French singer died from electric shock. The Dark Side of Claude Francois

On a summer evening in 1961, Claude and Janet got off the train that took them to the Gare de Lyon in Paris. We managed to rent a small apartment on Rue Veron, in the Montmartre area. Janet, being a dancer with extensive experience, quickly found work in her specialty, but Claude had a much more difficult time, and finally he managed to get a job in Olivier Despas’ group “Les Gamblers”. This temporary job helped him somehow earn a living, and in the meantime, Claude hoped to meet some producer who would help him record a record.

With the assistance of my sister's husband, arranger Jerry Van Rooyen, a producer was finally found. Claude auditioned at the Fontana recording house, and Jean-Jacques Thielchet, the artistic director of this institution, became interested in him. And with his help, the aspiring performer recorded his first record called “Nabout Twist” - an oriental twist, moreover, even two versions: in Arabic and French. It was decided to take a pseudonym, Claude chose “Coco”. It turned out that in France this disc was a complete failure, but in Africa it was received very tolerantly.

After the first attempt, Claude is obsessed with one idea - to start over. He was not going to give up and give up. Waiting for the right opportunity, Claude returned to Olivier Despas and played in Papagayo in Saint-Tropez throughout the summer of 1962.

In turn, Janet was accepted into Arthur Placer's dance group at Olympia. It was there that she met the famous Gilbert Beko, with whom she fell in love and lost her head. She left Claude to be with “Monsieur 100,000 Volts,” as fans and journalists nicknamed Gilbert Becaud after his concerts at Olympia for his fiery style of performance. Janet was sure that a brighter future awaited her with him. They officially divorced on March 13, 1967. Claude had a hard time with this breakup. But his music is with him, it will never betray.

Returning to Paris, Claude signed a seven-year contract with the Fontana recording studio. The first real hit was “Belles, belles, belles,” a cover of the Everey Brothers' “Made To Love.”

The song first appeared on the famous radio station “Europe 1”, and immediately gained enormous popularity. And here it is - glory. Lots of interviews, participation in TV shows. The first video was shot by the young director Claude Lellouche, a future legend of world cinema. We filmed the video in Chamonix, in the snow, among lightly dressed girls. By the end of 1962, Claude was already a universally recognized star. On December 18, 1962, he first appeared on the Olympia stage in the first part of the concert, in front of Dalida and the Sputnik group. The second time this happened was on April 5, 1963, at an evening dedicated to youth idols. Then there was the first real tour, joint with Sylvie Vartan and the group “Gam’s”.

In October 1963, Claude released a new forty-five, on which the songs “Si j’avais un marteau”, “Marche tout droit” (Go forward) appeared.

And "Dis-lui". They remained at the top of the charts for several weeks. With such a grateful appearance, Claude became a symbol of an entire generation. Record sales grew steadily, and on October 29, 1963, after a special episode of Musicorama, Claude Francois received his first two gold discs for two million copies sold.

With his first earnings, Claude bought a house in Paris, on Boulevard Exelman, and a few months later he made his main acquisition: a plot of land with an old windmill in Dannemoy, a village near Milly-la-Forêt.

Very soon this place will become for him a “Happy Farm”, where Claude Francois can be who he really was, a personal plot of complete freedom. He built his Dream House there, in the garden Claude himself grew palm trees, roses, magnolias, garden mimosa, parrots lived on the estate, including parakeets, swans, ducks, peacocks, flamingos, crowned cranes, a monkey named Ness-Ness, dogs and cats. A favorite corner, an oasis of inspiration, was the garden on the river bank. This became a quiet haven for Claude, where he was always so happy to relax surrounded by his loved ones. Of course, the main reason for the purchase was a great desire to recreate the atmosphere of childhood, cozy and serene Ismailia. But here’s what’s interesting: Claude Francois made his oasis of comfort not in the oriental style, but in the Old English style: a wonderful mixture of greenery and flowers combined with a house built like old English country houses. He often received guests there, doing his best and, with the help of his mother and sister, trying to make their vacation as wonderful as possible. The highlight of these receptions were oriental dishes, adored by Claude and personally prepared by Lucia, rare wines from his own large cellar and cocktails personally prepared by the owner - Claude Francois was clearly a practicing chemist at heart, albeit a very lucky one, because these mixtures were very unexpected, but delicate and refined. In Claude's eyes, a good welcome is a kind of gratitude for the fact that a person accepted his invitation. Claude Francois always remained faithful to the traditions of the East.

In 1964, Claude went on a triumphant summer tour, which would later give its name to Claude Wernick's film, Mad Summer. In September he will appear on the Olympia stage again, but this time Claude will perform in the main part of the concert, and not in the first part, intended for beginning artists - as the main star of the evening. Tours follow one after another, along with the appearance of new hits “Donna, Donna”, “J’y pense et puis j’oublie” (I thought about it and then forgot)

Dedicated to breaking up with Janet. Claude François's fan club was constantly growing. Hordes of screaming teenage girls are becoming a very common sight during the performances of France's new idol.

Around this time, Claude managed to find a new love, which finally pushed the unfaithful Janet out of his heart into the realm of memories. The girl's name was France Gall, at that time she was an aspiring singer. They dated for some time, but alas, the family did not work out. France chose her career over family worries. I dare to suggest that there was simply not a strong enough feeling on her part, otherwise no career would have stood in his way.

In 1965, Claude, already having a very strong position in his native France, began to think about becoming an international star. He was attracted to American television shows, from which Claude often drew ideas for his concerts, and it was decided to gain fame in the United States through England.

In the summer of 1966, according to tradition, Claude went on a tour of the cities of France. Around this time, two stunning sexy dancers appeared on stage with him - Pat and Cynthia. They will also perform with him three months later at the Olympia from December 8 to 25, but no one is calling them Claudettes yet. This summer tour of the star was marked by mass hysteria of fans (teenage girls) who fainted from the excess of emotions overwhelming them at his concerts. The same wild success was repeated in December.

In 1967, in Lyon, during a tour, Claude met Isabelle Fauré, a beautiful young dancer who had performed in the first part of his show three years earlier. She captivated the celebrity with her delicate features and huge blue eyes. The feeling turned out to be mutual, and the lovers never parted.
Professionally, this year becomes decisive for Claude. He created his own label and recording studio, Fleche. Surrounded by an artistic and technical team, Claude was finally able to become independent and begin a career as a businessman. Of course, music is a priority for him. After the successful performance of the song “J’attendrai” (I will wait)

A cover by the Four Tops, another song was recorded in September 1967 at the Europa Sonor studio, under their own label, “Comme d’habitude” (As usual). It was dedicated to her and France’s romance and separation.

After its release in France, this song becomes one of the biggest hits of the 20th century. Paul Anka wrote the English lyrics for Frank Sinatra, and a few months later the song spread around the world, becoming “My Way.”

1967 is a year of tour not only in France, but also in Italy, where Claude Francois is very popular. His shows are more and more amazing with the abundance of spotlights, stunning choreography, and the number of dancers is also increasing. Now everyone calls them Claudettes, but four girls were added to them - backing vocals, who were quickly nicknamed Flechettes, after the logo of the recording studio. Claude's tour is a serious undertaking that requires a large number of personnel and tons of material.

If for most in France 1968 is a year of riots, unrest and protests, then for Claude it is one of the happiest in his life. On January 1, New Year's Day, Isabel announced that she was expecting a child. The birth of the heir took place on July 8, he was christened Claude, and his parents nicknamed Coco. The happy father later admitted to reporters that this event turned his whole life upside down and gave it a special meaning.

The second son did not take long to wait and was born on November 15, 1969, receiving the name Mark. “This time,” Claude decided, “we will hide Mark’s birth for five years. And so Coco is constantly at risk of being harmed by all the hype around him. In no case should the same go to Mark.” We should already register his relationship with Isabel, but there’s absolutely no time.

It's worth mentioning that 1969 was a particularly busy year. New triumphant records “Eloise” were released at the beginning of the year and “Tout eclate, tout explose” in November. In the same month, he performs on the Olympia stage for 15 days. Among other things, Claude François finally became an international artist. He performs in Africa, in Italy and at the beginning of 1970 he goes to Canada. From February 19 to 28, Claude sang in the largest cities of this country. All this time, “Comme d’habitude”, which became “My Way”, continues its triumphant march around the world.

The song won an Oscar for Best Foreign Song and was played on US radio over a million times. The result of such a life was insomnia, which regularly plagued the star; Claude often fell asleep in the morning, and for him the day really began no earlier than two o’clock in the afternoon.

In March 1970, after a ten-day stay in the United States, Claude returned to France. On Saturday, March 14, he sang in Marseille at the Vallier Hall; during the concert, right on stage, the artist lost consciousness. It turned out to be a heart attack, the cause of which was enormous overload. He was sent to the hospital, from where Claude was discharged two days later. Doctors prescribed him long rest and complete rest for a month and a half. Well, Claude took advantage of the forced break and flew to the Canary Islands with Isabel.

The triumphant return to the stage took place in the same place where the series of concerts had to be interrupted. As the singer himself stated: “If I fell on the Marseille stage, I must rise there.” On Wednesday, May 6, 1970, he sang in front of his fans, who were happy to see that their idol was again full of strength and energy. But... just a few days later, on May 17, Claude Francois was in a serious car accident. Once again, the artist ended up in the hospital; as a result of the disaster, Claude’s face was especially damaged: his nose was broken and his cheekbones were cracked; he was forced to undergo rhinoplasty.
In June, Claude appeared on television with a new profile, at the same time his new record was released: “C’est du l’eau, c’est du vent” (Water and Wind).

The singer toured France all summer along with some of his colleagues. He also managed to devote time to producing activities, helping young talents who signed a contract with his studio. In September, at the European Song Festival in Venice, Klo-Klo presented a record consisting entirely of Italian songs.

Upon returning to France, at the end of the year a record for children was recorded. It includes previously unreleased songs, as well as classics - "Le jouet extraordinaire" (An unusual toy)

And Donna, Donna

For the photo on the envelope, Claude invited his family's children, employees, his niece Stephanie and his son Coco. The reason for her appearance, of course, was both fatherhood and Claude’s simple love for children.

“Dear radio listeners, the premiere of the music show “MUSICORAMA” is on the air! Live from OLYMPIA! Only the best songs performed by the inimitable CLAUDE FRANCOIS!”
40 years ago these call signs were first heard on French radio. 40 years ago, one of the brightest stars of the Parisian scene was born. CLAUDE FRANCOIS – an amazing career and a tragic fate. CLAUDE FRANCOIS – rapid rise and absurd death. For some reason, this is exactly what happens in life: a bright flame goes out suddenly.

Claude Francois was born on February 1, 1939 in Ismailia, Egypt. His father Aimé was a ship traffic controller on the Suez Canal. He moved to the Red Sea coast in 1951 with his Italian wife Lucy, daughter Josette and son Claude in Port Tawfik. This family lived quietly until 1956, the date of nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egyptian President Nasser.
Forced to leave, the family experienced their return to France as a rude uprooting. She settles in Monte Carlo in a modest apartment. Eme is stricken with illness and is unable to work. Gradually his son takes the place of head of the family.
After working behind a bank counter as an employee, Claude Francois begins to dream of success. Possessing an enterprising and hard-working character, he began to look for work in the orchestras of large Monegasque hotels.
Very early, his parents sent him to study violin and piano. He himself is interested in the world of percussion instruments. This rhythm gave him his first opportunity to express himself.

So, in 1957 he was invited to the Louis Frosio orchestra, which performed at the International Sports Club. His father looks askance at Claude's entry into the artistic world, and from that day on, the quarrel between them settled forever.
Having made up his mind, Claude, despite his small salary, insists on this path. The director does not want to let him sing - so much the worse for them, he is going to go to another place, more precisely - to the Provençal hotel Juan-les-Pins. Now more confident, he begins to become famous in the region's nightlife cafes. One day in 1959 he meets what would become his wife a year later, an English dancer named Janet Woolcut.
Ambitious and determined to succeed in life, Claude Francois decides to move to Paris. At the end of 1961 he leaves with his wife, family and luggage for the capital.
The beginning of the 60s was an era of great upheaval for the French stage. The time has begun for “Hello, Friends,” the famous radio program, adaptations of famous American hits, twists and other yee-yes into French.
Claude Francois gets a job in Olivier Depax's orchestra "Les Gamblers". But the situation remains precarious. Looking for a job is not the most important thing; he always craves success. He will soon release a forty-five-piece record from "Fontana", entitled "Nabout twist" (a kind of oriental twist) under the name Coco. This first disc was a failure.

Aimé Francois died in March 1962, not having had time to hear his son's first big success, "Belles Belles Belles", a French translation of the Everly Brothers song, released a few months later.
“Started” by the program “Hello, Friends,” Claude Francois begins a real career as a singer. Taken under the wing of Paul Lederman, an already established impresario, Claude Francois began appearing on his colleagues' records. Having gone on a trip in 1963 with Chaussette Noir (performing in the first part of their concert), little by little this hyper-energetic young man makes himself recognized on stage as a rising star. Several songs rise to the top of the charts during this year, such as "Marche tout droit" or "Dis-lui". The number of female fans is constantly increasing: his image as a young man from a good family, his blond hair varnished and his unoriginal words are a way to attract a female audience. In October, another hit was released, "Si j"avais un marteau", a translation of "If I had a hammer" by Trini Lopez.

Claude François works a lot and uses songs translated from English, although they nevertheless leave lasting memories (“Petite meche de cheveux” or “Je veux tenir ta main”). So, success has finally arrived and the singer is getting more and more money. In 1964 he was offered to buy a former mill in the village of Dannemoy, Ile-de-France. A few weeks later the public hears "La ferme du bonheur". This is also the year of his first trip as a star with "Les Gams", a group singing mostly yé-yes, "Les Lionceaux" and Jacques Monty. This was not particularly pleasant, since the singer showed himself to be quarrelsome, even irreconcilable and unpleasant with his employees. In September of the same year, the first performance took place at the Olympia in Paris. That evening, Claude Francois sings "J"y pense et puis j"oublie", a nostalgic song that became the reason for his divorce from his wife.

In 1965, the singer recorded about fifteen songs, from “Les choses de la maison” to “Meme si tu revenais”. He is making "Musicorama", a radio broadcast recorded directly at the Olympia in October. This is a triumph. He continues by recording and directing a television version of Cinderella. The year 1966 was marked by the creation of "Clodettes" with four assistant dancers. The summer trip, even more frantic, is marked by scenes of collective fan hysteria. At the end of the year, he again rises to the Olympia stage, again achieving triumph.

After a short idyll with France Gall, he meets Isabelle, who will soon become the mother of his children. 1967 would prove decisive. Indeed, Claude Francois's contract with Philips is ending and he plans to create his own enterprise. This is what was done with Disk Flash. He becomes artistically independent and his own master, a true businessman. The new label was inaugurated in 1968 with the song "Jacques a dit". He continues with the Bee Gees' translation of "La plus belle des choses." The same disc contains a song that will become a worldwide hit. Written in collaboration with Jacques Reveau (music) and Gilles Thibault (lyrics), "Comme d'habitude" is actually a symbol of the singer's break with France Gall. Translated into English by Paul Anka, "My way" will be sung by such greats as Sinatra or Elvis Presley.

In July of the same year, Isabelle gives birth to Claude the Younger, quickly nicknamed Coco. But Claude Francois does not flaunt his private life, he wants to keep his fans and not disappoint them. He continues his trips - to Italy, then to Africa, from Chad to Gabon, passing through the Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire).
With the exception of the birth of his son Mark, the year 1969 is similar to the previous ones. Note that his performance at Olympia for 16 days with the box office closed was again a triumph. The spectacle looks like a real American show, four dancers, eight musicians and a large Olympia orchestra, all in a hellish rhythm. A trip to Canada is planned for next year. But in Marseille for the first time he falls right on stage. Undoubtedly, the basis of this disease is overwork. He goes to the Canary Islands to relax. Returning, he becomes the victim of a car accident. Having barely recovered (his nose was broken and his face was smashed), the tireless Claude Francois again goes on a trip with Dani and Si Jerome. At the end of the year he buys out Runway, a magazine for young people that will soon be supplanted by its rival, the famous Hello Friends. In 1972, as a true connoisseur of black American music, he left to record the song "C" est la meme chanson" in the USA, in Detroit, at the Tamla Motown studio. But his activities are now varied. He is engaged in the production of "Disk Flash" , he produces artists such as Patrick Topaloff and Alain Chamfort.

Always on the lookout for new talent, he hires a young composer, Patrick Juvet, to write "Le lundi au soleil", a real success in 1972, for which Claude François and the "Clodettes" perform choreographic exercises based on small, uneven steps and swinging arms. This choreography will become so famous that it will be taught in schools!
On the other hand, he decides not to perform at the Olympia and goes on a “tour” around Paris with a 4,000-seat tent. At the end of the year he is subject to tax control and is forced to pay 2 million francs to the state. In 1973 he performed "Je viens diоner ce soir", "Chanson populaire" and mainly "Ca s"en va et ca revient", songs that in turn became real hits. However, rock seems to have taken up arms against the singer. In June 1973 The Dannemoy mill is destroyed by fire. In July, during a concert in Marseille in front of 10,000 spectators, an overzealous fan hits him on the head, resulting in a black eye.
Next year goes a little better. "Le mal-aime" brings misfortune, but quickly becomes a mega-hit, "Le telephone pleure" sold two million copies. Things are looking up, and Claude Francois invests money in the Girls Models modeling agency. Everyone knows the singer's attraction to young girls, which prompted him to buy the Absolut fashion magazine last year. From time to time he even turned into a photographer!
Building his career with frenzy, Claude Francois maintains his success, although in the mid-70s everything does not go as desired. The concerts always attract an impressive number of spectators, confident in the frenetic show in which they will participate. So, on July 1, 1974, he brings together 20,000 spectators at the Porte Pantin in Paris for "Snowdrop", a society for the aid of disabled children, headed by one of his friends, Lino Ventura. The following year, journalist Yves Mourouzy organizes a concert by Claude François in favor of a medical research center in front of a very large audience in the Tuileries in Paris. This will be the singer's last concert in the capital.
Between the recordings of new discs, which often take place in a tense atmosphere (the singer is very demanding), there are trips, including to the Antilles in April 1976 and to Africa at the end of the year, love stories with a Finnish girl Sofia or Catalina (his last girlfriend), his television programs, continuous travel, Claude Francois lives at a terrible speed. And sometimes it feels like a nightmare: in 1975 he was the victim of an Irish Republican Army bomb in London (he escaped with a burst eardrum), and in 1977 he was shot at from above while driving alone.

Although he repeated during these years that he had to sing songs in one genre in order to satisfy the public, Claude François knew how to adapt in any way to fashion, as long as it suited his person. In 1977, disco music is at its apogee. He rode this wave with "Magnolias for ever" and mainly in 1978 with "Alexandrie Alexandra", written by Etienne Roda-Gilles, a regular collaborator with Julien Clair.

On March 11, 1978, all of France learns that Claude Francois died of electrocution in his Parisian home, after trying to adjust a light bulb without getting out of the bath. The sudden death of an idol plunges the public into a state of deep grief, which sometimes turns into hysteria. The singer then became a legend.
Pushed by the crushing pressure to succeed despite an appearance and a voice that he himself reviled, Claude François was able to remain at the top of his art for nearly twenty years. His entrepreneurial spirit, as well as his undeniable instincts, have been the driving force behind this extraordinary career, which has made him the owner of the "popular song" brand. On March 11, 2000, Place Claude-François was inaugurated to the sounds of fanfare where his Parisian home was

He considered himself unloved - he often complained about this in interviews; That's probably why he was a terrible womanizer...

And his life was marked, like stages, by his women...

His first love, Jeanette, with whom he began his pop career, cheated on him with a famous singer.
From then on he didn't trust women. Even your mother... But about her later.

When Claude gained fame after the song "Belle-bel-bel", a girl, France Gall, fell in love with him.

She followed him backstage - her dad composed songs for famous singers.
She went to see him at night, secretly from her parents. She wanted to get married, but Claude didn't want to.

Then France began to succeed in the variety business and she performed with Claude.

And Claude was jealous of everyone and everything... It happened that he locked her alone in the apartment when he was away...

Then France Gall herself became a successful singer... And he began to envy her success...

When France Gall won Eurovision in Stockholm, she called Claude and told him about her victory.
Claude answered her “You lost me”...
And when France repeated the song on stage, she cried, and the audience thought that these were tears of happiness.. (((

The Eurovision winner did not stay for the gala dinner, got on a plane and came to Claude..
Claude did not open the door for a long time, but she persuaded him. He opened it an hour later...
And then France realized that she had nothing to do with him..

Claude was very worried afterwards... He dedicated the song “As usual” (Comme d'habitude) to France Gall
And then Claude declared that he could no longer love...

Soon he met Isabel.
They met in Lyon, the girl was a dancer.
She was domestic and compliant.

She gave birth to his son Claude, a blue-eyed, blond man.
Then a year later the second, Mark.

And so Claude HID his second son from the people...
This is what the producers advised him to do...
They said that for his image - fatherhood of many children - is a negative factor that ages him.
Isabel gave birth in the maternity hospital under the name of Klodova's cousin...

And Claude told everyone that Mark was his cousin's son.
When guests came to the country house where Isabelle lived with her children, only one child was shown...
And only one boy was allowed out into the garden to walk, either Claude or Mark, so that the neighbors wouldn’t suspect anything and talk.

In addition, Claude did not allow Isabelle to appear with him in public, and one year for Christmas he gave her... a suitcase...

Of course, Claude cheated often.

But he left Isabel only when he met the Finnish fashion model Sofia.

Which, among other things, told -
“He was a sexual maniac, I had 3 abortions from him.”

This is Sofia, about whom in the next episode))))

to be continued..
=====
The post was written at the request of my FB readers, who do not regret liking my posts...

Not like the zhists ((...
But I will also write about politics... it’s just easier about the “French”.))

Claude Francois (1939-1978) - legendary French musician, author and performer. In the late 70s he was recognized as the king of disco. Despite the fact that the singer has been dead for many years, his albums are still sold out in millions of copies. The musician was the owner of the youth magazine Podium, and he also owned the Disc Flash label.

The secret of Claude's success lies in his incredible hard work and constant pursuit of excellence. He was not happy with his appearance and voice, but managed to gain fans all over the world. Stars such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Sid Vicious and Nina Hagen have repeatedly performed their versions of Francois's song "My Way".

Serene childhood

The future singer was born on February 1, 1939 in Ismailia. This small city was located in the very heart of Egypt, on the banks of the Suez Canal and Lake Timsa. It was a kind of island in the desert. The family lived there until 1951, when the father was transferred to the port of Taufik on the Red Sea.

Claude's father, the Frenchman Aime Francois, controlled the movement of numerous ships on the canal. He was a respected person in society, so the family lived richly. They had a luxurious villa, servants, and the house regularly hosted parties for the elite. The future performer's mother was Italian, her name was Lucia. It was thanks to her that Francois learned to play the violin and piano. Later, the young man independently mastered the drums.

Until 1956, Aimé, Lucia, Claude and his sister Josette lived in Egypt, but they had to move to France after the nationalization of the Suez Canal. The family settled in a small apartment in Monte Carlo, shortly after which the father fell ill. The future disco star had to take on some of his obligations. Since childhood, he was an inquisitive and kind guy; his grandmother instilled in Francois tolerance and respect for other people.

The musician studied at a boarding house at the Catholic school of the Brothers de Plormel. Despite strict discipline, the boy always found an opportunity to play pranks. He later recalled that he often did not get to bed in school and played with his peers all night. At the age of 15, Claude passed all exams with excellent marks, receiving a high school diploma. After this, he entered the Cairo Lyceum. The young man remembered this period of his life thanks to listening to American and European records; he finally fell in love with music. Francois passed the first part of his bachelor's degree, but he was never able to complete his full education due to moving.

Sudden growing up

Due to his father's illness, Claude began working in two places at the same time. During the day he held the post of a bank employee, and at night he played drums in Riviera orchestras. Once in Juan-Le-Pins he was offered to sing at the Provençal Hotel. The modest but charming young man did not yet realize the power of his voice, but he managed to win the attention of the audience.

After a successful debut, François moved to Paris at the end of 1961. There he received an invitation from the Louis Frosio orchestra. As part of it, the musician performed at the International Sports Club. It is noteworthy that the father never supported his son’s creative endeavors. After another quarrel, they stopped communicating and did not have time to make peace until Eme’s death. In March 1962, he died after a long illness, without seeing his son's success.

Claude's first record was recorded with his own money, it was called "Nabout twist". The singer took the pseudonym "Coco" and released an album in 1962. He failed to captivate the public and the money was wasted. Nevertheless, the young man did not plan to give up. He wrote the song “Belles, belles, belles”, which topped all the charts.

It is noteworthy that Francois's first known song was not the original, but a translation of "Made to love" by the Everly Brothers. The composition was first performed in the famous French program “Hello, Friends”; after its appearance, Francois became a star. His constant companion was impresario Paul Lederman. Also, the aspiring singer was helped by such famous personalities as Jerry Van Rooyen, Aimée Barelli and even Brigitte Bardot. The disc with the recording “Belles, belles, belles” sold out very quickly, with a circulation of more than two million copies.

Dizzying career and early death

Even after recording a successful song, Francois did not immediately become famous. At first, he acted as an opening act for his colleagues and published his compositions on their solo records. One day he went on tour with the group Le Chaussette Noir. Thanks to his endless supply of energy, the singer amazed the audience at the concert and managed to attract the attention of music critics. The newspapers began to write about the appearance of a new star.

Claude worked constantly, he published new hits one after another. Almost all of his songs were translations, not originals, but the public enthusiastically accepted these adaptations. The most popular compositions were “Marche tout droit” and “Dis-lui”. Fans pursue the musician; they admire his luxurious hair, irrepressible energy and fervent dances.

In 1964, the singer bought a plot of land in Dannemoy, Ile-de-France region. It took him a long time to equip the house, and later many famous hits were written there. Among them are “La ferme du bonheur”, “Meme sit u revenals” and “Les choses de la mansion”. In 1965, the radio program “Musicorama” was released, recorded in the Olympia concert hall. A year later, the musician creates a dance group and calls it “Clodettes”. This group consists of four girls, they constantly dance in the background of the singer’s performances.

Claude worked at a frantic pace, he constantly recorded songs, traveled all over the world with concerts. Because of this, on March 14, 1970, the singer lost consciousness right on stage. Doctors diagnosed a heart attack due to overwork. Francois partially slows down, but already in June 1973 he gets into a car accident. A month later, he receives a head injury after being hit by one of the fans. In 1975, the singer's eardrum was damaged during a bomb explosion, and in 1977 he was shot.

Francois's life was bright and eventful, but it ended too soon. In March 1978, the singer tried to fix a light bulb without getting out of the bath. As a result, he received a severe electric shock and died on the spot. On March 11, 2000, Place Claude-François in Paris was opened in memory of the famous singer.

Busy personal life

In interviews, Francois often reported that he was “not loved.” Perhaps that is why the man was constantly looking for new women, each stage of life was marked by a meeting with another passion. The musician's first love was the dancer Janet Wolkut, they even got married. They started their careers together, but soon the girl cheated on her lover with Gilbert Beko. The official divorce took place on March 13, 1967. From that moment on, Claude stopped trusting women; he was even prejudiced towards his mother. This is due to the fact that Lucia became interested in gambling as she grew older; she even asked passers-by on the streets for money. As a result, the son refused to pay her debts.

After the whole world recognized the singer thanks to the song “Belles, belles, belles,” he had one loyal fan - young France Gall. The musician inspired the girl, and later they began performing together. France regularly attended her idol’s concerts, watched him from behind the scenes, and secretly ran to her lover in secret from her parents. She dreamed of getting married, but Claude was cold about this idea. He was incredibly jealous of a beautiful girl and repeatedly locked her alone in the apartment.

When Gall won Eurovision in Stockholm, all the accumulated negativity of Francois was poured out towards the girl. She called him to tell him about her victory, and all she heard in response was “You lost me.” France cried during the re-performance of the song, she was hurt because of the breakup with the singer. Immediately after the performance, she flew to him, but the musician refused to open the door. An hour later, he deigned to talk to Gall, but the girl was no longer going to waste time on the envious and jealous Claude.

After the breakup, the performer was worried, he even dedicated the song “Comme d’habitude” to France. At the same time, he told the press that he could no longer love. But then the singer met dancer Isabelle in Lyon. She was ready to sacrifice her future for the sake of her family, so soon the lovers began to live together. The girl gave birth to the musician two sons, Claude and Mark. Claude hid the second of them on the advice of the producers, passing him off as his nephew. They even let the sons out for walks one at a time so that the neighbors wouldn’t suspect anything.

Carried away by his career, Francois rarely saw his family. He forbade Isabelle to be with him in public, denied the existence of his sons, and regularly cheated on his wife. One day he even gave her a suitcase for Christmas. But the musician finally decided to leave the family only after meeting Sofia, a Finnish fashion model. He saw a photo of a girl on a billboard and was immediately fascinated by her. The lovers constantly quarreled; under pressure from Sophia, Claude introduced his sons to the public.

All his life the singer was pursued by fans. He willingly communicated with them and even recruited his staff exclusively from fans. Of course, many of them had the chance to spend the night with a star, and this was the case after his meeting with Sofia. Fans hated their idol’s new passion, and this was the reason for the breakup with the model. Later she said that she had 3 abortions due to the carelessness of her lover.

“Live from OLYMPIA!”

Only the best songs performed

the unique Claude Francois!”

French radio listeners first heard this name in the early 60s of the last century. Since then, you can always find some radio station on the airwaves that broadcasts a song "Comme d'habitude" , which means “As usual” in French.

On February 1, 1939, in Ismailia in northeastern Egypt, a son, Claude, was born into the family of ship dispatcher Aimé Francois. In a cozy house on the shores of the Red Sea, Claude and his sister Josette spent their happy, serene childhood. Claude's father was far from the world of music and never approved of his son's passion for music. But my mother, Lucia, was very musical. When Claude was still a child, she taught him to play the violin and piano. At the same time, in childhood, a passion for percussion instruments arose. It was these musical lessons with his mother that would become a precious experience that would lead Claude Francois into the world of show business.

In 1956, the Suez Canal was nationalized, and the family was forced to move to Monte Carlo. The usual measured life is a thing of the past. My father never came to terms with this forced move. Soon he became very ill and could no longer work. The responsibility for the financial well-being of the family fell on Claude's shoulders, so he got a job as a bank employee. There wasn't a day when Claude didn't dream of leaving the bank and starting to make music. After a hard day at the bank, he went in search of work in orchestras playing for hotel guests in Monaco.

Claude was ambitious and enterprising, had a good musical education, so he was eventually accepted into the orchestra of Louis Frosio. Claude was happy, although he received neither approval nor support from his father. Eme was determined and did not want to come to terms with the fact that his son had chosen a “frivolous” profession. Claude tried in vain to convince his father. After another quarrel, they stopped communicating until Eme’s death.

The first "success" of Claude Francois

Having found no support from his father and receiving a meager salary, Claude was nevertheless determined. He worked hard to build a musical career and was always confident that in the future his name would become a big name in the world of music.

Claude Francois dreamed of singing and tried to get an audition. After some time, he was auditioned at the Provencal Hotel in the luxurious Mediterranean resort of Juan-les-Pins. The management was fascinated by his sonorous voice and sentimental songs. He was allowed to sing. And his always neat, well-groomed appearance, impeccably styled blond hair and the image of a young man from a good family helped him find mutual understanding with the audience. For the first time, fame comes to Claude, and the number of his fans invariably grows every day.

Claude is attracted by world fame, but first the singer decided to conquer Paris. At the end of 1961, he and his family moved to the capital. At this time, great changes were taking place in the musical world - American rock and roll burst into French pop music. Twist and jive were at the peak of popularity, and Ye-Ye's style, based on rock and roll, was formed. The “Hello, Friends” program became a cult favorite among young people, where famous world hits, twists and other works of new styles were performed in French. The young singer was about to find his niche in this environment.

Ambitious Claude understands that a solo career is the only path to fame. He had a kind of talent for feeling where his strength should be directed. Nevertheless, the first record “Nabout twist”, recorded in 1962 under the pseudonym Coco, became a resounding failure!

Without hesitation

The start of Claude François's dizzying career begins with a song "Belles belles belles" . His father never believed in his son's success, and it so happened that Aimé did not live to see this success. He died a few months before the release of his son's first hit. When Claude Francois' song was heard on the program “Hello, Friends,” everyone was forced to recognize him as a rising star.

"Belles belles belles" - a re-covering of the Everly Brothers' "Made To Love" in French - topped the charts in the summer of 1962. Under the guidance of impresario Paul Lederman, Claude began a real career as a singer. At first, he released songs on records by more famous singers and went on tour with Le Chaussette Noir as a “warm-up”. But super-energetic and with a fierce temperament, Claude outshines the others. Reports of a new superstar emerged and the name of Claude Francois began to ring on the French stage.

He records hits one after another. Surprisingly, most of his songs are re-covers of English hits in French. It would seem that he did not do anything extraordinary, but the English hits he covered left an unforgettable mark on the music world of the 60s.

Chasing glory

In September 1964, Claude performed for the first time at the famous Parisian Olympia. This concert was a stunning success. The song sounded especially emotional "J'y pense et puis j'oublie" , written and performed under the influence of emotions associated with breaking up with Janet.

In 1965, several new hits were released, including "Les choses de la maison" And "Meme si tu revenais" .

In 1966 he created a dance group "Les Claudettes" of the four girls who danced in the background during his own performances. The idea to create “Les Claudettes” arose a long time ago, in January 1965, during a trip to Las Vegas. American shows made an indelible impression on him, and he decided to build something of his own using the same principle.

Where No matter how Claude Francois directs his creative energy, triumph awaits him everywhere. During the tour in the summer of 1966, mass hysteria of female fans was observed at his concerts, fainting from an excess of emotions. At the end of the same year, another performance took place at Olympia, where incredible success awaited him again.

When his contract with Philips ended, Claude, inspired by his successes, decided to organize his own enterprise. Thus, he creates his own label “Disk Flash”. Now he belongs to himself, everything is in his hands, he is completely independent. Claude Francois's recipe for success is to re-record famous English and American hits in French.

But one song Claude recorded was originally French. "Comme d'habitude" became a hit on the French market. When the Canadian Paul Anck translated it into English, and Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley performed it, the legendary hit "My Way" has already gained worldwide fame.

All Claude's women

In 1959, Claude met a dancer Jeannette Wolkut , who a year later became his wife. Jeannette was his only official wife. After moving to Paris, the couple's relationship went wrong, and Jeannette left Claude.

He tried not to advertise his personal life, however, in 1967, information appeared in the press about his love affair with the famous French singer France Gall. France Gal - this is Claude’s mature, serious passion, a great passion, surrounded by no less great pain. He idolized her, but began to take up too much space in her life, tried to participate in everything, interfered in her work, dictated with whom to collaborate and not to collaborate, and was against her participation in Eurovision. France couldn't stand it and left.

Claude was shocked. It was under the impression of such strong emotions and experiences from parting with Gal that the world-famous "My Way" or "Comme d'habitude" .

Later the singer met a girl named Isabelle Foret , who will become the mother of his sons.Isabelle Le Foret was young, but probably the wisest of all Claude's women. She understood that in first place there was always, is and always will be only the song, and you can’t even dream of one day being in first place. But even understanding this and giving Claude two children, she could not stand his strong and tough character.

Her place was taken Sofia - Finnish fashion model. It is believed that she was too similar in character to Claude, which is why their relationship was doomed.

Catalina Jones - his last love. Catalina knew how not to notice Claude's fans, who were always and everywhere next to the singer. She became his best friend, support and support. They planned to get married and were going to have children. But fate did not give them the opportunity to either implement these plans or even abandon them...

Life at scary speed

Creative individuality and enterprising nature, a bright personality and undeniable charm helped Claude Francois in his dizzyingly successful career. 1969 Olympia again. 16 concerts. And each one is completely sold out. The audience is ecstatic from the bright, live show in the American style. Tour of Canada in 1970. Again a huge success. But how long could this go on?

During a concert in Marseille on March 14, 1970, Claude falls on stage. The heart attack was the result of a frantic pace of life and basic fatigue. His manager insists that he stop this crazy pace of work. Claude goes to the Canary Islands. He returns full of energy and ready to immediately plunge into work. But misfortunes begin to haunt him. He gets into a serious car accident. In June 1973, much of the Dannemois estate was damaged by a fire, the cause of which was never determined. During a concert in Marseille in July of the same year, one zealous fan hits him on the head, leaving, however, only a black eye.

In 1975 in London, Claude Francois was injured in an Irish Republican Army bombing and only suffered a burst eardrum. In 1977, he was shot while driving a car. It was a miracle that he didn’t die or even get hurt. But he still doesn’t have long to live. As they say, you can't have seven deaths, you can't avoid one.

Famous productions of "Les Claudettes"

Meanwhile, the active Claude Francois is engaged in one project after another with incredible zeal. At the end of 1971, he bought out the magazine for teenagers “Podium” and invested money in the modeling agency “Girls Models”. He is producing Patrick Topaloff and Alain Chamfort, who signed a contract with his Disc Flash.

In 1972, especially for the incredibly popular hit "Le lundi au soleil" Claude François and the Claudettes come up with an extremely interesting dance production. This choreographic technique will become such a stunning success that it will be taught throughout France!

At the end of the same year, the singer goes on a mini-tour of Paris with a tent, the performance of which could attract 4,000 spectators at the same time.

A freak accident

The tireless singer continued to return to the studio to record new songs. And almost each of them became a new hit for Claude Francois, holding first place in the French charts for a long time. The singer's enchanting performances enjoyed constant success. Claude was also involved in charity work. On July 1, 1974, his charity concert took place at the Pantin gates in Paris, where 20 thousand spectators were present, the proceeds of which went to a fund for helping disabled children.

In 1975, another charity concert by Claude Francois was held in the Tuileries Gardens in Paris, the proceeds of which were sent to the Scientific Medical Center.

Such a brilliant career ended unexpectedly and absurdly.

March 11, 1978 the singer returns from Switzerland. The next day he was supposed to participate in Michel Drucker's "Sunday Meeting" program... The "Sunday Meeting" with Claude Francois never took place. While taking a bath, the singer noticed a lopsided light bulb. He always strived for perfection even in small things. This character trait aroused the desire to correct this small defect... The singer died as a result of an electric shock.

It was an incomprehensible, incredible ending that was almost impossible to believe. France was shocked and plunged into deep mourning, turning from time to time into hysteria. However, it was not only France that mourned the sudden death of the idol, who was able to remain at the pinnacle of fame for almost twenty years. Always so bright, charismatic, capable of charming everyone, everywhere, radiating fantastic energy, full of strength and creative ideas, he left at the peak of his creative career, having reached only 39 years old...

Until now, about half a million discs are sold out every year. He became the king of French disco. An integral part of his success was hard work, enterprise and the pursuit of excellence. He was unhappy with his voice and his appearance, but he drove millions of fans crazy.

Recordings of new songs often took place in a rather tense, if not nervous, environment. Claude was very demanding not only of himself, but also of others. He did not spare himself, and did not always spare others. He always strived for perfection. He wanted to be the first and the best in everything.

Parisian house of Claude, solemnly opened to the sounds of fanfare

Place Claude-François...