CHARLES TRENET: Swing Troubadour

Singer/composer Charles Trenet was the incarnation of the old-time singers who traveled from town to town with an instrument in hand and a song in their souls, spreading joy and merriment across France. This Arkadia Chansons 18-song collection of his classic recordings, entitled Charles Trenet: Swing Troubadour, shows off the French vocalist his at the peak of his incredible 65-year career.

Born in Paris, Charles Trenet (1913- 2001) started to make a career out of writing and singing his own songs in the mid 1930s. With his willful refusal to take a bleak view of life, despite the gloom which was gathering on the European landscape, Trenet quickly struck a chord with his compatriots. His songs exhibited a rare form of sophisticated optimism, which maintained a remarkably upbeat and happy tone without sounding naive or trite.

In the years following WWII, Trenet’s hopeful songs resonated with audiences around the globe as the wartime temperament evaporated.  By the 1950’s he had become one of, if not the, leading contemporary French songwriters and vocalists. Unlike many popular French performers, his music boasts an international appeal, making waves throughout the world with songs that have become standards, such as Beyond The Sea (La Mer), Boum!…,  and I Wish You Love (Que reste-t-il de nos amours?). The sensibility which inspired Trenet to craft his poetic music enabled him to lift the spirits of audiences. Listening to the 18 songs in this album, one feels that they have been brought into contact with a philosophical spirit that has arrived at the conclusion that the ultimate good in life is happiness, and that ideal beauty takes the form of a smile.

Charles Trenet brings his charming songs, singular vision, and buoyant voice, redolent of youthful romance and summers in Paris, to this historic, digitally remastered album entitled Charles Trenet: Swing Troubadour. This album keeps the cheerful legacy of France’s philosopher of joy alive.