Ironically, France Gall was not representing France, but Luxembourg! But this did not appear to matter to French music fans. Her performance in Naples on 2 March 1965 was broadcast live to an audience of 150 million viewers and the young French singer went on to triumph in style, winning the contest with Gainsbourg's 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son'. In 1965 France Gall entered the Eurovision Song Contest with one of Gainsbourg's most famous songs.

Gainsbourg, who had already written numerous hits for other singers (which have since gone on to become veritable classics of the French repertoire), took young France's career in hand, writing her a number of famous hits which were seemingly innocent (but actually full of erotic subtexts). Written by her father, Robert, the song 'Sacré Charlemagne' went on to prove another major hit, catapulting France to fame and making her a serious rival for other young French 60's starlets Sheila and Sylvie Vartan.įrance's early career was also much aided by her encounter with the legendary singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. France Gall went on to make a major name for herself in the midst of the yéyé craze (the fashionable 60's sound which fused Anglo-Saxon rock'n'roll with French variété).Įncouraged by this early success, France left school and went on to record a second single in 1964. Indeed, France's début single soon rocketed to the top of the French charts, selling a cool 200,000 copies. Released in September 1963, the single 'Ne sois pas si bête' (Don't Be So Silly) went on to prove a huge hit with the French public. Then, thanks to a little help from her father, the precocious young singer (who adopted the pseudonym France) went into the studio to record her first single at the tender age of fifteen. In her early teens Isabelle went on to form her own group with her brothers.

Isabelle soon proved to have inherited her own share of musical talent and learnt to play the piano and the guitar at an early age. Robert Gall had risen to fame on the French music scene writing songs for a host of legendary French chanson stars such as Charles Aznavour ('La Mama') and the late great Edith Piaf. But it was Isabelle's father, Robert Gall, who was the real star in the family. Her grandfather helped set up the famous French children's choir Les Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois, while her mother, Cécile, was a singer. Indeed, young Isabelle came from a family of extremely talented musicians. 'Isabelle Gall, who was born in Paris on 9 October 1947, grew up in a highly creative musical environment. But there can't be too much of a good thing!) I only recently found this lovely French singer and wanted to share her with you (though I have a feeling many of you know her already.

France gall greatest hits rar