MAURICE CHEVALIER: Valentine

The music of French singer, dancer, and showman Maurice Chevalier is immortalized in this classic Arkadia Chansons album, Maurice Chevalier: Valentine. Chevalier’s inimitable style leaves its mark on every one of the performances in this classic collection of his signature songs.

Born in France, Maurice Auguste Chevalier (1888 – 1972) humbly began his career performing in the theaters of suburban slums and second-rate resorts. He was imprisoned as a POW in World War I. When he was released, he moved to Paris where he paired up with vaudeville star Mistinguett at the Follies Bergere. Their act soon became a renowned success, propelling Chevalier into a celebrity in France and the cabaret community. Adored by the public, he began acting in Hollywood films such as Silence is Golden and more famously Gigi in the 1950s with Leslie Caron. Chevalier used an intentionally thick French accent, teasingly insinuating songs, and his suave, sophisticated demeanor to captivate international audiences, transforming him into an iconoclastic symbol of French culture and society in the 1930s.

“4 Stars – Maurice Chevalier wasn’t simply a cabaret singer; he was also a first-class entertainer, and someone who took great pride in being a showman. Like Edith Piaf, he was among the     most famous French singers of the 20th century, but that’s where the similarity ends. In contrast to Piaf’s many deeply introspective and emotionally intense performances, Chevalier favored fun, happy entertainment. Spanning 1928-1942, Valentine boasts many of the essential recordings he was famous for. Chevalier’s charm and charisma are hard to miss on such exuberant classics as “Paris Sera Toujours Paris,” “Fleur De Paris” and “Donnez-moi La Main, Mama’Zelle” (not to mention “La Choupetta” and the title song). While Piaf’s singing could bring tears to your eyes, Chevalier knew how to inspire laughter. Even if you don’t speak a single word of French, it will be obvious that Valentine is a collection that is defined by good spirits.” – Alex Henderson – AllMusic Review

Seldom seen without his signature tuxedo and hats, Chevalier’s playful sarcasm, magnificent voice, and intoxicated stage presence made him a natural on stage and in films. With this digitally remastered 18-song album, Maurice Chevalier: Valentine, a collections of some his most important songs, the genius of Chevalier is captured forever, and serves as indispensable proof why in the dictionary, under the word debonair, appears the name and face of Maurice Chevalier.