Claude Barzotti, whose real name is Francesco Barzotti, was an Italian-Belgian singer who lived until he was 18 in Sicily before settling in Belgium.
He began his musical career at the age of 6 by learning to play the accordion. Instrument that he abandoned two years later in favor of the classical guitar.
As a teenager, he began to sing in dancing parties and wrote his first songs. And at 18, he signed his first artist contract with Vogue Belgium.
The beginnings are rather laborious and the successes rare.
The singer's destiny will change in 1981 when the Single "Madame" is released. First in Belgium where success is not really there. But especially later in France where there, the miracle takes place. The title is a real success and it will sell more than 400,000 copies !
At the same time, he meets Anne-Marie Gaspard, a very providential encounter, since she will subsequently co-write many of his future successes.
The best is yet to come with the release in 1983 of the now cult Single "Le rital" which will sell more than a million copies. The singer is immediately raised to the rank of star.
The tubes and the gold discs will be linked, starting with "Je ne t'écrirai plus", then "Beau, j'srai jamais beau", "C'est moi qui pars", "J'ai les bleus" and "Prends bien soin d'elle".
From 1986, the singer is on the move and begins to travel.
It will therefore take four years before he returns in force in France with his title "Aime moi" which will be his last major success.
Artist who will leave us on June 24, 2023 at the age of 69 following pancreatic cancer.
Claude Barzotti will remain in the musical history of the 80s as one of the greatest popular singers, in the noble sense of the term and will have left us titles with a particularly romantic flavor !
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
• Vous mes amis (Franco Angeli) 1970
• Je voudrais 1973
• Je n'ai pas oublié 1973
• Je ne veux pas mourir d'amour 1975
• Tout va bien, tout va mal 1977
• Le pauvre vieux 1979
80s Decade :
• Et je t'attends 1980
• Madame 1983
• Le rital 1983
• Je t'aime 1983
• Beau, J’srai jamais beau 1984
• Je ne t’écrirai plus 1984
• Ami ami 1985
• C’est moi qui pars 1985
• J’ai les bleus 1985
• Prends bien soin d’elle 1985
• Le chant des solitaires 1986
• Parrain (Oh ! Mamma) 1986
• La maison d'Irlande 1987
• Et tu grandis 1987
• Elle me tue 1988
• Chanson d'enfance 1989
90s Decade :
• Aime moi 1990
• Ma femme 1991
• Un homme pense à toi 1992
• Mais où est la musique 1992
• Promets moi 1993
• Prends moi comme je suis 1994
• Ça pleure aussi un homme 1995
• Je t'apprendrai l'amour 1995
2000s Decade :
• Si ça c'est pas d'l'amour 2003
• Je te hais 2003
• Je vole 2003
2010s Decade :
• C'est notre histoire 2012
• La maison est à vendre 2012
• L'amitié 2012
• C'est pas Noel 2012
• Dis moi Papa Noel 2012
• Mon plus joli Noel 2012
• E penso a te 2014
• Il mondo 2014
• Quand les enfants s'en vont 2015
• Un village abandonné 2015
• Ma môme 2015
• Un homme 2019
• Je viendrai 2019
• Le riche 2019
Tracks :
1970 ... the very first steps of a young unknown for the moment named Franco. At this stage, it is impossible to imagine the career that awaits him in the years to come ...
1973 ... three years have passed and it is clear that everything has changed. The style, the sound, the 'Barzotti' style is now well in place ...
1973 ... a BIG year 1973 year that sees him ramping up impressively. He took insurance and that is clear !
1975 ... what is also certain is that the Intimist domain suits him like a glove. An area that will become its trademark ...
1977 ... the decade of the 70s was essentially oriented towards the 'emotional' register. A decade especially made to break in and start to make talk about yourself ...
1979 ... no title during this decade allowed him to explode as they say but the main thing was above all to lay the right foundations. It is now done !
1980 ... the transition to the 80s is again smooth. It only remains to find THE title that will make all the difference ...
1983 ... and THE title, there it is ! A HUGE title that will change everything and reveal him in the eyes of the French in a shocking way. After having released a first version in 1975 which will have gone somewhat unnoticed, that of 1983, it will not go unnoticed, that's clear. Welcome to the big leagues !
1983 ... it was without counting on this title which will literally smash everything in its path. The notoriety of the singer literally explodes and this sudden rise in notoriety makes him one of the phenomena of the moment. MAS-TER-FUL !
1983 ... now that the machine has been launched, all that remains is to unroll it. And to unroll, it will unroll !
1984 ... an undeniable talent, as well as an inimitable and almost unique style for romantic ballads which are confirmed title after title. Undeniably one of the best of the moment in this very special field !
1984 ... surely one of its most emblematic titles. An inspiration that does not weaken from an Iota. HU-GE !
1985 ... here he arrived exceptionally in the field of Dance. It's nice my faith but of insufficient quality to set fire to all the Dancefloor in France ...
1985 ... it is almost impossible to get him out of the Intimist register but whatever since he is one of the best in this area ...
1985 ... a rare and precious know-how in the 'emotional' register which allows him to deliver an incredible succession of Ultimate Slow of very large caliber...
1985 ... do you want more ? With him, it's all you can eat buffet. When there's more, there's more. A mid-1980s that really sees him at the height of its possibilities in the Intimist area and this in an obvious way !
1986 ... the years go by and everything is stable. Almost too stable. To want to stay tirelessly in the same register, there will inevitably be a moment when people will eventually tire ...
1986 ... even if he doesn't change his style by an inch, he has at least the merit of delivering popular songs, without fuss or chacha. Isn't that essential ?
1987 ... simple songs, with melodies that are no less. But everything sounds right and that's what makes him so strong !
1987 ... the years go by and the Barzotti style is as effective as ever. Certainly, the singer moves further and further away from the top of the hits but he continues on his way quietly and surely...
1988 ... the absolute record holder of the Slow that kills. Few competitors in the matter as the artist's expertise in this area is almost unique !
1989 ... an 80s decade which ends with this title and which will have seen him especially explode. Not sure that the following decade was as lenient with him as was the decade 80 ...
1990 ... but yes Claude, we love you ! Unfortunately, the best years are now behind and the decade you are starting will prove to be more complicated to manage than expected ...
1991 ... we may have changed decade, him does not change in any case. Crazy bet and above all highly risky bet when we see how the rest of the competition is evolving ...
1992 ... he tries a little to vary the tempos but that will unfortunately not be enough to put him back in the race. When it doesn't want anymore, it doesn't want anymore ...
1992 ... whatever the case, he still believes in it and his good will is evident. Not sure that this is enough to save Private Francesco ...
1993 ... he continues inexorably on the same path. What worked during the 1980s does not necessarily work the same way during the 1990s. But that's not sure we told him ...
1994 ... we take you as you are dear Claude. Even if you don't necessarily realize that the world has evolved somewhat around you, we don't hold it against you any more than that ...
1995 ... it is we who weep to see him disappear body and soul. But the 90s are really going too fast for him and nothing, and no one, can reverse the course of time concerning him ...
1995 ... he is far from demerit but in a decade when everything goes by at the speed of light, it is clear that he can no longer fight on equal terms with the competition ...
2003 ... after a decade in the 90s that saw him gradually disappear from radars, he tried to rise from the ashes in this 2000 decade. His good will was unfortunately not enough. This time, it is indeed the end of the adventure ...
2003... the end of the high level adventure but certainly not the end of the adventure. He still has things to offer and especially to sing, it is clear...
2003...we're not going to lie to each other, the best years are far behind him. But his will to believe in it always and again commands respect incontestably...
2012...the production of titles was very limited during the 2000s, to say the least. It could be that the 2010 decade is a little more provided...
2012... it is inevitably the basic fans who rejoice at the highest point as soon as a new opus comes out. They are bound to love this new decade...
2012...the inspiration seems to be back even if it won't necessarily be enough to bring him back in the race anyway...
2012...as very often in these cases, when things don't quite go as we hoped, we try everything with a good old special Christmas album...
2012... on this one, he will still make a certain effort not to necessarily revisit titles that have already been revisited 1000 times before...
2012...he will deliver a Christmas album where he talks about himself and his childhood memories. An original bias which at least has the merit of originality...
2014...he has fun with this new 100 % Italian language opus. Nothing fancy but good work as always...
2014 ... we will be satisfied with it in any case. Until the end, he will make it a point of honor to produce titles of certain quality...
2015...a new opus that comes to reassure the fact that he surely does not intend to stop there. As long as he takes pleasure in what he does, why throw in the towel...
2015...and in principle he is absolutely right. In music, everything is always possible and a return to grace cannot be ruled out, at least in theory...
2015...he is having fun, he is having fun with his basic fans, everyone is having fun on this one. Not sure it will last like this for very long unfortunately...
2019... a new opus which will be the last but that necessarily the singer does not know it yet. For the moment, he simply says to himself that the adventure is worth continuing for a little longer...
2019...it will have gone through the 70s, then the 80s, then the 90s, then the 2000s and finally the 2010s. An exceptional longevity...
2019...he will leave in the history some titles which will have undoubtedly marked the spirits and their time. What ask for more !
Top Bonus : 2016 ... when 3 of the greatest charming singers of the 1980s decide to do a jam together. Unique moment !
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Greatest Hits :
Discography :
Claude Barzotti, whose real name is Francesco Barzotti, was an Italian-Belgian singer who lived until he was 18 in Sicily before settling in Belgium.