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MusicEasy

French Music: From Piaf to Stromae

Piaf nicknamed La Mome due to her 1.47m height, Stromae filming Formidable with a hidden camera in Brussels, Johnny Hallyday and his 110 million records: ten questions on French chanson.

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The 10 quiz questions

Question 1 : Which French singer is nicknamed "La Môme"?

Possible answers:

  • Juliette Gréco
  • Dalida
  • Édith Piaf
  • Barbara

Explanation: Édith Piaf (1915-1963) was nicknamed "La Môme Piaf" due to her small stature (1.47m) and her powerful voice like a sparrow (piaf in slang). She left her mark on French chanson with iconic songs.

Question 2 : Which Belgian artist sang "Formidable" and "Papaoutai"?

Possible answers:

  • Soprano
  • Maître Gims
  • Stromae
  • Angèle

Explanation: Stromae (Paul Van Haver) conquered the world with his electro-chanson style. "Formidable" was filmed with a hidden camera in the streets of Brussels.

Question 3 : Who sang "Ne me quitte pas"?

Possible answers:

  • Jacques Brel
  • Serge Gainsbourg
  • Charles Aznavour
  • Georges Brassens

Explanation: Jacques Brel wrote and performed this song in 1959. It is considered one of the greatest love songs of all time.

Question 4 : Which duo performed "Je t'aime... moi non plus"?

Possible answers:

  • France Gall and Michel Berger
  • Françoise Hardy and Jacques Dutronc
  • Sylvie Vartan and Johnny Hallyday
  • Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin

Explanation: Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin caused a scandal in 1969 with this provocative song, censored in many countries but now a classic.

Question 5 : Which singer is nicknamed "the idol of youth"?

Possible answers:

  • Christophe
  • Michel Sardou
  • Claude François
  • Johnny Hallyday

Explanation: Johnny Hallyday (1943-2017) dominated the French scene for over 50 years. He sold more than 110 million records.

Question 6 : Who composed the music for "Starmania"?

Possible answers:

  • Michel Berger
  • Michel Fugain
  • Jean-Jacques Goldman
  • Claude François

Explanation: Michel Berger composed the music for this legendary 1978 rock opera, with lyrics by Luc Plamondon. France Gall performed several tracks.

Question 7 : Which singer performed "Comme d'habitude" before its worldwide cover version?

Possible answers:

  • Michel Polnareff
  • Claude François
  • Alain Barrière
  • Joe Dassin

Explanation: Claude François created "Comme d'habitude" in 1967. The song was adapted into English as "My Way" by Frank Sinatra in 1969.

Question 8 : Which artist sang "La Bohème"?

Possible answers:

  • Yves Montand
  • Charles Aznavour
  • Léo Ferré
  • Gilbert Bécaud

Explanation: Charles Aznavour wrote and performed "La Bohème" in 1965, nostalgically evoking the artist's life in Montmartre in the 1900s.

Question 9 : Which Corsican singer performed "Mon amie la rose"?

Possible answers:

  • Françoise Hardy
  • Sylvie Vartan
  • Brigitte Bardot
  • Sheila

Explanation: Françoise Hardy popularized this song in 1964. She was one of the iconic figures of the yéyé movement and a fashion icon of the sixties.

Question 10 : Which band called "Téléphone" had the hit "Un autre monde"?

Possible answers:

  • Trust
  • Noir Désir
  • Indochine
  • Téléphone

Explanation: Téléphone, formed in 1976 with Jean-Louis Aubert and Louis Bertignac, was the most popular French rock band of the 1980s.

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