Various

Twenty tracks introduce the unique lyricism of French vaudeville artists like Bourvil, Maurice Chevalier and Germaine Montero, but at the heart of the Chanson tradition are the awesome torch songs of Damia, Frehel and Edith Piaf. Not only did their passionate performances inspire such later vocalists as Lucienne Delyle and Cora Vaucaire, but they also prepared the way for sophisticated night club cabaret acts and helped to create a milieu where lounge singers could flourish. Ranging from brilliant performances by Lucienne Boyer, Juliette Greco and Barbara to the outrageous cheese of Henri Salvador and Georges Ulmer, this anthology provides a great introduction to the recorded legacy of French popular song.