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February 14, 2017 4:13 AM Subscribe
SOS d'un terrien en détresse is a power ballad from the French-Québecois rock opera (1976) Starmania (aka Tycoon). Originally sung by Daniel Balavoine, the octave-leaping (and a little bit maudlin) song has been covered several times, notably in English as Only the very best by Peter Kingsbery, but the most epic cover was provided last month by Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen for the Hunan TV Show I am a singer. Below the fold: prophetic tidbits about Starmania and the ongoing political situation in the US.
In the musical, SOS is sung by terrorist Johnny Rockfort, whose sworn enemy is Zéro Janvier, a media-savvy, TV-show addicted billionaire who lives at the top of a 121-floor building called the Golden Tower. The tower also features a giant nightclub called Naziland, where Janvier proposes to his sex-symbol celebrity girlfriend (Ce soir on danse à Naziland, Nanette Workman). Janvier runs for the presidency of the Western World, and his electoral speech (Google translation), where he vows to fight terrorism, declare martial law, destroy the environment, and make the West's survival a priority, should ring some bells. Zéro Janvier has Johnny Rockfort killed and he wins the election . Still, the tycoon-turned-president wishes he'd been an artist instead, so sad: Le Blues du Businessman, Céline Dion, or I would like to change the world, Tom Jones. T'is a silly plot, written 40 years ago.
In the musical, SOS is sung by terrorist Johnny Rockfort, whose sworn enemy is Zéro Janvier, a media-savvy, TV-show addicted billionaire who lives at the top of a 121-floor building called the Golden Tower. The tower also features a giant nightclub called Naziland, where Janvier proposes to his sex-symbol celebrity girlfriend (Ce soir on danse à Naziland, Nanette Workman). Janvier runs for the presidency of the Western World, and his electoral speech (Google translation), where he vows to fight terrorism, declare martial law, destroy the environment, and make the West's survival a priority, should ring some bells. Zéro Janvier has Johnny Rockfort killed and he wins the election . Still, the tycoon-turned-president wishes he'd been an artist instead, so sad: Le Blues du Businessman, Céline Dion, or I would like to change the world, Tom Jones. T'is a silly plot, written 40 years ago.
Has a male singer ever tackled the Queen of Night aria? Because that guy would absolutely nail it. Hell, he'd nail the aria from the Fifth Element without computer augmentation.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:06 AM on February 14, 2017
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:06 AM on February 14, 2017
That main, hooky ascending vocal line in SOS d'un terrien en détresse felt so reminiscent of Zamfir's Lonely Sheppard (the pan flute song from Kill Bill) that I had to double check if they were variations on the same song.
posted by chococat at 7:29 AM on February 14, 2017
posted by chococat at 7:29 AM on February 14, 2017
How in the heck did truth and fiction become the same?
And that's some powerful song, there.
posted by mightshould at 7:57 AM on February 14, 2017
And that's some powerful song, there.
posted by mightshould at 7:57 AM on February 14, 2017
I am so intrigued by all of this. Is there an English translation of the book available? And is it necessary (to have one) to get through the "Tycoon" soundtrack, or is it all sung so you don't miss anything?
posted by Mchelly at 8:04 AM on February 14, 2017
posted by Mchelly at 8:04 AM on February 14, 2017
The original interpret for Janvier Zéro was Claude Dubois. His version of Le Blues du businessman is still often heard on FM radio in Quebec. Same for Fabienne Thibeault's Le Monde est stone, and Ziggy (about the impossible love of her character for a gay man).
The original version had an all-star cast; Claude Dubois, Nanette Workman were already established, Denise Dufresne was Quebec's most successful female singer, and France Gall had already won the Eurovision in 1965 with Poupée de cire, poupée de son (written by Serge Gainsbourg). Fabienne Thibeault already had had a few hits, but she really became established with Starmania.
The double album by the original cast sold 2.2 million albums in France, making it the 7th best selling album of all time in that country.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 9:46 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]
The original version had an all-star cast; Claude Dubois, Nanette Workman were already established, Denise Dufresne was Quebec's most successful female singer, and France Gall had already won the Eurovision in 1965 with Poupée de cire, poupée de son (written by Serge Gainsbourg). Fabienne Thibeault already had had a few hits, but she really became established with Starmania.
The double album by the original cast sold 2.2 million albums in France, making it the 7th best selling album of all time in that country.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 9:46 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]
I was born and lived in Qc all my life... I'm francophone... how is it that I'm learning the plot of Starmanis on mefi :)
Ok I was born the year this came out and I hate musicals, but I've heard most of the songs I should have put this together... seriously when people talk about Starmania nobody talks about the political aspect I feel betrayed.
posted by coust at 7:47 PM on February 14, 2017
Ok I was born the year this came out and I hate musicals, but I've heard most of the songs I should have put this together... seriously when people talk about Starmania nobody talks about the political aspect I feel betrayed.
posted by coust at 7:47 PM on February 14, 2017
OK. This singer was born on the steppes of Central Asia, and he spells his name in Russian Cyrillic. He won a singing contest in Kazakhstan, his homeland, and then was invited to compete in a televised singing competition in Hunan, China. The native Hunan contestants kind of look down on him at the start.
He selected a French Canadian song, which he sang in Canadian French, simply because it was the single most difficult song, musically, written for a male role.
He not only nails the lyrics in the original language, he makes everyone's jaw drop at his mastery of vocal range, especially at the top end. His natural voice is quite deep, which sends everyone into "OMG!" paroxysms.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:11 PM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]
He selected a French Canadian song, which he sang in Canadian French, simply because it was the single most difficult song, musically, written for a male role.
He not only nails the lyrics in the original language, he makes everyone's jaw drop at his mastery of vocal range, especially at the top end. His natural voice is quite deep, which sends everyone into "OMG!" paroxysms.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:11 PM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]
He sings like Vitas - only less strange.
Oh, and here he is singing Vitas' Opera 2
What a beautiful voice. And beautiful man, too.
posted by seawallrunner at 2:09 AM on February 15, 2017
Oh, and here he is singing Vitas' Opera 2
What a beautiful voice. And beautiful man, too.
posted by seawallrunner at 2:09 AM on February 15, 2017
Oh, and here he is singing Vitas' Opera 2
I love that the first verse was in very well rehearsed French, and the second verse in easy-breezy Russian. I also love the Chinese soprano trying out some of his high notes in the green room, and realizing she could never hit them. I also love that he's a legit great tenor as well as the insane stuff that happens at the top of his range.
I mean, SOS d'un terrien en détresse isn't exactly a song designed with a hook to be an earworm, but Kudaibergen's vocal acrobatics have been in my head for days now.
posted by Slap*Happy at 6:46 PM on February 16, 2017
I love that the first verse was in very well rehearsed French, and the second verse in easy-breezy Russian. I also love the Chinese soprano trying out some of his high notes in the green room, and realizing she could never hit them. I also love that he's a legit great tenor as well as the insane stuff that happens at the top of his range.
I mean, SOS d'un terrien en détresse isn't exactly a song designed with a hook to be an earworm, but Kudaibergen's vocal acrobatics have been in my head for days now.
posted by Slap*Happy at 6:46 PM on February 16, 2017
Dredging through the YouTubs, wpw, Vitas is effortlessly better.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:50 PM on February 18, 2017
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:50 PM on February 18, 2017
The original video has been removed from youtube, but here's a link to all Dimash's songs on "I'm A Singer", and the SOS song is the first one.
(Hunan TV, nicknamed Mango is really good about putting their shows online, I have to say.)
posted by of strange foe at 10:22 AM on March 10, 2017
(Hunan TV, nicknamed Mango is really good about putting their shows online, I have to say.)
posted by of strange foe at 10:22 AM on March 10, 2017
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