Source Material: Michel Polnareff – “Voyages”

Michel Polnareff is a French singer and songwriter from Nérac (Lot-Et-Garonne), France.   He was the son of two artistic parents.  His mother, Simone Lane, was a Breton dancer, and his father, Leib Polnareff, was a musician.  His father performed under the name Léo Poll, and Edith Piaf was one of the most notable singers he worked with.  Under this tutelage, Michel Polnareff was playing the piano by five, and he was writing his own songs by eleven.

In 1966, Polnareff released his debut single, “La Poupée qui fait non” (“The Doll Who Says No”).  It became one of his most well-known songs, and it led to increase opportunities throughout France.  The single was later included on his debut album, Love Me, Please Love Me (1966).  During this time, Polnareff went through several phases.  While his album was successful, and he produced more hit singles, his unorthodox personality didn’t mesh well with the conservative French press, so he routinely dealt with scandals and controversy.   He also suffered the lost of a close friend, Lucien Morisse, in 1970, and it forced Polnareff to take a step back.  But in 1971, he released his third album, Polnareff’s.  One of my favorite songs on the album is “Voyages;” it’s a dope track that ranges across rock, jazz, and funk.

Michel Polnareff – “Voyages”