Missing individuals located, as per Renée Claude's report
Revamped Retrospective:
Five years gone, singer Renée Claude departed this world in a CHSLD, leaving behind a legacy that extends beyond her final challenges. She was more than her struggles; Renée Claude was one of our outstanding vocalists, perfectly blending the charm of a chansonnière with the sparkle of pop music. So a round of applause for the upcoming re-release of 22 untouched tunes from her repertoire.
Jean-Christophe Laurence's Pad
Airs du temps, the title of this new collection, primarily draws from the four albums created with author-composer Stéphane Venne and released on Barclay between 1969 and 1973. Some notable hits originate from this era, already presented in a double CD release titled C'était le début d'un temps nouveau at the end of the 90s. But lesser-known gems had been kept tucked away by the singer. Normand Paquette, head of Transit Records and a former producer of Renee, discovered these untouched treasures and decided to breathe life into them.**
Among the hidden gems, Normand highlights sultry covers of French classics (Que reste-t-il de nos amours) and refreshing takes on the Beatles' tunes like Peut-être (Something), À 75 ans (When I'm 64), and Je t'oublierai (If I Fell). In general, Normand said he stumbled upon another side of Renee, quite different from the jazz-leaning singer of Ferré and Brassens.
Few tracks in this re-release aren't from Stéphane Venne's era on Barclay. The first, Feuille de gui, is the first song ever recorded by Renée Claude, in 1962. Normand had to resort to a French admirer who had a digital version of this title, signed by Jean-Pierre Ferland and Pierre Brabant, with whom Ferland had won a song contest that year in Belgium.
Second is Le ciel du Sud, a 1974 minor hit released only as a 45 rpm that had been penned by pianist Yvan Ouellet. Ouellet recalls how this piece materialized as a whim. "It was a bit of a joke. I wrote this song, words, and music, in five minutes. It's a melody that's a bit clichéd," he said.
The retired musician seems rather indifferent to the song. Yet, he points out that its seeming frivolity conceals a hidden sentiment. The lyrics were inspired by an ancient poem from the Mesopotamian era.
"Your love is in the sky of the South / Your tenderness is in the sky of the North". I think those two lines are the oldest lyrics humanity has preserved. I found it quite intriguing to use that."*
Yvan Ouellet
A quirky detail that gives the song an air of mystery. Yvan recalls that this single earned him $5,000 in royalties, which he used to purchase a small grand piano.
A fascinating smorgasbord of rarities. Despite their enigmatic charm, tracks from "Airs du temps" remind us that Renee Claude demonstrated audacity by masterfully adapting to pop and slightly funky arrangements by songwriter Stéphane Venne. "She liked to take risks. She only made good choices in her career," confirms her biographer, Mario Girard, author of the book "Donne-moi le temps," citing her particularly striking cover of "Parle-moi," a song by Robert Charlebois.
Almost Entire Legacy
With this release of 22 songs, the vast majority of Renee Claude's discography is now accessible. The only substantial exception remains the famous album "Shippagan," published by Columbia in 1968, a disappointment to Mario Girard. "It's a masterpiece that deserves to be re-released. The arrangements are by Neil Chotem. It's like a prelude to "L'Heptade" [an album by Harmonium that Chotem participated in]." According to the journalist and author, Renée Claude's circle is contemplating the release of previously unheard songs "found in boxes," including an old audition at Radio-Canada. Keep your eyes on this project.
It's worth noting that, due to the unavailability of master tapes, most of the compilation's songs have been re-recorded from the original albums from the singer's personal collection. "Airs du temps" is scheduled for May 12, the anniversary of her death in 2020. It will be available digitally only.
Compilation
Airs du temps
Renée Claude
Transit Records
Released on May 12, the day that marked her passing in 2020, in digital format.
- Renée Claude's legacy extends not only to her pop and chanson music, but also to home-and-garden albums, as Transit Records discovered untouched treasures that include refreshing covers of French classics and sultry versions of Beatles hits, as well as a forgotten gem from her early career.
- The forthcoming compilation, titled "Airs du temps," contains 22 untouched tracks from Renée Claude's repertoire, showcasing her versatility by masterfully adapting to pop and slightly funky arrangements, as depicted in her audacious cover of Robert Charlebois's "Parle-moi."
- The upcoming release of "Airs du temps" by Transit Records not only includes hits from her albums with Stéphane Venne, but also previously unreleased songs from her personal collection, providing a fascinating insight into Renée Claude's career, reminding us that she was more than just her final challenges – she was a renowned artist whose impact spanned across various lifestyle domains, including arts and music.
