Happy Friday, and welcome back to another edition of Sound & Setting. This time, we are bringing a playlist to your ears straight from the rainy streets of Paris.
Before visiting the City of Lights, I expected to return with a playlist full of French house, synthy beats, maybe even some hip hop. Somehow, I came home with Motown. I was shocked how many bistros, cocktail bars and wine bars I ducked into were playing American soul, most of them sounding like it was on vinyl, crackle and all. Sixties girl groups, Memphis horns, and the occasional French singer from the same era who’d clearly been listening to the same records. Not everywhere, but definitely more than I expected. Who would have thought at the dimly lit Parisian bistros Etta James would be providing the background for young people crowded around tiny tables full of wine glasses and cigarettes.
The second Sound & Setting is brought from you directly from those rooms, the places you go to eat, drink and talk for hours. The clubs were playing something else entirely, tracks that would’ve been very out of place here (best believe those are saved for another time). I threw in a few of the pop-y, newly made songs I kept hearing too, but everything on here ties back or fits in with handclaps and horns. It rained most of the weekend, which might explain why I kept reaching for the nostalgic stuff.
Put it on for a gray Sunday, during a long smoke filled dinner, or that last glass of wine when nobody’s in a rush to leave.
Calling out a few of my favorites and interesting facts I found in my research here to give the playlist some life as you listen.
Jacqueline Taïeb, “7 AM” / “7 heures du matin” — A 1967 Paris hit about waking up and thinking about Paul McCartney. Found out she cut it in both English and French, so thought it would be cool to open the playlist in one language and close it out in the other.
Françoise Hardy, “Le temps de l’amour” — You may recognize this one from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom (a personal fave) .
Wendy Rene, “After Laughter (Comes Tears)” — You’ve probably heard this one sampled. The Wu-Tang Clan did it 30 years after release on “Tearz.”, among many others.
The Spinners, “It’s a Shame” — Motown, 1970, co-written and produced by a 20-year-old Stevie Wonder (!)
The Tibbs, “Cleaned Out” — Was shocked to find out that this is a present-day band from Amsterdam, sounds like it was dug out of a 1966 crate in Memphis. Heard it at an Izakaya no less.
Ben l’Oncle Soul, “Soulman” — The 2010 debut from Motown’s French label. A guy from Tours making the exact record playing in every bar I walked into.
MUNYA, “Hotel Delmano” — French-language dream pop from Montreal and a shout out to one of my local watering holes in Williamsburg! How Fun!
The Mamas & the Papas, “Dedicated to the One I Love” — This was just a fun one to hear.
For what it’s worth,
Nick
