Christophe

Biography

Daniel Bevilacqua (French pronunciation: [danjɛl bevilakwa], Italian: [beviˈlakkwa]; 13 October 1945 – 16 April 2020), better known by the stage name Christophe (French: [kʁistɔf] ), was a French singer and songwriter.

Career

Born in the Paris suburb of Juvisy-sur-Orge to an Italian father, Bevilacqua was rebellious at school and started leading a pop group when in his mid-teens. His first single, "Reviens Sophie×Reviens Sophie1964 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1Reviens Sophie2:43A2Cette fureur de vivre1:50B1Ça n'fait rien3:03B2Se dire adieu2:06" (1963), was unsuccessful, but after changing his name to Christophe, his second single, "Aline×Aline1966 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Les Marionnettes2:32A2Cette vie‐là2:02A3J’ai eu tort1:44A4Je suis parti2:35A5Tu n’es plus comme avant2:23A6Aline2:50B1Je vous salue Madame2:24B2Noël3:24B3Je t’ai retrouvée1:39B4Je ne t’aime plus3:06B5La Fille aux yeux bleus2:25" (1965), rose to the top of the French pop music charts.
He continued to have success in France through the 1960s and early 1970s. His hits include the songs "Marionettes", "J'ai entendu la mer×J'ai entendu la mer1966 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1J'ai entendu la mer3:40A2Cette musique2:35B1Le Spectacle2:36B2Tu es folle2:30", "Excusez-moi Monsieur le Professeur", and "Oh!... Mon Amour" which he sang in French and Italian. After a small break, he returned in 1971, with Francis Dreyfus launching the Motors record label (Disques Motors) and becoming the producer of Christophe records. The result was the 1973 album Les Paradis perdus×Les Paradis perdus1973 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Avec l’expression de mes sentiments distingués1:55A2Emporte‐moi6:10A3Mama2:07A4Du pain et du laurier3:48A5Mickey2:30B1Les Paradis perdus7:50B2Le Temps de vivre4:20B3Ferber endormi1:46. In 1974, he recorded "Les mots bleus×Les Mots bleus1974 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Le Dernier des Bevilacqua9:042Señorita2:533C’est la question4:334Les Mots bleus4:055La Mélodie3:106Le Petit Gars4:327Drôle de vie4:308Souvenirs (instrumental)1:24", with lyrics by Jean-Michel Jarre.
In 1978, he came back with "Le Beau Bizarre×Le Beau Bizarre1978 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Un peu menteur3:35A2Ici repose2:47A3Le Héros déchiré3:15A4Histoire de vous plaire3:30B1Le Beau Bizarre3:25B2Saute du scooter2:36B3Le Grand Couteau2:16B4Ce mec lou2:31B5Il faut oser le faire2:03". In 1983, Christophe released another single, "Succès fou×Succès Fou1983 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASuccès fou3:30BCœur défiguré3:14", followed by "Clichés d'amour" in 1984 in which he sang 1940s and 1950s classics such as "Arrivederci Roma" and "Dernier baiser", a French version of the Mexican classic "Besame mucho". In 1985, he wrote "Ne raccroche pas×Ne raccroche pas1985 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Ne raccroche pas4:222Méchamment rock'n'roll3:26" a song which is believed to be about the Princess Stephanie of Monaco. The following year, he wrote the song "Boule de flipper" for Corynne Charby.
In 1996, after a break, he returned with his album Bevilacqua×Bevilacqua1 January 1996 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1L’Interview3:402Qu’est ce que tu dis là4:223Enzo (départ)0:124Enzo9:015Label obscur4:146Parfums d’histoires4:487J’taime à l’envers3:448Taqua5:069Le Tourne‐cœur5:1910Point de rencontre7:4011Shake It Babe4:4612Rencontre à l’as Vega3:2413Je cherche toujours0:09. In 2001, he released another album Comm' si la terre penchait. In February 2002, Christophe performed, in Clermont-Ferrand, his first live concert in more than two decades, followed by two appearances at the Olympia in March 2002.
Christophe's 1970s song "Les mots bleus" was covered by Thierry Amiel in 2003. In 2011, Christophe took part in a tribute album for Alain Bashung two years after the latter's death. He sang "Alcaline", a song written by Bashung in 1989 for his album Novice.
In 2016, Christophe collaborated with Jean-Michel Jarre on the album "Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise" with the song "Walking The Mile".
And collaborated with Alan Vega on the album "Les Vestiges Du Chaos×Les Vestiges du chaos8 April 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Définitivement2:422Océan d’amour4:173Stella Botox3:574Lou4:065Dangereuse3:486Tangerine4:567Drone4:118Tu te moques3:339Les Mots fous4:0810Les Vestiges du chaos4:5011E Justo5:1312Ange sale4:4813Mes nuits blanches3:21" with the song "Tangerine".

Personal life and death

In 1971, Christophe married his girlfriend Véronique and fathered his daughter Lucie.
He died after being in critical condition due to COVID-19 associated with a previous comorbidity (COPD) on 16 April 2020.

Studio albums

Christophe (1965, Disc'AZ)
Sur la route de Salina (1970, Motors)
Christophe (1972, Motors)
Les paradis perdus (1973, Motors)
Les mots bleus (1974, Motors)
Samouraï (1976, Motors)
La Dolce Vita (1977, Motors)
Le Beau Bizarre (1978, Motors)
Pas vu, pas pris (1980, Motors)
Clichés d'amour (1983, Motors)
Bevilacqua (1996, Epic)
Comm'si la terre penchait (2001, Mercury)
Aimer ce que nous sommes (2008, Az)
Paradis retrouvé (2013, Motors)
Les Vestiges du chaos (2016, Universal)

Live albums

Olympia (1975, Motors)
Olympia 2002 (2002, Mercury)
Intime (2014, Motors) (either single CD or triple CD as deluxe ed.)

Compilations

Mon Univers (1996, Motors) 1965-1988
Best Of (2002, Dreyfus) 1965-1988
Best Of (2006, Dreyfus) 1965-1988
Christophe etc. (2019)
Christophe etc. Vol. 2 (2019)
Ultime. (2020)

Singles

1964: Reviens Sophie / Cette fureur de vivre / Ça n'fait rien / Se dire adieu
1965: Aline / Je l'ai retrouvée / Je ne t'aime plus / La fille aux yeux bleus
1965: Les Marionnettes / Je suis parti / Tu n'es plus comme avant / Noël
1966: Je chante pour un ami / Cette vie là / La danse a trois temps / J'ai remarché
1966: Excusez-moi monsieur le professeur / La camargue / Pour un oui / Christina
1966: J'ai entendu la mer / Cette musique / Le spectacle / Tu es folle
1966: À ceux qu'on aime / Avec des mots d'amour / Maman / Les amoureux qui passent
1967: Je sais que c'est l'été / Le coup de fouet / Les espagnols / La petite gamine
1968: Amour interdit / Passons une nuit blanche / Confession / Si tu veux, je peux
with Motors label
1970: The Girl From Salina / Sunny Road To Salina
1971: La petite fille du 3e / Mere, tu es la seule
1971: Mal / Épouvantail
1971: Mes passagères / Fait chaud ce soir
1972: Oh mon amour / Goodbye, je reviendrai
1972: Main dans la main / Nue comme la mer
1973: La vie c'est une histoire d'amour / Les jours où rien ne va
1973: Belle / Rock monsieur
1973: Les paradis perdus / Mama
1973: Mickey / Emporte-moi
1973: L'amour toujours l'amour / La bête
1974: Señorita / Le temps de vivre
1974: Les mots bleus / Le dernier des Bevilacqua
1975: Petite fille du soleil / Le petit gars
1976: Merci John d'être venu / Paumé
1976: Une autre vie / Paumé
1976: Daisy / Macadam
1977: La Dolce Vita / La mélodie
1978: Un peu menteur / Ce mec-lou
1979: Aline / Je ne t'aime plus
1980: L'Italie / Question ambiance
1980: Agitation / Les tabourets du bar
1983: Succès Fou / Cœur défiguré
1983: Mon amie la jalousie / Souvenir de Laura
1983: Dernier baiser / La nuit bleue'
1984: J'l'ai pas touchée / Voix sans issue
1985: Ne raccroche pas / Méchamment rock'n'roll
1988: Chiqué chiqué / Un tour d'Harley avec Lucy
1988: Chiqué chiqué (long version) / Besame mucho / Ne raccroche pas (long version)