ...

I am sea, I am faith, you will die without me,

And I want to live with you....

Love me deeply so I do not forget you,

Love me deeply so that I will love you,

you come across elsewhere, so well this I know ...

Love me now and say nothing

Kiss me so that I'll smile,

Love me deeply before I love you

And I will love you ...

The singer of this song, Niuver, was born in Cuba and raised in Havana where she underwent musical training. She learned guitar and, at the National School of the Arts in Havana, singing and the renaissance lute which is popular in the Cuban countryside. She joined a choral group that became nationally popular with its repertoire of folk songs, jazz and bolero but moved to Spain after a successful audition with a group doing dance music. She sang for three months in a restaurant and cabaret in Bilbao, but did not land a long-term contract and moved to France where she settled in Metz and joined the group Dalia Negra. While there she was discovered by Raúl Paz, who was in Paris and who was getting interested in the music of his peasant roots. Learning that Niuver plays the lute, he produced her first CD, Quiereme Mucho, released in 2010. Niuver's music blends elements of jazz, bossa nova, French chanson, and Cuban trova. She released her second and latest CD, Transnochando, in 2012. Quiereme Mucho is from her debut CD of the same name.