Parlez-moi d’amour

French chansons from the period between 1870 and 1940 impressively embody the turbulent and often painful periods of upheaval during this era. With bold statements on social, political, economic, racist, and gender-specific issues, these charming and seductive songs convey a worldview in which life often appears as tragedy.

In "Parlez-moi d'amour: Themes of French Chansons from the Commune to World War II," Benjamin Ivry—biographer and cultural journalist—focuses on the songs themselves, as preserved in historical recordings. These chansons reflect both the bright and dark sides of French culture, expressing love and hate, joy and pain in equal measure.

Table of contents and sample text