With the French presenting their rather amazing selection for the Helsinki Eurovision (I so loooove Jean Luc Picard band) time for a couple of French versions of Puppet On A String. Les Parisiennes are a quartet of danseuses brought together by Jazz Musician / Producer Claude Bolling.
Don't be fooled by the 'I'm a Patsy double at an Absolutely Fabulous Flashback scene' look, Raymonde Bronstein (Beretta), Anne Lefébure, Hélène Longuet et Anne-Marie Royer were very able to sing and their song and dance show enjoyed some popularity in France and Canada during the 60's . They mostly recorded songs by Franck Gérald & Claude Bolling but tackled a few coverversions too.
Les Parisiennes recorded two Eurovision coverversions in French
U.K. 1967 - Un tout petit pantin (EP: Philips 437.305)
U.K. 1969 - Boom bang a bang (EP: Philips 437.457)
Un tout petit pantin can be found or the best of CD 'Il fait trop beau pour travailler' (Mercury 2004) which also includes their song that became famous because of it's title, which is longer than the song itself: C'est tout de même malheureux … qu'on ne puisse pas se promener tranquillement dans les rues après neuf heures du soir.
There are several French versions of Sandie Shaws winner, including one by Sandie Shaw herself. Another I really love is the one by Marianne Mille (pictured right). Don't know anything about her, but the song is below anyway.Here's a list of P'tit Pantins I know, any additional detail, version or song is welcome at the usual address, I'm especially looking for the Canadian versions.
Sandie Shaw - Un tout petit pantin
- 7" Pye 45 PV 15261, France
Arlette - EP
Mr Blot - ?
Marianne Mille - Comme un tout petit pantin
Les Parisiennes - EP Philips 437.305
Sophie Renaud (Canada) - EP
Tonia (Belgian ESC singer) - 7" also has a cover of France 67
Karolyn Vallée (Canada) - 7" Match 6104
The Year Of The Puppet is a journey through space and time with Sandie Shaw and her classic Eurovision winner as our only guideline. So far versions of the song from France, Singapore, Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical) and Spain have been featured and listened to. Still to come, More Singapore, Brasil, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Catalonia, Basque Country, Russia, more Jamaica, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Portugal, Tirol, Japan, Turkey, Czech republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and any other destination that we visit on our travels.
