Paris in the Spring is a fabulous collection of music styles that illuminated the late ’60s and early ’70s French pop culture. Easily the equal of English Weather in its scope, this double LP and CD documents an explosive time in French music, and history. Riding the crest of the student demonstrations, 1968 brought a new wave in French music that matched the country’s mood – darker, and more introspective than the primary colours of yé-yé, then the dominating force in French pop.

France’s cultural revolution allowed the previously separate worlds of chanson, jazz, pop and film soundtracks to blend into each other. Laden with strings and sample-ready rhythm tracks, this new sound was exemplified by Serge Gainsbourg’s “Histoire De Melody Nelson”, but it wasn’t an isolated classic – this was a golden age for French pop.

Featuring titans like Brigitte Fontaine, Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier alongside a bunch of crate digger gems this is, as you would expect from Bob & Pete, a very superior compilation.

Track listing:
01 La Victime (Part 1) – Karl Heinz Schäfer
02 Hélicoptère – Mireille Darc
03 Les Aventures Extraordinaires D’Un Billet De Banque – Bernard Lavilliers
04 Roses And Revolvers – Janko Nilovic
05 L’Élu – Ilous & Decuyper
06 La Métaphore – Jacques Dutronc
07 Dommage Que Tu Sois Mort – Brigitte Fontaine
08 Les Gardes Volent Au Secours Du Roi (Alternate version) – Jean-Claude Vannier
09 Looking For You – Nino Ferrer
10 Chanson D’Un Jour D’Hiver – Cortex
11 Viens – Françoise Hardy
12 Couleurs – Léonie
13 Leslie Simone – William Sheller
14 Litanies – Triangle
15 Baleines – François De Roubaix
16 Encore Lui – Jane Birkin
17 Evelyne – Serge Gainsbourg
18 Le Bal Des Laze – Michel Polnareff
19 Lilith – Léonie
20 Ystor – Ys
21 Chanson Pour Que Tu M’Aimes Un Peu – France Gall
22 La Victime (Part 2) – Karl Heinz Schäfer
23 La Chanson D’Hélène – Romy Schneider & Michel Piccoli