Joe Dassin: biography, best songs, interesting facts

Joe Dassin

Joe Dassin is one of those artists who is surprised by the depth of his talent and natural charm. To see this, just watch the video from his speeches.

The orchestra plays cheerful rhythms in the background, the hall awaits the idol. A blue-eyed brunette in an elegant white suit comes onto the scene. He greets the audience and starts singing in an enveloping baritone. With full dedication, sincere smile on his lips, turned to everyone sitting in the hall. No pathos, playfulness and indifference to the fans. No wonder that millions loved him, and his songs sounded all over the world. But what did the modest smile of the famous French chanson performer, the owner of 6 gold disks, hide?

A brief biography of Joe Dassin and a lot of interesting facts about the singer read on our page.

short biography

Dassin may well be called a man of the world. The idol of France was born far beyond the borders of this country - in America, or rather in New York. But it was not enough purely American. Father Jules Dassin had Russian roots that stretched from Odessa (when his great-grandfather Joe emigrated, the city was part of the Russian Empire), and his mother Beatrice Lohner-Dassin was of Hungarian origin. The meeting of Jules and Beatrice led to the birth of a charming baby Joseph Dassin. It happened on November 5, 1938. Later two more girls were born: Ricky and Juliet.

Despite the difficulties with money, the family of the future artist did not lose optimism. My father tried to earn actor's work and staging performances. Often failed. The position of Beatrice’s family in the orchestra where she played on the violin.

The family would never have left the United States if it were not for the anti-communist McCarthy movement. Jules was accused of dissent and blacklisted. The family had to leave America in 1945. Dassin long wandered through Europe in search of refuge. Paris became their new home when Joe turned 12 years old. Began another life.

Father's films began to receive wide popularity. Children went to prestigious educational institutions, studied with people from rich families. Financial problems are a thing of the past. Life seemed beautiful! Family happiness collapsed overnight. After leaving for the Cannes Film Festival, Jules returned with a prize for best direction and a new wife. For Joe, parental divorce was a big tragedy. He escapes from his own emotions to America, to his homeland.

In the United States, Dassin Jr. enters the University of Michigan, dreams of devoting his life to science and becoming an ethnographer. In order not to depend on the family, he works as a garbage man and a bartender. In a student campus cafe, he is hired as a cook. Joe was preparing so-so, and he was demoted to the dishwasher. This situation did not suit the young man, and in return he offered to play for visitors.

In those days, taking a guitar in hand and something "strumming" was common for Americans. Joe did not stand aside. It was in the USA that he was visited by the first thoughts of becoming a singer. Begin persistent workouts and classes dedicated to music. Instead of the popular rock and roll Elvis Presley, Joe prefers the music of Georges Brassin, presenting his songs as French folk.

After completing his studies, Dassin decided to return to Europe, leaving his scientific activities in the past. Music does not occupy it completely yet. He works as an assistant to his father on the set, filmed himself, writes small literary works that bring him income, speaks on the radio. Joe is looking for himself.

The beginning of his musical career was determined by his first wife, Marise Massiera. She wanted to give Joe a birthday present and gave it to her friend who worked for the big record company CBS. The man did not like it, although after two months he decided to try his fortune: why not? His voice was considered interesting and enjoyable. There was an invitation to write a record. But the first songs did not bring success. The compositions were played on the radio, proceeding from friendly relations. There was nothing outstanding about them. This hooked Joe. The search begins for "his" song and acquaintance with Jacques Ple, with whom they worked until the artist's death.

The course was taken to foreign music. They listened to the best hits and adapted them to the French public. And despite the attempts of other artists to do the same, it is Joe's compositions that are accepted with a bang. The song "Ca m'avance a quoi", which served as the basis for "You Were On My Mind" gets into the hit parade, and in the press they start associating the name Dassin not only with a famous film director.

CBS, with which Joe collaborates, decides to release another single in a color cardboard envelope - a novelty of that time. But the work was interrupted by the strikes of French musicians. Ple and Dassin with their wives are sent to New York to record an album. At this time, was made famous photograph of Joe, where he relies on a motorcycle Harley Davidson.

Work on the disc was completed in Paris. In November 1966 the song "Excuse Me Lady" gets into the hit parade. Need to go further. Joe Dassin begins writing songs himself. Lyrical, soulful and romantic. He writes for others, releases hit after hit, tours the world and gets pleasure from the fact that he finally found himself.

July 18, 1980 at a concert in Cannes, Joe Dassin faints. The diagnosis of myocardial infarction. He decides to rest and goes with his mother, sons and Claude Lemel to Tahiti, his favorite place. On the islands, he felt free from deafening popularity. Here you could relax from the fuss of the world. Rest ended tragically.

He sat at the table, joked and waited for service. Suddenly Joe's head hung. In the crowd quickly found a doctor. The heart massage did not give anything for 15 minutes. The idol of millions died surrounded by close and dear people on August 20, 1980.

Interesting Facts

• Joe did not have a musical education, which did not become a barrier to fame. He wrote only music to his songs. The words of most songs belong to a friend and poet Claude Lemel.
• The time of wandering through Europe, before settling in France, did not pass without a trace. Joe learned several languages ​​and changed 14 schools.
• He was fond of skiing and swimming.
• Defend his doctorate degree at the University of MichiganTete at the Faculty of Ethnography.
• At the age of 22 he taught to students.
• Both sons of a French artist dedicated themselves to music.
• In Moscow, Joe Dassin spoke at a concert dedicated to the opening of the hotel "Cosmos". The Frenchman liked the reception of the Russian public so much that he expressed a desire to return here with a solo program. It was a year before death. The younger son of a famous composer succeeded in translating desire into life. In 2011, in the Crocus City Hall concert hall, Julien Dassin performed one of his father's hits with him: thanks to multimedia technology, the image of Joe was projected on the screen. Father and son literally sang together. A musical performance bore the name of a famous French artist: "Once upon a time there was Joe Dassin ..."
• Perseverance and perfectionism characteristic of Joe appeared in one of the cases that occurred during a vacation with a friend, journalist Jacques Urevich, in Courchevel. The owner of the cafe, in which friends went to relax, offered to play a game of chess. Joe agreed and lost. He returned to his room, called to Paris and asked him to send books on the game of chess. A week later, a new party took place. This time he won.
• The first advice that artistic director Jacques Ple gave to a starter star is to grow hair.
• Paternal great-grandfather was engaged in wigs for opera divas in Odessa.
• Joe was not eager to serve. To avoid this fate, he faked medical certificates. True, they are not needed. The commission revealed heart murmurs.
• At concerts he appeared 15 minutes before the start and always through the back door.
• There are legends that the last name is not real Dassin. "What's your last name?" - such a question was asked by great-grandfather Joe by an American border guard during emigration. Not understanding a foreign language, he began to explain that he had come from Odessa. The border guard heard the dassin and released the emigrant. But how true the story, no one knows.

• For 5 years, from 1990 to 1995, Joe Dassin's discs were the best selling discs in France.
• Joe conquered the Olympia Concert Hall, to perform in which was the dream of many French artists. There were several of his encore concerts.

Popular songs

The creative heritage of Joe Dassin impresses with the number of world-famous compositions. Here is a list of songs that everyone has ever heard.

• "Et si tu n'existais pas". The Russian listener melody is known under the name" If it were not you. "

Et si tu n'existais pas (listen)

• "L'été indien"Joe Dassin is sung in 4 languages ​​other than French. The song became a hit in 1975, in the summer of which it could be heard from each radio.
• "A Toi" is a lyrical composition recorded in 1976.

A Toi (listen)

• "Les Champs-Élysées". Visit the Champs Elysees and do not remember this song, which was originally written in English, is impossible.

Les Champs-Élysées (listen)

• "Taka takata"was written by Joe Dassin for another artist. Jacques Ple saw another hit in the composition and persuaded the singer to include it in the album.
• "Salut", performed in 1975, became one of the favorite songs of not only a large audience, but also a younger son.

Salut (listen)

• "Bip bip"- one of the first songs that brought fame to the artist. It is remembered by ingenuous chords and light music.
• "Les dalton"When recording the recitative intro, Jacques Ple had to show, by his own example, an English chorister, who was required to sing what was required. As a result, Jacques's brilliant performance was recorded.
• "Il Etait Une Fois Nous Deux"- hit of the summer of 1976.
• "L 'amérique"- a song in which Joe Dassin confessed his love for his homeland.

Books about Joe Dassin

Close people and just indifferent to the works of the famous French people dedicated books to him. Here are some of them:

• Jacques Ple and Marise Massiera "Dear Joe Dassin ...";
• Betty Truck "Unknown Joe Dassin";
• Gilles Lot "Joe Dassin. Favorites."

Love in the life of Joe Dassin

The world was saying goodbye to a favorite performer when he was 41. His sisters, close friends and fans were perplexed: why so early? And why the heart? And they themselves answered - a difficult personal life.

According to the recollections of the sisters, Joe has always enjoyed success with women. A handsome, charming young man reveled in the attention of the fair sex, regretting that so many beauties remained out of reach. That all changed on December 13, 1963, when he met Maryse Massiera. A beautiful blond woman broke into Joe's life. Romantic dates and declarations of love followed. Marise wanted to marry, and Joseph was disappointed in marriage as a family institution. Affect the divorce of parents.

The question of the engagement decided the case. After another quarrel, Marise delivered an ultimatum: either the mayor’s office or the separation. Joe pointedly showed up at the wedding in an old suit and with a three-day stubble ...

He could not be with her, and at the same time he could not be without her. Relationships were calm and painful. There was not enough spark, which gave Christine Delvaux.

They met on the plane, although the singer always talked about acquaintance in the photo shop. Bright, relaxed and extraordinary Christine literally turned his life. Meetings in snatches did not suit lovers. Joe filed for divorce from the Maryse. The disintegration of a couple that existed for 10 years was also served by the death of a newborn son 5 days after birth.

In 1978, he married Christine without coercion as in his first marriage. Friends refused to communicate with the new wife of the artist. A close friend, whom he invited to the wedding, drove for a couple of minutes. Congratulated Joe and immediately went back. Why? Kristin pulled a popular French singer, whose age was nearing 40, into a maelstrom of alcohol, drugs and parties. She was flighty, unruly, jealous and hysterical. But she gave him two sons: Jonathan and Julien.

After the birth of his youngest son, Joe filed for divorce. He considered Christine dangerous and seriously feared for the lives of children. The outcome of the divorce was unique for that time. The custody of the children was transferred to the father in view of the way of life of the mother.

Passions in family relationships, the constant scandals have not passed without a trace for the French chanson. Being in the second marriage, Joe was hospitalized with a microinfarction. Fate gave clues to which he began to listen too late. In 1980, Joe and Christine divorced. In the same year he was gone.

Joe Dassin about himself and his work

He called himself a Parisian, despite his American origin. The beauty of his native city of New York, he learned, becoming an adult and an independent person.

Joe carefully guarded his personal life from press harassment. He avoided communication with journalists and answered any questions: "This does not concern anyone." He was not ready for publicity - an integral part of popularity, and considered fame a burden.

Did Joe have a talent? Without a doubt. So consider and count everything except the artist himself. He preferred to work hard to earn the love of the public. Hearing the janitor singing his songs was for him the best reward for work.

How he really was

Joe Dassin's radiant, slightly shy smile is what the audience saw from the stage. According to his sister, he played this role. No, he liked to bring joy and happiness to the public. But at what cost ...

Remembering his friend, Claude Lemel notes that Joe was horribly complexed. Anxieties and doubts have always lived inside him. Even before the concerts, he could not sleep until morning, tossing and turning from excitement. At the same time, perfectionism lived in him and the desire to prove to others what he is capable of. If it were not for these qualities, then perhaps the world would never have heard "Salut" or "L'Été indien".

Joe Dassin worked to exhaustion. He sang and danced while he was strong. This is proved by the memories of friends about his last concert. During the performance, the singer felt a pain in his heart. He apologized to the public and left. He was given an injection, his state of health improved, and Joe went to the stage again, because they came to listen to him.

Despite the lack of musical education, Dassin sang easily. Jacques Pleet noted his singing talent, an intuitively correct voice, which was adored by the European public. Pleasant baritone, turning into a half-whisper and recitative, listened with delight. Intimate intonations, combined with artistry and pleasant appearance, made every Joe performance exciting and memorable.

Above the secret of the popularity of the father argues son Julien Dassin. In his opinion, the answer lies in the lyrics themselves and the manner of singing, which Joe had his own.

Christine Gato recalls him as an intelligent, educated and well-read man who loved a smart life. Beautiful furniture, elegant clothes, expensive accessories, travels - all this required money and complete dedication at concerts.

He knew how to joke, was smart, charming and very talented. So he remembered everyone who worked and communicated with him.

Films with Joe Dassin

The famous French performer tried himself in the movie, which was shot by father Jules Dassin and other directors. Tapes with his episodic participation fall on the "pre-musical" period. Rate acting talent Joe Dassin can be on the following films:

• "He Who Must Die" / "Celui qui doit mourir" (1957);
• "Law" / "La legge" (1959);
• Topkapi / Topkapi (1964) as Joseph;
• "Nick Carter and the Red Clover" / "Nick Carter et le trèfle rouge" (1965) as János;
• "Lady L" / "Lady L" (1965) as a police inspector;
• "La chanson de Tiber" (1980) as Tiber Jackpot.

Joe Dassin's Music in Movies

Beautiful and sonorous songs of the French artist were used as soundtracks for the following films:

That was Joe Dassin, the public's favorite and the owner of a velvety voice that captured the minds of millions. Those who are familiar with his work, not surprised by the number of fans of the popular Frenchman to this day. The younger son notes that the fame of the distinguished father is now even wider than during the life of the artist. He really deserved it.