1974: Music / Television: “Top à Claude François”

On 14 September 1974 the "Deuxième chaîne couleur de l'ORTF" (now France 2) broadcasts the third "Top a Claude François" show. The first two shows were broadcast on 20 January 1973 and 19 January 1974.

The television show "Top à ...", created and produced by Maritie and Gilbert Carpentier, focused

each time on a different host, singing, dancing and playing sketches with artist friends. Some of the artists were Charles Aznavour, Petula Clark, Joe Dassin, Sacha Distel, Jacques Dutronc, Claude François, Johnny Hallyday, Mireille Mathieu, Michel Sardou, Sylvie Vartan and many others. At peaks the show had more than 15 million viewers and was broadcast in 20 countries around the world. A total of 54 shows were produced from 1 April 1972 to 2 December 1974.

Claude François, Dani and Michel Sardou

Claude François, Dani, Maritie and Gilbert Carpentier

In this "Top à Claude François" the stars, in order of appearance, were Claude François, Michel Sardou, Dani, The Rubettes, Coluche, Alain Chamfort, France Gall, The Rolling Stones (video), and Gilbert Becaud.

Claude François and Gilbert Becaud during rehearsals

Claude François and France Gall during rehearsals

Claude François and France Gall during rehearsals

Performances

• Claude François with "Je suis le mal aimé". Michel Sardou sings along with the refrain.
• Claude François and Michel Sardou perform a potpourri and chat together between the songs: "J'habite en France", "Sha la la la", "Et Mourir de plaisir", "Le Lundi au soleil", "La Maladie d'amour" and "Je veux l'épouser pour un soir".
• Michel Sardou with "Je veux l'épouser pour un soir".
• Dani with "La vie à vingt cinq ans". Claude François sings along with the refrain.
• The Rubettes with "Sugar baby love".
• Claude François and a little girl with "Le téléphone pleure".
• Coluche with the sketch "C'est l'histoire d'un mec" (sur le Pont de l'Alma).
• Alain Chamfort with "Adieu mon bébé chanteur".
• France Gall with "La Déclaration d'amour".
• Superb duet between Claude François and France Gall: France sings excerpts of "Ne sois pas si bête", "Laisse tomber les filles", "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" et "Sacré Charlemagne". Claude Claude sings excerpts from "Pauvre petite fille riche", "J'y pense et puis j'oublie", "Les Choses de la maison". Between the songs they chat.
• Claude François and the Claudettes/Clodettes with "Une chanson populaire".
• Claude François sings the refrain of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and presents a video with The Rolling Stones singing "It's only rock'n roll".
• Potpourri between Claude François and Gilbert Becaud, they sing excerpts of "La solitude ça n'existe pas", "Viens à la maison", "Saturday night", “Ein bißchen Glück und Zärtlichkeit” (German version of “Un peu d'amour et d'amitié”), "Le Jour où la pluie viendra", "Quand tu danses", "L'important c'est la rose", "Comme d'habitude" and "Et maintenant".
• Gilbert Becaud with "L'Hirondelle".
• Claude François and the Claudettes/Clodettes with "La Musique américaine"
• Claude François with "Le mal-aimé".

Claude François and France Gall during rehearsals

Claude François and France Gall during rehearsals

Trivia

• Claude François died on 11 March 1978, aged 39.
• Claude François and France Gall had a relationship between 1964 and 1967, after the breakup he wrote the song "Comme d'habitude" ("As Usual") with France Gall in his mind. The song was reworked in 1968 by Paul Anka as "My Way" for Frank Sinatra.
• This is the only time Claude François and France Gall sang together.
• "La Déclaration d'amour" was the first France Gall song written by Michel Berger, Gall and Berger married in 1976. 

"Top à Claude François": duet Claude François and France Gall


"Top à Claude François": France Gall with "La Déclaration d'amour"


"Top à Claude François": Gilbert Becaud and Claude François


"Top à Claude François": Claude François with "Le téléphone pleure"