Francis Cabrel
Francis Christian Cabrel (French pronunciation: [fʁɑ̃sis kʁistjɑ̃ kabʁɛl]; born 23 November 1953) is a French singer-songwriter, composer and guitarist.[1] Considered one of the most influential French musical artists of all time, he has released a number of albums falling mostly within the realm of folk, with occasional forays into blues or country. Several of his songs, such as "L'encre de tes yeux", "Je l'aime à mourir", "Le chêne liège" and "La corrida", have become enduring favourites in French music. Since the start of his career, Cabrel has sold over 25 million albums.
Francis Cabrel  | |
|---|---|
![]() Cabrel at the 2007 Festival International in Lafayette, Louisiana  | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Francis Christian Cabrel | 
| Born | 23 November 1953 Agen, Aquitaine (present-day New Aquitaine), France  | 
| Genres | Folk, country, blues | 
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, guitarist | 
| Years active | 1974–present | 
| Labels | CBS, Columbia | 
His first hit song was "Petite Marie" in 1974, which was about the woman who soon became his wife, Mariette.[2] His song "Je l'aime à mourir" was covered by Shakira; this version, both sung in French and Spanish, became a major hit single.[3] An unauthorised biography was published in 2015. Cabrel, who is one of the most private French singers, attempted to have the book suppressed.[4]
Biography
    
Francis Cabrel was born in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne into a modest family of Veneto descend. His father was a labourer in a biscuit factory and his mother a cashier in a cafeteria. He has a sister, Martine, and a brother, Philippe. He spent his childhood in Astaffort, in Lot-et-Garonne.[5]
Albums
    
    Studio albums
    
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Sales | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA | BEL (Fl) [6]  | 
BEL (Wa) [7]  | 
CAN | QUE | ROD | SWI | ||||
| Les Murs de poussière[lower-alpha 1] | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Les Chemins de traverse | 
  | 
2 | — | — | — | — | — | 
  | 
||
| Fragile | 
  | 
2 | — | — | — | — | — | 
  | 
||
| Carte postale | 
  | 
— | — | — | 15 | — | — | 
  | 
||
| Quelqu'un de l'intérieur | 
  | 
— | — | — | 1 | — | — | |||
| Photos de voyages | 
  | 
6 | — | — | 1 | — | — | |||
| Sarbacane | 
  | 
1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 
  | ||
| Samedi soir sur la Terre | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | ||||
| Hors-saison | 
  | 
1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | ||
| Les Beaux Dégâts | 
  | 
1 | 75 | 1 | 9 | 2 | — | 3 | ||
| Des roses et des orties | 
  | 
1 | 81 | 1 | 5 | 3 | — | 3 | 
  | |
| Vise le ciel ou Bob Dylan revisité | 
  | 
1 | 63 | 1 | — | 14 | 3 | 10 | 
  | |
| In extremis | 
  | 
1 | 81 | 1 | 5 | 3 | — | 3 | 
  | |
| À l'Aube revenant | 
  | 
1 [21]  | 49 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
Live albums
    
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Sales | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA | BEL (Fl) [6]  | 
BEL (Wa) [7]  | 
CAN | QUE | ROD | SWI | ||||
| Cabrel Public | 
  | 
— | — | — | 1 | — | — | |||
| D'une ombre à l'Autre | 
  | 
— | — | — | 33 | — | — | 
  | 
||
| Double Tour (Électrique & Acoustique) | 
  | 
2 | — | 15 | — | 43 | — | — | 
  | 
|
| La tournée des Bodegas | 
  | 
15 | — | 21 | — | — | — | 63 | 
  | 
|
| L'In Extremis Tour | 
  | 
4 | 110 | 3 | — | — | 4 | 16 | 
  | 
|
| Trobador Tour | 
  | 
16 [22]  | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
Compilation albums
    
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Sales | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA | BEL (Fl)  | 
BEL (Wa)  | 
CAN | QUE | ROD | SWI | ||||
| Canta en Español | 
  | 
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Cabrel 77-87 | 
  | 
28 | — | 12 | — | 19 | — | — | ||
| Algo más de amor (1990) | 
  | 
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Algo más de amor (1998) | 
  | 
— | — | — | — | 27 | — | — | ||
| L'Essentiel 1977–2007 | 
  | 
44 | — | 1 | — | 3 | 13 | 13 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
Box sets
    
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Sales | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA | ||||
| Les Murs de poussière / Les Chemins de traverse / Fragile | 
  | 
— | 
  | 
|
| Carte postale / Quelqu'un de l'intérieur / Photos de voyages | 
  | 
— | ||
| Cabrel Public / Sarbacane / Samedi soir sur la Terre | 
  | 
193 | ||
| Collection 1977-1989 | 
  | 
— | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||
Singles
    
    As lead artist
    
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA | BEL (Wa)  | 
QUE | ||||
| "L'instant d'amour" | 1977 | — | — | — | Francis Cabrel | |
| "Petite Marie" | 137 | — | — | |||
| "Pas trop de peine" | 1978 | — | — | — | ||
| "Les Murs de poussière" | — | — | — | |||
| "Je l'aime à mourir" | 1979 | 1 | — | — | 
  | 
Les Chemins de traverse | 
| "Je rêve" | 15 | — | — | |||
| "L'Encre de tes yeux" | 1980 | 5 | — | 13 | Fragile | |
| "Je pense encore à toi" | 18 | — | — | |||
| "La dame de Haute-Savoie" | 1981 | — | — | — | ||
| "Carte postale" | — | — | — | Carte postale | ||
| "Répondez-moi" | 1982 | — | — | — | ||
| "La fille qui m'accompagne" | 1983 | — | — | — | Quelqu'un de l'intérieur | |
| "Saïd et Mohammed" | 1984 | — | — | — | ||
| "Question d'équilibre" | — | — | 2 | |||
| "Encore et encore" | 1985 | 14 | — | 4 | Photos de voyages | |
| "Tourner les hélicos" | — | — | 17 | |||
| "Je te suivrai" | 1986 | — | — | — | ||
| "Il faudra leur dire"  (Cabrel and the children)  | 
2 | — | 1 | Cabrel 77-87 | ||
| "Sarbacane" | 1989 | 30 | — | 1 | Sarbacane | |
| "C'est écrit" | 6 | — | 4 | |||
| "Animal" | 31 | — | 1 | |||
| "Tout le monde y pense" | 1990 | 19 | — | — | ||
| "Petite Marie" (live) | 5 | — | 8 | D'une ombre à l'autre | ||
| "La Corrida" | 1994 | 7 | — | 3 | Samedi soir sur la Terre | |
| "Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerai" | 78 | — | 1 | |||
| "La cabane du pêcheur" | — | — | 1 | |||
| "Octobre" | 1995 | 88 | — | 1 | ||
| "Samedi soir sur la Terre" | — | — | 14 | |||
| "Vengo a ofrecer mi corazón"  (with Mercedes Sosa)  | 
1997 | — | 39 | — | Algo más de amor (1998) | |
| "Presque rien" | 1999 | — | — | 8 | Hors-saison | |
| "Le reste du temps" | — | — | 1 | |||
| "Hors-saison" | 133 | — | — | |||
| "Le monde est sourd" | 2000 | — | — | 2 | ||
| "Ma place dans le trafic" (live) | — | — | — | Double Tour | ||
| "Bonne nouvelle" | 2004 | — | — | 7 | Les Beaux Dégâts | |
| "Qu'est-ce que t'en dis?" | — | — | 9 | |||
| "Tu me corresponds" | — | — | — | |||
| "Les gens absents" | 2005 | — | — | 15 | ||
| "Je pense encore à toi" (live) | — | — | — | La tournée des Bodegas | ||
| "Gardien de nuit" | 2006 | — | — | 40 | Le Soldat Rose | |
| "Le gorille" | 2007 | — | — | — | L'Essentiel 1977-2007 | |
| "La robe et l'échelle" | 2008 | — | 2 | 11 | Des roses et des orties | |
| "Le chêne liège" | — | 31 | 34 | |||
| "Des hommes pareils" | 2009 | — | 22 | 21 | ||
| "Né dans le Bayou" | — | — | 23 | |||
| "Les cardinaux en costume" (live) | — | 17[lower-alpha 2] | — | N/A | ||
| "Comme une femme" | 2012 | 130 | 5[lower-alpha 2] | — | Vise le ciel ou Bob Dylan revisité | |
| "Je te veux" | — | 26[lower-alpha 2] | — | |||
| "Partir pour rester" | 2015 | 42 | 39 | — | In extremis | |
| "Dur comme fer" | — | 13[lower-alpha 2] | — | |||
| "À chaque amour que nous ferons" | 141 | — | — | |||
| "Le pays d'à côté" | 2016 | — | 28[lower-alpha 2] | — | ||
| "Te ressembler" | 2020 | — | — | — | À l'Aube revenant | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
As featured artist
    
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA | BEL (Wa)  | |||
| "La complainte de la butte"  (with Patrick Bruel)  | 
2002 | 48 | — | Entre deux | 
| "Tout reste à faire"  (with Souad Massi)  | 
2010 | — | 15[lower-alpha 2] | Ô houria | 
| "Petite Marie"  (with Umberto Tozzi)  | 
2012 | — | 25[lower-alpha 2] | Yesterday: The Best of 1976-2012 | 
| "Sueno"  (Gipsy Kings featuring Francis Cabrel)  | 
2014 | — | — | Savor Flamenco | 
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||
Other charted songs
    
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA | BEL (Wa)  | |||
| "Madame n'aime pas" | 2009 | — | 12[lower-alpha 2] | Des roses et des orties | 
| "Les filles à quoi ça sert"  (with Bénabar, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Alain Souchon)  | 
2011 | — | 3[lower-alpha 2] | Titeuf | 
| "Lucie"  (with Nolwenn Leroy)  | 
2014 | 193 | — | Kiss & Love | 
| "Mademoiselle l'aventure" | 2015 | 150 | — | Des roses et des orties | 
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||
Videography
    
- Sarbacane tour (1989)
 
Footnotes
    
- Les Murs de poussière was originally released as Francis Cabrel.
 - These songs did not enter the Ultratop 50 (Walloon), but rather the sales chart Ultratip 50.
 
References
    
- Enderlein, Isabelle (2008). La chanson française depuis 1945: intertextualité et intermédialité. ISBN 978-3-89975-135-2.
 - Source in French: Perrine Stenger for Voici. 8 April 2015.
 - Francis Cabrel : les secrets de son couple dévoilés
 - Source in French: Marc Fourny for Le Point. 30 April 2015. Francis Cabrel embarrassé sur sa vie privée
 - Cabrel official website, franciscabrel.com; accessed 21 June 2015.
 - "Discografie Francis Cabrel" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
 - "Discographie Francis Cabrel" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
 - "Les Certifications & Les Ventes". Info Disc. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Les Certifications". SNEP. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
 - "Gold/platinum". Hit Parade. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - Berthelot, Théau (17 March 2019). "Francis Cabrel raconte l'album "Sarbacane", qui fête ses 30 ans". Charts in France. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Gold/platinum 2008". Ultra Top. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Les disques d'or/de platine - albums 2003" [Gold/platinum 2003] (in French). Ultra Top. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
 - "Gold/platinum 2004". Ultra Top. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Gold/platinum 2009". Ultra Top. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - Hamard, Jonathan (26 September 2015). "Francis Cabrel toujours au top : 300.000 ventes pour son nouvel album "In Extremis"". Charts in France. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Gold/platinum 2012". Ultra Top. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Gold/platinum 2015". Ultra Top. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - Hamard, Jonathan (20 July 2015). "Clip de "Dur comme fer" : Francis Cabrel égratigne les politiques français". Charts in France. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 - "Top Albums (Week 43, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
 - "Top Albums (Week 49, 2021)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
 - "Les Disques D'Or/De Platine - Albums 1997". Ultra Top. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
 -  2013 "Gold/platinum 2013". Ultra Top. Retrieved 27 April 2019. 
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External links
    
- (in French) Official Francis Cabrel website
 - Biography of Francis Cabrel, from Radio France Internationale
 
