In 1959, Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel wrote and performed "Ne me quitte pas" (Don't leave me), a visceral and haunting plea for his lover to come back. As a teenager, Maya Angela Smith was so captivated by Nina Simone's powerful 1965 cover of the song that it inspired her to be a French professor. In Ne me quitte pas, Smith follows the classic song's long and varied journey, from Brel's iconic 1966 performance on French television to Simone's cover to Shirley Bassey's English-language version ("If You Go Away") to its contemporary manifestations in popular culture. Throughout, Smith shows that as the song travels across languages, geographies, genres, and generations, it accumulates shifting artistic and cultural significance as each listener creates their own meaning.
| ISBN: | 9781478028253 |
| Publication date: | 25th February 2025 |
| Author: | Maya Angela Smith |
| Publisher: | Duke University Press |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 152 pages |
| Series: | Singles |
| Genres: |
Music Ethnic studies Social and cultural history Music reviews and criticism |
In 1959, Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel wrote and performed "Ne me quitte pas" (Don't leave me), a visceral and haunting plea for his lover to come back. As a teenager, Maya Angela Smith was so captivated by Nina Simone's powerful 1965 cover of the song that it inspired her to be a French professor. In Ne me quitte pas, Smith follows the classic song's long and varied journey, from Brel's iconic 1966 performance on French television to Simone's cover to Shirley Bassey's English-language version ("If You Go Away") to its contemporary manifestations in popular culture. Throughout, Smith shows that as the song travels across languages, geographies, genres, and generations, it accumulates shifting artistic and cultural significance as each listener creates their own meaning.
Ne Me Quitte Pas features in the following genres: Music, Ethnic studies, Social and cultural history, Music reviews and criticism
Ne Me Quitte Pas is available in Hardback, Paperback
Ne Me Quitte Pas was written by Maya Angela Smith and published by Duke University Press
Ne Me Quitte Pas has 152 pages
Yes it is part of Singles series