Françoise Hardy: "En Vogue: Best Of 1962 - 1967" (2025) CD Review

The world lost the great Françoise Hardy last summer, but her music lives on. On Record Store Day last month, a double album titled En Vogue: Best Of 1962 - 1967 was released. It's a collection of twenty-four wonderful tracks recorded in the 1960s. If you missed getting a copy of the record (which apparently was presented on red vinyl), the following week it was released on CD (the twenty-four tracks fitting on a single CD).  She was clearly very busy during the years represented on this disc, releasing many singles and EPs each of those years. The twenty-four tracks included here are, as the title indicates, some of her best work of that period. The tracks are arranged largely in chronological order, though interestingly the liner notes include the songs' chart positions on certain dates rather than the release dates. Most of the songs here were written or co-written by Françoise Hardy.

The collection opens with "Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles," a song that Françoise Hardy wrote with Roger Samyn. This song was a huge hit, reaching #1 in France, Spain, Belgium and Quebec. For some reason, the U.S. was slow in appreciating her music, and I still meet people who are not familiar with her material. Well, this collection presents a perfect opportunity for those folks. I don't speak French, and really have little idea what she is singing here. But that doesn't matter. Her voice and her phrasing have such incredible appeal. This is a beautiful song, and its emotional impact is certainly not lessened by a lack of understanding of the language. That's followed by "Le Temps De L'amour," which was released as a single in 1962, and also was a #1 hit in France, though only reaching #7 in Belgium and #10 in Spain. This one was not written by Hardy, but by Lucien Morisse, André Salvet and Jacques Dutronc. And here she delivers an even more alluring vocal performance. There is something haunting in its beauty, and the track has a very cool vibe. I think it would be damn near impossible to not completely fall under this woman's spell.

"Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour" opens with some wonderful guitar work, preparing us for Hardy's entrance on vocals. There is an intimate quality to her performance here, and we feel she is singing to us alone, her voice a soft caress. This song was written by Frank Gérard and Jean Renard, and the track features some nice work on strings. Then "J'aurais Voulu" begins as a wonderful dance, and then rises in power at key moments, with a bit of a Spanish flavor. It was written by Françoise Hardy. Then, as we move into 1964, some rock elements begin to enter into her material. We hear it at the beginning of "Pourtant Tu M'aimes," which starts with drums. There is something undeniably catchy about this song. Françoise Hardy wrote it with Jonathan Cole and Jimmie Cross. "Et Même" is also fun, with a full pop sound and even some hand claps at the beginning and end. This is another original composition, released as a single in 1964. Somehow this one only reached #25 on the chart in France.

In general, when I think of Françoise Hardy, I think of songs like "Mon Amie La Rose." She is absolutely captivating here, and it's no wonder that this is one of her most popular songs, reaching #2 in France. It was released as a single, and also included on an LP. If you've never heard her sing, and for some reason have time only for one song, this is a perfect choice (I guarantee that after hearing it, you'll want to hear everything else she's recorded). That's followed by "Je N'Attends Plus Personne," which has a harder sound. Though her voice still possesses an undeniable beauty, there is an edge to her delivery here. And this track features a cool lead on electric guitar in the second half, with that great mid-1960s rock flavor. (According to Discogs, that's Jimmy Page on guitar.) Françoise Hardy wrote this one with Giovanni Meccia and Enrico Ciacci.

"Je Veux Qu'il Revienne" is a particularly interesting song, clearly influenced by some American pop songs, especially in the sound of its chorus. It was co-written by Charles Blackwell, who worked with a wide range of artists in his career. Like Françoise Hardy, Blackwell died last summer. That's followed by "La Nuit Est Sur La Ville." I love that moment when the music swells and reaches another level, and she asks, "Pourquoi? Pourquoi?" Wonderful! Then "Dis-Lui Non" has an early rock and roll sound, particularly in that guitar work at the beginning. It feels like one of those delicious female vocal group offerings. Françoise Hardy wrote it with Barney Skelton Jr.

Françoise Hardy did also sing and record some of her songs in English, and this collection includes her "All Over The World," which she wrote with Julian More. It was included on her In English LP. Her voice is beautiful here, and I suppose it's great being able to understand just what she's saying, but for whatever reason, I prefer hearing her sing in French. She had first released this song in French. It is this collection's only song delivered in English. That song is followed by "L'amitié," which was written by Jean-Max Riviere and Gérard Bourgeois, and has a gentle and warm vibe about it, feeling almost magical. "Le Temps Des Souvenirs" features strings and another excellent vocal performance. Then "Tout Ce Qu'on Dit" has more of rock sound, particularly in the guitar work, and is one you can dance to, with its strong beat. "Ce Petit Coeur" has a delightful, playful sound, a lighter vibe.

The collection moves into 1966 with "Je Ne Suis La Pour Personne," which has a sweet, pretty sound. This one will likely have you smiling before long. It is followed by "Il Est Des Choses," which she wrote with Eliana De Sabata and Edoardo Vianello. It is a slower dance, a beautiful number, featuring some nice work on piano. Then we are treated to "La Maison Où J'ai Grandi," one of my personal favorites. It begins with a brief intro on guitar, having something of a bluesy vibe. And when her vocals come in, there is a longing heard, a yearning for something that perhaps no longer exists. It is a performance awash in memory. And then the song kicks in to become a rather cheerful number, which might be surprising. I love the emotional journey this song takes listeners on. It seems to keep growing. It's wonderful from beginning to end, and is a song I don't really want to end. That's followed by "Comme," which has a pretty and magical sound, like a vibrant dream.

"Je Changerais D'avis" begins in a soft, almost delicate place, like she doesn't want to disturb a sleeping lover for fear that he will disappear altogether. But then it opens into a brighter, fuller area, as she lifts her voice, and it grows from there. That's followed by "Rendez-vous D'automne," a beautiful song with an air of melancholy, of things lost. As you'd expect, it features a moving and captivating vocal performance. Then there is a dreamlike quality to her vocal performance in "Au Fond Du Rêve Doré" that is incredibly appealing. This track also features some nice work on harmonica. This song was released on a four-track EP in 1967. Also on that EP was this collection's final song, "Violà," on which she delivers an intimate vocal performance that borders on spoken word at a couple of moments, in the delivery of the title word. The sound then grows from there, and this track is another of the disc's highlights. The song was written by Françoise Hardy, and reached #3 in France. A perfect conclusion to an excellent collection of music from this incredible artist.

CD Track List

1. Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles
2.  Le Temps De L'amour
3.  Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour
4.  J'aurais Voulu
5.  Pourtant Tu M'aimes
6.  Et Même
7.  Mon Amie La Rose
8.  Je N'attends Plus Personne
9.  Je Veux Qu'il Revienne
10.  La Nuit Est Sur La Vile
11.  Dis-lui Non
12.  All Over The World
13.  L'amitié
14.  Le Temps Des Souvenirs
15.  Tour Ce Qu'on Dit
16.  Ce Petit Coeur
17.  Je Ne Suis La Pour Personne
18.  Il Est Des Choses
19.  La Maison Où J'ai Grandi
20.  Comme
21.  Je Changerais D'avis
22.  Rendez-vous D'automne
23.  Au Fond Du Rêve Doré
24.  Violà

En Vogue: Best Of 1962 - 1967 was released on CD on April 18, 2025 through Omnivore Recordings.