Georges Moustaki

Although born to Greek parents from Corfu, singer/songwriter Georges Moustaki attained his greatest renown in France by performing French-language material in an unmistakably French manner; nevertheless, he described himself as a citizen of the world—or, in his recurring phrase, a “citizen of the French language.” In his signature hit “Le Métèque,” he embraced the label of cultural “mongrel,” and while the classic French chanson remained his primary passion, he routinely incorporated elements of folk traditions from Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Brazil (bossa nova and MPB), Argentina (tango), additional regions of Latin America, the United States (blues and jazz), Holland, and every other locale his journeys reached. Many of his own recordings were distinguished by their spareness; equipped with a soft, warm voice, he frequently performed accompanied solely by his guitar, an approach that fostered the same sense of closeness audiences experienced at his concerts. Although he later succeeded as a performer, Moustaki first gained recognition by supplying songs to leading French vocalists of the late 1950s and 1960s, among them Edith Piaf’s enduring “Milord.” At intervals he also worked as a poet, actor, novelist, and journalist, sustaining his reputation as one of France’s most venturesome creators even after his trademark beard and long, flowing hair had turned white.

Moustaki entered the world in Alexandria, Egypt, on May 3, 1934; his family name was originally Mustacchi, and depending on the language his given name was rendered Joseph, Giuseppe, or Yussuf. His parents, who had grown up on the culturally mixed island of Corfu, raised him in an environment where Italian, Greek, Arabic, and French were all spoken. At a French-speaking school he developed an early affinity for French music and literature, learning the classic chansons of Edith Piaf and Charles Trenet on piano through his own efforts. After completing his studies in 1951, he relocated to Paris, where his sister had already settled, and took employment in her husband’s bookstore. During this period he began playing guitar, composing original songs, and attending performances throughout the city; he also reported on Parisian culture for an Egyptian newspaper. An unexpected encounter with the celebrated Georges Brassens at the bookstore supplied the impetus to persist, prompting him to adopt the professional name Georges Moustaki in homage to his mentor. He soon appeared as pianist in a modest cabaret and gradually secured additional engagements on the Paris nightclub circuit. In 1954 he met Henri Salvador, with whom he co-wrote “Il N’y a Plus d’Amandes,” and placed other compositions with Jacques Doyen, Catherine Sauvage, and Irène Lecarte. As the decade progressed, his writing turned increasingly introspective, yielding pieces such as “Les Orteils au Soleil” (an early tribute to the Mediterranean), “Donne du Rhum à Ton Homme” (derived from a Caribbean folk song and recorded by Maria Candido), and “Gardez Vos Rêves.”

Around this time Moustaki formed a friendship with guitarist Henri Criolla, who introduced him to Edith Piaf. Piaf recorded several of his songs in 1958—“Eden Blues,” “Les Orgues de Barbarie,” and “Le Gitan et la Fille”—and requested further material. Collaborating with Piaf’s longtime composer Marguerite Monnot, Moustaki supplied the lyrics for “Milord,” which became one of Piaf’s signature works and a major international success in 1959. He joined Piaf on her American tour during the intense romantic relationship that occupied most of that year. He continued writing for her, producing “T’es Beau, Tu Sais,” “Faut Pas Qu’il Se Figure,” and “Un Étranger,” yet their eventual separation proved swift and definitive.

Throughout the first half of the 1960s Moustaki pursued further musical training, especially on classical guitar. Bolstered by Piaf’s endorsement, his catalog was interpreted by numerous prominent French artists of the era, including Yves Montand (“De Shangaï à Bangkok”), Juliette Gréco, Colette Renard, Pia Colombo, Dalida, Tino Rossi, and Barbara (“Vous Entendrez Parler de Lui”). He issued his first recordings in 1960 and released several singles on Pathé-Marconi over the ensuing years, yet none achieved significant notice; at that stage he did not regard himself as a noteworthy vocalist, and the label dropped him in 1966. Following a visit to Greece to renew ties with his heritage, he met actor Serge Reggiani, who was eager to launch a singing career and persuaded Moustaki to create material for him. Songs such as “Sarah,” “Ma Liberté,” “Madame,” “Votre Fille a Vingt Ans,” and “Ma Solitude” helped establish Reggiani as a star and restored Moustaki’s professional standing. He also continued supplying songs to Barbara and joined her on tour in 1968 for the successful duet “La Longue Dame Brune.” When Barbara fell ill one evening and could not perform, Moustaki gave an impromptu solo concert, an occurrence that signaled the start of his own emergence as a vocalist.

After signing with Polydor, Moustaki released the 1969 singles “Joseph” and “Il Est Trop Tard,” but widespread recognition arrived only with “Le Métèque” later that year. The wry celebration of his multicultural background, initially declined by his former label, became a major hit after he performed it on national television. The accompanying album Le Métèque enjoyed comparable success, and Moustaki found himself suddenly established as a recording artist. Over the following years he issued further albums, among them the live set Bobino (1970), that reinforced his popularity; these projects often featured Greek composers Manos Hadjidakis and Mikis Theodorakis and already reflected Near Eastern and other international influences. To his listeners, his persona evoked a borderless realm of freedom, brotherhood, and harmony, as in the 1971 hit “En Mediterranée,” suffused with a gentle, wistful romanticism.

In 1971 Moustaki appeared in the film Mendiants et Orgueilleux and recorded its title song. Several international tours in the early 1970s included a visit to Brazil; captivated by Brazilian popular music, he explored bossa nova and tropicalia extensively on the 1973 album Déclaration. That record contained “Eaux de Mars,” his French adaptation of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Aguas de Março,” the first of numerous Brazilian reworkings he would record. Les Amis de Georges (1974) paid tribute to the songs and admirers of Georges Brassens. Moustaki maintained an active schedule of global touring and recording through the rest of the decade with Humblement Il Est Venu (1975); the 1976 collaboration Prélude with Argentine tango master Astor Piazzolla, which included an ode to “Alexandrie”; Espérance (1977), featuring the Brazilian-tinged “Bahia”; and Si Je Pouvais T’aider (1979), among other releases. Many of his albums carried only his name, distinguished by fans according to their opening tracks.

Moustaki adopted the accordion in 1980 and introduced it on the 1981 album C’est Là. The following year he joined the Dutch ensemble Flairck for the equal partnership Moustaki & Flairck. His 1984 solo album included “Pornographie,” another adaptation of Manos Hadjidakis. Although he concentrated primarily on touring during the 1980s, reinforcing his image as a cosmopolitan traveler, he devoted himself exclusively to a series of Paris concerts in 1986; he also began publishing books of fiction and nonfiction, beginning with Les Filles de la Memoire in 1989. A prominent return to recording came with the guest-filled Mediterranéen in 1992, for which he received the Prix National de la Chanson. He followed with Tout Reste à Dire in 1996 and continued regular performances in France and abroad. Afflicted by emphysema, Georges Moustaki died in Nice, France, on May 23, 2013, at the age of 79.