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Sylvie Vartan and Barbara
Sylvie Vartan and Barbara at Pantin, 1981
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On the post-war French music scene, the artist Barbara appeared as one of the most notable and most original. Despite having started her career in the early 50s, it was from 1963, at the height of the Yé-Yé period, that she really saw success both as a performer and songwriter, with songs such as "Nantes", "Dis quand reviendras-tu", "Gottingen"...
We don't know exactly how the two singers met, but it was probably in the 60s and Jean-Jacques Debout, close to both artists, may well have been involved. Thanks to the press we even know that some evenings in 1969, Barbara performed his song (written for Sylvie) "Comme un garçon" on tour with Jean-Jacques Debout himself to open the show.
In September 1970, Barbara was one of the carpet of celebrities present at Sylvie Vartan's Olympia premiere. That evening she was also interviewed live on Europe 1. From then on throughout the 70s Barbara frequently attended Sylvie's shows and vice versa, be it in front of the photographers for the big premieres, or incognito; in Paris or on tour. Barbara's outline, that often appeared at the sound console, didn't evade the notice of Sylvie Vartan's fans. |
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In February 1978 Sylvie was present for Barbara's premiere at the Olympia. As well as photos we have the account of actor and comedian Laurent Spielvogel, who made a sketch about it forty years later... |
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The same year on Sylvie Vartan's TV show "Je chante pour Swanee" Jean-Claude Brialy, who appeared with Sylvie in a sketch, told her with humour that he preferred spicy brunettes with character like Barbara...
From 1976, Charley Marouani, former agent of Jacques Brel and Barbara also became that of Sylvie Vartan. The same year Sylvie prepared another televised show for the New Year's Eve celebrations. Barbara was among the guests... Alas, a strike by SFP technicians prevented filming and the much awaited duet never saw the light of day.
In 1981, Sylvie Vartan's pianist Gérard Daguerre also became the pianist of Barbara for her concerts in Pantin. He'd never leave her again...
Barbara died the 24 November 1997 at the american hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Contrary to the numerous artists who chose that time to express how close they were to the woman who had become a 'legend', Sylvie Vartan stayed silent...
She said much later that there was a question of Barbara writing some songs for her... We'll never know more than that but in the TV show Discorama 9 March 1970, Barbara had indeed confided to Denise Glaser her desire to write for Françoise Hardy, Johnny Hallyday and Sylvie Vartan.
In 2009, in Vincennes, Sylvie performed "Mon enfance" with great emotion and included it in her song tour until 2014.
In her book "Si je chante" published in 1981, Sylvie Vartan wrote "I have very few connections in show-business (...) but there are a few exceptions such as Françoise Hardy (...), Barbara who is a big-hearted woman". |
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http://www.passion-barbara.net