David Hallyday - Sang pour sang

Another new release by David Hallyday, with a song aimed at filling the Johnny Hallyday-shaped hole in the world of French music, this time a duet between father and son of the title track of Johnny Hallyday’s 1999 album, a song co-written by David Hallyday

It’s from the forthcoming Requiem pour un Fou album due out at the end of June, a work David has described it as “the most important project of my life”. It’s a collection of covers of songs recorded by his father, plans for an album of songs by David that were originally intended for Johnny were abandoned in favour of a more direct approach.

The title track of the new album was released at the end of last year, a cover of the song from Hallyday pere’s 1976 Derrier l’amour collection, a song that would go on to be one of his best-known works. Like Hallyday Jr’s cover of Requiem pour un fou, the new version of Sang pour sang doesn’t wander far from the original. The production and music take it more into the 21st century. While it may be a comparatively recent Johnny number given the length of his career, but times, technology and tastes move on and its purpose is as much to win over a new generation of fans as to satisfy those already converted.

It’s an interesting take on the song, David and Johnny’s voices are so matched it’s hard to tell which is which, which is a serious credit in David’s favour here. Johnny was, after all, one of France’s most distinctive voices. It’s a tricky line to walk though, a tribute to a departed father, especially one who was held in such widespread esteem, risks being mawkish or, given the celebrity attention and the unresolved familial disputes, seen as an exploitative or in poor taste.

I don’t think there’s anything to worry about here. David Hallyday has more right than anyone else to sing his father’s songs. He’s already established himself as an artist and, lest we forget, a matter of years has passed since Le taulier left us. Maybe it’s only right that David should claim his family heritage.

As for the video, the game of pool an echo of the pool hall scene from the original Sang pour Sang video. There’s no crowd like there is in the original now, just David H on his own, later joined by another in a game of pool by a younger man. The part is, appropriately, played by Cameron Smet, the son of David Hallyday. The song is a duet between father and son, the video features a different father and son. Time moves on, new generations take their place.

There’s much going on in the video, and it’s nicely done. Johnny’s presence and influence is there throughout, but the focus is now on David. I expect that’s how David wants it to be, and probably Johnny would as well.

David Hallyday’s album Requiem pour un fou is released at the end of June, his tour begins in November