French rock star played on American persona
| Paris
Until last week, most Americans had no idea who Johnny Hallyday was and probably could not have cared less 鈥� but the feelings were anything but mutual. 鈥淛ohnny,鈥� as his fans called him, was France鈥檚 version of Elvis; his life-long love affair with America not only shaped his musical style but was key to explaining how the French came to idolize him.
Mr. Hallyday was buried Monday on the French Caribbean island of Saint Barth茅lemy after an epic televised send-off over the weekend of the kind usually reserved for heads of state or royalty.
One million fans gathered on the Champs-脡lys茅es to bid adieu to their national hero, his coffin flanked by an escort of 500 full-throated Harley-Davidsons. Tears fell freely. 鈥淛ohnny belonged to you, to the public, to France,鈥� President Emmanuel Macron 鈥� who, at 39, is well below the average age of most Hallyday fans 鈥� told the crowd.
Born Jean-Philippe Smet, the teenage Hallyday adopted his American-sounding stage name pseudonym after finding inspiration in Elvis Presley. He became a star when he was barely out of his teens, introducing the French public to an American rock 鈥檔鈥� roll sound. Over the course of a nearly 60-year career he constantly reinvented himself, dabbling in blues, pop, country, and even opera.
Some of his greatest hits were French cover versions of songs in English 鈥� straightforward rip-offs, an American pop fan might say. But French fans had never heard the originals and they did not care. One of Hallyday鈥檚 most popular singles, 鈥淣oir, C鈥檈st Noir,鈥� was a French take on the English language sensation 鈥淏lack is Black,鈥� popularized by Los Bravos; his version of 鈥淚tsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini鈥� launched聽France鈥檚 鈥測茅-y茅鈥� bubblegum pop era.
A French window on America
Whether America knew it or not, Hallyday was an important bridge between France and the United States. His American persona was central to his appeal to a large swath of French people who would never see the other side of the Atlantic. For many who dreamed of riding off into the sunset on Route 66 or hiking the grandiose depths of the Grand Canyon, Hallyday was as close to America as they would get.
鈥淛ohnny Hallyday contributed to the popularity of American music and American pop culture,鈥� says Gabriel Segr茅, a socio-anthropology professor at聽University of Paris at Nanterre聽who has written several books on Elvis Presley and fan culture. 鈥淸French] youth imitated him, identified with him and used him as a model, while he helped promote the artists, language, images, and popular myths of American culture.鈥�
Hallyday鈥檚 music was only part of his American image. His life story as a self-made man 鈥� a blue-collar rocker who worked hard and partied harder 鈥� epitomized the American dream for many French people. His slicked-back, Elvis-style coif, jeans, and tattooed muscles were a homage to America鈥檚 rockabilly scene. In the 60鈥檚, he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, partied with Jimi Hendrix, and socialized with the likes of Bob Dylan and Keith Richards.
Yet, ironically, Hallyday failed to crack the American market. Often referred to as 鈥渢he biggest star you鈥檝e never heard of鈥� in the English-speaking press, that didn鈥檛 stop Hallyday from moving to Los Angeles in the mid-2000鈥檚 with his fifth wife, Laetitia, and raising their two children there, often taking his beloved Harley for runs in the California desert for fun.
While his American vibe may have launched Hallyday鈥檚 career, it was only part of why the French adored him, some going so far as tattooing his face on their chests. His fame and nearly royal status in French culture was due to something more intangible and profound.
'Staying Alive'
Hallyday became Everyman, embodying ordinary French citizens鈥� dreams of freedom, rebellion, and success. The husky resonance of hits such as 鈥淨ue je t鈥檃ime鈥� (How I Love You) or 鈥淎llumer le feu鈥� (Light the Fire) exposed all of his love, pain, rage, and struggles.
Regardless of how ugly life got 鈥� a suicide attempt, colon cancer, a medically-induced coma 鈥� Hallyday bared all to his fans. Able to appeal to twenty-something hipsters, middle-aged factory workers, and even some intellectual members of the Parisian bourgeoisie, he united them all in their love and admiration for a French hero.
鈥淗allyday offered an identification model from the youngest to the oldest in French society,鈥� says Dr. Segr茅.聽鈥淗e was a symbol of youth rebellion against authority, with his wild and sensual rock 鈥檔鈥� roll style, and at the same time represented the success of an artist who鈥檇 reached the highest echelons of society, frequenting big bosses as well as presidents.鈥�
Instead of becoming a 鈥渉as been鈥� 鈥� the fate of many aging rockers 鈥� Hallyday kept going; his fans admired his exceptional longevity. After each personal trial and health struggle he always bounced back 鈥� his 鈥淪taying Alive鈥� (鈥淩ester Vivant鈥�) tour filled concert halls across the country in 2016 when he was 73 and he was still rocking at a concert last July, several months after he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
And it was above all Hallyday鈥檚 spectacular stage shows that raised him to cult status. When he wasn鈥檛 covered in fake blood in a makeshift boxing ring at the Palais des Sports, he was jumping out of a helicopter above the Stade de France or singing eerily alongside dancers wreathed in flames.
Last Saturday night the Eiffel Tower was illuminated with a special message, 鈥淢erci Johnny,鈥� 鈥� one national monument paying its respects to another 鈥� and Paris鈥檚 Duroc subway station was temporarily renamed 鈥淒uRock Johnny.鈥�
A number of former presidents paid homage, and the current incumbent of the presidential palace, Mr. Macron, addressed the crowd outside the church where Hallyday鈥檚 funeral was held.
The French now felt a little more alone without their hero, Macron said. It was ironic; their hero had felt alone without them. 鈥淚 often feel lonely,鈥� the rocker said once, 鈥渂ut never while I鈥檓 on stage.鈥�
