From:  "Dik de Heer"
Date:  Mon May 24, 2004  1:39 am
Subject:  This Is My Story : Johnny Hallyday
 
JOHNNY HALLYDAY (By Colin Kilgour)

Born Jean-Philippe Smet, 15 June 1943, Paris, France

Here in the UK (May 2004), we had an interesting TV documentary on ITV's 'South
Bank' series. I have long thought him an interesting character so decided to do
a little research and write up for 'Le List' here. I'd appreciate input from
notre Garcons Francais, with confirmations/corrections/denials/clarifications,
particularly to my own take on the Hallyday phenomenon at the end of the piece.

First up, a reference/homage to Alain Dormoy's BTBWY from 15/6/02 which you can
read in the SAO Files. Next I'm posting, with a little editing, the write-up
from the S Bank website.

<< Johnny Hallyday is a truly French phenomenon: the biggest rock star you've
never heard of. Virtually unknown outside the French-speaking world, Hallyday
has reigned supreme as France's King of Rock for almost 45 years. He scored his
first hit in 1960 at the age of 16, and now, at 60, his success remains
undiminished. Last year he broke records with the fastest selling single ever
in France.

In his first interview for British television, Melvyn Bragg talks to Hallyday
about his long career, his debut as a child performer, and how seeing and
hearing Elvis influenced his musical career. It is something of an irony,
particularly in a country that tries so hard to protect its own culture, that
its greatest star started out as an unabashed imitator of American rock n' roll.

He first made his name interpreting Anglo-American hits for a French audience,
from Love Me Tender (which became Amour d'Eté) to his own French rock n' roll
hits such as C'est le Mashed Potatoes. His wild stage performances created
controversy amongst the conservative world of 1960s France and a star was born.
Hallyday is also credited with discovering Jimi Hendrix in a London club and
inviting him to open one of his tours in France.

His talent for reinvention has seen him become a tuxedo-wearing crooner, Elvis
look-alike, James Dean-style social reject, teddy boy, Motown swinger, tattoo-ed
biker, glam-rocker, Eighties trucker, and serial lover. More recently, however,
Johnny - as he is known to his legion of fans - has increasingly turned to
French lyricists and composers, whilst continuing to play his favourite rock n'
roll hits.

For foreign observers of France, Hallyday, along with whole idea of French rock
n' roll, has often seemed a joke. Whilst the more poetic tradition of Chanson
epitomised by performers such as Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour has achieved
worldwide recognition as a reflection of the French soul, Hallyday remains
undeniably a French phenomenon, and one which outsiders do not seem to
understand.

But no Anglo-Saxon artist has had such an impact on the population as a whole,
appealing to young and old from every background. Hallyday has lived the rock
star lifestyle to the full: his professional setbacks, colourful love life and
periodic scandals have been devoured by his public - but to date he's always
managed to pull himself back from the brink. Indeed when the whole of France,
from President Jacques Chirac downward, celebrated his 60th birthday last year,
his iconic status was assured. He has sold well over 100 million records.

Ironically, it is as an actor that Hallyday is finally achieving success
overseas. Despite appearances in over 30 films, it was only with his role in
Patrice Leconte's film L'Homme du Train (2003) that he won critical acclaim on
both sides of the Atlantic. He is the man Figaro newspaper declared to be "an
idol for all of France". >>

Now, info from another website:

<< He was born Jean-Philippe Smet on June 15, 1943 in Cite Malesherbes, Paris,
France, to Huguette and Leon Smet. His parents separated not long after his
birth, so he was raised by his paternal Aunt - Helene Mar. (His pseudonym was
borrowed from his cousin's friend, Lee Halliday). His career has spanned more
than 40 years. He is clearly one of France's biggest stars. He has sold 80
million records, made 400 tours, had 18 platinum albums and performed in front
of 15 million people. He was married on April 12, 1965 to Sylvie Vartan (French
singer) in Loconville. They have a son, David Hallyday (also a singer), born in
1966. Johnny and Sylvie were France's "Golden Couple" of their generation. They
divorced on November 4, 1980. A year later, he married a model named Babeth
Etienne in Los Angeles, the marriage lasted 2 months and 2 days. His love
affair with the French actress Nathalie Baye began in 1982, after they met on a
television program. Nathalie gave birth to their daughter, Laura, at the end of
1983. They separated in 1986. He married Adeline Blondiau in 1990 but they
divorced in 1992. In 1996 he married Laetitia Boudou.

A rock star, he is one of the few French singers who can fill a 80,000-seat
stadium several days in a row with his spectacular performances ; even though
many people mock his unsophisticated way of talking and his look of an aging
rocker, everybody likes him as a person and follows with indulgence his (many)
successive marriages with younger and younger girls >>

Re the above Alain wrote "He sold out the Stade de France several times in 1998
(I think it was 3 consecutive days), at about the same time the Rolling Stones
had to cancel one of their dates at the same place because of insufficient
demand" + "Johnny has become an institution in France, probably the equivalent
of Cliff
Richard in the UK. Jacques Chirac made him Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur".

Finally Colin's thoughts:

You have to see the Hallyday phenomenon as uniquely French. In countries like
England and Australia our rockin' wannabees did their best to mimic the American
stars and had the key benefit of a shared language with the material - the
all-important songs.

Time-wise, Johnny came after a long line of much loved entertainers in la belle
France ... from their tradition of chansons, music hall and artistes in the
mould of Chevalier, Trenet, Piaf, Montand and Aznavour.

South Bank voices stated that J's core fan base was from the provinces, the
majority being not from Paris.

They also said to the effect that Johnny was more than a personality, more than
his music, he had long been a symbol for the nation. Rock and roll is not
France. He represented something special there, given the culture that preceded
him, given France's fundamentally anti-American stance entwined with their
fascination for Anglo-Saxon rock.

Why has he not been more popular outside of France? The USA certainly didn't
need an Elvis clone - they had the original. The UK as time went on, didn't
need Johnny as we had our own home-grown legends in your Cliff Richards,
Lennons, McCartneys and Jaggers.

JH's versions of the rock and roll hymnbook underwent unusual translations en
route to the French market. It's strange - to the riff of 'Somethin' Else', to
hear him belting out 'Elle Est Terrible' .. and seeing the translation onscreen
as the song unfolds is truly weird given the true lyrics seared into our souls
from repeated plays over nearly 50 years(!)

He certainly did live the rock and roll lifestyle ... the army service, near
fatal car crash, drugs bust, wives, mistresses. He must be doing something very
right with the populace however when somewhere between a quarter to a third have
been to see him sing in person.

From the show's clips, he has a powerful stage act and respect to John for
strutting that stage in an absolute deluge following a postponement for rain the
previous night. He certainly looked in great shape for sixty but I guess those
gals have kept him young, eh?? It seems that just about everyone in France is a
Johnny Hallyday fan and we wish him well .. he certainly came across as a
helluva likeable dude.

Finally guys:

does anyone know how much he's worth? (recent opening of his Paris Night Club
etc.)

there were several references to him actually being Belgian?? howzat??

Just how much did he have the record sales to himself? i.e. please summarise the
availability of American and Brit material say from 1956 - 65, by when Johnny's
career was well and truly launched.

Allez Johnny .... Vraiment, il est formidable!!

Colin Kilgour

May 2004