Mélanie Coulet - Melissmell (screenshot from acoustic version clip)The transformation is not entirely inappropriate perhaps given that when Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle wrote the original in 1792, it was as "Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin" ("War Song for the Army of the Rhine").
Tune into the French radio station Europe 1 of an evening and you'll be able to listen to the excellent Pierre-Louis Basse.
His two-hour programme Bienvenue chez Basse (available on podcast) is as eclectic and as fascinating as the man himself; culture, politics, society, sport - you name it, he discusses it with invited guests.
It's the sort of programme you really want to sit down and listen to.
Little wonder then that he also plays the kind of music that really grabs your attention.
And such is the case with Melissmell's "Aux armes," a song Basse has played with enthusiasm almost every evening and which the station has also finally picked up as well worth promoting to a wider audience.
Melissmell is essentially the singer and songwriter Mélanie Coulet, but alongside the 30-year-old with the extraordinary voice (more on that in a moment) are four other groups members: Stéfano Bonacci on guitar, Thomas Nicol on the cello, Claude Dos Santos on the bass and Jérôme Spieldenner on drums.
"Somewhere between nursery rhymes and realistic songs, electric hymns and a passion (for playing) with words and the ailments that make France a country of contrasting liberties," is how the group describe themselves on Myspace.
Perhaps that reads somewhat too seriously but heck, there'll always be a place for Indie music especially when it comes as classy as this.
No disrespect to the other group members, but it is Coulet or Melissmell herself who steals the show so-to-speak and whose voice is an instrument that transports you.
It has a quality and grain reminiscent of the late, great Janis Joplin, with subtle shifts of power, a range with perfect nuances and a theatrical aspect that makes you think of Jacques Brel.
Extraordinary.
As befitting such a great song, there's more than one version of "Aux armes" available on the Net and here are a couple you should absolutely listen to.
First up, the studio version on YouTube complete with animation.
And then an acoustic one - less rocky of course - in which Coulet is accompanied by cello and guitar; simple but magic. Watch her facial expression and how well they mirror the meaning of the lyrics.
Also check out some of the interviews Coulet has given (available on both YouTube and Dailymotion) - a fascinating insight into what makes her tick and her influences.
Finally don't forget to take a look at either the official site or Myspace for when and where you can see them in concert.
AUX ARMES!
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