Friday's French music break - Philippe Lavil "La part des anges "

Break out the steel drums and welcome to the Caribbean for Friday's French music break this week.

It's Philippe Lavil with his latest single "La part des anges".

Philippe Lavil (screenshot from "La part des anges" video)

French music isn't just restricted to songs that come from what they call France métropolitaine; that's the bit which most - well some - can point to on a map, the other side of the channel from Britain and sharing borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy Monaco Spain and Andorra.

The country also has overseas five départements, every much a part of France as the mainland shaped like a hexagon (hence the often-used term l'hexagon) in Europe, including two in the Caribbean.

And it's from of those islands in the sun - Martinique - that Philippe Lavil hails...good word that.

Philippe Durand de La Villejégu du Fresnay, to be exact, is a descendant of one of the first white families to settle on the island back in 1750.

His career has, as he admits in his biography on his website, had its ups and downs over the years since he first recorded single in 1969 "A la califourchon".

And even though he has tried at times to branch out into other types of music, it has always been the style reflecting his "sunny roots" that have brought him most success such as the the 1982 summer hit "Il tape sur des bambous" (1.5 million copies) a 1987 duo with Jocelyne Beroard, "Kolé Séré".


Yep, there's no getting away from what Lavil does best and perhaps giving the fans what they've come to love and expect over the years.

So here you are. A taste of the Caribbean - French style - steel drums included (of course) - perfect summer listening. Well any time of the year really.

Just close your eyes and imagine yourself dipping your toes in the warm waters and allowing any other clichés you can think of to wash over you.

Mmmmmmm!