Radioinfo is taking you back to the songs that turn 50 this year. A Little Love and Understanding, an all but forgotten one hit wonder in Australia, is the perfect Monday pick me up.
If the above live performance from the divinely French Gilbert Bécaud doesn’t melt your heart, you might need the additional details that the unmissable spotty tie was lucky to him and so he wore it everywhere. Gilbert’s real name was François Gilbert Léopold Silly. Mr Silly! He was so charismatic a performer that his nickname was “Monsieur 100,000 Volts”. Initially known as a pianist it was a chance encounter with Edith Piaf that changed his life. She saw his potential and told him to give singing a try. That he did, across more than 20 studio albums and another 15 or so live ones.
Gilbert also had the knack for writing a song, his French songs Seul sur son étoile became It Must Be Him, a hit for Vicki Carr and Et Maintenant, one of the biggest French hits of all time, became What Now My Love, covered by Elvis, Frank Sinatra and others. Then in the 70s he teamed up with Neil Diamond co-writing for the movie The Jazz Singer, September Morn and Love on the Rocks.
My Australian chart book, The Book, says A Little Love and Understanding went to No 1 in 1975, for three weeks. This little bit of sunshine resonated here more than anywhere else in the world. I don’t know what a croquemitoufle is but if Gilbert is doing it, then it must be fun. Or yummy.
Today (tomorrow and all the days to follow) why not follow Gilbert’s advice and put things out of sight, for peace of mind?
Okay?
Okay.
Good.
Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo.
I recall "Norman Gunston" covering this song on his ABC TV series.
Thanks,
Anthony, Strathfield South l, in the land of the Wangal and Darug People's of the Eora Nation