Dick Rivers

With the rise in popularity of French Yéyé pop throwback nights, this greatest hits compilation from Dick Rivers is the perfect pre-outing musical accompaniment to having a Pernod and fancying up those sexy stockings or crotch-hugging pants. One of the key French singers of the ’60s, Rivers took rock and soul and by adding some big band symphonic arrangements and a chanteur-lounge style delivery turned songs from the Beatles to Roy Orbison ("Tu N’es Plus Là”) and Buddy Holly ("Ne Pleure Pas”) into unabashedly French foot-stompers. Half the enjoyment in the compilation is identifying the kitschy but groovy versions of previously heard tunes. Rivers also plays the ballads and his cover of Neil Diamond’s "Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon” ("Viens Tout Connaitre”) retains the same urgency as the original. Plus, there is a good chance that if you were born in late ’60s Quebec, where Rivers was extremely popular, you may have been conceived to this cover. Although Rivers spent years toiling with relevance in the ’70s and ’80s, he has recently made a comeback in France working with some of the country’s brightest young talents (Benjamin Biolay, Mathieu Boogaerts). This compilation serves as an imperative, fun introduction to River’s music.