How did France Gall die?:- France Gall, one of the most popular and influential French singers of the 1960s and beyond, died on January 7, 2018, at the age of 70, after a long battle with cancer.
She was known for her sweet voice, her catchy songs, and her collaborations with some of the greatest names in French music, such as Serge Gainsbourg and Michel Berger.
She also won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965 with the song Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son, which was later adapted into My Way by Paul Anka for Frank Sinatra.
Biography, Early Life and Career
France Gall was born Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall on October 9, 1947, in Paris, into a musical family. Her father was Robert Gall, a singer and songwriter who wrote songs for Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, and others. Her mother was Cécile Berthier, a daughter of Paul Berthier, a co-founder of the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois choir. She had two brothers, Patrice and Claude.
She started singing at a young age and recorded her first single, Ne Sois Pas Si Bête (Don’t Be So Stupid), when she was 16. It sold over 200,000 copies and launched her career as a yé-yé singer, a term that referred to the French pop singers of the 1960s who were influenced by the British and American music of the time.
France soon met Serge Gainsbourg, one of the most renowned and controversial figures in French popular music, who wrote several songs for her, including Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son (Wax Doll, Rag Doll), which won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965 for Luxembourg. The song was a huge hit across Europe and made Gall an international star.
However, she later regretted working with Gainsbourg, who often used double entendres and sexual innuendos in his lyrics. One of the most notorious examples was Les Sucettes (The Lollipops), which was about oral sex disguised as a candy. Gall said she did not understand the meaning of the song at the time and felt betrayed by Gainsbourg. She stopped collaborating with him after that.
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Success and Tragedy
In 1973, France Gall met Michel Berger, another prominent French singer-songwriter who became her musical partner and husband. They married in 1976 and had two children: Pauline (born in 1978) and Raphaël (born in 1981). Together, they created some of the most memorable songs of French pop music, such as La Déclaration d’Amour (The Declaration of Love), Il Jouait du Piano Debout (He Played the Piano Standing Up), Ella Elle l’a (Ella She Has It), and Babacar. They also worked on humanitarian projects, such as Band Aid and Action Écoles.
However, their happiness was overshadowed by tragedy. In 1992, Berger died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 44. Gall was devastated by his loss and withdrew from public life for several years. She returned to music in 1996 with a tribute album to Berger called France.
In 1997, she faced another blow when her daughter Pauline died of cystic fibrosis at the age of 19. Gall dedicated her last album to her daughter’s memory in 2004.
Obituary, Legacy, and Death Reason
Gall continued to perform occasionally until 2015 when she staged a musical based on her and Berger’s songs called Résiste. She also received several honors and awards for her contribution to French culture, such as the Legion of Honor in 2009 and the Victoire de la Musique in 2015.
In December 2017, she was hospitalized for a severe infection near Paris. She died on January 7, 2018, from complications of cancer. She was buried next to her husband and daughter at the Montmartre Cemetery in Paris.
Gall left behind a legacy of songs that touched millions of people in France and around the world. She was praised by many artists and celebrities for her talent, her generosity, and her courage. She was also remembered as a symbol of French pop music and an icon of female emancipation.
France Gall’s Facts
| Name | France Gall |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall |
| Birth date | October 9, 1947 |
| Birth place | Paris, France |
| Death date | January 7, 2018 |
| Death place | Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1963-2015 |
| Spouse | Michel Berger (1976-1992) |
| Children | Pauline (1978-1997) and Raphaël (1981-) |
| Genres | Pop, rock, yé-yé, chanson |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Awards | Eurovision Song Contest (1965), Legion of Honor (2009), Victoire de la Musique (2015) |
Trivia
- She inspired the original version of the song that became My Way by Frank Sinatra. The song was written by Claude François as Comme d’Habitude (As Usual) after his breakup with Gall. Paul Anka bought the rights to the song and rewrote the lyrics for Sinatra.
- France won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965 with the song Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son, which was written by Serge Gainsbourg. The song was the first pop song to win the contest and was a hit across Europe.
- She collaborated with Serge Gainsbourg on several songs but later regretted it because of his use of sexual innuendos and double entendres. She felt betrayed by him when she realized the meaning of Les Sucettes, which was about oral sex.
- France Gall married Michel Berger in 1976 and had two children with him. They created some of the most popular songs in French pop music and worked on humanitarian projects. They were considered one of the most successful and beloved couples in French music history.
- She lost her husband in 1992 to a heart attack and her daughter in 1997 to cystic fibrosis. She dedicated her last album to her daughter’s memory in 2004.
- Gall died in 2018 from complications of cancer. She was buried next to her husband and daughter at the Montmartre Cemetery in Paris.
- She was praised by many artists and celebrities for her talent, her generosity, and her courage. She was also remembered as a symbol of French pop music and an icon of female emancipation.
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