Michel Berger, whose real name is Michel Hamburger, was a singer-songwriter who really started his artistic career in 1963 when his first single "D’autres filles" was released. Title that literally goes unnoticed.
He then devoted himself mainly to songwriting, notably for Bourvil in 1967 and Vanina Michel in 1969.
It was from the early 1970s that things suddenly picked up. First in 1972 when he produced Véronique Sanson's first two albums, with whom he had an affair. Then in 1973 with Françoise Hardy for whom he produced and partly composed his album “Message personnel”, a key album which allowed the singer to give new impetus to her career.
On the strength of his repeated successes, he then relaunched himself in the composition of a personal album and released the album “Coeur brisé" still in 1973. Album which was released just after its break with Véronique Sanson and which would only be successful very relative.
But it will also relaunch the career of another singer and not least : a certain...France Gall. Singer who at that time experienced a slight crossing of the desert and for which he composed "La déclaration d'amour" in 1974 (a beginning of rapprochement between them which will result two years later in 1976 by a marriage).
New personal counter-performance in 1975 with his new album "Que l'amour est bizarre" despite the presence of one of his most beautiful compositions, namely the magnificent "Seras-tu là ?".
Berger's exceptional compositional talents finally found a magnificent field of expression in 1978 with the musical "Starmania", a musical he co-wrote with Luc Plamondon. The show was a considerable success and brought out young talents, including a certain…Daniel Balavoine.
This ideal launching pad allows Berger to arrive in force in 1980 with his album "Beauséjour", album of consecration (finally!). In particular thanks to 3 flagship titles which are "La groupie du pianiste", "Quelques mots d'amour" and "Celui qui chante".
The hits will now be linked at an impressive speed with in the order "Miss Chang" in 1981, "Voyou" and "Les princes des villes" in 1983, "Y'a pas de honte" and especially the enormous "Chanter pour ceux qui sont loin de chez eux” in 1985.
The horizon is then perfectly clear and nothing and nobody seems to be able to stop the meteoric rise of this genius composer. But that's without counting on the force of fate. In particular the tragic fate of two of his closest friends, Daniel Balavoine and Coluche. Which died the same year in 1986 under the circumstances we know. Two deaths which deeply affect Berger.
Folded in on himself from this date, he only composed for France Gall. He is also involved in writing the musical libretto for the rock opera The Legend of Jimmy.
We will have to wait until 1990 to see him release a new album, "Ca ne tient pas debout". Album from which will be extracted one of the most beautiful songs of the decade, "Le paradis blanc". Magnificent ode which will be his last notorious solo success.
He will have two last successes in 1992 but this time in duet with France Gall on the titles "Superficiel et léger and "Laissez passer les rêves".
Once again the force of fate will be stronger than the artist, but this time by touching him directly. He died on August 2, 1992 of a heart attack at the age of 44 while playing tennis at his property in Ramatuelle.
Tragic fate, incredible fate and lightning fate of one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century who left in the musical history of the 1980s an incredible number of songs, many of which have become cult to this day.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Amour et soda 1963
La maison de campagne 1964
Partout 1964
Me débrouiller 1965
Words 1972
Attends moi 1973
Ecoute la musique 1973
A moitié, à demi, pas du tout 1974
L’amour est là 1974
Seras-tu là ? 1975
Que l’amour est bizarre 1975
Ca balance pas mal à Paris 1976
Quelques mots d’amour 1980
La groupie du pianiste 1980
Celui qui chante 1980
Mademoiselle Chang 1981
Déjà je suis loin 1982
Voyou 1983
Les princes des villes 1983
Lumière du jour 1983
Y’a pas de honte 1985
Chanter pour ceux qui sont loin de chez eux 1986
Ca ne tient pas debout 1990
Le paradis blanc 1990
Laissez passer les rêves 1992
Superficiel et léger 1992
Clips :
1963 ... totally amazing ! And yet it is the same one who a few years later will become one of the greatest French composers of the twentieth century ...
1964 ... the voice is unrecognizable. For the moment we are dealing with a post-teenager who is looking for himself and who will take some time to find himself ...
1964 ... an incredible 60s discography with an impressive number of tracks. Few people know this period of the singer ...
1965 ... the voice changes over the years, that's clear. Each year more slowly but surely brings him closer to the voice that will make his success
1972 ... then not much for almost 6 years. New decade, definitive voice, more worked melodies. The change is radical. A decade that promises to be incredible for the artist. But at this point, he is still far from imagining it ...
1973 ... the 'Berger' style is already in place. A unique style that he will keep until the end and which will make him this unique composer
1973 ... the first hits. This time, the singer takes a new course and returns slowly but surely in the big leagues
1974 ... admittedly, he does not yet touch the top of the Hit Parade but he is inexorably approaching it. A linear rise in power that follows its course in the best possible way
1974 ... inspired melodies, unique in their genre and which will quickly make the difference with the competition
1975 ... his 1st WONDER. A mind-blowing title, with incredible lyricism and depth. And as paradoxical as it may seem, it is not this title that will launch his career ...
1975 ... an incredible series of incredible Intimist tracks and which already shows the full extent of his extraordinary talent. MA-GIC !
1976 ... the title that will change everything. The 2 lovebirds sign here one of the biggest titles of the decade and display their Love Story in broad daylight and without any complex
1980 ... the end of the 1970s being mainly occupied with writing one of the most beautiful musicals of this end of the XXth century on the French side, not much is happening on the solo career side. A resounding comeback in force at the start of the 1980s with this title which will remain as one of his most emblematic
1980 ... then comes THIS title. The title of personal consecration and which will propel his solo career in spheres that he did not even imagine !
1980 ... an exceptional year 1980 which saw him align 3 top hits, just that. The singer becomes a real phenomenon and will quickly establish himself as one of the most talented artists of the end of the 20th century
1981 ... we start again on the same bases the following year. From now on, everything he touches, or rather what he composes, turns to gold !
1982 ... a year 1982 a little inside with titles far from equaling their predecessors. A slight lack of inspiration that will not last ...
1983 ... come back in force the following year with this title which allows him to get back to the leading pack. We suspected that the small air hole was not going to last ...
1983 ... 1980 was an exceptional year, 1983 will come closer. Another year with 3 top hits !
1983 ... his 2nd WONDER. A sumptuous title that literally floats in the air and lyrically, once again, one of a kind
1985 ... new little air hole despite the release of titles of more than certain quality. Public tastes evolve very quickly in the 1980s and it is not always easy to keep up ...
1986 ... return of dazzling inspiration. He is simply signing one of his most emblematic titles here. And surely one of the most emblematic of the decade and all artists combined
1990 ... another 4-year absence. Difficult to write for himself and for others. Another shattering comeback with this title which once again puts him back in the race. The king of coming-back !
1990 ... his 3rd WONDER ! What will surely remain as one of the most beautiful titles of this end of the XXth century on the French side. And a title unfortunately premonitory for him ... MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1992 ... here are the 2 lovebirds. 16 years later "Ca balance pas mal à Paris". A last opus in the form of a farewell gift ...
1992 ... a title which closes the amazing career of the one who will have produced a number of exceptional titles as shortly before him. And like shortly after him ...
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Greatest Hits :
Discography :