C'est si bon

For the South Korean film, see C'est si bon (film).
"C'est si bon"

Photo of the gramophone record (78 rpm).
Song by Jean Marco
English title It's So Good
Published Paul Beuscher
Released 1948
Length 02:40
Form Foxtrot
Composer Henri Betti
Lyricist André Hornez (French lyrics)
Jerry Seelen (English lyrics)
Language French
Recorded by Columbia
Performed by Jacques Hélian

C'est si bon is a French popular song composed in 1947 by Henri Betti with the lyrics by André Hornez. The English lyrics were written in 1950 by Jerry Seelen. The song is also adapted in several languages.

Story

The first nine notes of the song came to composer Henri Betti while he was walking under the arcades of the avenue Jean Médecin in Nice in July 1947. He wrote the notes in a notebook to be able to recall them to play on the piano. Once home, he composed the melody in less than ten minutes. He then made an appointment with lyricist André Hornez at the Hôtel Powers in Paris in order to find a title for the song. Hornez said that the title should be three syllables, sung to the first three notes of the song. The next day Hornez showed Betti a list of ten three-syllable titles, the last of which was C'est si Bon. Betti told Hornez that he liked it, but hesitated because there was a current Charles Trenet song called C'est Bon. Hornez told him that si made all the difference. The song was registered with the SACEM on 16 August 1947 and was published by Paul Beuscher.[1]

Before finding a professional singer for the song, Henri Betti sang the song himself at the restaurant La Réserve in Nice. He first proposed the song to Yves Montand together with Mais qu'est-ce que j'ai? which he had just composed (with lyrics by Édith Piaf). On October 9, 1947 at the Théâtre de l'Étoile, Yves Montand sang Mais qu'est-ce que j'ai? but did not sing C'est si bon, preferring to wait a few weeks to sing it on stage or on the radio. The publisher decided to record the song for the radio using vocalist Jean Marco with Jacques Hélian and his Orchestra on 18 February 1948. Then the publisher offered the song to the Sœurs Étienne with Raymond Legrand and his Orchestra, and this version became a hit. Montand, now seeing a good thing, recorded the song on 11 May 1948 with Bob Castella and his Orchestra. The publisher then offered the song to Suzy Delair who sang it in public in the first Nice Jazz Festival on 25 February 1948. Louis Armstrong was present at the festival and asked the publisher if he could make a recording of the song in America. The publisher agreed and the song's lyrics were adapted into English by Jerry Seelen. Armstrong made his recording on June 26, 1950 in New York with Sy Oliver and his Orchestra. Upon its release, the disc became a worldwide hit and the song was then sung by leading international singers and used in film and television.

In 1953, the song was featured in the film His Father's Portrait, in which Maître Pierre was also featured. These songs are Betti's two biggest hits.

Cover versions

Filmography

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  • 1980 and 1982 : Mont Blanc uses the song for their dessert cream.
  • 1983, 1985 and 1987 : Simmons uses the song for their mattresses.
  • 1990 : Yves Saint Laurent request to singer Jill Jones to do a new version of the song for their toilet water Jazz.
  • 1992 : Yves Saint Laurent request to sextet Take 6 to do an a cappella version of the song for their toilet water Jazz Prestige.
  • 1993 : Hautes-Pyrénées uses the song for their ski resort.
  • 1994 : Cidou uses the song for their juice Cidorange.
  • 1999 and 2000 : William Saurin uses the song for their ready-cooked dish.
  • 2005 and 2006 : LU uses the song for their cake Vandame.
  • 2007 : Jacques Vabre uses the song for their coffee Costa Rica and Pérou.
  • 2012 : Pierre Fabre uses the song for their drug Cetavlon.
  • 2012 : McDonald’s request to disc jockey Bob Sinclar to do a remix of the version of Yves Montand for their sandwich McBaguette.
  • 2013 : Palmolive uses the song for their shower gel Gourmet.
  • 2013 : Harrys uses the version of Louis Armstrong for their pain de mie Beau et Bon.
  • 2014 : Renault request to singer Maximilien Philippe to do a rock version of the song for their car Renault Clio.
  • 2015 : Beats Electronics uses the version of Eartha Kitt for their headphones Solo2 Wireless.

External links

References

  1. ↑ Louis-Jean Calve, Cent ans de chansons française, Archipoche, 2008, p. 67
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