One of the first French-language rock groups was this intensely obscure band with a near-unsearcheable name. Look up "Les Dauphins" and you'll get lots of French sites about actual dolphins. I did find one site in Russian that offered this brief blurb:
"Dolphins"-a group ofFrenchAlgerianport cityof Oran(Oran).CreatedbrothersGerardandRobertShatelenamitogetherwith AlainMartin, Andre Castro andGilbertHullo.Existed in theyears1964-1966, longpleyanot released, was4EP's,releasedviaColumbia ...Almost all of theband's workhas been collectedin 1993on this compilation. Vocals-exclusivelyin French." Thank you, Google Translate!
It's another curio from the days when non-Anglo-American cultures were grappling with the rock 'n' roll behemoth that had just washed up on their shores, and were struggling to find a way to integrate it into their culture. At least these guys didn't try to sing in English. But French just isn't a rock 'n' roll language, even when sung Elvis-style. Tho on one of the best songs here, the Isley Brothers-esque "Ne Pars Pas," they do sing the word 'baby' a lot.
It's all a lot of twistin', rockin' fun, with some recognizable covers strewn amidst the originals, e.g.: "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," and the Gene Pitney/Ricky Nelson hit "Hello Mary Lou.""Le Voyageur" is Nelson's "Travelin Man." Highlights include the early-Beatles-ish "L'Amour Nous Dira Oui," the wtf? harpsichord solo on "Celle Qu'il Me Fallait,""Non, Ne Me Dis Pas" (fuzz garage rocker) and, my fave, "Serrons-Nous La Main."
A big merci to Count Otto Black!
Les Dauphins "Tout, Tout, Tout"
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01. Baby, Pleure Pas (1964) (S.Curtis/G.Chatelain) - 2:04
02. Hello Mary Lou (1964) (G.Pitney/G.Chatelain) - 2:15
03. Après La Pluie (1964) (J.Fuller/G.Chatelain) - 3:02
04. Tu Brises Mon Cœur (1964) (B.Knight/G.Chatelain) - 2:17
05. Le Voyageur (1964) (J.Fuller/G.Chatelain) - 2:26
06. L'Amour Nous Dira Oui (1964) (H.Marvin/G.Chatelain) - 2:32
07. Celle Qu'il Me Fallait (1964) (L.Vandyke/M.Vendôme) - 2:20
08. Ne Pars Pas (1964) (N.Takes-M.Jones-R.Ames-B.Legatt/F.Gérald) - 2:12
09. C'est Pour Demain (1964) (R.Venom/E.Verrechia) - 1:29
10. Pas Aujourd'hui (1964) (C.Stuart/R.Bernet) - 2:11
11. Je Ne Peux L'oublier (1964) (M.Tillis/G.Chatelain) - 1:44
12. Je Ne Veux Pas (1965) (R.Charles/E.Vartan) - 2:41
13. Tout, Tout, Tout (1965) (B.Welch/G.Chatelain) - 2:07
14. Petite Fille (1965) (B.Goldsboro/G.Thibaut) - 2:21
15. Ça Serait Trop Beau (1965) (M.Grace/F.Gérald) - 2:29
16. Tu Marches Et Tu Pleures (1965) (G.Chatelain) - 2:36
17. Je T'Écris Ce Mot (1965) (A.Martin/G.Chatelain) - 2:19
18. Avant De La Rencontrer (1965) (G.Gullaud-A.Castro-M.Vendôme) - 2:26
19. Il Y A Tant De Chemins (1965) (A.Martin-M.Vendôme) - 2:50
20. Non, Ne Me Dis Pas (1966) (G.Chatelain) - 2:03
21. Va T'En Maintenant (1966) (G.Chatelain-F.Bonifay) - 2:45
22. Priez Pour Moi (1966) (A.Castro-F.Gérald) - 1:54
23. Serrons-Nous La Main (1966) (G.Magenta-M.Jourdan) - 2:28
24. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (avec Johnny Hallyday) (1964) (D.Williams-S.David) - 5:44
Personnel:
- Gérard Chatelain - lead vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica
- Robert Chatelain - bass, piano, guitar
- Alain Martin - lead guitar
- André Castro - rhythm guitar, percussion
- Gilbert Gullaud - drums
"Dolphins"-a group ofFrenchAlgerianport cityof Oran(Oran).CreatedbrothersGerardandRobertShatelenamitogetherwith AlainMartin, Andre Castro andGilbertHullo.Existed in theyears1964-1966, longpleyanot released, was4EP's,releasedviaColumbia ...Almost all of theband's workhas been collectedin 1993on this compilation. Vocals-exclusivelyin French." Thank you, Google Translate!
It's another curio from the days when non-Anglo-American cultures were grappling with the rock 'n' roll behemoth that had just washed up on their shores, and were struggling to find a way to integrate it into their culture. At least these guys didn't try to sing in English. But French just isn't a rock 'n' roll language, even when sung Elvis-style. Tho on one of the best songs here, the Isley Brothers-esque "Ne Pars Pas," they do sing the word 'baby' a lot.
It's all a lot of twistin', rockin' fun, with some recognizable covers strewn amidst the originals, e.g.: "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," and the Gene Pitney/Ricky Nelson hit "Hello Mary Lou.""Le Voyageur" is Nelson's "Travelin Man." Highlights include the early-Beatles-ish "L'Amour Nous Dira Oui," the wtf? harpsichord solo on "Celle Qu'il Me Fallait,""Non, Ne Me Dis Pas" (fuzz garage rocker) and, my fave, "Serrons-Nous La Main."
A big merci to Count Otto Black!
Les Dauphins "Tout, Tout, Tout"
01. Baby, Pleure Pas (1964) (S.Curtis/G.Chatelain) - 2:04
02. Hello Mary Lou (1964) (G.Pitney/G.Chatelain) - 2:15
03. Après La Pluie (1964) (J.Fuller/G.Chatelain) - 3:02
04. Tu Brises Mon Cœur (1964) (B.Knight/G.Chatelain) - 2:17
05. Le Voyageur (1964) (J.Fuller/G.Chatelain) - 2:26
06. L'Amour Nous Dira Oui (1964) (H.Marvin/G.Chatelain) - 2:32
07. Celle Qu'il Me Fallait (1964) (L.Vandyke/M.Vendôme) - 2:20
08. Ne Pars Pas (1964) (N.Takes-M.Jones-R.Ames-B.Legatt/F.Gérald) - 2:12
09. C'est Pour Demain (1964) (R.Venom/E.Verrechia) - 1:29
10. Pas Aujourd'hui (1964) (C.Stuart/R.Bernet) - 2:11
11. Je Ne Peux L'oublier (1964) (M.Tillis/G.Chatelain) - 1:44
12. Je Ne Veux Pas (1965) (R.Charles/E.Vartan) - 2:41
13. Tout, Tout, Tout (1965) (B.Welch/G.Chatelain) - 2:07
14. Petite Fille (1965) (B.Goldsboro/G.Thibaut) - 2:21
15. Ça Serait Trop Beau (1965) (M.Grace/F.Gérald) - 2:29
16. Tu Marches Et Tu Pleures (1965) (G.Chatelain) - 2:36
17. Je T'Écris Ce Mot (1965) (A.Martin/G.Chatelain) - 2:19
18. Avant De La Rencontrer (1965) (G.Gullaud-A.Castro-M.Vendôme) - 2:26
19. Il Y A Tant De Chemins (1965) (A.Martin-M.Vendôme) - 2:50
20. Non, Ne Me Dis Pas (1966) (G.Chatelain) - 2:03
21. Va T'En Maintenant (1966) (G.Chatelain-F.Bonifay) - 2:45
22. Priez Pour Moi (1966) (A.Castro-F.Gérald) - 1:54
23. Serrons-Nous La Main (1966) (G.Magenta-M.Jourdan) - 2:28
24. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (avec Johnny Hallyday) (1964) (D.Williams-S.David) - 5:44
Personnel:
- Gérard Chatelain - lead vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica
- Robert Chatelain - bass, piano, guitar
- Alain Martin - lead guitar
- André Castro - rhythm guitar, percussion
- Gilbert Gullaud - drums