'Olympia '64'

I like it when people are called "national treasures." Like The Beatles were considered like an actual product that belonged to England that only those English could fully enjoy and understand.

Jacques Brel was that to France. He's actually Belgian, but people rarely make the distinction either way. Edith Piaf was the same way and both of their careers overlapped as these ... singers.

The United States doesn't have singers of this type. Yes, we like singers and the closest comparison is probably Frank Sinatra. Then again, I don't know if we would consider Sinatra a "national treasure." The closest comparison is like John F. Kennedy.

The thing about Brel and Piaf is that they were regarded as a source of pride to a country. Kind of a hash mark for greatness, proof that France was better than any other country in the world.

Brel sold 25 million albums. He retired from touring at the tender age of 38, but if he was living the life like Piaf, he had a 50-year-old body.

Upon retirement from touring, he planned on sailing around the world (he'd already taken up flying) and wound up in the moving pictures. After a brief career up through the early 1970s, his health began failing. By 1973, at age 44, he knew he was dying. By 49, he'd died of lung cancer.

In terms of influence, I suggest listening to Brel (it's by no means bad music ... it's really good) and then listening to David Bowie and Scott Walker, who kind of crooning rock guys that almost shadow Brel's vocal stylings to the tiniest details.

Everywhere there is influence.