pdf exercises
- chanson: Les cornichons
- artiste: Nino Ferrer
- genre: Yé-yé
- année: 1962
- musique: James Booker
- paroles: Nino Ferrer
Born Agostino Ferrarir in Italy in 1934, Nino Ferrer moved with his family to France in 1947. He studied ethnology and prehistoric archeology, but discovered his passion in painting and music.
Ferrer began his career accompanying jazz musicians, and early songs were inspired by gospel and rhythm and blues. His first big hit came in 1965 with Mirza, a mixture of R&B and caustic lyrics. His record company clamored for more songs in the same vein. Although Ferrer never felt comfortable with the style of these early comic songs, he became an idol with the hits Les Cornichons, Oh! Hé! Hein! Bon, and le Téléfon.
Ferrer continued to evolve musically towards soul influenced by James Brown and Ray Charles (Je veux être noir), but his later work never regained success of the early years.
Note: One description of the song's lyrics is of a 'picnic gone awry' ... which here provides an opportunity to study food vocabulary.