Comme d'habitude

"Comme d'habitude" ([kɔm d‿abityd], French for "As usual") is a French song about routine in a relationship falling out of love, composed in 1967 by Jacques Revaux, with lyrics by Claude François and Gilles Thibaut.

In 1969 the song was adapted by Paul Anka and given new lyrics, to create the song that became My Way, Frank Sinatra's signature song.

Versions

"Comme d'habitude"

Revaux, reportedly not satisfied with an earlier version of the song recorded by Hervé Vilard, approached Claude François to re-record it. François accepted but asked that an underlying theme of a couple in a strained relationship be included, in reference to his recent breakup with fellow French singer France Gall. Revaux agreed and with some rewriting from Gilles Thibaut the song became "Comme d'habitude" in its best-known version in French, which was released by Claude François in 1967.

"My Way"
Main article: My Way

Paul Anka, after hearing the song while listening to French radio, bought the song's publication and adaptation rights but the original songwriters retained the music-composition half of their songwriter royalties.[1] Anka wrote English lyrics specifically for Frank Sinatra, who then recorded a cross-Atlantic version of it in 1969 under the title "My Way". "My Way" has since been covered by many artists.

The lyrics of My Way are similar to those of Comme d'habitude in terms of structure and metre, but the meaning is completely different. The French song is about routine in a relationship that is falling out of love,[2] while the English language version is set at the end of a lifetime, approaching death, and looking back without regret – expressing feelings that are more related to Piaf's song "Non, je ne regrette rien".

Cover versions

Many artists sang "Comme d'Habitude" in French after Claude François's success (and international success through '"My Way"), notably:

  • Michel Sardou, who had refused the first version of the song offered to him by Claude François and Jacques Revaux but sang it a bit slower and re-orchestrated.
  • André Hazes covered the song in 1980 with new Dutch lyrics as "Waarom" (translated in English as 'Why ?').
  • The Gipsy Kings covered it in Spanish on their eponymous 1987 album. Although the title "A Mi Manera" translates to "My Way", the love-themed lyrics are more reminiscent of the Claude François song.
  • Florent Pagny covered the song in 1989 and released as a single in France.
  • Jason Kouchak covered and arranged a modern version in 2011.
  • Rachid Taha, Khaled and Faudel, three French-Algerian artists sang it live in Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. The live version produced and arranged by Steve Hillage, was included in joint Taha / Khaled / Faudel live album 1, 2, 3 Soleils was released by Barclay in 1999 reaching No. 4 in French Albums Chart and No. 14 in Belgium's French (Wallonia) Albums Chart. The cover of "Comme d'habitude" found on the album as performed by the trio proved very popular and was released in 1999 as a single in France and it reached No. 40 on both SNEP, the official French Singles Chart and on Belgium's French Wallonia Singles Chart.
  • Nina Hagen covered the song in the late 1970s.
  • Jozsef Gregor the renowned Hungarian bass-baritone/basso buffo recorded the song with Andras Ruszanov's Hungarian lyrics version in 1996. Two years later, he sang this version in one of the most popular TV show in Budapest, since then this version has been permanently on the playlists of numerous radio stations in Hungary.[3]
  • Singers of musical Belles belles belles covered the song in 2003.
  • Peter Jöback covered the song in 2011 in Swedish "Precis som vanligt"
  • M. Pokora, in collaboration with Claude François Jr., covered this song, as well as some other Claude François songs, for his album My Way.
  • Raymond van het Groenewoud made a Dutch translation to the original songtext named "Zoals Gewoonlijk", it was released on August 30, 2004.

Adaptations

David Bowie said that in 1968 – the year before Paul Anka acquired the French song – his publisher asked him to write English lyrics for "Comme d'habitude" but that his version, titled "Even a Fool Learns to Love", was rejected. The unfinished work would later inspire his 1971 song "Life on Mars?".[4][5]

References
  1. Fresh Air (radio program produced by WHYY [Phila., Pa.] and syndicated by National Public Radio), "With Paul Anka, 'Rock Swings'" (interview with Paul Anka), part 1 (August 8, 2005) and part 2 (August 10, 2005)
  2. Translation into English of French Lyrics
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoeDcewlUwo
  4. David Bowie - [VH-1] Story Tellers (1/3) (Video). see 3:10-minute mark: YouTube. Retrieved 9 January 2021.CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. "Arena: The Origins Of My Way". BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
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