Christophe

Daniel Bevilacqua (, ; 13 October 1945 – 16 April 2020), better known by the stage name Christophe , was a French singer and songwriter.

Career Born in the Paris suburb of Juvisy-sur-Orge to an Italian father, Bevilacqua was rebellious at school and started leading a pop group when in his mid-teens. His first single, "Reviens Sophie" (1963), was unsuccessful, but after changing his name to Christophe, his second single, "Aline" (1965), rose to the top of the French pop music charts.

He continued to have success in France through the 1960s and early 1970s. His hits include the songs "Marionettes", "J'ai entendu la mer", "Excusez-moi Monsieur le Professeur", and "Oh!... Mon Amour" which he sang in French and Italian. After a small break, he returned in 1971, with Francis Dreyfus launching the Motors record label (Disques Motors) and becoming the producer of Christophe records. The result was the 1973 album Les Paradis perdus. In 1974, he recorded "Les mots bleus", with lyrics by Jean-Michel Jarre.

In 1978, he came back with "Le Beau Bizarre". In 1983, Christophe released another single, "Succès fou", followed by "Clichés d'amour" in 1984 in which he sang 1940s and 1950s classics such as "Arrivederci Roma" and "Dernier baiser", a French version of the Mexican classic "Besame mucho". In 1985, he wrote "Ne raccroche pas" a song which is believed to be about the Princess Stephanie of Monaco. The following year, he wrote the song "Boule de flipper" for Corynne Charby.

In 1996, after a break, he returned with his album Bevilacqua. In 2001, he released another album Comm' si la terre penchait. In February 2002, Christophe performed, in Clermont-Ferrand, his first live concert in more than two decades, followed by two appearances at the Olympia in March 2002.

Christophe's 1970s song "Les mots bleus" was covered by Thierry Amiel in 2003. In 2011, Christophe took part in a tribute album for Alain Bashung two years after the latter's death. He sang "Alcaline", a song written by Bashung in 1989 for his album Novice.

In 2016, Christophe collaborated with Jean-Michel Jarre on the album "Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise" with the song "Walking The Mile". And collaborated with Alan Vega on the album "Les Vestiges Du Chaos" with the song "Tangerine".

Personal life and death In 1971, Christophe married his girlfriend Véronique and fathered his daughter Lucie.

He died after being in critical condition due to COVID-19 associated with a previous comorbidity (COPD) on 16 April 2020.

Discography

Studio albums Christophe (1965, Disc'AZ) Sur la route de Salina (1970, Motors) Christophe (1972, Motors) Les paradis perdus (1973, Motors) Les mots bleus (1974, Motors) Samouraï (1976, Motors) La Dolce Vita (1977, Motors) Le Beau Bizarre (1978, Motors) Pas vu, pas pris (1980, Motors) Clichés d'amour (1983, Motors) Bevilacqua (1996, Epic) Comm'si la terre penchait (2001, Mercury) Aimer ce que nous sommes (2008, Az) Paradis retrouvé (2013, Motors) Les Vestiges du chaos (2016, Universal)

Live albums Olympia (1975, Motors) Olympia 2002 (2002, Mercury) Intime (2014, Motors) (either single CD or triple CD as deluxe ed.)

Compilations

Mon Univers (1996, Motors) 1965-1988 Best Of (2002, Dreyfus) 1965-1988 Best Of (2006, Dreyfus) 1965-1988 Christophe etc. (2019) Christophe etc. Vol. 2 (2019) Ultime. (2020)

Soundtracks La route de Salina (Motors)

Singles 1964: Reviens Sophie / Cette fureur de vivre / Ça n'fait rien / Se dire adieu 1965: Aline / Je l'ai retrouvée / Je ne t'aime plus / La fille aux yeux bleus 1965: Les Marionnettes / Je suis parti / Tu n'es plus comme avant / Noël 1966: Je chante pour un ami / Cette vie là / La danse a trois temps / J'ai remarché 1966: Excusez-moi monsieur le professeur / La camargue / Pour un oui / Christina 1966: J'ai entendu la mer / Cette musique / Le spectacle / Tu es folle 1966: À ceux qu'on aime / Avec des mots d'amour / Maman / Les amoureux qui passent 1967: Je sais que c'est l'été / Le coup de fouet / Les espagnols / La petite gamine 1968: Amour interdit / Passons une nuit blanche / Confession / Si tu veux, je peux with Motors label 1970: The Girl From Salina / Sunny Road To Salina 1971: La petite fille du 3e / Mere, tu es la seule 1971: Mal / Épouvantail 1971: Mes passagères / Fait chaud ce soir 1972: Oh mon amour / Goodbye, je reviendrai 1972: Main dans la main / Nue comme la mer 1973: La vie c'est une histoire d'amour / Les jours où rien ne va 1973: Belle / Rock monsieur 1973: Les paradis perdus / Mama 1973: Mickey / Emporte-moi 1973: L'amour toujours l'amour / La bête 1974: Señorita / Le temps de vivre 1974: Les mots bleus / Le dernier des Bevilacqua 1975: Petite fille du soleil / Le petit gars 1976: Merci John d'être venu / Paumé 1976: Une autre vie / Paumé 1976: Daisy / Macadam 1977: La Dolce Vita / La mélodie 1978: Un peu menteur / Ce mec-lou 1979: Aline / Je ne t'aime plus 1980: L'Italie / Question ambiance 1980: Agitation / Les tabourets du bar 1983: Succès Fou / Cœur défiguré 1983: Mon amie la jalousie / Souvenir de Laura 1983: Dernier baiser / La nuit bleue' 1984: J'l'ai pas touchée / Voix sans issue 1985: Ne raccroche pas / Méchamment rock'n'roll 1988: Chiqué chiqué / Un tour d'Harley avec Lucy 1988: Chiqué chiqué (long version) / Besame mucho / Ne raccroche pas (long version)

Filmography 1998: Autour de Vega, documentary by Hugues Peyret - as himself with Alan Vega 2006: Quand j'étais chanteur by Xavier Giannoli - as himself with Gérard Depardieu 2011: Preciosa short film by Dominique Abel - as Christophe 2013: Déjeuner chez Gertrude Stein, short by Isabelle Prim 2014: Juke-Box9 short by Ilan Klipper - as Daniel Berton 2014: Le Quepa sur la vilni! film by Yann Le Quellec - as mayor of Noère