Ne Me Quitte Pas (Jacques Brel song)
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"Ne Me Quitte Pas" ("Don't leave me") is a French language song by the late Jacques Brel published in 1959 by Warner-Chappell Publishing, which has been covered in the original language by many artists such as Nina Simone, as well as translated into other tongues such as English as "If You Go Away". It is considered by some as "Brel's ultimate classic"[1]
- Jacques Brel's first version was recorded on 11 September 1959 and appears on his album "La Valse à Mille Temps".
- Thirteen years after the original, Jacques Brel recorded another version as title track of his album "Ne Me Quitte Pas". This version was recorded on 20 June 1972 and the album was released later the same year.
To illustrate what an immense artist Brel was, an anecdote - It is rarely known that ("ne me quitte pas") was written after Brel was thrown out of Zizou's (Suzanne Gabriello - his mistress at the time) life after casting shame and sadness upon her. Zizou was pregnant from Brel and had an abortion after Brel refused fatherhood. Odd as it may seem, in Brel's tormented and emotional mind, it is she that had left him. Understanding this, provides a narrow but magnificent glimpse into the spirit of this giant performer.
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[edit] Cover versions
[edit] French
- 1959:
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- Simone Langlois (Possibly the very first recording: Brel would have passed it to her prior to recording his own version[2])
- 1961:
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- The late Barbara chante Brel
- 1966:
-
- Marianne Faithfull in Loveinamist
- 1988:
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- Juliette Gréco in Gréco 88 : Hommage à Brel
- 1995:
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- Isabelle Aubret in her "Chante Brel" album
- Nina Simone in her June 1965 I Put A Spell On You album (this is the most famous cover of the song)
- 1998:
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- Hugues Aufray in "Hommage - Ils chantent Jacques Brel" CD
- 1999:
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- The late Frida Boccara in her posthumous Un jour, un enfant CD
- 2001:
-
- Natacha Atlas in her album Ayeshteni
- Maria Bill sings Jacques Brel
- 2002:
-
- Paloma Berganza in the Avec le temps CD
- Cirque du Soleil's 2002 production Varekai features a performance of the song.
- 2004:
-
- Angélique Beauvence in the Still...love you CD
- 2005:
-
- Pierre Bachelet in the "Tu ne nous quittes pas" CD.
- 2006:
-
- Estrella Morente, a flamenco singer, on her album Mujeres, whose arrangement and performance is based on Nina Simone's.
[edit] English
See the If You Go Away article
[edit] German
Bitte Geh Nicht Fort
- 1963:
[edit] Hebrew
- 1992: The late Yossi Banai sings Al tilchi mikan, a translation by Naomi Shemer, in the Im neda' le'ehow - Songs of Jacques Brel record
[edit] Italian
- 1962:
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- Gino Paoli, Non Andare Via
- 1970:
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- Patty Pravo, Non Andare Via
- 2006:
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- Petra Magoni & Ferruccio Spinetti, Non Andare Via
[edit] Spanish
- 1997:
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- Sandy Aruba's salsa music version "No Me Dejes Mas"
[edit] Afrikaans
- 1997:
-
- Laurika Rauch's version "Moenie weggaan nie"
[edit] Dutch
- 1961:
-
- Jacques Brel's version "Laat me niet alleen"
- 1968:
-
- Liesbeth List's version "Laat me niet alleen"
[edit] References
- ^ Robine, Marc. Quand on n'a que l'amour- Jacques Brel. Retrieved on January 14, 2007.
- ^ Confusion between Suzanne Langlois and Jacques Brel. Second Hand Songs (2005-06-19). Retrieved on January 14, 2007.
[edit] External Links
- (English)Ne Me Quitte Pas cover hierarchy
- (Italian)http://www.siodmak.altervista.org/musica/Covers/chansons/nemequittepas.htm
