THE YÉ-YÉ GIRL BIOGRAPHY
ALL ABOUT ANNIE PHILIPPE
Annie Philippe, born on December 17 in Paris, her tangy voice her and her movie star physique made a glory in the second half of the 1960s, alongside the “yéyé” singers Sheila, Sylvie Vartan, Françoise Hardy and France Gall.
The songs “Baby Love” (1965) and “I have so much pain” (1965) made her known, but the tube “Ticket de quai” (1966) raised her to the pinnacle with more than a million records sold.
Annie Philippe was born in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. She is the fifth and last child of a very modest family. As she dreams of becoming a dancer, her father enrolls her in dance lessons given by the choreographer Louis Orlandi at the Théâtre du Châtelet.
A gifted student, she had the opportunity to be a little replacement rat in the corps de ballet.
While she was a disc jockey at Twenty One, a nightclub on rue Balzac in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, Annie Philippe was discovered by Paul Mauriat, the famous french conductor. Following an audition where she sings titles by Lenny Escudero, Marie Laforêt and France Gall, Paul Mauriat finds her artistic abilities while advising her to take singing lessons.
In 1965, she recorded at Riviera (now own by the french label Anthology’s), her first 45 rpm, “You can tell me”, also featuring a version of Elvis Presley's “Love me Tender”.
Her second 45 rpm, "Baby Love", a cover of the hit by the American female group Supremes, and the third, with a composition by the french actor and singer Guy Marchand, “J'ai tant de peine”, made the young singer with her tangy voice known.
From the first successes to the consecration in the spring of 1966, she performed “Ticket de quai”, by composer Christian Sarrel and lyricist André Pascal, a song on the theme of a separation on a station platform, originally intended for Richard Anthony but refused by him who didn't want a second song talking about train as his first hit was.
Proposed by Paul Mauriat to Annie Philippe, “Ticket de quai” was a hit for young couples separated by military service, still compulsory at the time. It sold more than a million copies in record stores.
That same year, she appeared in the "photo of the century" bringing together 46 French stars of the "yéyé" on April 12, 1966. She would say later that if good humor seems to reign according to the photo, in reality it was rather "a session without emotion, without laughter or sharing”. On the occasion of this photo, she meets the singer Claude François, at the time in a relationship with France Gall. One of the most famous european singer (creator of My Way) became her lover and even propose to marry her (but she refused !).
Between 1966 and 1968, she recorded about fifty songs on several labels. The successes are linked with tailor-made songs: “Soeur Angélique”, “Cause Toujours”, “Pas de taxi,” “C'est la mode”, “Pour qui pour quoi”, “My friends my friends”, “For glory”, “The time of the dolls”, and “The model”, his second biggest success, also written by André Pascal.
Unlike the other yéyés, she made few adaptations, preferring original compositions (by Guy Marchand, Guy Béart, Alain Bashung, Jacques Revaux…).
She appeared many times on television in Albert Raisner's “Tender Age and Head of Wood” (1965-1968) and in Guy Lux's Song Awards (1961-1965).
She became the favorite singer for the press and especially “Mademoiselle, tender age”, which often devotes its covers to Annie Philippe.
Because of her voice, her flow and her themes, she is set up as a rival of France Gall on the waves. Despite the success of her songs, Annie Philippe began to be tired of this star life
(The Same Love” in 1968, “I Discover Everything” in 1969 and “I'm Yours” in 1971).
After having made numerous tours, in particular with Claude François, she withdrew somewhat from her profession while continuing to lead an intense love life.
In 1969, she was model for scopitone of big french hit “Adieu jolie Candy” by Jean-François Michaël. In the January 1972 she was on cover of very famous french sexy magazine “LUI”, where she posed entirely naked for beautiful photo session by Raymond Depardon.
In 1975, she joined the group Electrogène for the song “Je tu il nous vous les autres”. She then resumed her name with “Comme je t'aime” in 1976 and “Call Jack” in 1978. 1980s and 1990s In May 1985, the Forbans offered her to do the first part of their show at the Olympia.
In the spring of 1988, french actor Jean-Paul Belmondo called on her to play alongside him in the film “Itinerary of a spoiled child” by Claude Lelouch.
In the 1990s, she returned to television, appearing in “La Chance aux Chansons” by Pascal Sevran, where she performed her old hits.
In 1999, she was remembered by her admirers with a CD compilation of her greatest hits.
In 2001, Annie Philippe reunited with Frank Alamo on Pascal Sevran's Orchestra during the a TV program for France 2.
In 2003, she appears for the last time on stage for a big french tour “Age Tendre” and sang every night in front of 5000 peoples for 25 last shows !
She also published a book “J’aurai pu être la Marquise des Anges” and became the "muse" of the Yéyé Girl movement all around the world !