Roger Roger And His Orchestra – Selections From The Film Folies Bergere

Roger Roger And His Orchestra – Selections From The Film Folies Bergere

Originally released in 1957, Selections From The Film Folies Bergere captures the colourful musical world of Henri Decoin's French musical comedy Folies-Bergère, starring Eddie Constantine, Zizi Jeanmaire and Nadia Gray. The film was released in France in January 1957 and was shot in Technicolor, including sequences filmed at the famous Folies-Bergère music hall in Paris. Its music was composed by Philippe-Gérard, whose songs and themes provide the basis for this collection performed by Roger Roger and his orchestra.

Roger Roger was a prolific French composer, arranger and orchestra leader whose work became closely associated with film, television, library music and sophisticated European easy listening. This selection reflects the exuberant variety of the original Folies-Bergère production, moving between French chanson, dance-band arrangements, romantic themes, blues, rock ’n’ roll, mambo and theatrical orchestration. The surviving 1957 documentation confirms the musical diversity of the score, with contemporary descriptions identifying pieces such as “Ça va faire du bruit” as a march, “Si ma vie recommençait” as a slow number, “Mes pieds” as a fox-trot, “Blue Bar” as a blues and “Rock Hot Tension” as rock ’n’ roll.

The opening side is particularly evocative of mid-century French music-hall, from the lively “Ca Va Faire Du Bruit” and romantic “Si Ma Vie Recommencait” through “Je Suis, Tu Es, Il Est”, “Derniers Beaux Jours”, “Mes Pieds” and the beautifully arranged “Blanche Comme Neige.” Side Two broadens the palette further, with the playful “Circus Polka”, “Un Seul Amour”, the energetic “Rock Hot Tension-Mambo Folies”, atmospheric “Blue Bar” and the distinctly Parisian “Paris Boheme.” The complete 1957 recording programme is also documented in later archival editions of the film music.

For collectors of 1950s French film music, vintage easy listening, orchestral pop and European lounge records, this is an appealing period snapshot of the French music-hall tradition. It also has added interest for fans of Philippe-Gérard's film work and the richly arranged, cosmopolitan sound of post-war Parisian orchestras.

Side A

1. Ca Va Faire Du Bruit
2. Si Ma Vie Recommencait
3. Je Suis, Tu Es, Il Est
4. Derniers Beaux Jours
5. Mes Pieds
6. Blanche Comme Neige

Side B

1. Circus Polka
2. Un Seul Amour
3. Rock Hot Tension-Mambo Folies
4. Blue Bar
5. Paris Boheme