Carine Roitfeld's Ten Favorite Songs

Carine Roitfeld compiled her top ten songs for "Fashion Mix," a feature created by Nick Knight's SHOWstudio to showcase the music preferred by various people in the fashion industry. Be sure to check out the musical selections by other fashion notables such as Cathy Horyn, Rick Owens, and Edward Enninful. I was interested to see that so many of Carine's favorite songs appear on film soundtracks and surprised that her karaoke standard, "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon, did not make her list…

"Forbidden Colours"
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Cinemage (1999)
"Forbidden Colours" is composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto and he plays the keyboard on the track; the lyrics are written by David Sylvian and he provides the vocals. A different version of the song was included on the soundtrack for the film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence initially while this orchestral interpretation appeared on the album Cinemage which was released in 1999. The title of the song references the book Forbidden Colors by Yukio Mishima. Note that this is the song that currently plays in the background on the web site for CR Fashion Book.

"Rain (I Want a Divorce)"
Ryuichi Sakamoto
The Last Emperor (1987)
The song "Rain (I Want a Divorce)" can be found on the soundtrack album for The Last Emperor which won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1987.

"Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais"
Serge Gainsbourg
Vu de l'extérieur (1973)
"Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais," or in English, "I came to tell you that I'm going," is one of the biggest hits from the album Vu de l'extérieur by Serge Gainsbourg. Released in 1973, Vu de l'extérieur (or in English, Exterior View) is widely considered to be one of Gainsbourg's best albums although if you listen closely, you may be surprised to learn that he is singing mostly about bodily functions and their associated noises.

"Dieu est un fumeur de gitane"
Serge Gainsbourg avec Catherine Deneuve
Initials SG (1980)
"Dieu est un fumeur de gitane" is a duet by Serge Gainsbourg and Catherine Deneuve that is collected on Initials SG, an album of his greatest hits. If you are not familiar with the work of Gainsbourg, Initials SG is a wonderful introduction.

"Your Song"
Elton John
Elton John (1970)
The ballad "Your Song," composed by Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, was released on his eponymous album in 1970. Regarding his first pop hit John has stated, "I don't think I have written a love song as good since," although it took him only ten minutes to compose the music once Taupin had written the lyrics.

"My Way"
Sid Vicious
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)
"My Way" is a song written in 1969 by Paul Anka based on the 1967 French song "Comme d'habitude" by Claude François and Jacques Revaux. The tune was made popular by Frank Sinatra but it is the cover of "My Way" by Sid Vicious that Carine prefers. As the bassist for the British punk rock band the Sex Pistols, Vicious naturally sped up the original arrangement and modified the lyrics to lend the song a punk edge. His rendition appeared on the soundtrack of the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. I was interested to learn that Anka actually liked the Vicious version: "It was kind of curious, but I felt he was sincere about it."

"Life on Mars?"
David Bowie
Hunky Dory (1971)
In a fascinating connection to the song above, David Bowie wrote "Even a Fool Learns to Love" in 1968, setting his lyrics to the music of "Comme d'habitude" by Claude François and Jacques Revaux, the same tune that inspired "My Way." Although Bowie never released his original song, the success that Frank Sinatra had with Paul Anka's version inspired the young Bowie to write "Life on Mars?" to parody Sinatra's song. Bowie shares with us the conditions under which he wrote his glam rock anthem: "Workspace was a big empty room with a chaise longue; a bargain-price art nouveau screen ('William Morris,' so I told anyone who asked); a huge overflowing freestanding ashtray and a grand piano. Little else. I started working it out on the piano and had the whole lyric and melody finished by late afternoon."

"Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves"
Jeanne Moreau
Querelle (1982)
In 1982, Jeanne Moreau starred in the film Querelle in the role of Lysiane, the madam of a brothel and the subject of competition for two brothers. Adapted from the novel Querelle de Brest written by Jean Genet in 1947, this German film was the last for director Rainer Werner Fassbinder for sadly he died of a drug overdose before the film was released. Moreau sings two songs in the film and Carine's favorite, "Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves," takes its lyrics from the poem "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" by Oscar Wilde.

View Jeanne Moreau singing "Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves"

"La chanson d'Hélène"
Romy Schneider
Les choses de la vie (1970)
"La chanson d'Hélène" is a song performed by Romy Schneider in the 1970 film Les choses de la vie (or in English, The Things of Life). Directed by Claude Sautet, Les choses de la vie was among the films nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The lovely actress and singer inspires not only Carine… her daughter Julia named her baby Romy Nicole, in tribute to Schneider and to the baby's great grandmother, Nicola.

View Romy Schneider singing "La chanson d'Hélène"

"The Look of Love"
Willie Bobo
Talkin' Verve (1997)
Burt Bacharach originally composed "The Look of Love" as an instrumental but later decided to add lyrics, releasing it as a pop song in 1967 for the film Casino Royale. Dusty Springfield sang on the soundtrack recording as engineered by Phil Ramone. Carine's favorite version of "The Look of Love" is by Willie Bobo and appears on his album Talkin' Verve. In addition to making his own music, Bobo spent time in various jazz lineups with Cal Tjader, Tito Puente, George Shearing, and Mongo Santamaria and his ideas helped to revolutionize Latin music. I might have pegged Carine as a timbales aficionado…

Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of purple.fr. Album cover art courtesy of amazon.com.

Comments

[Laura]

Better, no? :)

[kellina]

Ouai ! Beaucoup ! :)

[bernie]

Ohh god im more into soul and jazz gosh i cant really be a roitfeld

[Kate]

Bernie makes me laugh! (And the Blues.) I'm with you, Bernie.

[Mike]

Very eclectic choice of songs although I am surprised to see nothing by Iggy and the Stooges.

[noelani]

Making You're So Vain my new go to karaoke song. ASAP.

[someone17]

@bernie, don't be upset, I also can't be Roitfeld, I am more into rock and hard music, but I like Mylene Farmer(she's French) Carine's choices are not for me, I am surprised she didn't choose any song from 90's or 2000's, I like older songs, from the 80's and 90's but I also like the latest songs, it would be more realistic for me if she chose at least one modern song...

[mts]

Forbidden Colours is one of my favorites of all time and i love David Bowie, Sid Vicious and Serge Gainsbourg ! I imagine Carine´s house full of awesomes LPs !

Love Kellina