The 1968 Generation and Political Chanson

Revolution's Soundtrack

May 1968's upheaval demanded engaged music. Chanson's response varied:

Léo Ferré (1916-1993) emerged as anarchist prophet. Already established as chanson's intellectual conscience, he embraced revolution: - "Ni Dieu ni maître": Anarchist anthem - "Les Anarchistes": Celebrating historical rebels - "C'est extra": Sexual revolution as rock opera - Settings of Rimbaud, Baudelaire, Verlaine with orchestral grandeur

Jean Ferrat (1930-2010) represented communist engagement: - "Ma France": Patriotic leftism - "La Montagne": Rural depopulation lament - "Nuit et brouillard": Holocaust remembrance

Feminist Voices

The 1970s brought feminist perspectives:

Anne Sylvestre (b. 1934): "Les Gens qui doutent," exploring women's experiences with wit and tenderness

Brigitte Fontaine (b. 1939): Avant-garde provocations mixing chanson, free jazz, and world music

Catherine Sauvage (1929-1998): Interpreter of Prévert and Vian with feminist edge