Verlaine et Rimbaud

Verlaine et Rimbaud (English: "Verlaine and Rimbaud") is an album by Léo Ferré. It was released in 1964 by Barclay Records. This album is one of the first studio double albums in popular music history (before Bob Dylan's or Frank Zappa's).

Verlaine et Rimbaud
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 1964
RecordedMay 1964
Barclay Studio, Paris (France)
GenreChanson
Length60:19
LabelBarclay Records
Léo Ferré chronology
Ferré 64
(1964)
Verlaine et Rimbaud
(1964)
Léo Ferré 1916-19...
(1966)

Background

Verlaine et Rimbaud is Ferré's third LP entirely dedicated to a poet, after Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal ("Flowers of Evil") in 1957 and Les Chansons d'Aragon ("Songs of Aragon") in 1961. Here, Ferré sets into music 10 poems from Arthur Rimbaud and 14 from Paul Verlaine. He considers their two different kind of poetry as a whole and mixes them in the track listing, to underline their mythical love affair. The way classical music 'soundscape' tastefully fits into tuneful and straightforward songs is something of an achievement here.

Track listing

All songs composed by Léo Ferré.

Original LP
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Écoutez la chanson bien douce" (Hear the sweetest song pass)Paul Verlaine2:44
2."Chanson de la plus haute tour" (Song of the highest Tower)Arthur Rimbaud2:12
3."Il patinait merveilleusement" (He ice-skated beautifully)Paul Verlaine1:48
4."Mon rêve familier" (My Familiar Dream)Paul Verlaine2:01
5."Soleils couchants" (Sunsets)Paul Verlaine1:47
6."Les Assis" (Those who Sit)Arthur Rimbaud3:10
7."L'espoir luit comme un brin de paille dans l'étable" (Hope shines as in a stable a wisp of straw)Paul Verlaine2:12
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
8."Art poétique" (Ars Poetica)Paul Verlaine3:26
9."Pensionnaires" (Boarder Girls)Paul Verlaine2:25
10."Âme, te souvient-il ?" (Do you remember, my soul?)Paul Verlaine2:39
11."Le Buffet" (The Cupboard)Arthur Rimbaud2:01
12."Les Poètes de sept ans" (The Seven-year-old Poets)Arthur Rimbaud5:08
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Chanson d'automne" (Autumn Song)Paul Verlaine2:30
2."Les Corbeaux" (The Rooks)Arthur Rimbaud2:15
3."Green"Paul Verlaine2:44
4."Mes Petites Amoureuses" (My Little Mistresses)Arthur Rimbaud2:24
5."Je vous vois encor" (Birds in the Night (extract))Paul Verlaine2:03
6."L'étoile a pleuré rose" (The Star has wept rose-colour)Arthur Rimbaud1:28
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."Ô triste, triste était mon âme" (So sad my heart, so sad it was...)Paul Verlaine2:44
8."Rêvé pour l'hiver" (A Dream for Winter)Arthur Rimbaud2:00
9."Clair de lune" (Moonlight)Paul Verlaine2:12
10."Les Chercheuses de poux" (The Seekers of Lice)Arthur Rimbaud3:00
11."Ma Bohème" (My Bohemian Life)Arthur Rimbaud1:18
12."Sérénade" (Serenade)Paul Verlaine2:44

Personnel

  • Janine de Waleyne – backing vocals (uncredited)
  • Lionel Gali – violin solo (uncredited)
  • Barthélémy Rosso – guitar (uncredited)
  • The orchestra consists of session musicians hired for the recording

Credits

  • Jean-Michel Defaye – arranger & orchestra conductor
  • Gerhard Lehner – director of engineering
  • Jean Fernandez – executive producer
  • Maurice Frot – artwork
  • Hubert Grooteclaes – photography
  • Léo Ferré - original liner notes
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