Charles Aznavour at 90

[uncleerwinone]

Just for inspiration. This article is from a German newspaper.

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/konze ... -1.1973010

nlarge
Charles Aznavour at his concert in Berlin
( Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa )

On his 90th birthday, Charles Aznavour gave a concert in Berlin , which leaves no doubt as to his age. The great little cabaret singer sings and dances when he was younger by decades. At the end he breaks even with an old habit.

From Kathleen Hildebrand , Berlin

The first to sing , is not Charles Aznavour . When the little white-haired man appears on stage , sings a man's voice from the audience: "Happy Birthday ," and the rest of the 3,500 passengers falls with a . "Happy Birthday , dear Cha- harles " , the last tone of the whole room is : a standing ovation even before the first word of the artist , who celebrates his 90th birthday this evening.

A ball flies onto the stage , a bouquet , it takes until the applause died down . But Charles Aznavour just do it , in the midst of the clapping. Sentimental is here only used the public. Aznavour, the veteran entertainer , his songs for such feelings . It occurs because he wants to sing - not to have to celebrate .

That he begins the evening with " Les Emigrants " is certainly no coincidence . " What do you think , how they came ? / With empty pockets , hands naked." Aznavour parents had fled as Armenian immigrants to Paris. Safe even so he has always been a political artist . He had written in his career to shock the French about 50 songs, he says later . Now, when immigrants from Africa and Syria drowning in the Mediterranean , then Charles Aznavour not naturally begins with a love song , but with this song about deprivation , suffering and danger.
Longing finale with grand gestures

For love songs in the one and a half hours that follow, time enough . And the power of his herausgeschrienen longing finale Aznavour has also worked with 90 years yet , " Paris au mois d' août " he sings with great verve and as a grand gesture : He clenches his fist , his arms open like a gymnast after great freestyle on the horizontal bar lands back on the ground. On the backrest stool , which he sometimes gruff drags himself to the micro , it keeps Charles Aznavour never more than half a song . When gently swinging " Joue contre joue " he dances with himself and with his own hands inclined cheek across the stage to " Les Deux Gitares " he puts down a shuffling flamenco.

That there is one ninetieth year old on stage, you have quickly forgotten. Seventy perhaps, that one would relieve him . Only towards the end he gives a little nakedness , tangled, when he reads his lyrics from a teleprompter . But because all the serenity of the accumulated years comes to Good : "We just pretend as if we were on TV," he says cheerfully. " As someone shouts ' Cut' , people have to clap , and the artist starts again from the beginning. "

[mnkyface]

Thanks for posting this. Aznavour is an inspiration, and I hope Leonard is still performing when he is 90!

[cohenadmirer]

Still touring and giving great performances at 90! ( see you tube link - not my favourite song but a powerful performance)

Not sure what his secret is but would be happy if he passed it on to leonard ,and hopefully will see Leonard performing at the relatively youthful age of 80!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvLyQeZEXAo

[Tchocolatl]

I like Les deux guitares a lot, music and lyrics as well.

Deux tziganes sans répits
Grattent leur guitare
Ranimant du fond des nuits
Toute ma mémoire

Sans savoir que roule en moi
Un flot de détresse
Font renaître sous leurs doigts
Ma folle jeunesse

Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз...
Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз1.

Jouez tziganes jouez pour moi
Avec plus de flamme
Afin de couvrir la voix
Qui dit à mon âme

Où as-tu mal, pourquoi as-tu mal ?
Ah t'as mal à la tête
Mais bois un peu moins aujourd'hui tu boiras plus demain
Et encore plus après-demain

Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз...
Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз.

Je veux rire et chanter
Et soûler ma peine
Pour oublier le passé
Qu'avec moi je traîne

Allez, apportez-moi du vin fort
Car le vin délivre
Oh, versez, versez-m'en encore
Pour que je m'enivre

Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз...
Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз.

Deux guitares en ma pensée
Jettent un trouble immense
M'expliquant la vanité
De notre existence

Que vivons-nous, pourquoi vivons-nous ?
Quelle est la raison d'être ?
Tu es vivant aujourd'hui, tu seras mort demain
Et encore plus après-demain

Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз...
Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз.

Quand je serais ivre-mort
Faible et lamentable
Et que vous verrez mon corps
Rouler sous la table
Alors, alors vous pourrez cesser
Vos chants qui résonnent
Mais, en attendant jouez
Jouez je l'ordonne

Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз...
Эх, раз, ещё раз,
ещё много-много раз.

1. c'est du russe. Mot à mot :
Hé, une fois, encore une fois,
encore beaucoup, beaucoup de fois
phonétiquement :
Ekh raz, iécho raz
iécho mnogo mnogo raz


Taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/fr/charles-a ... z36J70MYSA




A young guy :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVvDNasH4No&feature=kp

A still young guy :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z24X730KABU

His secret? Maybe he is born with no age. He wrote the song of an old man when he was young, what is the title again? Let me roll over on the floor and stand from under this table and I'll tell you.