This launched a fabulous career he was later to found his own record label 'Fleche'.
He made spectacular programs for television, designing many of the sets, and contributed towards the scripts. He went on tour with his shows with his backing dancers 'The Clodette's'. The spectacle was lavish, with amazing dance routines, for which he did some of the choreography, they wore fantastic costumes, which he sometimes designed himself.
Paul Anka was on holiday in France, heard the song and liked it so much he wrote new lyrics for it in English, it was to become one of the most famous songs in the world when it was sung by Frank Sinatra, it is the song 'MY WAY',
Claude was very proud of it.
Most people believe that My Way was written entirely by Paul Anka, this of course is not the case, it is very disappointing that the original composers
never get the recognition they deserve, I hope that I for one have put the record straight.
'Comme d�habitude'
Words Gilles Thibault, Claude Francois, Music by Claude Francois & Jacques Revaux.
'My Way'
English Lyrics by Paul Anka,
Music by Claude Francois & Jacques Revaux
In 1974 the record 'Le Telephone Pleure' sold more than 2 million copies.
Claude came to the United Kingdom in 1975 and released 'Tears on the Telephone' (Le Telephone Pleure) which was in the U.K. charts at number 35. He was on quite a few television programmes in the U.K. and was becoming very popular.
Also in 1975, Claude is staying at the Hilton Hotel in London, when it is bombed by the IRA,
he suffers burst eardrums.
6,000 people were at the concert.
On March 9/10 in Switzerland, he recorded a television special called 'Snowtimes Special' for the United Kingdom, he was very pleased with it.
The next day March 11th 1978 after returning home to France, he was preparing to go to yet another television recording, 'Rendezvous du Dimanche', with his friend Michel Drucker and he decided to have a bath. After bathing he noticed a light fitting over the bath was not straight, and with his feet still in water, reached up to straighten it. He was to suffer a fatal electric shock.
The news of his death came as a terrible shock to his family, especially his mother.
His fans were inconsolable, and he is mourned to this day.
But I, and I am sure you too, will celebrate the fact, that he has left us the great legacy of his music, which will continue to give enormous pleasure to fans, old and new.
Attended by many famous people,, including RINGO and SHEILA, GUY LUX, DALIDA and MICHEL DRUCKER