Becaud, Gilbert

▪ 2002

François Gilbert Silly 

      French singer-songwriter (b. Oct. 24, 1927, Toulon, France—d. Dec. 18, 2001, Paris, France), composed “chansons françaises,” romantic melodies that became pop hits for him as well as for many other French- and English-language performers. Bécaud, who earned the nickname “Monsieur 100,000 volts” for his dynamic stage presence, wrote more than 400 songs, most notably “Et Maintenant” (“What Now, My Love”), “Je t'appartiens” (“Let It Be Me”), “L'Important c'est la rose” (“What's Important Is the Rose”), and “Seul sur son étoile” (“It Must Be Him”).

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