Biography
Jean Constantin, a French vocalist, lyricist, and music creator, gained recognition primarily through his composition of Edith Piaf's 1958 track titled "Mon Manège à Moi (Tu Me Fais Tourner la Tête)" along with his musical score for François Truffaut's motion picture Les Quatre Cents Coups from 1959. His birth occurred on February 9, 1923, within Paris, France, and his professional endeavors centered mainly on the music and cinema sectors throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Among the initial successes for his material came with Charles Aznavour performing "À T'regarder" in 1955 and Zizi Jeanmaire's rendition of "Mon Truc en Plumes" the following year. The rendition by Edith Piaf of his piece "Mon Manège à Moi (Tu Me Fais Tourner la Tête)" in 1958 stands out as his most lasting achievement in songwriting. Equally notable remains his score for François Truffaut's 1959 cinematic work Les Quatre Cents Coups, released in English as The 400 Blows and recognized as a cornerstone of the French New Wave cinema. Over subsequent decades, various vocalists interpreted his compositions, notably Yves Montand with selections including "Barcarolette," "Ellington Quarante et Love," "L'Enfant Ébloui," "Le Simple Jardinier," "Ma Gigolette," "Mon Manège à Moi," and "Napoli Jolie," in addition to Petula Clark's performances of "Che Sbadato," "En Juillet," "Ne Joue Pas," and "Tango de l'Esquimau." Success eluded him, however, in his own singing career despite accomplishments in other areas. His individual recordings, largely overlooked, saw select tracks gathered into the BMG-issued compilation Les Plus Belles Chansons during 1994. His passing took place on January 30, 1997, in Noisy-le-Grand, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.
Albums
