Pierre Barouh

Here is a famous Brazilian song (Agua de beber, performed namely by Astrud Gilberto, see Great female singers) sung in French by Pierre Barouh, who brought bossa nova to France.

Pierre Barouh (1934-2016) is a French composer-songwriter-player and producer, famous for his participation in the movie Un homme et une femme (as an actor and as the songwriter and singer of the score, along with Nicole Croisille - the movie was awarded with the Palme d’or at the Festival of Cannes in 1966).

After WWII, Pierre Barouh spent several months in Portugal where he discovered the Brazilian music. In 1959, he embarked for Brazil. 

Hence his passion for bossa nova. During his trips to Brazil he recorded unique footage of Brazilian musicians, available in his documentary Saravah, including a touching interview of Baden Powell about Iemanja and the African roots of Brazilian music.

He wrote for the movie Un homme et une femme a French version (Samba saravah) of the Baden Powell and Vinícius de Moraes song Samba da bênção, which had a huge success. 

He is also the author of an opera, Le kabaret de la dernière chance, whose main song is the last one performed by Yves Montand. 

He was married to Anouk Aimée, who starred in Un homme et une femme. He then married a Japanese and lived between France and Japan.

Enjoy the sweet voice and style of Pierre Barouh, the most Brazilian of the French people, as he used to describe himself so rightfully!
(See also Great scores: A man and a woman.)

Ce n'est que de l'eau