Noura chante en français (plus "Yamma Goulili")

I don't know how I happened onto Algerian singer Noura. But somewhere I came across her It is via a post on phonomundial that I came across Algerian singer Noura's recording, "Paris dans mon sac" (Paris in my purse), and I just loved it. And now I've come across the cover for the EP that the song is from, called "Noura Chante En Français," recorded in France in 1965 on the Pathé label. Apparently it was an effort to do something in the yé-yé style. I love this EP cover as well.

 

As far as I can determine, these four songs are the only ones that Noura ever did in French. The rest of her vast repertoire was recorded in Arabic or Kabyle. It has been claimed that she was the first Maghrebi artist to have a gold record in France, but I've found no evidence of this. 

It's too bad, because these are great songs and you would never know that French was not Noura's first language. Nor would you guess that the composer of "Paris dans mon sac" was Noura's husband, the singer and composer Kamal Hamadi (given name: Larbi Zeggane).  You can read about the linked careers of Noura and Kamal Hamadi here.

Here's a link to a vimeo link to "Paris Dans Mon Sac." And here is a link to "Cette Vie." You can purchase both these songs plus "Les Grilles" at emusic or iTunes. But I've not been able to track down "La Maison."

But for an even bigger treat, check out this video, dating from 1959, doing "Yamma Goulili," from Algerian (colonial) television. She is only 17. It is this year that she married Kamal Hamadi. This song sounds like it might be one of those composed for her by the great Ahmad Wahby, in the modern ouahrani (Orani) style. Isn't the band just terrific?