Françoise Hardy …….. Les Garçons Et Les Filles

 I was saddened today at the the news of the death of Françoise Hardy.

I go alone through the streets, 1980

If you are of a certain age Françoise Hardy will have a special resonance.

In 1962 when I first heard Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles, I was instantly transported to that Paris of chic fashions, narrow streets and grand buildings but also of teenage romance and angst.

"All the boys and girls my age

Walking down the street two by two

All the boys and girls my age

Know well what it is to be happy

And eye to eye and hand in hand

They leave in love without fear of tomorrow

Yes, but I go alone through the streets, my soul in pain

Yes but I go alone because no one loves me"

And then with the news of her death l began reading about her life and made that uncomfortable discovery that her politics were very different to mine.

She was to the right of the  centre with some questionable positions on eqaulity and antisemitism.

All a bit of a disappointment.

Pictures; Paris 1981, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*https://www.google.com/search?q=tous+les+gar%C3%A7ons+et+les+filles+paroles+youtube&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgAECMYJxjqAjIJCAAQIxgnGOoCMgkIARAjGCcY6gIyCQgCECMYJxjqAjIJCAMQIxgnGOoCMgkIBBAjGCcY6gIyCQgFECMYJxjqAjIJCAYQIxgnGOoCMgkIBxAjGCcY6gIyCQgIECMYJxjqAjIJCAkQIxgnGOoCMgkIChAjGCcY6gIyCQgLECMYJxjqAjIJCAwQIxgnGOoCMgkIDRAjGCcY6gIyCQgOECMYJxjqAjIPCA8QLhgDGI8BGLQCGOoCMhEIEBAAGAMYQhiPARi0AhjqAjIRCBEQABgDGEIYjwEYtAIY6gIyEQgSEAAYAxhCGI8BGLQCGOoCMhEIExAAGAMYQhiPARi0AhjqAtIBBi0xajBqN6gCFLACAQ&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8&chrome_dse_attribution=1#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:3bc24f79,vid:XPkBMqehr5k,st:0