Knit to This
Knit to This: Françoise Hardy
There was a time—before COVID, before (looks around) all of this—that we used to have dinner parties. I say “we,” but mainly I mean “me,” because you never invited me to any, so how should I know what you did? Am I a psychic medium played by Patricia Arquette? No, I am not.
Anyway. I had dinner parties.
They were quite chic affairs, with no open-toed shoes on men allowed and little boards of charcuterie (the real kind, not the sad plastic-wrapped affairs you seem to be able to buy at, oh, I dunno, 7-Eleven these days) and lots and lots of bottles of the second-to-least expensive Pouilly-Fuisse and you could be assured of two things: there would always be Judy Rodgers’s Citrus Risotto (in which you will learn to supreme a grapefruit) on the menu and there would always be Françoise Hardy on the hi-fi.
I bring all of this up not just because there’s a word count I need to hit (though that is indeed highly motivating, as you can tell by my addition of the word “indeed,” which does nothing but add one to the final total) but because the great Françoise Hardy died this past week and I was struck by what a great loss it seemed—not just to me and the rest of the music-listening world, but to everyone who ever came to a dinner party at my house who asked who that was singing so chicly on the stereophonic device.
The answer was always Hardy, and I was so used to people asking that I finally just made up stacks of mix CDs (SHUT. UP.), both in anticipation of the inevitable question and in complete violation of international copyright law.
I’m not revealing any great secret by pointing you to her records; she was a legend almost from the start of her career (before I was even born!), capturing a particular mix of cool fused with talent that very few others ever have.
There was something tender and melancholy and vulnerable about her particular mix. Astrid Gilberto, maybe. Marianne Faithfull. There are a few, but they’re rare. I read a little factoid in her New York Times obituary that said she was the only French singer on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 greatest singers of all time. From a country that gave us both Piaf and Aznavour … that is something.
You don’t have to wait for an invitation to a dinner party at my house (really: you should not wait, if you know what I am saying) to luxuriate in the unbelievable Frenchness of Françoise Hardy. She was one of the best there ever was.
You can get your French on (and really, it’s the Frenchiest French that ever Frenched) by just popping on her greatest hits (I’m an enormous fan of her 1971 album La Question, but don’t dive in there) and you’ll be set. For life and for every dinner party you ever throw.
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Not just a great chantreuse, she was the epitome of modern fashion, style, and beauty. Tres chic!
Ooh can I come to your next dinner party, then I can get to hear her again? I was a fan, back in the day and used to sing along, thinking I was chic too! Thanks for the memories.
You are simply the best writer! Always making me laugh out loud. Have downloaded La Question. Loving it. Thank you for introducing Hardy to me.
I love Edith Piaf, have a CD that I play all the time on my Bose radio, great sound. I first heard her on an episode of the tv show “Northern Exposure,” which I am enjoying again on Prime. The music on that show is terrific. I will listen to Hardy after my husband wakes up. I don’t want an angry bear on Father’s Day. Right now in southeastern New Hampshire it’s 44 degrees, delightful! I would love to have attended one of your parties, but it’s too long a drive for me .
Your words struck so many chords with me…and brought make a lot of memories. I’m listening to Francoise right now. Thanks for that! …and the Risotto recipe!I may even summon up the courage to have a dinner party!
Ooh can I come to your next dinner party, then I can get to hear her again? I was a fan, back in the day and used to sing along, thinking I was chic too! Thanks for the memories.
You’re right—what has happened to dinner parties? Perhaps I should go give Francoise Hardy a listen; perhaps she’ll get me in the mood.
My goodness, yes. It’s one of THOSE Sundays where I see the name Strong and even though I just know he is increasing the word count (like I did with the word “just”) I will end up giggling and possibly snorting too strong coffee out of my noise.
Thank you sir.
Now I am going to find her music and listen to more of it. Thank you for introducing me to Francoise Hardy.
I learned “Yesterday When I Was Young” sung by Charles Aznavor (sp) and every time I play it I could easily become tearful.
I learned “Yesterday When I Was Young” sung by Charles Aznavor (sp) and every time I play it I could easily become tearful.
this site says I was duplicating another comment I had made???
I got the same message…
Sorry I neglected to tell you that as an introvert, I don’t hold dinner parties or even birthday parties….that’s why I didn’t invite you. It is impossible to create a mixed cassette tape so I imagine the CD was the way to go. Thank you for this new music hole to fall into!
Actually! 😀 Cassette mix tapes are much easier to make than CDs if you have a cassette-to-cassette deck in your audio setup. Which was before CDs and were wonderful. I miss my 20’s!
Thank you for introducing me to this talented artist!
Thank you for memories . I used to really like her a lot in the 60’s living in Sweden and lessoning Radio Luxembourg like She did too , I just read about her . Brings me back . Thank You !
P.S. I am always looking forward to your column!! You are one of the kind . Keep on writing!
I was introduced to the music of Françoise Hardy and Nana Mouskouri in high school French class. Hardy, so cool. Mouskouri, such a voice. Tous les Garçons et les Filles…
Thanks for the risotto recipe. I know how to supreme citrus! Come over for dinner; I’d love to have a dinner party again. It’s been ages.
Ahhh! The sophisticated , dress up dinner parties, I miss those lovely evenings . Great food, beautiful clothing, friends. Time spent together.
There was a time, in the 60’s, when I thought I was more sophisticated than I have ever been since. Francoise Hardy figured in to that I’m sure. Thanks for the reminder, since I gave away my papier mâché bracelets. Love the article, which evoked the music, the icons, the fashion and style.
I was so sad to see the news of her death. I absolutely loved “Tous les Garcons et les filles” when I was a young woman studying French. The covers of the song are nowhere near as cool as the original.
Gosh, I actually forgot that I ever even knew who Françoise Hardy was. (Times change!) Thank you for reminding me. Never had any of her albums, unfortunately, but do still have one of Charles Aznavour’s (who apparently is her inferior). Thank you so much for the video!
She was a big part of the soundtrack to our falling in love in 1969 Quebec – thanks for the reminiscing…
You sir, are a good writer. I always look forward to your prose. Write on!