AUSTERLITZ

Created on 20/11/2008
Latest update on 23/10/2023

Artist: Jean Ledrut
Author: Jean Ledrut
Label: Pathé
Year: 1960

Main theme of Abel Gance film Austerlitz, part three in a never completed cycle of six around Napoleon Bonaparte. Mediocre production, where the cast ate up the whole budget, with supporting acts for Martine Carol, Claudia Cardinale, Leslie Caron, Vittorio de Sica, Jean Marais, Michel Simon, Orson Welles, Jack Palance and Jean-Louis Trintignant. It's the lawsuit against Joe Meek and his publishing company (Ivy Music) that put the film on the map. The French judge considered the incriminated melody line in Telstar 'similar but not identic' ("Suffisamment semblable pour avoir été copiée, mais aussi suffisamment differente pour ne pas l'avoir été"). Anyway, even a partial similitude constitutes a sufficient presumption of infraction. Meek was mildly condemned (1500 FF). Swearing he never heard the theme, never saw the film, never heard about the composer and never deals with anything French anyway, didn't help. Besides, the theme of Austerlitz also reminds the Peruvian national hymn (from 1821), mentioned sideways in the context of La Marseillaise (see: Chant de guerre de l'armée du Rhin)

Covers:

1962:

Tornados [n°1 UK, US & B as Telstar; first British record to hit n°1 US; produced by Joe Meek]

1962:

Ventures [idem]

1962:

Billy Vaughn [idem]

1962:

Kenny Hollywood [vocal version as Magic Star]

1962:

Margie Singleton [idem]

1962:

Camillo Felgen [vocal version as Irgendwann erwacht ein neuer Tag]

1962:

Compagnons De La Chanson [vocal version as Une Etoile en plein jour]

1962:

Colette Deréal [idem]

1963:

Caterina Valente

1963:

Bobby Rydell [as Magic Star; lyrics: Joe Meek]

1963:

Lively Ones [as Telstar]

1966:

James Last [idem]

1969:

Velvett Fogg [as Telstar '69]

1970:

Burt Blanca [as Magic Star]

1972:

Hot Butter [as Telstar]

1972:

Apollo 100 [idem]

1977:

Spotnicks [idem]

1978:

Biddu Orch. [idem]

1978:

Spitballs [idem]

1979:

Portsmouth Sinfonia [idem]

1981:

Shadows [idem]

1988:

Ronnie Montrose [idem]

2014:

Bill Frisell [all as Telstar]

Joe Meek left us a hummed demo of Telstar, recorded in his home studio on Holloway Road in London. Bonus track on cd The Joe Meek Collection - Intergalactic Instro's Vol. 1, released in '96. The next day Joe gave the tune to Dave Adams to work it out on clavioline over the backing track of a Mike Berry recording: Every Little Kiss. That's when the Tornados came in orbit.

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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