Sony Music Distribution
1959
American Début
About This Album
Jacques Brel had still to visit the U.S. when his first American album (so aptly titled!) was released -- ironically, by the time he did make his debut, this particular set was long since deleted. Nevertheless, it made a strong impression at the time, not only serving notice to those who cared that a new talent was stirring on the European mainland, but also offering up the first attempts yet made to render Brel into English. It is essentially a repackaging of the recently released French album Jacques Brel 4, even retaining the cover art. However, two bonus tracks were added: the consummate majesty of "Quand On N'a Que L'Amour" and "Je Ne Sais Pas" (from his second and third LPs, respectively). The musical content, then, is beyond reproach. For the fan and collector, however, that is only part of this album's charm. American Debut sadly declines to credit whoever it was who translated the French album's lyrics into English. But for any non-French-speaking listener familiar only with Rod McKuen or Mort Shuman's versions of Brel's best-known songs, the more-or-less word-for-word translations here might lose the rhyme and scan of the original lyric, but still convey the sheer delightful mischief and poetic sensitivity which was Brel's stock-in-trade.
Track List

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