Boby Lapointe

Boby Lapointe
Identity card photo of Boby Lapointe
Born	Robert Jean-François Joseph Pascal Lapointe (1922-04-16)16 April 1922 Pézenas, Hérault, France
Died	29 June 1972(1972-06-29) (aged 50) Pézenas, Hérault, France

Robert Jean-François Joseph Pascal Lapointe (French pronunciation: [ʁɔbɛʁ ʒɑ̃ fʁɑ̃swa ʒozɛf paskal lapwɛ̃t]; 16 April 1922 – 29 June 1972), better known by his stage name Boby Lapointe (French: [bɔbi lapwɛ̃t]), was a French singer, songwriter and actor. As a singer and songwriter, he was noted for his humorous texts, alliterations and plays on words.

Biography

Lapointe was born in Pézenas, in the Hérault département of southern France. A brilliant pupil, he prepared for the entrance exam to the Centrale (engineering school) and Sup-Aero at Montpellier, but was conscripted into the Youth Building Projects in 1942 and sent to Linz, Austria, in 1943 for compulsory work service. He escaped the same year, and found work as a diver in La Ciotat, a suburb of Marseille, in 1944.

In 1946, he married Colette Maclaud. They had two children, Ticha (born 1948) and Jacky (1950).

His first published work, Les douze chants d'un imbecile, appeared in 1951. He moved to Paris and opened a fashion and baby clothes shop, still writing and producing plays. Later, he switched to being a fitter of TV aerials and began singing.

His fame grew when the actor Bourvil sang Lapointe's song Aragon et Castille in the 1954 film Poisson d'avril. In 1960, film director François Truffaut offered him a part in Tirez sur le Pianiste in which he sang Framboise, accompanied by Charles Aznavour on piano. This marked the start of a career that saw Lapointe perform at major venues throughout France. His joyful character led him to build friendships with the likes of Anne Sylvestre, Raymond Devos, Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens.

Lapointe was also a math enthusiast, and developed the bibi-binary system (also known in French as the système Bibi) in 1968.

Gallery

The town of Pézenas contains a monument to Lapointe (in the Place Boby Lapointe) and 7 carved stone sculptures relating to the man and his songs.

List of songs

Aragon et Castille Framboise Marcelle Insomnie Le Poisson fa Embrouille minet Petit homme qui vit d'espoir Bobo Léon Tchita Le Beau voyage L'Ange Le Troubadour (ou la crue du Tage) La Fleur bleue contondante La Fille du pécheur Eh ! Toto L'Hélicon Léna

La Peinture à l'huile Eh ! V'nez les potes J'ai fantaisie Leçon de guitare sommaire Ta Katie t'a quitté Je joue du violon tzigane T'as pas, t'as pas tout dit Le Papa du papa Aubade à Lydie en do Lumière Tango (Loumiere's Tango) From Two to Two Saucisson de cheval n° 1 Saucisson de cheval n° 2 L'ami Zantrop La Banane anana L'Été où est-il ? La Question ne se pose pas

Andrea c'est toi L'Idole et l'enfant Comprend qui peut Monsieur l'agent Méli-mélodie Diba-diba Le Tube de toilette Madam' Mado m'a dit Moi, le philosophe et l'esthète La Maman des poissons Revanche Sentimental bourreau Ça va ça vient In the Desert Mon père et ses verres Je suis né au Chili Le Tigre

Filmography

Filmography as actor:

• 1960: Shoot the Piano Player, as The Singer
• 1970: L'ardoise, as The Farmer
• 1970: The Things of Life, as the driver of the animal transporter
• 1970: Chapaqua's Gold, as Chapagua
• 1971: Max et les ferrailleurs, as Lui Serafino / 'P'tit Lu'
• 1971: Les assassins de l'ordre, as Louis Casso
• 1971: Qu'est-ce qui fait courir les crocodiles ?, as Honoré
• 1971: Appointment in Bray, as the inn keeper
• 1971: The Widow Couderc, as Désiré

External links

• Boby Lapointe at the Internet Movie Database
• Vidéo: Boby Lapointe in 1967, singing Saucisson de cheval, an archive of Télévision Suisse Romande
• Bibibinary system in French Wikipedia