Johnny Hallyday has a nickname, which is “the biggest rock star you’ve never heard of.” He has another one, which is “the French Elvis.”
Both of these are exaggerations of a sort, as plenty of people have heard of him (he’s had 18 Platinum albums, though most of those sold in France and le monde Francophone), and I don’t think he’s quite as talented as Elvis. He’s also done a lot of bandwagon hopping over the years, and partaken in some trends that he shouldn’t have.
But his career has had more than a few shining moments, not the least of which is one of my all-time favorite songs, “Joue Pas De Rock’n'Roll Pour Moi.” In English, I think of it as, “Don’t Play That Rock’n'Roll For Me.” Continue reading →
