Claude Nougaro: 5 Things To Know About The Toulouse Singer

Twenty years ago, singer Claude Nougaro passed away on March 4, 2004. Two decades after his passing, the poet from Toulouse has left his mark in his hometown and in French chanson. Here are 5 things to know about this artist who had swing ingrained in his body.

He comes from a family of musicians.

It is impossible to discuss the life of Claude Nougaro without referring to the city of Toulouse, which he celebrated so often. Claude was born in the Pink City on September 9, 1929.

He spent his childhood in the Minimes district, neglected by his parents who were often on tour. His father was the lead baritone at the Paris Opera while his mother was a piano teacher. Young Claude was therefore raised mainly by his grandparents.

He tried his luck in journalism.

At 18, after failing his baccalaureate, Claude Nougaro left Toulouse to move to Paris. In the capital, he tried his luck in journalism. However, it was in popular song that he would ultimately find his path. He was noticed by Marcel Amont and Philippe Clay while reciting poems in the cabarets of Montmartre. The two singers commissioned texts from him.

His singing career took off in the 1960s.

Having become a sought-after lyricist, Claude Nougaro embarked on a solo singing career in the late 1950s. It was an opening act for Dalida that paved his way to fame.

In 1962, his encounter with Michel Legrand led to one of his first major hits, "Le Jazz et la Java". In this song, the poet from Toulouse fully embraces his American influences like Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck.

The artist, who effortlessly switches between different music styles, dedicates a beautiful song to his daughter Cécile when she is born in 1963. This touching ballad remains one of his most famous works to this day.

A car accident sidelines him for a few months, but does nothing to dampen his tenacity. The Toulousain goes on multiple tours and fills the Olympia for several consecutive nights, a true crowning achievement for the native of the Pink City.

Nougaro paid tribute to Toulouse... and vice versa.

It was in 1967 that Claude Nougaro wrote an ode to his hometown. The first version of this song was harsh, reflecting the difficult years of his childhood.

However, after discussing it with his second wife Odette, Claude decided to transform this song into a love anthem. The musical theme of "Toulouse" is inspired by the melody of the carillon of Les Minimes, which the artist used to hear ringing as a child at the church in his neighborhood.

Today, the Pink City in turn pays tribute to its most famous poet in various places. His birthplace is located at 56 Boulevard d'Arcole. In the Minimes district where he grew up, several sites now bear his name, including the Claude Nougaro garden. On a plaque of pink marble, the lyrics of his song Toulouse are engraved in the heart of the city.

Under the arcades of the Capitole, the artist Raymond Moretti has envisioned a fresco that, depending on how one looks at it, contains no less than six different representations of the singer...

In front of the Donjon du Capitole, in the Charles de Gaulle square, stands a statue of Nougaro created in 2014 by Sébastien Langloÿs. On the collar and seams of his jacket, lyrics are written... but backwards. One needs to come with a mirror to read them.

At the corner of Pargaminières and Valade streets, an XXL portrait of the artist watches over passersby. This immense black and white photo measuring 9 meters by 6 is a must-visit spot for all fans of the artist.

The only exhibition space dedicated to the singer in Toulouse is a floating house, installed on a barge at the port of l'Embouchure. This Maison Nougaro was created in 2019, at the initiative of Cécile, the artist's eldest daughter.

The city of New York gave him a second artistic wind.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Claude Nougaro experimented with new musical genres. He incorporated elements of soul, rock, and even bossa nova into his repertoire, as in the song "Tu verras," one of his biggest hits.

In 1986, after being let go by his record label, he decided to move to New York, and this American exile provided him with a true artistic rebirth. Upon his return to France, he brought back "Nougayork," an explosive album that sold 500,000 copies and won two Victoires de la Musique awards.

In the 1990s, despite his fragile health, the poet from Toulouse had secured his place among the great names of French chanson. His talent for playing with words earned him the respect of the rap and slam generation.

The artist, who passed away twenty years ago on March 4, 2004, was honored during the Printemps des Poètes 2024. Concurrently, the Cherche-Midi publishing house released this year a reissue of the book Nougaro wrote in 2002. This work titled "L'Ivre d'images" is a rich and generous narrative that reveals multiple facets of its author.