Posted on 07/20/2024 5:53:30 PM PDT by Beowulf9
"Works, Volume 1 was a double album with Keith Emerson the focus of the first side, Greg Lake the second, Carl Palmer the third, and the entire band sharing equally on Side 4. "C'est La Vie" was one of the songs Lake wrote for his side with help from lyricist Pete Sinfield, who was his bandmate in King Crimson. Telling the story of the song, Lake said: "I used to live in Paris for a while. A very beautiful city. I sometimes would go out walking in the streets there, and you'd often hear this instrument playing. I don't know what they call it, really, but it's one of these barrel organ things you wind up. It's the sort of sound, it's a bit like a Las Vegas casino. It kind of lives with you.
Anyway, I'd heard this barrel organ playing. And I walked on back home towards my apartment. I went past this cafe and I heard the voice of Edith Piaf, the famous French lady singer. And when I got back to the apartment I thought, I really would like to write a sort of French song with some French feeling. I don't really speak French, but I knew this phrase, 'c'est la vie,' that's life. And so I thought, That would make a good idea for a song.
So I wrote this song, "C'est la Vie," and we recorded it and put it onto Works Volume I. However, a couple of years later it was covered by a French singer called Johnny Hallyday. And he's a sort of French Elvis Presley. Anyway, he had a #1 hit with it in France, which as an Englishman, of course, gave me a great deal of pleasure."
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/emerson-lake-palmer/cest-la-vie
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
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1977.
I used to say “c’est la vie” to my young daughter, meaning “that’s life.”
One day I repeated it to her a couple of times for emphasis. She looked at me with a very annoyed face, and said loudly: “La vee!”
Very talented musicians. Arrangements were always great. One of my favorites is “Hoedown.”
Pete Sinfield’s solo album was in heavy rotation on my stereo back in 1974.
A much more innocent age for me as well as for the world, so it seems.
“ It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell
“C’est la vie”, say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell”
Great song, group and album!
So cute!
Great 80s song by Robbie
ELP got very little radio time, of course many of their tunes were way to long for that. This is one of my favorites and have sung it from time to time doing Karaoke and many people had never heard it before. Not much for christmas music but did like Father Christmas. Lucky Man did get some radio play but not much.
“A much more innocent age for me as well as for the world, so it seems.”
Vietnam war
Boston riots
Cold war
Khmer Rouge
I have always loved this song, and love singing it to myself.
Chuck Berry and Bob Seger versions are real toe-tappers.
I love the version by Emmylou Harrris.
Thanks for posting. I’m a big ELP fan and, IMO, this is one of the most beautiful songs of all time.
I don’t know why this gem doesn’t get the accolades it deserves.
That’s exactly how I feel.
This song is incredible.
I’m not really a ‘music guy’, but I love ELP, and especially “Works”. “Pirates” is my favorite piece, followed by “Fanfare for the Common Man”, but “C’est La Vie” a close third. Very haunting tune & voice by Greg Lake; great stuff.
I had the pleasure of seeing ELP at Madison Square Garden in 1977 for the Works I tour with a full orchestra.
Oops. You said it was with a full orchestra.
duh. and I read it the first time.
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