Customer Reviews

Samedi Soir Sur La Terre

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Some long-time Cabrel fans feel like he's sold out, and they usually point to this album in particular; without the major social- and poltical-issue efforts of earlier albums, "Samedi soir sur la terre" marks a continuation of the artistic journey Cabrel seems to have started with "Sarbacane," a movement inwards. Almost as if deciding that you can't sort the world out until you sort yourself out, "Samedi soir" avoids heavier political themes in favor of moments of introspection, occasional whimsy, and compassionate observation.

It's easy to call something a sell-out when it's this easy to listen to, when it's just this good. Me, I like Cabrel's profiling of social injustices on earlier albums--songs about immigrants struggling for acceptance and comfort, or about wounded and increasingly uncertain corners of former certainty in French culture. But I think it's just as important for an artist with that kind of gift for trenchant insight to set his sights on the bricks that make up society and political formations: individual human lives and how they come into contact with other individual human lives. In this way, I think, Cabrel's songs on "Samedi soir"--about precarious relationships, about love for one's children, and about the way the big bad world seems to play with us--are every bit as vital as songs that seem to boast a more immediate political agenda.

Buy this album; in addition to the intimacy of the lyrics and the accessibility of the music and the Gypsy King cameo and the beautifully clean production (as if all of that weren't reason enough), it's just plain pretty.

I think I first heard "Je T'Aimais, Je T'Aime, Je T'Aimerai" at my French Teacher's wedding... But I'm not sure. I remember running across this song on Napster one day, while searching for something else. I loved it, and borrowed the CD for the weekend. Francis Cabrel sings songs that are both beautiful and well written. (It makes me wonder what else us stereotypical non-importing Americans miss.) It was so good that I decided to buy the CD, even thought I could have downloaded most of it.

I'm a beginning French student, and it's amazing how much I can pick up. I'll just get parts of songs stuck in my head, go around singing them all day, then smack myself in the forehead when I realize what I've been singing. It just clicks, which is a great feeling. The lyrics are easily understandable, he doesn't mumble or slur. This CD should be bought by anybody who likes artists similar in sound to Eric Clapton, or anybody interested in French.

Cabrel's earlier albums carry a definite Neil Diamond-esque feel to them. This album manages to cast this aside (as much as is possible) and acheives a very mature yet fresh and energetic feel to it. Nearly completely acoustic, it has a great folksy feel. I love all but maybe one or two songs on this album (and even those "disliked" songs would make me pause on the radio dial if I heard them). Cabrel makes perfect use of the 4 minute mileu to make his points or tell his stories, which generally manage to be both specific and generally applicable stories, hence making them resonate beyond the bounds of the words themselves. Lastly, Cabrel is great for learners of French as he sings clearly and is relatively easy to understand, yet sounds as French as French can be.

J'aime beaucoup Francis Cabrel, ses chansons sont très jolis. Au lycée, nous avons écouté "La Cabane du Pecheur" pour apprendre les objets directs (je crois...). A l'université, nous avons aussi écouté "La Corrida" et les autres chansons en classe. Amusez-vous bien quand vous écoutez la musique de Francis Cabrel! I'm going to use it in the future for my French classes because some songs like "Je t'aimais, je t'aime, et je t'aimerais" are perfect for teaching some aspects of grammar.

This is undoubtedly my FAVORITE CD now. Every song is well written, and of a differnt style. The entire CD is musically superior to anything else I have heard in years. It is like combining some Eric Clapton, with Bob Dillon and The Eagles -- throw in a dose of good crisp Blues guitar abd you come close to this album! I am thankful that I was able to get this, living here in California!~

I adore this album. It was given as a gift to me and it was perfect. (For all of you looking to get a gift for a friend or significant other, this would do nicely.) My favorite song on the album is Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerais, because it's a gentle, thoughtful love song. Also, it's a treat to listen to it if you are learning french because it has some things that are very easy to understand, which inspires you to learn more.

Just about a week ago, a friend of mine introduced me to this CD.
Not on purpose, mind you-he just popped it in the CD player in the car. I was amazed from my first listening experience how comfortable and gently beautiful the lyrics AND instrumentation blend together. My favorits at this early stage (although I admit I'm completely addicted to this CD) are Je t'aime...Les Vidanges Du Diable....Le Noceur... & Samedi Soir. My knowledge of the french language (at best) is very elementary...but I'm learning. And Francis Cabrel makes it very easy to want to learn more.

This album is a wonderful mix of folk, blues, and ballads. Each track stands well on its own musically, but there are some that are especially moving lyrically. "Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerai" is probably the most touching love song I have ever heard, and contrasts well with the plain-facts honesty of the title track. The music stands alone, but without some French the listener would miss out on the full depth of Cabrel's work. If your French isn't strong, don't let that stop you--there are full lyrics in the liner notes, and the music is so good you'll want to keep playing the disc until you know every word by heart.

I bought this cd on a whim, partly with help of previous reviews from amazon.com customers. I was not disappointed. Whether you speak French or not, this is a great album - pop it in, sit back, and relax (but if you're curious as to the lyrics, get a dictionary!). Cabrel has a wonderful voice, and the groove of the music - slow, yet with a lively pace - makes one feel as though they are sitting outside in a cafe, drinking coffee (ou vin), and talking with friends. The music samples do not give the album justice! Tres romantique, tres positive, tres belle. The cd case is a book itself, complete with full lyrics and photos of the band members.

Any Cabrel fan will tell you, all of his albums are top-notch, but this one is his best. Tracks 5 through 8 are masterpieces ("Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerai," "Les Vidanges du diable," "L'Arbre va tomber" and "Octobre"), as is perhaps the first track.