French chart - Bonjour Les Amis 1963

[CatoFur]

Finally, with my computer gremlins sorted out in this post-Covid world, I can get back to the murky world of the French charts of the sixties...

The success of the French teenage magazine Salut Les Copains - which by mid-1963 would be shifting up to a million copies every month - has enshrined the chart published in that magazine (I have already poste the charts from that magazine between 1962 and 1964 and you can find them on this forum) in the memories of a generation of French pop fans. It was however not the only chart published at that time. While Salut Les Copains had dealt a body blow to the earlier Disco Revue (the charts from that magazine (1961-64) are also on this forum) from which it would never fully recover, it also inspired other publishers to enter the market.

Among the many titles competing with Salut Les Copains for the teenage franc was the rather unsubtly-titled Bonjour Les Amis. A less glossy affair (with fewer advertisements), the magazine appeared fortnightly (rather than monthly) and swiftly established its own niche, albeit in the shadows of its dominant predecessor. Just as Salut Les Copains was affiliated (through the show of the same name) with radio station Europe No. 1, so the new title would be affiliated with rival station, Radio Andorre, giving the title a distinct south-western spin (provincial artists would generally have far more coverage in Bonjour Les Amis than they would enjoy in the pages of its Parisian rival). Launched as 1962 gave way to 1963, the new magazine did not, at first, carry a chart, but that would change with issue 9, published in 15 June 1963.

The magazine's chart - a top forty - was not a sales chart. As with the chart in Salut Les Copains (and "Le goût des lecteurs" in Disco Revue), it was compiled by votes from the magazine's readers. There were however some differences, at least initially. The first chart published was a list of popular records, as opposed to songs; only one song (presumably the most popular) from any E.P. was listed, whereas in the Salut Les Copains chart, songs from one E.P. could (and sometimes did) occupy up to four different places in the chart. This first chart also contained an L.P. that was listed as such, rather than the most popular track being listed.

There was no note in the magazine indicating the period covered by the chart. It might be reasonable to assume that it was assembled shortly before publication, but evidence of later editions where additional "catch up" charts appeared, together with a comparison of the titles featured with those titles found in charts in other magazines suggest that it was pulled together from earlier information. An educated guess suggests that it covers a period ending no later than 30 April 1963, but this could still be out by a couple of weeks. For this reason, I will list both publication dates and an estimate of the dates covered with each of the 1963 charts.

Issue 9
Published: 15 June 1963
Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 30 April 1963.

1. "L'école est finie" - Sheila
2. "Donne-moi ma chance" ("Too Late To Worry") - Richard Anthony
3. "Dis-lui" ("Tell Him") - Claude François
4. "L'amour s'en va" - Françoise Hardy
5. "Elle est terrible" ("Somethin' Else") - Johnny Hallyday
6. "Stand By Me" - Ben E. King
7. "C'est joli la mer" ("Min ton rotas ton ourano") - Brenda Lee
8. "Bachelor Boy" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
9. "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell
10. "Crazy Beat" - Gene Vincent

11. "Lovesick Blues" - Frank Ifield
12. "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Sylvie Vartan
13. "Johnny Guitar" - The Spotnicks
14. "Sing Hallelujah" - Lonnie Donegan
15. "(Dance With The) Guitar Man" - The Orlons
16. "Remember Then" - The Earls
17. "Rhythm Of The Rain" - The Cascades
18. "Long Tall Sally" - Eddie Cochran
19. "Belles! Belles! Belles!" ("(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made To Love") - Claude François
20. "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell

21. "The Loco-Motion" - Little Eva
22. "Nobody But You" - The Lafayettes
23. "Teenage Idol" - Rick Nelson
24. "Dix petits Indiens" ("Ten Little Indians") - Lucky Blondo et ses Lucky Stars
25. "La bagarre" ("Trouble") - Johnny Hallyday
26. "Dernier baisers" ("Sealed With A Kiss") - Les Chats Sauvages
27. "Heart In Hand" - Brenda Lee
28. "Jacky la Guitare" ("(Dance With The) Guitar Man") - Jacky Moulière
29. "Ton meilleur amie" - Françoise Hardy
30. "Loop De Loop" - Johnny Thunder

31. Sylvie (L.P.) - Sylvie Vartan
32. "Little Queenie" - Bobby Vee and the Crickets
33. "Good Luck Charm" - Elvis Presley
34. "Orange Blossom Special" - The Spotnicks
35. "Twenty Miles" - Chubby Checker
36. "Mustang" - The Shadows
37. "Mais reviens-moi" ("The Night I Cried") - Eddy Mitchell
38. "Filles" ("Things") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
39. "School Days" ("School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)") - Bobby Vee
40. "Tell Him" - Alma Cogan

Notes:
Sheila's "L'école est finie" (at # 1) was later given an English lyric and by Billie Davis recorded as "School Is Over". This flopped in the U.K. but made the top twenty in Denmark.

Richard Anthony's "Donne-moi ma chance" (at # 2) was a cover of Babs Tino's "Too Late To Worry". It was also on the market in a French version by Sophia Loren which charted in Salut Les Copains but not in Bonjour Les Amis. Anthony also recorded it in English for the U.K. market but it failed to chart.

Claude François' "Dis-lui" (at # 3) was a cover of The Exciters' "Tell Him". The French version was also recorded by Dany Logan, whose version charted in Salut Les Copains but not in Bonjour Les Amis. There were a number of other English language versions, including the U.K. hit version by Billie Davis, which does not seem to have been released in France, and another U.K. version by Alma Cogan, which was released there (at # 40). "Belles! Belles! Belles!" (at # 19) was a cover of The Everly Brothers' "(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made to Love", although François may have picked up on it via the US hit version by Eddie Hodges.

Françoise Hardy's "L'amour s'en va" (at # 4) was her entry (for Monaco) in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest. She didn't win. Hardy also recorded "Ton meilleur amie" (at # 29) in English as "Only Friends"; it flopped in the U.K. but charted in a number of other countries around the world.

Johnny Hallyday's "Elle est terrible" (at # 5) was a cover of Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else". It had first charted in Salut Les Copains in a live version from the L.P. Johnny à l'Olympia; the version listed here is however the studio version from the 1963 E.P. However "La bagarre" (at # 25), a cover of Elvis Presley's "Trouble" was featured on an E.P. drawn from the live album.

Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" (at # 6) was listed in the chart with the subtitle "Preghero"; this refers to the Italian version by Adriano Celentano, which was a big hit in France, although it did not make this chart. There was also a French version by Dalida, "Tu croiras", but that also failed to chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

Brenda Lee's "C'est joli la mer" (at # 7) was a French language version of her 1962 U.S. hit, "As Usual", which was itself a cover of Manos Hadjidakis' "Min ton rotas ton ourano".

Cliff Richard's "Bachelor Boy" (at # 8) was from the film Summer Holiday.

Gene Vincent's "Crazy Beat" (at # 10) was not available on an E.P. It was featured on a jukebox 45 release and as the opening track of the album The Crazy Beat Of Gene Vincent. The catalogue number for the latter was the one listed in the chart.

The original version of Frank Ifield's "Lovesick Blues" (at # 11) was by Hank Wiiliams. The French version was "Je ne pense qu'à l'amour", issued by both Eddy Mitchell and Georgie Dann, but neither version charted in Bonjour Les Amis.

Sylvie Vartan's "Il revient" (at # 12) was a cover of Gene Vincent's "Say Mama". The Sylvie L.P. (at # 31) was her debut album, issued late in 1962 and featuring, among other things, "Le locomotion", her late 1962 hit cover of Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion" (at # 21).

The original version of The Orlons' "(Dance With The) Guitar Man" (at # 15) was by Duane Eddy. Eddy's version was also popular in France, although it didn't chart in Bonjour Les Amis. The French version, also lifted from Eddy's original, was "Jacky la Guitare", by Jacky Moulière (at # 28). An alternate French version, "L'homme à la guitare" by Olivier Despax, failed to chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

The original version of Eddie Cochran's "Long Tall Sally" (at # 18) was by Little Richard. The French version, "Oncle John", had been released in 1961 by Rocky Volcano (as "L'oncle John") and by Les Vautours, and in 1962 by El Toro et les Cyclones (featuring future French superstar Jacques Dutronc on guitar).

Eddy Mitchell's "Be bop a lula '63" (at # 20) was a cover of Gene Vincent's "Be Bop A Lula", using a different arrangement from that used on Vincent's own second stab at the song, "Be Bop A Lula '62". "Mais reviens-moi" (at # 37) was a cover of Brian Hyland's "The Night I Cried".

The French version of Rick Nelson's "Teenage Idol" (at # 23) was Johnny Hallyday's " L'idole des jeunes", a big hit in the months prior to the launch of this chart.

Lucky Blondo's "Dix petits Indiens" (at # 24) was a cover of The Beach Boys' "Ten Little Indians", which was itself based on the nursery rhyme of that name. "Filles" (at # 38) was a cover of Bobby Darin's "Things". Confusingly, both songs were actually available on the same E.P., thus appearing to break the chart rules. However, the first pressing of the E.P. featured a version of Little Richard's arrangement of the twenties classic "Baby Face", which was replaced by "Dix petits Indiens" on the second pressing. The two versions carried different catalogue numbers, so while "Filles" was common to both releases, the catalogue numbers in the chart indicated that these were separate E.P.s, with the entry for "Filles" referring to the first pressing.

The original version of Les Chats Sauvages' "Derniers baisers" (at # 26) was "Sealed With A Kiss" by The Four Voices, although it was Brian Hyland's 1962 cover which inspired the French version. There were three other French versions, by Les Teenagers, by Nancy Holloway and by Orlando, but they were not listed in this chart.

The original version of Bobby Vee's "Little Queenie" (at # 32) was by Chuck Berry. The original version of "School Days" (at # 39) was also by Chuck Berry, whose version was titled "School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)".

Elvis Presley's "Good Luck Charm" (at # 33) was a massive hit during 1962. There were at least four French versions released that year as "Le coup du charme", by Les Vautours, Annick Bouquet, Maguy Marshall and Les Champions, although none made the chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

The French version of Chubby Checker's "Twenty Miles" (at # 35) was "Loin de toi" by Claude et ses Tribuns, but that version did not chart.

Coming up: Issue 10
Cato

[Paul Nareff]

A great big "Thank You" for this first post !
I particularly appreciate your introduction, which is very detailed and accurate.
Concerning Brenda Lee's "C'est joli la mer", I don't think it was sung in French.
This was the title featured on the EP cover, but she sang "All Alone Am I" in English.
The magazine probably used the French translation by mistake.
Indeed, she sang one single in French: "La Première" (Fool No.1) / "Pourquoi Jamais Moi" in 1961.
But for "As Usual" (Comme d'habitude), it was released only a little later, in November 1963.
Hope this is helpful. Pleased to read you and follow you soon.

[CatoFur]

Concerning Brenda Lee's "C'est joli la mer", I don't think it was sung in French.
This was the title featured on the EP cover, but she sang "All Alone Am I" in English.
The magazine probably used the French translation by mistake..

I think you might be right about that. I will amend my notes. Many thanks
Cato

[CatoFur]

Issue 10

Published: 1 July 1963

Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 15 May 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are fourteen new entries and one adjusted entry (# 1).

1. (3. / NEW) "Dis-lui" ("Tell Him") / "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" ("Bachelor Boy") - Claude François
2. (1.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
3. (NEW) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
4. (NEW) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Richard Anthony
5. (4.) "L'amour s'en va" - Françoise Hardy
6. (9.) "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell
7. (8.) "Bachelor Boy" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
8. (5.) "Elle est terrible" ("Somethin' Else") - Johnny Hallyday
9. (10.) "Crazy Beat" - Gene Vincent
10. (NEW) "Tous les gens" - Sylvie Vartan

11. (24.) "Dix petits Indiens" ("Ten Little Indians") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
12. (NEW) "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes
13. (2.) "Donne-moi ma chance" ("Too Late To Worry") - Richard Anthony
14. (7.) "As Usual" ("Min ton rotas ton ourano") - Brenda Lee
15. (20.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell
16. (NEW) "Tais-toi petite folle" ("Foolish Little Girl") - Tiny Yong
17. (19.) "Belles! Belles! Belles!" ("(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made To Love") - Claude François
18. (NEW) "À deux pas d'un ange" ("Next Door To An Angel") - Jacky Moulière
19. (11.) "Lovesick Blues" - Frank Ifield
20. (12.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Sylvie Vartan

21. (NEW) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
22. (25.) "La bagarre" ("Trouble") - Johnny Hallyday
23. (NEW) "L'effet que tu me fais" ("How Do You Do It") - Dick Rivers avec les Krewkats
24. (18. )"Long Tall Sally" - Eddie Cochran
25. (17.) "Rhythm Of The Rain" - The Cascades
26. (14.) "Sing Hallelujah" - Lonnie Donegan
27. (13.) "Johnny Guitar" - The Spotnicks
28. (NEW) "Il faut choisir" ("It's Up To You") - Bob Asklöf
29. (37.) "Mais reviens-moi" ("The Night I Cried") - Eddy Mitchell
30. (NEW) "(The Night Time Is) The Right Time" - Ray Charles

31. (NEW) "Hum Diddy Doo" - Fats Domino
32. (29.) "Ton meilleur amie" - Françoise Hardy
33. (15.) "(Dance With The) Guitar Man" - The Orlons
34. (38.) "Filles" ("Things") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
35. (40.) "Tell Him" - Alma Cogan
36. (33.) "Good Luck Charm" - Elvis Presley
37. (NEW) "Let's Turkey Trot" - Little Eva
38. (NEW) "Summer Holiday" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
39. (NEW) "Tell Him" - The Exciters
40. (23.) "Teenage Idol" - Rick Nelson

Notes:

Making it clear that this was a record, rather than a song chart, Claude François' cover of Cliff Richard's "Bachelor Boy" ("Moi je voudrais bien me marier") was now listed alongside "Dis-lui" at # 1; both songs were on the same E.P. and were now presumably equally popular.

Richard Anthony's "En écoutant la pluie" (new at # 4) was a cover of The Cascades "Rhythm Of The Rain" (down to # 25). It was also on the market (or shortly would be) in versions by Matt Collins, Claude Goaty and Maya Casabianca, although none of these would chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

Les Fantômes "Loop de loop" (new at # 12) was a largely instrumental version of the Johnny Thunder song of the same name, which had just left the chart (# 30 a fortnight earlier). The U.K. hit version was by Frankie Vaughan.

As noted above by Paul, Brenda Lee's "As USual" was incorrectly listed in the chart as "C'est joli la mer". This was the French title, as recorded by Jacqueline Boyer, Nana Mouskouri and Jean-Paul Mauric, and in instrumental form by Léo Petit, but none of these charted in Bonjour Les Amis.

Tiny Yong's "Tais-toi petite folle" (new at # 16) was a cover of The Shirelles' "Foolish Little Girl".

Jacky Moulière's "À deux pas d'un ange" (new at # 18) was a cover of Neil Sedaka's "Next Door To An Angel".

Les Chaussettes Noires' "Il revient" (new at # 21) was, like Sylvie Vartan's version (down to # 20), a cover of Gene Vincent's "Say Mama".

Dick Rivers' "L'effet que tu me fais" (new at # 23) was a cover of Gerry and the Pacemakers' "How Do You Do It". The song would also be released a few weeks later by Claude François with a different lyric and title, "Comment fais-tu?", but that version would not chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

Bob Asklöf's "Il faut choisir" (new at # 28) was a cover of Rick Nelson's "It's Up To You". The French version was also recorded by Sylvie Vartan later in the year; there were also versions on the market by Matt Collins, Agnès Fontaine, Jean Claudric and Les Jumelles, although none made the charts in Bonjour Les Amis.

There was no French version of Little Eva's "Let's Turkey Trot" (new at # 37); there was however an instrumental version, "Le pas du dindon", by Les Champions, although that version did not chart in Bonjour Les Amis. The latter did however carry a credit for French lyricist, Georges Aber, indicating that French lyrics nevertheless existed. They would eventually be used for a recording by Italian singer Rita Pavone for a French E.P., under the alternate title, "Le turkey trot".

Cliff Richard's "Summer Holiday" (new at # 38) quickly acquired a French lyric under the title "Quand revient l'été". The French version was recorded by Dalida and by Jacques Revaux but neither version charted in Bonjour Les Amis.

This issue also featured a second chart, this time compiled by Radio Andorre's popular Spécial Blue Jeans programme. A sort of south-western rival to Europe No. 1's Salut Les Copains, this show captured a sizeable audience in southern France (and could also be heard in parts of Spain). The magazine featured a two-page spread devoted to the show in every issue, beginning with issue no. 4, but this was the first issue to carry the show's chart. It is not known whether earlier charts existed for broadcast purposes - Radio Andorre certainly had its own chart, although I only have a couple of these - but this was the first one from Spécial Blue Jeans published in the pages of Bonjour Les Amis. The chart reflected the most requested songs, with rival versions of a song being linked together in shared positions, and was a top fourteen. There was no indication of the period covered by the chart, but other evidence suggests it was for the period ending 31 May 1963.

1. "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
2. "L'école est finie" - Sheila
3. "Tes tendres années" ("Tender Years") - Johnny Hallyday
4. "Dis-lui" ("Tell Him") - Claude François
5. "L'amour d'un garçon" - Françoise Hardy
=6. "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Sylvie Vartan
=6. "Rhythm Of The Rain" - The Cascades
=7. "Donne-moi ma chance" ("Too Late To Worry") - Richard Anthony
=7. "Donne-moi ma chance" ("Too Late To Worry") - Gloria Lasso
=7. "Donne-moi ma chance" ("Too Late To Worry") - Micky Amline
8. "Elle est terrible" ("Something Else") - Johnny Hallyday
9. "J'entends siffler le train" ("500 Miles") - Richard Anthony
10. "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes

11. "Vénus en blue jeans" ("Venus In Blue Jeans") - Claude François
12. "Le ranch de mes rêves" ("Hotel Happiness") - Sheila
=13. "Derniers baisers" ("Sealed With A Kiss") - Orlando
=13. "Derniers baisers" ("Sealed With A Kiss") - Les Chats Sauvages
=14. "Tous les garçons et les filles" - Françoise Hardy
=14. "Tous les garçons et les filles" - Buck Clayton

Notes:

This was clearly a song chart, rather than a record chart, as evidenced by the multiple versions of songs sharing a chart place (# 6, # 7, # 13 and # 14). It is also notable that some of the versions on the magazine's main chart do not feature here.

Sylvie Vartan's version of "En écoutant la pluie" (at # 6) shares chart honours with the original version by The Cascades ("Rhythm Of The Rain"). Richard Anthony's version (# 4 in the magazine's own chart) is conspicuous by its absence.

Anthony's "Donne-moi ma chance" (at # 7) shares chart honours with a version by music hall star Gloria Lasso, while a rival version by south coast singer Micky Amline is also listed, although Sophia Loren's version - popular on Salut Les Copains - is not.

Orlando's version of "Derniers baisers" (at # 13), although ignored at Salut Les Copains, joins the better known version by Les Chats Sauvages in this chart. Orlando was Dalida's brother.

Françoise Hardy's breakthrough hit "Tous les garçons et les filles" (at # 14) shares a chart place with an instrumental version by Buck Clayton.

Coming up: Issue 11
Cato

[CatoFur]

Issue 11
Published: 15 July 1963
Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 31 May 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are seven new entries and one adjusted entry (# 2).

1. (2.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
2. (1.) "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" ("Bachelor Boy") - Claude François
3. (3.) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
4. (5.) "L'amour s'en va" - Françoise Hardy
5. (4.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Richard Anthony
6. (10.) "Tous les gens" - Sylvie Vartan
7. (7.) "Bachelor Boy" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
8. (12.) "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes
9. (15.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell
10. (9.) "Crazy Beat" - Gene Vincent

11. (21.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
12. (8.) "Elle est terrible" ("Somethin' Else") - Johnny Hallyday
13. (13.) "Donne-moi ma chance" ("Too Late To Worry") - Richard Anthony
14. (6.) "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell
15. (16.) "Tais-toi petite folle" ("Foolish Little Girl") - Tiny Yong
16. (11.) "Dix petits Indiens" ("Ten Little Indians") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
17. (20.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Sylvie Vartan
18. (17.) "Belles! Belles! Belles!" ("(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made To Love") - Claude François
19. (14.) "C'est joli la mer" ("Min ton rotas ton ourano") - Brenda Lee
20. (35.) "Tell Him" - Alma Cogan

21. (NEW) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
22. (36.) "Good Luck Charm" - Elvis Presley
23. (NEW) "Le temps de l'amour" ("Fort Chabrol") - Françoise Hardy
24. (19.) "Lovesick Blues" - Frank Ifield
25. (30.) "(The Night Time Is) The Right Time" - Ray Charles
26. (40.) "Teenage Idol" - Rick Nelson
27. (22.) "La bagarre" ("Trouble") - Johnny Hallyday
28. (23.) "L'effet que tu me fais" ("How Do You Do It") - Dick Rivers
29. (37.) "Let's Turkey Trot" - Little Eva
30. (27.) "Johnny Guitar" - The Spotnicks

31. (31.) "Hum Diddy Doo" - Fats Domino
32. (29.) "Mais reviens-moi" ("The Night I Cried") - Eddy Mitchell
33. (38.) "Summer Holiday" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
34. (NEW) "Le twist du bac" - Claudine Coppin
35. (NEW) "Wishin' And Hopin'" - Dionne Warwick
36. (34.) "Filles" ("Things") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
37. (24. )"Long Tall Sally" - Eddie Cochran
38. (NEW) "Loop de loop" - Frank Alamo
39. (NEW) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
40. (NEW) "Les copains" - Léo Carrier

Notes:

As radio play switched from one song to the other, Claude François' "Dis-lui" was dropped from the chart, leaving "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" to hold down the # 2 spot alone. For some reason, the “15 days ago” column listed this as having been at #2, with Sheila at #1, even though the previous issue had cleearly listed them the other way around…

Françoise Hardy's "Le temps de l'amour" (new at # 23) was a vocal version of Les Fantômes' instrumental, "Fort Chabrol". The vocal version was first recorded by José Salcy et ses Jam's but that version did not chart.

Claudine Coppin's "Le twist du bac" (new at # 34) was co-written by Guy Mardel. Mardel would go on to represent France in the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest with "N'avoue jamais". He didn't win.

Dionne Warwick's "Wishin' And Hopin'" (new at # 35) would be covered in the U.K. in 1964 by both Dusty Springfield and The Merseybeats, and in France, as "Tente ta chance", by Sophie and by Frank Alamo.

Frank Alamo's "Loop de loop" (new at # 38) was a cover of Johnny Thunder's song of the same name; Alamo's version was sung in French. The French version was also recorded by Dalida, but her version did not chart in Bonjour Les Amis. Meanwhile the instrumental version by Les Fantômes moved into the top ten (# 8).

Johnny Hallyday's "T'as qu'seize ans" (new at # 39) was a cover of Johnny Burnette's "You're Sixteen". Hallyday's version was not available on E.P. but was featured on his latest L.P., Les bras en croix, the title track of which was also released on an E.P. (holding at # 3). "T'as qu'seize ans" was also on the market in version by Dany Fischer, under the modified title "T'as seize ans", but his version did not chart.

This issue again featured the second chart compiled by Radio Andorre's popular Spécial Blue Jeans programme. The chart reflected the most requested songs, with rival versions of a song being linked together in shared positions, and in this issue shrunk to a top eleven. There was no indication of the period covered by the chart, but other evidence suggests it was for the period ending 30 June 1963. With a tie at #10 and a three-way tie at #8, there are actually fourteen recordings in the list, eight of them new entries.

1. (NEW) "T’as que seize ans” (“You’re Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
2. (2.) “L’école est finie” - Sheila
3. (4.) “Dis-lui” (“Tell Him”) – Claude François
4. (NEW) “L’amour s’en va” – Françoise Hardy
5. (1.) “Les bras en croix” – Johnny Hallyday
6. (3.) “Tes tendres années” (“Tender Years”) – Johnny Hallyday
7. (NEW) “Moi je voudrais bien me marier” (“Bachelor Boy”) – Claude François
=8. (6.) “Rhythm Of the Rain” – The Cascades
=8. (NEW) “En écoutant la pluie” (“Rhythm Of the Rain”) – Richard Anthony
=8. (6.) “En écoutant la pluie” (“Rhythm Of the Rain”) – Sylvie Vartan
9. (NEW) “Que ton coeur me soit fidèle” (“Second Fiddle Girl”) – Petula Clark
=10. (NEW) “Donne tes seize ans” – Dany Logan
=10. (NEW) “Donne tes seize ans” – Charles Aznavour

11. (NEW) “Tais-toi petit folle” (“Foolish Litle Girl”) – Tiny Yong

Notes:

Richard Anthony’s version of “En écoutant la pluie” (“Rhythm Of the Rain”) now joins the other two versions in this chart at #8.

Petula Clark’s “Que ton coeur me soit fidèle” (new at #9) was a cover of Barbara Lynn’s “Second Fiddle Girl”.

Coming up: Issue 12

[CatoFur]

Issue 12
Published: 1 August 1963
Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 15 June 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are seven new entries.

1. (1.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
2. (5.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Richard Anthony
3. (2.) "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" ("Bachelor Boy") - Claude François
4. (3.) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
5. (4.) "L'amour s'en va" - Françoise Hardy
6. (6.) "Tous les gens" - Sylvie Vartan
7. (8.) "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes
8. (NEW) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Sylvie Vartan
9. (9.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell
10. (12.) "Elle est terrible" ("Somethin' Else") - Johnny Hallyday

11. (15.) "Tais-toi petite folle" ("Foolish Little Girl") - Tiny Yong
12. (39.) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
13. (7.) "Bachelor Boy" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
14. (11.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
15. (23.) "Le temps de l'amour" ("Fort Chabrol") - Françoise Hardy
16. (NEW) "Demain j'ai 17 ans" - Alice Dona
17. (10.) "Crazy Beat" - Gene Vincent
18. (13.) "Donne-moi ma chance" ("Too Late To Worry") - Richard Anthony
19. (NEW) "Ruby, Baby" - Dion
20. (14.) "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell

21. (29.) "Let's Turkey Trot" - Little Eva
22. (16.) "Dix petits Indiens" ("Ten Little Indians") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
23. (NEW) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
24. (17.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Sylvie Vartan
25. (21.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
26. (NEW) "Pow wow" - Les Chaussettes Noires
27. (38.) "Loop de loop" - Frank Alamo
28. (18.) "Belles! Belles! Belles!" ("(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made To Love") - Claude François
29. (19.) "C'est joli la mer" ("Min ton rotas ton ourano") - Brenda Lee
30. (NEW) "Out Of This World" - Les Players

31. (25.) "(The Night Time Is) The Right Time" - Ray Charles
32. (32.) "Mais reviens-moi" ("The Night I Cried") - Eddy Mitchell
33. (36.) "Filles" ("Things") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
34. (NEW) "À malypense" - Leny Escudero
35. (35.) "Wishin' And Hopin'" - Dionne Warwick
36. (34.) "Le twist du bac" - Claudine Coppin
37. (27.) "La bagarre" ("Trouble") - Johnny Hallyday
38. (26.) "Teenage Idol" - Rick Nelson
39. (33.) "Summer Holiday" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
40. (31.) "Hum Diddy Doo" - Fats Domino

Notes:

Sylvie Vartan's "En écoutant la pluie" (new at # 8) was, like Richard Anthony's version (up to # 2), a cover of The Cascades' "Rhythm Of The Rain".

The original version of Dion's "Ruby Baby" (new at # 19) was by The Drifters. The French version by Richard Anthony carried the same title and was on the same E.P. as his version of "En écoutant la pluie".

Elvis Presley's "Return To Sender" (new at # 23) had been available on a single for some months and was now also available on an E.P. but it is unclear why it was this song rather than the more recent "Girls! Girls! Girls!" that was listed in the chart. The French version of "Return To Sender" was "Retour au porteur" by Henri Salvador but this did not chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

"Pow wow" by Les Chaussettes Noires (new at # 26) was an instrumental. It was actually released before "Il revient" (down to # 14) but did not chart in Bonjour Les Amis until afterward. It was on an all instrumental E.P. titled Instrumental; the record was listed in the chart under that title, though the hit was definitely "Pow wow".

Leny Escudero's "À malypense" (new at # 34) was later adapted into English as "Walking Alone", in which guise it became a U.K. hit for Richard Anthony.

There was no chart from the Spécial Blue Jeans programme in this issue.

Coming up: Issue 13

Cato

[CatoFur]

Issue 13

Published: 15 August 1963

This chart is slightly odd.

As published, the rankings in the "previous fortnight" column bear no resemblance to the chart as published in the previous issue. However, the rankings for the "previous month" column match exactly. It appears therefore that two charts were compiled, and the more recent one was published. It may be that the magazine had identified a quicker way of compiling the chart from readers' votes and so effectively "skipped" a fortnight to allow the chart to catch up. However, as there were no new entries in the more recent of the two charts (not unusual in the summer, when there were no new releases), it is possible to compile the missing chart. I therefore list both charts below.
Chart (1) appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 30 June 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are ten new entries and one re-entry.

1. (3.) "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" ("Bachelor Boy") - Claude François
2. (1.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
3. (12.) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
4. (7.) "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes
5. (8.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Sylvie Vartan
6. (2.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Richard Anthony
7. (4.) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
8. (5.) "L'amour s'en va" - Françoise Hardy
9. (21.) "Let's Turkey Trot" - Little Eva
10. (23.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley

11. (9.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell
12. (NEW) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
13. (15.) "Le temps de l'amour" ("Fort Chabrol") - Françoise Hardy
14. (NEW) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
15. (NEW) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
16. (11.) "Tais-toi petite folle" ("Foolish Little Girl") - Tiny Yong
17. (NEW) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo
18. (14.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
19. (NEW) "Lucky Lips" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
20. (16.) "Demain j'ai 17 ans" - Alice Dona

21. (10.) "Elle est terrible" ("Somethin' Else") - Johnny Hallyday
22. (34.) "À malypense" - Leny Escudero
23. (25.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
24. (NEW) "Ain't That A Shame" - The 4 Seasons
25. (19.) "Ruby, Baby" - Dion
26. (26.) "Pow wow" - Les Chaussettes Noires
27. (20.) "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell
28. (NEW) "Mr. Bass Man" - Johnny Cymbal
29. (17.) "Crazy Beat" - Gene Vincent
30. (RE.) " Tell Him" - The Exciters

31. (24.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Sylvie Vartan
32. (27.) "Loop de loop" - Frank Alamo
33. (30.) "Out Of This World" - Les Players
34. (NEW) "Lovesick Blues" - The Ventures
35. (31.) "(The Night Time Is) The Right Time" - Ray Charles
36. (NEW) "Emmène-moi" - Les Chats Sauvages
37. (NEW) "Walk Right In" - The Rooftop Singers
38. (33.) "Filles" ("Things") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
39. (35.) "Wishin' And Hopin'" - Dionne Warwick
40. (28.) "Belles! Belles! Belles!" ("(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made To Love") - Claude François

Notes:

Johnny Hallyday's "Da dou ron ron" (new at # 12) was a cover of The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)".

Claude François' "Si tu veux être heureux" (new at # 15) was a cover of Jimmy Soul's "If You Wanna Be Happy".

Lucky Blondo's "L'autre nuit" (new at # 17) was a cover of Paul Anka's "Late Last Night".

The original version of Cliff Richard's "Lucky Lips" (new at # 19) was by Ruth Brown. Richard also recorded it in German as "Rote Lippen soll Mann küssen" and that version topped the German charts. The French version, "Sans amour", was by Ria Bartok but her version did not chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

The original version of The 4 Season's "Ain't That A Shame" was by Fats Domino, whose 1955 single was actually titled "Ain't It A Shame". The band's arrangement was borrowed for the French version, "C'est bien fini" by Michel Laurent, although that version did not chart.

Johnny Cymbal's "Mr. Bass Man" (new at # 28) was later covered by Henri Salvador as "Monsieur Boum Boum", but that version did not chart in Bonjour Les Amis.

The Ventures' "Lovesick Blues" (new at # 34) was an instrumental version of Hank Williams' song of the same name, probably inspired by the recent revival by UK-based Australian country-pop singer, Frank Ifield.

The original version of The Rooftop Singers' "Walk Right In" (new at # 37) was by Gus Cannon. The French version was "Marche tout droit", was recorded by Frankie Jordan, whose version did not chart in Bonjour Les Amis, and by Claude François, on the same E.P. as "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" (up to # 1).

Chart (2) appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 15 July 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are no new entries.

1. (3.) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
2. (2.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
3. (12.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
4. (15.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
5. (5.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Sylvie Vartan
6. (17.) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo
7. (4.) "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes
8. (14.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
9. (6.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Richard Anthony
10. (19.) "Lucky Lips" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows

11. (8.) "L'amour s'en va" - Françoise Hardy
12. (10.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
13. (7.) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
14. (23.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
15. (25.) "Ruby, Baby" - Dion
16. (9.) "Let's Turkey Trot" - Little Eva
17. (11.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell
18. (13.) "Le temps de l'amour" ("Fort Chabrol") - Françoise Hardy
19. (16.) "Tais-toi petite folle" ("Foolish Little Girl") - Tiny Yong
20. (26.) "Pow wow" - Les Chaussettes Noires

21. (1.) "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" ("Bachelor Boy") - Claude François
22. (18.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
23. (21.) "Elle est terrible" ("Somethin' Else") - Johnny Hallyday
24. (20.) "Demain j'ai 17 ans" - Alice Dona
25. (24.) "Ain't That A Shame" - The 4 Seasons
26. (30.) " Tell Him" - The Exciters
27. (27.) "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell
28. (31.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Sylvie Vartan
29. (28.) "Mr. Bass Man" - Johnny Cymbal
30. (32.) "Loop de loop" - Frank Alamo

31. (36.) "Emmène-moi" - Les Chats Sauvages
32. (37.) "Walk Right In" - The Rooftop Singers
33. (29.) "Crazy Beat" - Gene Vincent
34. (33.) "Out Of This World" - Les Players
35. (39.) "Wishin' And Hopin'" - Dionne Warwick
36. (34.) "Lovesick Blues" - The Ventures
37. (35.) "(The Night Time Is) The Right Time" - Ray Charles
38. (38.) "Filles" ("Things") - Lucky Blondo et les Lucky Stars
39. (40.) "Belles! Belles! Belles!" ("(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made To Love") - Claude François
40. (22.) "À malypense" - Leny Escudero

There was once again no chart for Spécial Blue Jeans in this issue

Coming up: Issue 14

Cato

[CatoFur]

Issue 14

Published: 1 September 1963

Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 31 July 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are eleven new entries.

1. (3.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
2. (4.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
3. (8.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
4. (1.) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
5. (NEW) "Qui aime-t-il vraiment?" ("Your Nose Is Gonna Grow") - Françoise Hardy
6. (2.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
7. (6.) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo
8. (10.) "Lucky Lips" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
9. (5.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Sylvie Vartan
10. (NEW) "Des bises de moi pour toi" ("From Me To You") - Claude François

11. (12.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
12. (14.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
13. (15.) "Ruby, Baby" - Dion
14. (NEW) "On dit de lui” (“It’s Gonna Take Me Some Time”) - Françoise Hardy
15. (NEW) "La longue marche" - Eddy Mitchell
16. (NEW) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Frank Alamo
17. (NEW) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
18. (22.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
19. (7.) "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes
20. (NEW) "Atlantis" - The Shadows

21. (NEW) "Hey, hey, hey" - Jamy Olivier
22. (13.) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
23. (20.) "Pow wow" - Les Chaussettes Noires
24. (NEW) "Vous souvenez-vous" ("I Remember You") - Lucky Blondo
25. (NEW) "Il a le truc" ("He's Got The Power") - Les Gam's
26. (16.) "Let's Turkey Trot" - Little Eva
27. (34.) "Out Of This World" - Les Players
28. (26.) " Tell Him" - The Exciters
29. (17.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell
30. (18.) "Le temps de l'amour" ("Fort Chabrol") - Françoise Hardy

31. (19.) "Tais-toi petite folle" ("Foolish Little Girl") - Tiny Yong
32. (31.) "Emmène-moi" - Les Chats Sauvages
33. (NEW) "Watermelon Man" - Mongo Santamaria
34. (21.) "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" ("Bachelor Boy") - Claude François
35. (23.) "Elle est terrible" ("Somethin' Else") - Johnny Hallyday
36. (24.) "Demain j'ai 17 ans" - Alice Dona
37. (25.) "Ain't That A Shame" - The 4 Seasons
38. (27.) "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell
39. (37.) "(The Night Time Is) The Right Time" - Ray Charles
40. (36.) "Lovesick Blues" - The Ventures

Notes:

The new entry at #5 (“Qui aime-t-il vraiment” by Françoise Hardy) was a cover of Johnny Crawford’s “Your Nose Is Gonna Grow”.

Claude François’ “Des bises de moi pour toi” (new at #10) was a cover of The Beatles’ “From Me To You”. This was the first time that a Beatles song showed up in the charts in Bonjour les Amis. It would not be the last!

Françoise Hardy’s “On dit de lui” (new at #14) was a cover of Connie Francis’s “It’s Gonna Take Me Some Time”

Frank Alamo’s “Da dou ron ron” (new at #16) was, like the version by Johnny Hallyday at #1, a cover of the Crystals’ “Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked me Home)”.

The original version of Richard Anthony’s “les beaux jours” (new at #17) was “Wildwood Days” by Bobby Rydell.

Lucky Blondo’s “Vous souvenez-vous” (new at #24) was a cover of Frank Ifield’s “I Remember You”, although Ifield’s version was itself a revival of a song first recorded in 1941 by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra.

“Il a le truc” by Les Gam’s (new at #25) was a cover of the Exciters’ “He’s Got the Power”. The French version was also recorded by Harold Nicholas, but his version did not make this chart. Les Gam’s really did spell their name with an apostrophe in the misguided belief that it looked “more English”.

The original version of Mongo Santamaria’s “Watermelon Man” (new at #33) was by Herbie Hancock. There was a French language cover (“Marchand de melons” by Les Bretel’s (yep, another daft apostrophe)) but that version did not chart.

There was once again no chart for Spécial Blue Jeans in this issue

Coming up: Issue 15

Cato

[CatoFur]

By the way, if any members here are interested in the French pop music of this period, you could check out my new book. "French Pop: From Music Hall To Yé-Yé"...

https://books.google.co.uk/books/abo...on&redir_esc=y

Cato.

[CatoFur]

Issue 15

Published: 15 September 1963

Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 15 August 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are eleven new entries.

1. (1.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
2. (3.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
3. (2.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
4. (5.) "Qui aime-t-il vraiment?" ("Your Nose Is Gonna Grow") - Françoise Hardy
5. (17.) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
6. (4.) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
7. (NEW) "Que ton cœur me soit fidèle" ("Second Fiddle Girl") - Les Fantômes
8. (8.) "Lucky Lips" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
9. (7.) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo
10. (11.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley

11. (15.) "La longue marche" - Eddy Mitchell
12. (9.) "En écoutant la pluie" ("Rhythm Of The Rain") - Sylvie Vartan
13. (10.) "Des bises de moi pour toi" ("From Me To You") - Claude François
14. (NEW) "La longue marche" - Les Champions
15. (NEW) "Rêver d'un garçon" - Claudine Coppin
16. (12.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
17. (NEW) "Honky Tonk Trumpet" - Dave Bartholomew
18. (NEW) "My Block" - The Four Pennies
19. (NEW) "Spécial blue-jeans" - Dany Logan
20. (19.) "Loop de loop" - Les Fantômes

21. (NEW) "Big Noise From Winnetka" - Cozy Cole
22. (20.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows
23. (16.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Frank Alamo
24. (21.) "Hey, hey, hey" - Jamy Olivier
25. (13.) "Ruby, Baby" - Dion
26. (14.) "On dit de lui" - Françoise Hardy
27. (NEW) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
28. (NEW) "Just A Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody" - Louis Prima
29. (18.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
30. (24.) "Vous souvenez-vous" ("I Remember You") - Lucky Blondo

31. (27.) "Out Of This World" - Les Players
32. (6.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
33. (32.) "Emmène-moi" - Les Chats Sauvages
34. (29.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell
35. (NEW) "Hey, hey, hey" - Franck et Johnny
36. (33.) "Watermelon Man" - Mongo Santamaria
37. (38.) "Oui je t'aime" - Eddy Mitchell
38. (34.) "Moi je voudrais bien me marier" ("Bachelor Boy") - Claude François
39. (30.) "Le temps de l'amour" ("Fort Chabrol") - Françoise Hardy
40. (NEW) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Laura Villa

Notes:

Les Fantômes’ “Que ton coeur me soit fidèle” (new at #7) was an instrumental cover of Petula Clark’s recent hit (as featured in the Spécial Blue Jeans chart a few months earlier), which was itself a cover of Barbara Lynn’s “Second Fiddle Girl”.

Les Champions’ “La longue marche” (new at #14) was an instrumental cover of the Eddy Mitchell hit (currently at #11)

The Four Pennies’ “My Block” (new at #18) was actuallyrecorded by The Chiffons in disguise. The French EP issue (and this chart) actually credited The Chiffons, but the international release was credited to the Four Pennies, so I have used that credit here.

Dany Logan’s “Spécial blue jeans” (new at #19) was, as might have been expected, the theme tune to the Radio Andorra programme of the same name.

Cozy Cole’s “Big Noise From Winnetka” (new at #21) was a revival of an old jazz hit by Bob Crosby and His Orchestra.

Sylvie Vartan’s “Watching You” (new at 27) was written by Paul Anka, although Vartan’s version was released ahead of Anka’s own recording. It was later recorded as “Every Little Move You Maske” by Little Peggy March.

Louis Prima’s medley of “Just A Gigolo” and “I Ain’t Got Nobody” was a reissue of a recording Prima had first issued in the fifties. “Just A Gigolo” was adapted from the Austrian song “Schöner Gigolo”, as recorded by Dajos Béla’s Tango-Orchester in 1929. Prima’s arrangement would be discofied by French producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo for The Village People in 1978.

Franck et Johnny’s “Hey. hey. hey” (new at #35) was incorrectly listed as “Hey, hey” in the printed chart. I have corrected it here.

Laura Villa’s “Da dou ron ron” (new at #40) was, like the versions by Johnny Hallyday (#1) and Frank Alamo (#23), a cover of the Crystals’ “Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)”.

There was once again no chart for Spécial Blue Jeans in this issue

Coming up: Issue 16

[CatoFur]

Issue 16

Published: 1 October 1963

Once again, the published chart is slightly odd. As published, the rankings in the "previous fortnight" column bear no resemblance to the chart as published in the previous issue. However, again, the rankings for the "previous month" column match exactly. It appears therefore that, for the second time, two charts were compiled, and the more recent one was published. However, as on this occasion there were several new entries in the more recent of the two charts, it is not possible to compile the missing chart in its entirety. I therefore list both charts below, although the first one will have several gaps.

Chart (1) appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 31 August 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are fourteen new entries but there are also five missing titles, so nineteen titles have fallen out since the previous chart; it is likely that some, if not all of the missing titles come from among these nineteen. The most likely candidates are Sheila's "L'école est finie" and Eddy Mitchell's "Be bop a lula '63", both of which would re-enter the chart in the following issue.

1. (1.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
2. (3.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
3. (2.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
4. (8.) "Lucky Lips" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
5. (27.) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
6. (5.) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
7. (13.) "Des bises de moi pour toi" ("From Me To You") - Claude François
8. (9.) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo
9. (4.) "Qui aime-t-il vraiment?" ("Your Nose Is Gonna Grow") - Françoise Hardy
10. (7.) "Que ton cœur me soit fidèle" ("Second Fiddle Girl") - Les Fantômes

11. (NEW) "Quand une fille me plaît" ("Big Noise From Winnetka") - Eddy Mitchell
12. (29.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
13. (NEW) "Allons, reviens danser" ("Dancing Shoes") - Les Chats Sauvages
14. (6.) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday
15. (22.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows
16. (NEW) "Si tu penses" ("Little Town Flirt") - Eddy Mitchell
17. (NEW) "Les clous d'or" - Sylvie Vartan
18. (10.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
19. (24.) "Hey, hey, hey" - Jamy Olivier
20. (14.) "La longue marche" - Les Champions

21. (15.) "Rêver d'un garçon" - Claudine Coppin
22. (19.) "Spécial blue-jeans" - Dany Logan
23. (NEW) "C'est elle" - Les Pirates
24. (16.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
25.
26.
27. (NEW) "Maman m'a dit" (“Mama Didn’t Lie”) - Nathalie Degand
28. (NEW) "Sideral" - Dave Wilson
29. (23.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Frank Alamo
30. (NEW) "Never More" - The Furys

31. (NEW) "Une fille comme toi" (“The Shape I’m In”) - Les Chats Sauvages
32. (NEW) "Misirlou" - Dick Dale and the Deltones
33.
34. (RE.) "Il a le truc" ("He's Got The Power") - Les Gam's
35. (NEW) "Jézebel" - Les Chaussettes Noires
36. (NEW) "Do The Bird" - Dee Dee Sharp
37. (NEW) "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons
38.
39. (31.) "Out Of This World" - Les Players
40.

Notes:

Eddy Mitchell’s “Quand une fille me plaît” (new at # 11) was a cover of Cozy Cole’s revival of “Big Noise From Winnetka”, which had just left the chart. The original version of “Si tu penses” (new at # 16)was “Little Town Flirt” by Del Shannon.

Les Chats Sauvages’ “Allons, reviens danser” (new at # 13) was a cover of Cliff Richard and the Shadows’ Dancing Shoes”. “Une fille comme toi” (new at # 31) was a cover of Johnny Restivo’s “The Shape I’m In”

Les Pirates’ “C’est elle” (new at # 23) was from the band’s first (and as it turned out, only) EP release since frontman Dany Logan had quit for a solo career. The new vocalist was Tony Morgan.

The original version of Natalie Degand’s “Maman m’a dit” (new at #27) was “Mama Didn’t Lie”, written by Curtis Mayfield and recorded by Jan Bradley.

Dave Wilson’s “Sideral” (new at # 28) was a surf-styled guitar instrumental.

“Jézebel” by Les Chaussettes Noires (new at # 35) was a revival of the old Frankie Laine hit from the fifties, using the same Charles Aznavour-penned lyric as the earlier French version by Édith Piaf.

Chart (2) appears to cover the fortnight ending no later than 15 September 1963. Previous positions in parentheses. There are four new entries but there is also one missing title as the number 40 position was left blank, presumably in error. As whatever it was did not feature in the following issue's chart, its identity is lost forever.

1. (1.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
2. (2.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
3. (3.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
4. (5.) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
5. (4.) "Lucky Lips" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
6. (16.) "Si tu penses" ("Little Town Flirt") - Eddy Mitchell
7. (6.) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
8. (10.) "Que ton cœur me soit fidèle" ("Second Fiddle Girl") - Les Fantômes
9. (12.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
10. (8.) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo

11. (21.) "Rêver d'un garçon" - Claudine Coppin
12. (9.) "Qui aime-t-il vraiment?" ("Your Nose Is Gonna Grow") - Françoise Hardy
13. (11.) "Quand une fille me plaît" ("Big Noise From Winnetka") - Eddy Mitchell
14. (13.) "Allons, reviens danser" ("Dancing Shoes") - Les Chats Sauvages
15. (15.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows
16. (22.) "Spécial blue-jeans" - Dany Logan
17. (7.) "Des bises de moi pour toi" ("From Me To You") - Claude François
18. (17.) "Les clous d'or" - Sylvie Vartan
19. (18.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
20. (14.) "T'as qu'seize ans" ("You're Sixteen") - Johnny Hallyday

21. (20.) "La longue marche" - Les Champions
22. (34.) "Il a le truc" ("He's Got The Power") - Les Gam's
23. (NEW) "Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" - The Crystals
24. (24.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
25. (23.) "C'est elle" - Les Pirates
26. (27.) "Maman m'a dit" - Nathalie Degand
27. (29.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Frank Alamo
28. (35.) "Jézebel" - Les Chaussettes Noires
29. (NEW) "N'oublie pas" - Sophie
30. (NEW) "Le five" - Les Célibataires

31. (37.) "One Fine Day" - The Chiffons
32. (31.) "Une fille comme toi" - Les Chats Sauvages
33. (36.) "Do The Bird" - Dee Dee Sharp
34. (30.) "Never More" - The Furys
35. (NEW) "Dam dam" - Michèle et ses Wouaps
36. (32.) "Misirlou" - Dick Dale and the Deltones
37. (19.) "Hey, hey, hey" - Jamy Olivier
38. (39.) "Out Of This World" - Les Players
39. (28.) "Sideral" - Dave Wilson
40.

Notes:

"Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" by The Crystals (new at # 23) finally joins the French version by Johnny Hallyday (holidng at # 1) in the chart.

There was once again no chart for Spécial Blue Jeans in this issue

Coming up: Issue 17

Cato

[CatoFur]

Issue 17

Published: 30 September 1963

Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending just before publication. Previous positions in parentheses. There are twenty-two new entries and three re-entries.

1. (2.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
2. (NEW) "Baby Blue" - Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps
3. (RE.) "La longue marche" - Eddy Mitchell
4. (4.) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
5. (3.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
6. (1.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
7. (NEW) "File, file, file" ("My Little Girl") - Frank Alamo
8. (NEW) "(You're The) Devil In Disguise" - Elvis Presley
9. (7.) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
10. (NEW) "Demain tu te maries (arrête, arrête, ne me touches pas)" - Patricia Carli

11. (NEW) "Elle est trop loin" - Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
12. (5.) "Lucky Lips" - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
13. (NEW) "Fingertips (Part Two)" - Little Stevie Wonder
14. (NEW) "Je reviendrai" (I’m Going Home (To See My Baby)”) - Eddy Mitchell
15. (NEW) "Elle était si jolie" - Alain Barrière
16. (15.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows
17. (24.) "Tu te reconnaîtras" - Leny Escudero
18. (10.) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo
19. (NEW) "Somethin' Else" - Eddy Cochran
20. (NEW) "Nous on est dans le vent" - Michel Paje

21. (NEW) "String Along" - Rick Nelson
22. (RE.) "L'école est finie" - Sheila
23. (NEW) "Losing You" ("Connais-tu?") - Brenda Lee
24. (NEW) "When I'm Walking (Let Me Walk)" - Fats Domino
25. (19.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
26. (NEW) "Panorama" - Les Aiglons
27. (13.) "Quand une fille me plaît" ("Big Noise From Winnetka") - Eddy Mitchell
28. (12.) "Qui aime-t-il vraiment?" ("Your Nose Is Gonna Grow") - Françoise Hardy
29. (17.) "Des bises de moi pour toi" ("From Me To You") - Claude François
30. (21.) "La longue marche" - Les Champions

31. (NEW) "Twenty Flight Rock" - Eddie Cochran
32. (NEW) "La plaza des Toros" ("The Lonely Bull") - Petula Clark
33. (9.) "Il revient" ("Say Mama") - Les Chaussettes Noires
34. (NEW) "Les fenêtres" - Jacques Brel
35. (NEW) "Sortez sans moi" - Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
36. (NEW) "Spécial blue-jeans" - Les Fingers
37. (NEW) "Le ciel est si beau ce soir" ("A Song For Young Love") - Richard Anthony
38. (NEW) "Laisse parler ton cœur" ("Let's Make A Memory") - Dick Rivers
39. (NEW) "Hully Bach" - Les Fantômes
40. (RE.) "Be bop a lula '63" - Eddy Mitchell

Notes:

Frank Alamo’s “Fle, file, file” (new at # 7) was a cover of The Crickets’ “My Little Girl”.

Elvis Presley’s “(You’re The) Devil In Disguise” (new at # 8) would subsequently be covered by both Eddy Mitchell and Johnny Hallyday as “Tu nas rien de tout ça”.

Danyel Gérard’s “Elle est trop loin” (new at #11) was later recorded, with an appropriate gender change, as “Il est trop loin” by Françoise Hardy.

The original version of Eddy Mitchell’s “Je reviendrai” (new at # 14) was “I’m Going Home (To See My Baby) by Gene Vincent with Sounds Incorporated.

Alain Barrière’s “Elle était si jolie” (new at # 15) was the French entry in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest. He didn’t win but his song was a minor US hit as “Sara Darling” for George Maharis.

Brenda Lee’s “Losing You” (new at # 23) was a revival of a 1960 recording by John Renard, “Connais-tu?”, better known in the 1961 recording by Tino Rossi.

The original version of Petula Clark’s “Plaza des Toros” (new at # 32) was “The Lonely Bull” by The Tijuana Brass, although that version also carried a faux-Spanish title, “El solo toro” to create the impression that it was a Mexican tune.

“Spécial blue jeans” by Les Fingers (new at # 36) was, unsurprisingly, the theme tune to Radio Andorra’s teenage programme of the same name. The vocal version by Dany Logan had been a hit earlier in the year.

Richard Anthony’s “Le ciel est si beau ce soir” (new at #37) was a cover of The Lettermen’s “A Song For Young Love”.

The original version of Dick Rivers’ “Laisse parler ton coeur” (new at # 38) was “Let’s Make A Memory” by Cliff Richard.

There was once again no chart for Spécial Blue Jeans in this issue, although it would return in the next one.

Coming up: Issue 18

Cato

[Paul Nareff]

Suddenly your posts arrive more quickly, which is great, but I'm slowly catching up.
I'm sure you are right about the two listings for issue #13.
I had found some discrepancies between the fortnightly charts in May and June, and the one from August 15.
So this fills up the gap. Thank You !

[CatoFur]

Issue 18

Published: 15 October 1963

Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending just before publication. Previous positions in parentheses. There are twelve new entries and one re-entry.

1. (NEW) "Ma guitare" - Johnny Hallyday
2. (4.) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
3. (1.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
4. (2.) "Baby Blue" - Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps
5. (8.) "(You're The) Devil In Disguise" - Elvis Presley
6. (14.) "Je reviendrai" - Eddy Mitchell
7. (9.) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
8. (5.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
9. (6.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
10. (NEW) "T'en vas pas comme ça" ("Don't Make Me Over") - Nancy Holloway

11. (11.) "Elle est trop loin" - Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
12. (38.) "Laisse parler ton cœur" ("Let's Make A Memory") - Dick Rivers
13. (18.) "L'autre nuit" ("Late Last Night') - Lucky Blondo
14. (7.) "File, file, file" ("My Little Girl") - Frank Alamo
15. (13.) "Fingertips (Part Two)" - Little Stevie Wonder
16. (21.) "String Along" - Rick Nelson
17. (NEW) "Je ne danserai plus jamais" ("I'll Never Dance Again") - Johnny Hallyday
18. (26.) "Panorama" - Les Aiglons
19. (16.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows
20. (NEW) "Say Mama" - Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps

21. (25.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
22. (NEW) "C'est pas prudent" - Alice Dona
23. (NEW) "J'ai tout oublié" - Petula Clark
24. (NEW) "C'est ma fête" ("It's My Party") - Richard Anthony
25. (23.) "Losing You" ("Connais-tu?") - Brenda Lee
26. (RE.) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
27. (29.) "Des bises de moi pour toi" ("From Me To You") - Claude François
28. (NEW) "Stalactite" - Les Aiglons
29. (NEW) "I Can’t Go On (Rosalie)" – Dion and thre Belmonts
30. (27.) "Quand une fille me plaît" ("Big Noise From Winnetka") - Eddy Mitchell

31. (NEW) "Mais oui, baby" ("Maybe Baby") - Dick Rivers
32. (15.) "Elle était si jolie" - Alain Barrière
33. (NEW) "No One" - Ray Charles
34. (32.) "La plaza des toros" ("El toro solo") - Petula Clark
35. (37.) "Le ciel est si beau ce soir" ("A Song For Young Lovers") - Richard Anthony
36. (20.) "Nous on est dans le vent" - Michel Paje
37. (30.) "La longue marche" - Les Champions
38. (NEW) "J'ai un secret à te dire" ("Do You Want To Know A Secret") - Lucky Blondo
39. (28.) "Qui aime-t-il vraiment?" ("Your Nose Is Gonna Grow") - Françoise Hardy
40. (36.) "Spécial blue-jeans" - Les Fingers

Notes:

The new entry at # 1 for Johnny Hallyday., “Ma guitare”, was from the soundtrack to his box office hit D’ou viens-tu, Johnny?. “Je ne danserai plus jamais2 (new at #17) was a cover of Bobby Rydell’s “I’ll Never Dance Again” and was on the same EP as his chart topping “Da dou ron ron”; with the latter now in decline, the chart switched over to this track.

Nancy Holloway’s “T’en vas pas comme ça” (new at # 10) was a cover of Dionne Warwick’s “Don’t Make Me Over”.

Gene Vincent’s “Say Mama” (new at # 20) had already been a chart hit in French covers (as “Il revient”) by both Sylvie Vartan and Les Chaussettes Noires.

Petula Clark’s “J’ai tout oublié” (new at # 23) was actually on the same EP as her “Plaza des Toros” (still charting at # 34), even though this was supposed to be a record chart. Oops….

Richard Anthony’s “C’est ma fête” (new at # 24) was a cover of Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party”.

“Stalactite” (new at # 8) was actually Les Aiglons’ first release, and had been a significant hit during the summer on Salut Les Copains. It finally joined the band’s second release “Panorama” (rising to # 18) in this chart.

Dion and the Belmonts’ “I Can’t Go On (Rosalie)” (new at #29) was incorrectly listed as “Rosalie” in the chart (it was listed as “Rosalie (I Can’t Go On)” on the French EP sleeve). It was also incorrectly credited as a Dion solo release, both on the record sleeve and in the chart. I have corrected both the artist credit and title in the chart above.

The original version of Dick Rivers’ “Mais oui, baby” (new at # 31) was “Maybe Baby” by The Crickets.

The original version of Lucky Blondo’s “J’ai un secret à te dire” (new at # 38) was “Do You Want To Know A Secret” by The Beatles, although Blondo most probably picked it up via the UK hit version by Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas.

This issue also saw the return of the Spécial Blue Jeans chart, drawn from votes by listeners to the Radio Andorra programme of that name. The chart noted that these were the most requested titles during September, and was a top twelve. The were however a further fourteen songs listed below the chart as “very well placed”; as these are not in alphabetical order, it seems that these continue on from the top twelve to make twenty-six places in all, so I have numbered them accordingly. Rival versions of the same song were listed together (alphabetically by artist) in the chart, so I have shown them as such below. Unlike the magazine’s main chart, the Spécial Blue Jeans chart was overwhelmingly dominated by French recordings – only three foreign acts make the listing.

=1. “Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Frank Alamo
=1. “Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Johnny Hallyday
2. “Pendant les vacances” (“All I Have To Do Is Dream”) – Sheila
3. “Si tu veux être heureux” (“if You Want To Be Happy”) – Claude François
=4. “Spécial blue jeans” – Les Fingers
=4. “Spécial blue jeans” – Dany Logan
5. “I’m Watching” – Sylvie Vartan
6. “L’autre nuit” (“Late last Night”) – Lucky Blondo
7. “Les beaux jours” (“Wildwood Days”) – Richard Anthony
8. “Si tu penses” (“Little Town Flirt”) – Eddy Mitchell
9. “Lucky Lips” – Cliff Richard and the Shadows
10. “Plaza des Toros” (“The Lonely Bull (El solo toro)”) – Petula Clark

11. “Qui aime-t-il vraiment” (“Your Nose Is Gonna Grow”) – Françoise Hardy
12. Rêver d’un garçon – Claudine Coppin
13. “La vie est belle” (“Killer Joe”) - Sheila
14. “Je ne danserai plus jamais” (“I’ll Never Dance Again”) – Johnny Hallyday
15. “Première surprise partie” - Sheila
16. “C’est ma fête” (“It’s my Party”) – Richard Anthony
17. “Pauvre petite fille riche” – Claude François
18. “Il y a tellement de filles” – Petula Clark
19. “L’école est finie” – Sheila
20. “Ne perds pas la tête” – Nicole Legendre

21. “Quand une fille me plaît” (“Big Noise From Winnetka”) – Eddy Mitchell
22. C’est toi mon chou-chou” - Sophie
23. “Tu te reconnaîtras” – Leny Escudero
=24. “Il a le truc” (“He’s Got The Power”) – “Les Gam’s
=24. “He’s Got The Power” – The Exciters
25. “J’ai rendez-vous avec lui” – Natalie Degand
26. “Atlantis” – The Shadows

Notes:

Sheila’s “Pendant les vacances” (at # 2) was a revival of The Everly Brothers’ “All I Have To Do Is Dream” and was on the same EP as “La vie est belle” (at # 13) and “Première surprise-partie” (at # 15). The original version of “La vie est belle” was “Killer Joe” by The Rocky Fellers.

Claude François’ “Pauvre petite fille riche” (at # 17) was on the same EP as “Si tu veux être heureux” (at # 3).

“Il y a tellement de filles” by Petula Clark (at # 18) was on the same EP as her “Plaza des Toros” (at # 10).

Nicole Legendre, who was at # 20 with “Ne perds pas la tête”, was formerly one-half of vocal duo Les Ruby Baby.

“Il a le truc” by Les Gam’s (at # 24) was a cover of The Exciters’ “He’s Got the Power”, which shared the same position. It was also recorded by Harold Nicholas, although his version did not chart.

There were also two further listings in the Spécial Blue Jeans section of the magazine: a list of the most popular singers and a list of the most popular instrumental groups, as voted by listeners to the programme.

Singers:

1. Sheila
2. Johnny Hallyday
3. Claude François
4. Petula Clark
5. Richard Anthony
6. Eddy Mitchell
7. Frank Alamo
8. Françoise Hardy
9. Sylvie Vartan
10. Dany Logan

11. Lucky Blondo
12. Leny Escudero
13. Claudine Coppin
14. Sophie

Groups:

1. Les Fingers
2. The Shadows
3. The Spotnicks
4. Les Fantômes
5. Les Champions
6. Les Players
7. Les Aiglons

Coming up: Issue 19

Cato

[CatoFur]

Published: 31 October 1963
Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending just before publication. Previous positions in parentheses. There are twelve new entries and one re-entry.

1. (1.) "Ma guitare" - Johnny Hallyday
2. (RE.) "On dit de lui" - Françoise Hardy
3. (NEW) "Le sifflet des copains" - Sheila
4. (5.) "(You're The) Devil In Disguise" - Elvis Presley
5. (NEW) "Ma biche" ('Sweets For My Sweet") - Frank Alamo
6. (3.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François
7. (NEW) "À plein cœur" - Johnny Hallyday
8. (4.) "Baby Blue" - Gene Vincent
9. (NEW) "Shazam" - The Shadows
10. (6.) "Je reviendrai" - Eddy Mitchell

11. (2.) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
12. (NEW) "Ol' Man River" - Ray Charles
13. (10.) "T'en vas pas comme ça" ("Don't Make Me Over") - Nancy Holloway
14. (18.) "Panorama" - Les Aiglons
15. (9.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
16. (NEW) "Skinny Jim" - Eddie Cochran
17. (11.) "Elle est trop loin" - Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
18. (7.) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
19. (8.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
20. (21.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley

21. (14.) "File, file, file" ("My Little Girl") - Frank Alamo
22. (12.) "Laisse parler ton cœur" ("Let's Make A Memory") - Dick Rivers
23. (NEW) "Ouki kouki" ("Kookie Ookie") - Sheila
24. (NEW) "Attention! Accident!" ("Shut Down") - Les Gam's
25. (25.) "Losing You" ("Connais-tu?") - Brenda Lee
26. (NEW) "Sweets For My Sweet" - The Searchers
27. (26.) "Les bras en croix" - Johnny Hallyday
28. (31.) "Mais oui, baby" ("Maybe Baby") - Dick Rivers
29. (NEW) "Les malheurs de Sylvie" - The Sunlights
30. (19.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows

31. (28.) "Stalactite" - Les Aiglons
32. (16.) "String Along" - Rick Nelson
33. (15.) "Fingertips (Part Two)" - Little Stevie Wonder
34. (30.) "Quand une fille me plaît" ("Big Noise From Winnetka") - Eddy Mitchell
35. (27.) "Des bises de moi pour toi" ("From Me To You") - Claude François
36. (34.) "La plaza des toros" ("El toro solo") - Petula Clark
37. (NEW) "La mer" - Cliff Richard
38. (37.) "La longue marche" - Les Champions
39. (39.) "Qui aime-t-il vraiment?" ("Your Nose Is Gonna Grow") - Françoise Hardy
40. (NEW) "Western Guitar" - The Spotnicks

Notes:

The original version of Frank Alamo’s “Ma biche” (new at #5) was The Drifters’ “Sweets For My Sweet”, although Alamo’s version was modelled on the arrangement by The Searchers (new at #26).

The original version of The Shadows’ “Shazam” (new at # 9) was by Duane Eddy. It was also available in a version by French instrumental outfit Les Fantômes.

Ray Charles’ “Ol’ Man River” (new at #12) was a revival of the famous song from the musical Showboat. It is best remembered in the version by Paul Robeson.

Sheila’s “Ouki kouki” (new at #23) was a cover of “Kookie Ookie” by The Sinceres.

The original version of Les Gam’s’ “Attention! Accident” (new at #24) was The Beach Boys’ “Shut Down”.

The Sunlights’ “Les malheurs de Sylvie” (new at #29) was the theme from a radio series loosely built around Sylvie Vartan.

Cliff Richard’s “La mer” (new at #37) was indeed sung in French. It was a revival of Charles Trenet’s classic from the forties, first recorded by Roland Gerbeau. It is best known in the English-speaking world as “Beyond The Sea”, a big hit for Bobby Darin a couple of years earlier.

This issue again featured the Spécial Blue Jeans chart, drawn from votes by listeners to the Radio Andorra programme of that name. The chart noted that these were the most requested titles between 1^st and 15^th October, and was again top twelve. The were however a further fifteen songs listed below the chart as “very well placed”; as these are not in alphabetical order, it seems that these continue on from the top twelve to make twenty-seven places in all, so I have numbered them accordingly. I have also noted gthe positions from the previous chart in parentheses. Rival versions of the same song were again listed together (alphabetically by artist) in the chart, so I have shown them as such below. The Spécial Blue Jeans chart for this issue was entirely comprised of French recordings - no foreign acts made the listing.

1. (NEW) “Ma guitare” – Johnnhy Hallyday
=2. (1.)“Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Frank Alamo
=2 (1.) “Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Johnny Hallyday
3. (5.) “I’m Watching” – Sylvie Vartan
4. (NEW) “Le sifflet des copains” - Sheila
=5 (4.) “Spécial blue jeans” – Les Fingers
=5. (4.) “Spécial blue jeans” – Dany Logan
6. (17.) “Pauvre petite fille riche” – Claude François
7. (6.) “L’autre nuit” (“Late last Night”) – Lucky Blondo
8. (NEW) “Le ciel est si beau ce soir” (“A Song For Young Love”) – Richard Anthony
9. (21.) “Quand une fille me plaît” (“Big Noise From Winnetka”) – Eddy Mitchell
10. (18.) “Il y a tellement de filles” – Petula Clark

11. (11.) “Qui aime-t-il vraiment” (“Your Nose Is Gonna Grow”) – Françoise Hardy
12. (12.) “Rêver d’un garçon” – Claudine Coppin
13. (25.) “J’ai rendez-vous avec lui” – Natalie Degand
14. (20.) “Ne perds pas la tête” – Nicole Legendre
15. (23.) “Tu te reconnaîtras” – Leny Escudero
16. (NEW) “File, file, file” (“My Little Girl”) – Frank Alamo
17. (2.) “Pendant les vacances” (“All I Have To Do Is Dream”) – Sheila
18. (14.) “Je ne danserai plus jamais” (“I’ll Never Dance Again”) – Johnny Hallyday
19. (3.) “Si tu veux être heureux” (“if You Want To Be Happy”) – Claude François
20. (16.) “C’est ma fête” (“It’s my Party”) – Richard Anthony

21. (NEW) “Tu dis n’importe quoi” – Michel Paje
22. (NEW) “Des bises de moi pour toi” (“From Me To You”) – Claude François
23. (10.) “Plaza des Toros” (“The Lonely Bull (Elo solo toro)”) – Petula Clark
24. (NEW) “Quand un air vous possède” (“When My Little Girl Is Smiling”) – Johnny Hallyday
25. (13.) “La vie est belle” (“Killer Joe”) - Sheila
26. (19.) “L’école est finie” – Sheila
27. (22.) C’est toi mon chou-chou” - Sophie

Notes:

The original version of Johnny Hallyday’s “Quand un air vous possède” was The Drifters’ “When My Little Girl Is Smiling”, although he may have picked it up via one of the two UK hit versions, either by Jimmy Justice or by Craig Douglas. The French version was also recorded by Sophie on her debut EP (the one before that housing her current hit in this chart, “C’est toi mon chou chou”, at #27); her version shared chart honours with Hallyday in Salut les copains but did not chart on Spécial blue-jeans.

Coming up: Issue 20

Cato

[CatoFur]

Issue 20

Published: 15 November 1963

Chart appears to cover the fortnight ending just before publication. Previous positions in parentheses. There are thirteen new entries.

1. (NEW) "Si j'avais un marteau" ("If I Had A Hammer") - Claude François
2. (1.) "Ma guitare" - Johnny Hallyday
3. (NEW) "Rose (parmi les roses)" ("Sally Go 'Round The Roses") - Richard Anthony
4. (3.) "Le sifflet des copains" - Sheila
5 (4.) "(You're The) Devil In Disguise" - Elvis Presley
6. (5.) "Ma biche" ('Sweets For My Sweet") - Frank Alamo
7. (NEW) "La malvenue" - Leny Escudero
8. (16.) "Skinny Jim" - Eddie Cochran
9. (8.) "Baby Blue" - Gene Vincent
10. (NEW) "Reviens vite et oublie" ("Be My Baby") - Les Surfs

11. (NEW) "Then He Kissed Me" - The Crystals
12. (10.) "Je reviendrai" - Eddy Mitchell
13. (9.) "Shazam" - The Shadows
14. (NEW) "Et je m'en vais" ("Then He Kissed Me") - Richard Anthony
15. (13.) "T'en vas pas comme ça" ("Don't Make Me Over") - Nancy Holloway
16. (14.) "Panorama" - Les Aiglons
17. (11.) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
18. (NEW) "Blowin' In The Wind" - Marie Laforêt
19. (20.) "Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley
20. (6.) "Si tu veux être heureux" ("If You Wanna Be Happy") - Claude François

21. (12.) "Ol' Man River" - Ray Charles
22. (15.) "Da dou ron ron" ("Da Roo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)") - Johnny Hallyday
23. (NEW) "Shake It Baby" - John Lee Hooker
24. (18.) "Les beaux jours" ("Wildwood Days") - Richard Anthony
25. (NEW) "Surfin'" - Les Célibataires
26. (22.) "Laisse parler ton cœur" ("Let's Make A Memory") - Dick Rivers
27. (NEW) "Le pantin" - Michel Laurent
28. (25.) "Losing You" ("Connais-tu?") - Brenda Lee
29. (19.) "Première surprise-partie" - Sheila
30. (30.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows

31. (NEW) "On est heureux à 16 ans" ("Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen") - Billy Bridge
32. (17.) "Elle est trop loin" - Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
33. (NEW) "Sally Go 'Round The Roses" - The Jaynetts
34. (36.) "La plaza des toros" ("El toro solo") - Petula Clark
35. (32.) "String Along" - Rick Nelson
36. (NEW) "C'est bien fait pour toi" ("Judy's Turn To Cry") - Les Gam's
37. (29.) "Les malheurs de Sylvie" - The Sunlights
38. (38.) "La longue marche" - Les Champions
39. (33.) "Fingertips (Part Two)" - Little Stevie Wonder
40. (21.) "File, file, file" ("My Little Girl") - Frank Alamo

Notes:

Claude François’ “Si j’avais un marteau” (new at #1) was a cover of the Pete Seeger song “If I Had A Hammer”, as made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary, although François cribbed his arrangement from the contemporary version by Trini Lopez.

Richard Anthony’s “Rose (Parmi les roses)” (new at #3) was a cover of The Jaynetts’ “Sally Go Round The Roses” (new at #33). The French version was also recorded by Nana Mouskouri, but that version did not chart.

The original version of Les Surfs’ “Reviens vite et oublie” (new at #10) was “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes. The French version was also recorded by Frank Alamo on the same EP as “Ma biche” (dropping to #6).

The Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me” (new at #11) was recorded in French by Richard Anthony as “Et je m’en vais” (new at #14), which appeared on the same EP as “Rose (parmi les roses)”. Despite both being on the same disc, the songs charted separately in Bonjour les amis, suggesting that this was now a song, rather than a record chart.

Marie Laforêt’s recording of “Blowin’ In The Wind” (new at #18) was an English-language cover of the Bob Dylan song, as made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary. The French language version “Écoute dans le vent” would be recorded by RIchard Anthony a few months later.

“Surfin’” by Les Célibataires (new at #25) was a cover of The Beach Boys’ song of the same name.

Billy Bridge’s “On est heureux à seize ans” (new at #31) was a cover of Neil Sedaka’s “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen”.

Rhe original version of Les Gam’s’ “C’est bien fait pour toi” (new at #36) was “Judy’s Turn To Cry” by Lesley Gore.

This issue again featured the Spécial Blue Jeans chart, drawn from votes by listeners to the Radio Andorra programme of that name. The chart noted that these were the most requested titles between 15^th and 31^st October, and was once again a top twelve. There were however a further sixteen songs listed below the chart as “very well placed”; as these are not in alphabetical order, it seems that these continue on from the top twelve to make twenty-eight places in all, so I have numbered them accordingly. I have also noted the positions from the previous chart in parentheses. Rival versions of the same song were again listed together (alphabetically by artist) in the chart, so I have shown them as such below. There are sixteen news entries. The Spécial Blue Jeans chart for this issue was entirely comprised of French recordings - no foreign acts made the listing.

1. (1.) “Ma guitare” – Johnnhy Hallyday
2. (NEW) “Ouki kouki” (“Kookie Ookie”) – Sheila
3. (NEW) "Si j'avais un marteau" ("If I Had A Hammer") - Claude François
4. (4.) “Le sifflet des copains” - Sheila
5. (3.) “I’m Watching” – Sylvie Vartan
=6 (5.) “Spécial blue jeans” – Les Fingers
=6. (5.) “Spécial blue jeans” – Dany Logan
7. (NEW) “Le premier bonheur du jour” – Françoise Hardy
8. (NEW) “Ma biche” (“Sweets For My Sweet”) – Frank Alamo
9. (6.) “Pauvre petite fille riche” – Claude François
10. (7.) “L’autre nuit” (“Late last Night”) – Lucky Blondo

11. (9.) “Quand une fille me plaît” (“Big Noise From Winnetka”) – Eddy Mitchell
12. (10.) “Il y a tellement de filles” – Petula Clark
13. (NEW) "On est heureux à 16 ans" ("Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen") - Billy Bridge
=14. (2.) “Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Frank Alamo
=14 (2.) “Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Johnny Hallyday
15. (8.) “Le ciel est si beau ce soir” (“A Song For Young Love”) – Richard Anthony
16. (NEW) “Nous on est dans le vent” – Michel Paje
17. (NEW) “Ne vas pas prendre un tambour” – Françoise Hardy
18. (14.) “Ne perds pas la tête” – Nicole Legendre
19. (15.) “Tu te reconnaîtras” – Leny Escudero
20. (NEW) “Chante, chante, chante” (“Sing (And Tell The Blues So Long)”) – Sheila

21. (NEW) “Reviens vite et oublie” (“Be My Baby”) – Frank Alamo
22. (NEW) “Diggedle boeing” – Ria Bartok
23. (NEW) “Mon copain, mon amour” – Anne Kern
24. (NEW) “Je suis comme ça” (“My Way”) - Moustique
25. (NEW) “Vous les garçons” (“The Boys”) – Claudine Coppin
26. (NEW) “Il faut dire” _Jean-Jacques Debout
27. (NEW) “Toujours cette guitare” – Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
28. (NEW) “Je veux t’aimer encore” (“Let’s Go Steady Again”) – Les Mitoufle

Notes:

Sheila’s “Chante, chante, chante” (new at #20) was a cover of Al Kasha’s “Sing”, although she most likely got it via the 1962 revival by Jackie Wilson.

Frank Alamo’s “Reviens vite et oublie” (new at #21) was overlooked on the main chart in favour of the version by Les Surfs, which is oddly absent here.

“Je suis comme ça” by Moustique (new at #24) was a cover of Eddie Cochran’s “My Way”.

Claudine Coppin’s “Vous les garçons” (new at #25) was a vocal version of The Shadows’ “The Boys”.

“Je veux t’aimer encore” by Les MItoufle (new at #28) was a cover of Neil Sedaka’s “Let’s Go Steady Again”.

Coming up: Issue 21

Cato

[Paul Nareff]

Thanks a lot once again!
Jean-Jacques Debout's EP proved difficult to trace. The full song title is "Il Faut Dire Ce Que L'On Pense".
It appeared on the Barclay label, while the singer was actually contracted to Vogue Records.
Of course, Vogue objected and the hit "Les Feux Rouges" reappeared on the following Vogue EP, but without the three other tracks.
Which means this record, with his cover of "Ne T'En Va Pas" (Comin' Home Baby) became his rarest disc.
Cheers.

[CatoFur]

Issue 21

Published: 30 November 1963

The final issue of Bonjour Les Amis for 1963 was marketed as a "Spécial Formations"; the contents were given over to groups rather than solo singers. As a result, the usual top forty readers' vote chart disappeared, to be replaced by a special top thirty devoted to records by (mostly instrumental) groups (although three solo instrumentalists snuck into the list). This does not appear to be linked to the previous chart, but it is nevertheless assumed that the chart covers the fortnight ending just before publication. I have given the positions from the previous chart in parentheses for reference only. Perhaps inevitably, there are twenty-one new entries and five re-entries

1. (13.) "Shazam" - The Shadows
2. (NEW) "Martian Hop" - Les Champions
3. (NEW) "She Loves You" - The Beatles
4. (NEW) "Sacré dollar" ("Greenback Dollar") - Les Missiles
5. (16.) "Panorama" - Les Aiglons
6. (NEW) "Memphis" - Lonnie Mack
7. (NEW) "Take Five" - The Spotnicks
8. (NEW) "Foot Tapper" - The Shadows
9. (RE.) "Hully Bach" - Les Fantômes
10. (RE.) "Spécial blue-jeans" - Les Fingers

11. (NEW) "If I Had A Hammer" - Les Champions
12. (NEW) "Wipe Out' - The Surfaris
13. (30.) "Atlantis" - The Shadows
14. (RE.) "Big Noise From Winnetka" - Cozy Cole
15. (NEW) "Sheiba" - Les Players
16. (RE.) " Stalactite" - Les Aiglons
17. (NEW) "Wildwood Flower" - Duane Eddy
18. (38.) "La longue marche" - Les Champions
19. (NEW) "Big Train" - Booker T. and the M.G.s
20. (NEW) "Day Train" - The Sunlights

21. (NEW) "Green Onions" - The Ventures
22. (RE.) "Western Guitar" - The Spotnicks
23. (NEW) "Dance On" - The Shadows
24. (NEW) "Pipeline" - The Chantays
25. (NEW) "Happy Cowboy" - Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra
26. (NEW) "Robot" - The Tornados
27. (NEW) "Les cavaliers du ciel" - The Sunlights
28. (NEW) "Cavalcade sidérale" - Les Guitares
29. (NEW) "1647 m. G.O." - Les Champions
30. (RE.) "Johnny Guitar" - The Spotnicks

Notes:

The original version of Les Champions’ “Martian Hop” (in at #2) was the song of the same name by the Ran Dells. “If I Had A Hammer” (in at #11) was lifted from Trini Lopez’ arrangement of the Peter, Paul and Mary hit of the same name.

“Sacré dollar” by Les Missiles (in at #4) was a cover of Hoyt Axton’s “Greenback Dollar”, although the band too their lead from the US hit version by The Kingston Trio.

“Memphis” by Lonnie Mack (in at #6) was an instrumental version of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis, Tennessee”. This arrangement would inspire a French cover in 1964 by Joey and the Showmen.

The Spotnicks’ “Take Five” (in at #7) was a cover of the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s jazz hit of the same name, a nig hit in France during 1962.

The Shadows’ “Foot Tapper” (in at #8) had already been a French hit in a vocal version by Petula Clark (“Mon bonheur danse”).

“Les cavaliers du ciel” by The Sunlights (in at #27) was an instrumental version of the old country hit “(Ghost) Riders In The Sky”, first released in 1949 by Burl Ives and a US hit that year for Vaughn Monroe. It was also available in a version by The Spotnicks.

There was no chart from Spécial Blue Jeans in this issue.

Coming up:

Issue 22

Cato

[Paul Nareff]

I happen to have an issue of "Bonjour les amis" n°21, dated 15 déc. 1963.
It does have the same chart, but also a Spécial Blue-Jeans on pages 28-29.
I tried to attach a scan of the pages, but the answer was: not allowed.
So here is a hand-written listing of this "HIT PARADE":

SBJ Spécial Blue Jeans n°21 (15 Déc 63)

Titres les plus demandé du 1er au 15 novembre:

1 Ouki-Kouki Sheila 2
2 Si j'avais un marteau Claude François 3
3 Ma guitare Johnny Hallyday 1
4 Tchin-tchin Richard Anthony –
5 Ma biche Frank Alamo 8
6 Le sifflet des copains Sheila 4
7 Spécial Blue-Jeans Les Fingers 6
7 Spécial Blue-Jeans Dany Logan 6
8 Le premier bonheur du jour Françoise Hardy 7
9 On est heureux à 16 ans Billy Bridge 13
10 Te voici Vic Laurens –
10 Te voici Eddy Mitchell –
11 Quand une fille me plaît Eddy Mitchell 11
12 L'autre nuit Lucky Blondo 10

No position listed for the following 17:

Sont très bien placés:

(13) Pauvre petite fille riche Claude François 9
(14) I'm Watching Sylvie Vartan 5
(15) Il y a tellement de filles Petula Clark 12
(16) Nous on est dans le vent Michel Paje 16
(17) Da Dou Ron Ron Frank Alamo 14
(17) Da Dou Ron Ron Johnny Hallyday 14
(18) Mon bonheur danse Petula Clark –
(19) Ne perds pas la tête Nicole Legendre 18
(20) Tu te reconnaîtras Leny Escudero 19
(21) Chante chante chante Sheila 20
(22) Les feux rouges Jean-Jacques Debout –
(23) Toujours cette guitare Danyel Gérard 27
(24) Reviens vite et oublie Frank Alamo 21
(25) Vous les garçons Claudine Coppin 25
(26) Le ciel est si beau ce soir Richard Anthony 15
(27) Mon copain mon amour Anne Kern 23
(28) Diggedle Boeing Ria Bartok 22
(29) Je veux t'aimer encore Les Mitoufle 28

(the "last week positions" are mine, not featured in the hit parade)

[CatoFur]

Thanks Paul - you are quite correct. I do have that chart in my collection but it was misfiled. Thanks for sharing.

[CatoFur]

Issue 22

The normal top forty chart reappeared in this issue. The “previous month” column maps perfectly onto the chart in issue 20, making it clear that the “Spécial Formations” chart in the previous issue was indeed a one-off. I have however used that chart for the previous position in this survey, as that is how it would have appeared to readers at the time. As a result, there are 19 new entries and 16 reentries in the list. The chart appears to pertain to the period ending about 15 December 1963.

1. (Re.) "Si j'avais un marteau" ("If I Had A Hammer") - Claude François
2. (NEW) “Te voici” (“Mean Woman Blues”) – Eddy Mitchell
3. (NEW) “Tchin tchin” – Richard Anthony
4. (NEW) “Bossa Nova Baby” – Elvis Presley
5. (Re.) "Ma guitare" - Johnny Hallyday
6. (Re.) "Le sifflet des copains" - Sheila
7. (NEW) "Si j'avais un marteau" ("If I Had A Hammer") – Les Surfs
8. (Re.) "Rose (parmi les roses)" ("Sally Go 'Round The Roses") - Richard Anthony
9. (NEW) “Tous les jeunes” – Michel Paje
10. (NEW) “Sugar shake” (“Sugar Shack”) – Danyel Gérard avec les Champions

11. (Re.) "Ma biche" ('Sweets For My Sweet") - Frank Alamo
12. (NEW) “J’aurai voulu” – Françoise Hardy
13. (Re.) "Baby Blue" - Gene Vincent
14. (NEW) “Tu n’es plus là” (“Blue Bayou”) – Dick Rivers
15. (1.) “Shazam” – The Shadows
16. (NEW) “Et je m’en vais” (“Then He Kissed Me”) – Richard Anthony
17. (Re.) "(You're The) Devil In Disguise" - Elvis Presley
18. (Re.) "La malvenue" - Leny Escudero
19. (NEW) “Va pas prendre un tambour” - Françoise Hardy
20. (NEW) “America” - – Danyel Gérard avec les Champions

21. (Re.) "I'm Watching (Every Little Move You Make)" - Sylvie Vartan
22. (NEW) “C’est bien joli d’être copains” – Le Petit Prince
23. (Re.) "Shake It Baby" - John Lee Hooker
24. (NEW) “Busted” – Ray Charles
25. (2.) “Martian Hop” – Les Champions
26. (NEW) “If I Had A Hammer” – Trini Lopez
27. (Re.) "Then He Kissed Me" - The Crystals
28. (Re.) "T'en vas pas comme ça" ("Don't Make Me Over") - Nancy Holloway
29. (Re.) "Le pantin" - Michel Laurent
30. (NEW) “Watusi Stomp” – Les Players

31. (7.) “Take Five” – The Spotnicks
32. (Re.) "Première surprise-partie" – Sheila
33. (3.) “She Loves You” – The Beatles
34. (NEW) “Entre nous il est fou” (She’s A Fool”) – Petula Clark
35. (NEW) “Fever” – Dion
36. (NEW) “J’en suis fou” (“Love Me Do”) – Dick Rivers
37. (Re.) “La plaza des Toros” (“The Lonely Bull”) – Petula Clark
38. (13.) “Atlantis” – The Shadows
39. (NEW) “Don’t Make Me Over” – Dionne Warwick
40. (Re.) “Reviens vite et oublie” (“Be My Baby”) – Les Surfs

Notes:

This issue also included the Spécial Blue Jeans chart, drawn from votes by listeners to the Radio Andorra programme of that name. The chart noted that these were the most requested titles between 15^th and 31^st November, and was once again a top twelve. There were however a further eighteen songs listed below the chart as “very well placed”; as these are not in alphabetical order, it seems that these continue on from the top twelve to make thirty places in all, so I have numbered them accordingly. I have also noted the positions from the previous chart in parentheses. Rival versions of the same song were again listed together (alphabetically by artist) in the chart, so I have shown them as such below. There are sixteen news entries. The Spécial Blue Jeans chart for this issue was mostly comprised of French recordings although unlike the previous chart, a few foreign acts did make the listing.

=1. (2.) "Si j'avais un marteau" ("If I Had A Hammer") - Claude François
=1. (NEW) “If I Had A Hammer” – Trini Lopez
2. (1.) “Ouki kouki” (“Kookie Ookie”) – Sheila
3. (3.) “Ma guitare” – Johnny Hallyday
4. (5.) “Ma biche” (“Sweets For My Sweet”) – Frank Alamo
5. (4.) “Tchin tchin” – Richard Anthony
6. (6.) “Le sifflet des copains” – Sheila
7. (NEW) “En rêvant à Noël” (“In Summer”) - Claude François
8. (8.) “Le premier bonheur du jour” – Françoise Hardy
=9 (7.) “Spécial blue jeans” – Les Fingers
=9. (7.) “Spécial blue jeans” – Dany Logan
10. (NEW) “Entre nous il est fou” (“She’s A Fool”) – Petula Clark

11. (NEW) “Blue jean bop” – Eddy Mitchell
12. (NEW) “America” - – Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
13. (NEW) “Amor de verano” – Duo Dinamico
14. (NEW) “Et je m’en vais” (“Then He Kissed Me”) – Richard Anthony
=15. (NEW) “Je tremble” (“I Like It”) – Vic Laurens
=15. (NEW) “Je tremble” (“I Like It”) – Orlando
16. (11.) "Quand une fille me plaît" ("Big Noise From Winnetka") - Eddy Mitchell
17. (NEW) “Sugar shake” (“Sugar Shack”) – Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
18 (12.) “L’autre nuit” (“Late last Night”) – Lucky Blondo
19. (13.) “Pauvre petite fille riche” – Claude François
20. (9.) "On est heureux à 16 ans" ("Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen") - Billy Bridge

21. (14.) “I’m Watching” – Sylvie Vartan
22. (15.) “Il y a tellement de filles” – Petula Clark
23. (NEW) “Tous les jeunes” – Michel Paje
=24. (17.) “Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Frank Alamo
=24. (17.) “Da dou ron ron” (“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” – Johnny Hallyday
25. (16.) “Nous on est dans le vent” – Michel Paje
26. (NEW) “Parce qu’elle m’a dit” – Leny Escudero
27. (23.) “Toujours cette guitare” – Danyel Gérard avec les Champions
=28. (24.) “Reviens vite et oublie” (“Be My Baby”) – Frank Alamo
=28. (NEW) “Reviens vite et oublie” (“Be My Baby”) – Les Surfs
29. (26) “Il faut dire ce que l’on pense” Jean-Jacques Debout
30 (19.) “Ne perds pas la tête” – Nicole Legendre
Notes:

Claude François’ Christmas-themed “En rêvant à Noël” (new at #7) was, oddly enough, a cover of Billy Fury’s decidedly non-seasonal “In Summer”.

Eddy Mitchell’s “Blue Jean Bop” (new at #11) was a French-language cover of Gene Vincent’s song of the same name.

“Je tremble” (new at #15), as sung by both Vic Laurens and Orlando, was a cover of Gerry and the Pacemakers’ “I Like It”.

Coming up: Issue 23

Cato