Gilbert Bécaud

In 2001, he died at age 74 on his houseboat on the Seine. See also: List of Swedes in music. The 1990s saw a drastic slowdown of Bécaud's activity, releasing various compilations and touring occasionally. Also of note, the group recorded a medley that combined "I'm Alive" by The Hollies and "Hush" by Deep Purple which played better in Scandinavia than anywhere else. Later in the century, he began writing with Pierre Grosz and then Neil Diamond, also writing the Broadway musical Madame Roza with Julian More. The group had a US top 10 hit with a cover of The Association's "Never My Love". In 1974, he was named Chevalier in the Legion d'Honneur. Thomas song "Hooked on a Feeling", adapted by British pop eccentric Jonathan King.

Focusing more on touring than recording into the 1970s, Bécaud did some acting work and finally took time off in 1973, citing exhaustion. The band got their international break-through in 1972 with their cover of the 1969 B.J. After writing the opera L'opéra d'Aran, Becaud toured Europe and continued recording a string of pop hits, including the controversial "Tu le regretteras". The band was originally called "Blåblus" (Swedish for "blue denim shirt") and featured Björn Skifs singing the lead vocals. In 1961, Bécaud recorded "Et maintenant", one of the biggest singles in French history. Translated as "What Now My Love", the song became a hit by Shirley Bassey, Sonny & Cher, Elvis Presley, Andy Williams and Frank Sinatra. Blue Swede was a Swedish rock band from the early to mid-1970s that succeeded with a few singles which were covers of other artists' material. That same year, "Let It Be Me", a translation of "Je t'appartiens", became a hit for the Everly Brothers, followed, over the years, by Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Jerry Butler and James Brown.

In 1960, he won a Grand Prix du Disque and composed "L'enfant à l'étoile", a Christmas cantata. He began acting in the same period, starting with 1956's Le Pays D'où Je Viens. His first hit in the English-speaking world was Jane Morgan's translation of "Le jour où la pluie viendra" from 1958. His hits in the later part of the decade included "La corrida" (1956), "Le jour où la pluie viendra" (1957) and "C'est merveilleux l'amour" (1958).

His first performance came the year after, and by 1955 he had earned his reputation as the most electrifying performer on the French scene. He began singing at her suggestion in 1953, with "Mes mains" and "Les croix". While touring with Jacques Pills as a pianist, Bécaud met Édith Piaf, the wife of Jacques Pills at the time. He began writing for Marie Bizet; Bizet, Bécaud and Vidalin became an extremely successful trio, and their partnership lasted until 1950.

He began songwriting in 1948, after meeting Maurice Vidalin, who inspired him to write his early compositions. In 1942, he left school to join the French Resistance during World War II. Born in Toulon, Bécaud learned to play the piano at a young age, and then went to the Conservatoire de Nice. His best-known hit is probably "Et maintenant", a 1961 release that became an English language hit after being translated into "What Now My Love".

Gilbert Bécaud (October 24, 1927 - December 18, 2001) was a French singer, composer and actor, known as Monsieur 100,000 Volts for his energetic performances.