Le Quatorze Juillet or Fête Nationale is known as Bastille Day in English-speaking countries. It commemorates the reconciliation of the people the French Revolution with the Assemblée Nationale. The songs on this playlist, like the protests that have taken place in resent years at Bastille Square, resonate with the ideas of the French Revolution: liberty, independence, and equality.
Feature Photo by Mikael Marguerie – A group of young protestors shout against Sarkozy at the bottom of the monument at the center of the Bastille square.
La Vie En Rose by Edith Piaf – Because you can’t have a music playlist about France for Bastille Day without including an Edith Piaf song… ~ Mari
Les tam-tam de l’Afrique by IAM – This song was one of the first French rap hits and the first song to deal expressly with the issue of slavery. ~ from Wikipedia
Liberté from Nü Revolution by Les Nubians is an R&B Grammy-nominated duo composed of sisters Hélène and Célia Faussart from Paris, France. “Nü Revolution: Nü for New Universe, this new world as World Citizens that we are…” ~ Les Nubians
Seize the day by Wax Tailor feat. Charlotte Savary is from the movie Paris. With revolution can come love, hence a song from a romantic comedy… ~ Mari
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables by Michael Ball at the 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT – Though the play, “Les Misérables,” is based after the storming of the Bastille this song seems to express the ups and downs of revolution… ~ Mari
Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy – Seems fitting to reflect on the storming of the Bastille… ~ Nev