MER, LA

Created on 29/01/2007
Latest update on 28/11/2022

Artist: Roland Gerbeau
Author: Charles Trenet/Albert Lasny
Label: Disque Sofradi
Year: 1945

Once Trenet's supporting act and a good one, landing him the privilege to introduce new chansons. He even cut Douce France before anybody else (see there). La Mer was first offered to Suzy Solidor, but she declined it ("Des chansons sur la mer, on m'en envoye 10 par jour"). Gerbeau recorded it with Jo Bouillon's orchestra (Josephine Baker's husband). Reissued on Frémeaux double cd L'integral Trenet Vol. 5.

Covers:

1946:

Renée Lebas [on the radio; nicknamed 'La Mère de La Mer']

1946:

Charles Trenet [author on Columbia; let others get away with it first for lack of swing]

1947:

Harry James [as Beyond The Sea; vocal: Marion Morgan; lyrics: Jack Lawrence]

1947:

Benny Goodman [idem]

1947:

Tex Beneke

1949:

Bob Scholte [as De Zee]

1949:

Liselotte Malkowski [in German]

1949:

Django Reinhardt

1955:

Roger Williams

1956:

Coleman Hawkins

1959:

Bobby Darin [hit US & UK as Beyond The Sea, follow-up of his Mack The Knife]

1959:

Scott Howard [idem]

1959:

Percy Faith

1960:

Martin Denny

1960:

Lawrence Welk

1962:

Helen Shapiro

1962:

Ray Conniff

1964:

Stevie Wonder

1965:

We Five

1966:

Sandpipers

1970:

Alain Barrière

1970:

Lize Marke [as De Zee]

1976:

Dalida

1976:

Julio Iglesias

1984:

George Benson

1995:

Kevin Kline [in film French Kiss]

1996:

Bobby Caldwell

1997:

Ewan MacGregor [in film A Life Less Ordinary]

2001:

Robbie Williams [later also in film Finding Nemo]

2002:

Patricia Kaas

2004:

Kevin Spacey [in film Beyond The Sea about and as Bobby Darin]

2005:

Dee Dee Bridgewater

2006:

Barry Manilow [most as Beyond The Sea]

2008:

Helmut Lotti

2008:

Rob de Nijs [as De Zee; lyrics: Herman Pieter De Boer]

2010:

Rod Stewart

2012:

Jeff Lynne [as Beyond The Sea]

2020:

Thomas Dutronc

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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