France Gall in The Pudding Club?

Gallic-Flavoured Pop

A genre of French (and Spanish) pop music in the 60s called 'ye-ye' was influenced by British beat music and American rock-n-roll. The name is a continental twist on 'yeah, yeah'.

Mostly, the songs were sung by women. We had the British beat girls such as Cilla, Dusty, Lulu, Sandie and many others. The French had the ye-ye girls giving the pop tunes an irresistible Gallic flavour, including Françoise Hardy, Sylvie Vartan and France Gall.

France v England

France Gall recorded a list song in 1967 called Made in France. The song tries to pin down the differences between France and England using representative people and objects. How did they keep the song down to three minutes?

On the British side, Liberty gets a mention, so too Burlington Arcade. A few 60s faces are in there and, perhaps surprisingly, that swinging British institution The Salvation Army. How might the list change now? Perhaps you have some ideas?

Made in France

Le pudding et le shetland, David Bailey, Mary Quant
Jerk and Radio Caroline, "Caroline" no "Caroline".
It's made in England.
Accordéon qui balance, les gauloises et la pétanque
Tour Eiffel et camembert et Maurice Chevalier, c'est made in France.

Les Français, les Anglais peuvent toujours essayer.
Ils ne seront jamais, jamais pareils, pareils, pareils, pareils, pareils.

Les beatniks aux cheveux longs like the young Napoléon
Les Dollies pas compliquées, difficult à expliquer.
It's made in England.
Les guitares romantiques, the sono no terrific.
Oh ! My darling I love you, mon amour, mon amour.
C'est made in France.

Entre Londres et Calais, il y a un fossé, un si petit bateau
Et puis de l'eau, de l'eau, de l'eau, de l'eau, de l'eau.

Mini jupes et maxi bottes, Liberty jusqu'à non-stop
Burlington, Julie Christie and the Salvation army.
It's made in England.
Le Beaujolais, le pastis, les British promènent à Nice
Et le tunnel sous la Manche, but the tunnel sous la Manche
C'est made in France.

No, made in England, non, made in France.
No, made in England, non, made in France.

The Pudding Club

Gall was wise in mentioning that Great British institution 'le pudding'.

Enthusiasts at The Pudding Club are devoted to preserving classic British desserts, such as Spotted Dick or Jam Roly-Poly (Dead Man's Arm). The type of puddings that stick to your ribs. Too many deserts are foam this and deconstructed that nowadays. We want proper, recognisable puddings thank you.

At their weekly meetings in the Cotswolds, England, The Pudding Club presents seven traditional puddings to try. You vote for your favourite. You and your spoon decide.

If you cannot get to the Cotswolds, the club launched a range of puddings that are now sold in supermarkets. The Ginger Syrup Pudding, soaked in golden syrup and topped with chopped stem ginger, is proving a smash hit. Best eaten with lashings of custard, as I'm sure France Gall would have it.

Vive le pudding.

Three Ways House and The Pudding Club
Mickleton
Chipping Campden
Gloucestershire
GL55 6SB
UK