Les Pirates Avec Dany Logan ‎"Le Rock Des Années 60 Vol.1" 1961-1962(rec) 1973(comp)***

I got this LP, together with and a bunch of others, from the bargain bin of a record shop in Tours, France. I had never heard most of these bands, so I just chose some judging by the cover, thinking that at €1 per piece they were worth the risk. I later searched for some info on Les Pirates, but couldn't find much: they appeared in '61 with "Oublie Larry", a French-language version of Del Shannon's "Hats Off To Larry" which they cut only a couple of months after the original's release. It was backed by French versions of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire" ("Tu Mets Le Feu") and "Let's Talk About Us" ("Je Bois Du Lait"), and "Le Jet" (Chubby Checker's "Let's Twist"). The EP sold relatively well, and the band had a busy year recording more EP's, appearing on TV, and giving concerts around Paris, including a short residency at the famous Olympia Theater, amusingly sponsored by the French Committee of Milk Producers who must have taken the band's song "Je Bois Du Lait" ("I Drink Milk") way too seriously. The next year, band members starting getting called up for (then still compulsory) military service, resulting in an unstable line-up and subsequent breakup. They hadn't released any LP's during their original run, but their songs were later compiled into LP's like this one. All of them are American rock'n'roll hits with French lyrics. The band is enthusiastic and proficient enough, so whether you'll like this record depends on how you feel about classic oldies re-interpreted in French - a language which isn't always a natural fit for this music. It's clearly meant to be a party record, only slowing down twice for covers of Elvis' "Danny" and "One Night" (as "Un Jour Sans Toi"). Besides the 4 songs from their debut, other highlights include "Comme Un Fou" (Elvis' "Blue Suede Shoes"), Je Te Dis Merci, (Marty Wilde's "It's Been Nice") , "Laissez-Nous Twister" (Sam Cook's "Twistin' The Night Away"), and "Le Locomotion" (obviously Little Eva's "Locomotion"). Little more than a curio, but fun nevertheless.

**** for Tu Mets Le Feu, Je Bois Du Lait, Comme Un Fou, Le Jet

*** for Oublie Larry, Dany, Je Te Dis Merci, Laissez Nous Twister, Caroline, De Tout Mon Coeur, Le Loco-Motion

** for Un Jour Sans Toi