"Tennessee Valse" (French version of "Tennessee Waltz")

In my further research to discover new foreign-language versions of American songs, I stumbled across a French version of "Tennessee Waltz". According to SACEM, the French lyrics were written by Jacques Larue. I've found three different versions of it so far, but I can't figure out who originally recorded it, nor can I find the original album for any of them.

Versions I've found:

Discogs also lists a version by Jean Sablon on a 2005 compilation album, though I can't find a video for that one. I've tried searching Discogs, AllMusic, 45cat/45worlds and Musicbrainz with no lucky.

AllMusic lists an album from 2007 with the Tino Rossi version, but that wouldn't be the original since he died in 1983. 45worlds does list a double album with the Patrice et Mario version from 1976, so I'm tempted to just submit that version using that album and call it the original until we can figure out who actually did that version.

Tino Rossi's version was recorded in June 1951 and released on Columbia GF 1028 - http://www.dutempsdescerisesauxfeuillesmortes.net/fiches_bio/rossi_tino/rossi_ti… (it's called 'Tennessee Waltz' here).

I don't know anything about the other two artists, but I suspect you're probably better off trying to find specialsed "discographies" for them instead of relying on the generalist sites.

p.s. please don't "call [anything] the original until we can figure out who actually did that version". There should be a positive reason for saying something is an original.

Last edit: 2018-02-14 21:15:33 UTC by baggish

Thanks for the info. I'll have to do some more digging and see what I can come up with for the other artists.

Hi Michael

Sadly (for the purposes of setting an original), it seems Patrice et Mario was also 1951 http://www.encyclopedisque.fr/disque/66559.html

http://www.chansons-net.com/class-O/top-patrice-mario.html lists Patrice et Mario but also Jacques Hélian, Jean Marco et Claude Evelyne but I couldn't find anything more on that version.

There's a 1952 version by Yvette Horner, but Larue isn't credited so I guess it would need to be confirmed whether it's in French or English http://www.encyclopedisque.fr/disque/70483.html

I didn't find anything on Jean Sablon.

Thanks for the help. I'm guessing one of the 1951 versions was the original, as Patti Page had a huge hit with the song in 1950.

Also, the Yvette Horner version is likely instrumental. Doing a bit more research on her, I found that she's well-known as an accordionist. I can't find anything saying she's known as a singer, and everything I've listened to by her on YouTube is instrumental.

Oh, sorry, I didn't see that you'd already found what could be the Jacques Hélian, Jean Marco et Claude Evelyne version on yt.

Yes, you're probably right re-Yvette Horner.