Vetty – Nicolas

Riviera 231328 France Released 1969

Track B1 – Nicholas

Well here’s a favourite french 7″ that fits into a few categories. It’s beat ye’ ye’, it’s groovy French pop, it’s got a funk kick and it could definitely be filed under oddities. This is all I could find out about the mysterious Vetty that is behind this big rare french monster 45!

Yvette Levis was born in 1941 in La Croix Rousse, a small city high on the hill that shares the same name, in Lyon, France. In 1962 she was spending time in Switzerland and had a connection (possibly working) with La Chaux-de-Fond, in an establishment run by Jacques Marjo: La Boule d’Or, a few kilometres south of the French border. It is said that she started acting before any musical ventures, but I have no information as when and where this took place, in these earlier years.

In January 1966 she landed in Paris and took part in a game show, “Le Palmarès des Chansons” which was broadcast every week from 1965 to 1968 on the first French channel on television. On each show, a renowned singer is invited and young artists must perform one of this singer’s hits, or a potential new hit song, unknown to the general public. The winners were determined using a “computer machine”, where all the punched cards from the viewers where fed into and sorted automatically (this added a technical and modern side to the show). Some of the big french artists to appear on the show included Serge Gainsbourg ,Jacques Dutronc, Sheila ,Sylvie Vartan, Johnny Hallyday and Francoise Hardy. It is here, on this popular TV show, where Vetty was noticed and scored a three week opener for Gilbert Bécaud at the Olympia. Vetty then was able to jump onto another tour with a big name attached, the pop star Claude François, that really would have focused her in an even brighter spotlight.

In 1969, she recorded her only solo release, a 4-track EP titled “Vetty” through Riviera. On it’s release, the better known track was the opener “Johnny (Si Tu Viens À Saint-Étienne)”, co written by TV – radio host, comedian Jacques Martin. I am not an expert by any means with the French language, but I feel like it’s a call out to idol Johnny Hallyday from the fan girl. “Johnny if you come to Saint-Etienneuh, for one evening, I want to be yours”. A quirky and fun tune, but c’mon the real reason to sought this EP out is because of NICOLAS! My goodness what a track! This is as good as go go beat gets, and Vetty’s unique vocal, makes this such a stand alone track. Yes her odd vocal style, somehow fits this dance floor mover, and because of it’s peculiarity and distinctiveness, it actually demands attention! I don’t play this out much, but when I do, it turns heads and is responsive!

(Emma) Vetty would also appear on the “Petipatapon” LP, the soundtrack to a musical french show played at Bobino (Paris), April 1967. Recorded in 1968, the album would also feature Jacques Martin and chanson Catherine Franck, who sang the beautiful track Plus La Même (He’s My Little Devil).

So what happened to Vetty? I believe she found plentiful work through voice acting with children’s TV shows, and have read that she was the voice of the main character of the series “The Universe of M. Touchatou” from 1968 to 1970. She also toured with Nana Mouskouri in 1970, and for a time, worked in small theatre plays, and had a movie role in the 1983 film Sandy.

This is a prized 7″ and feel lucky to have found a copy a long time ago. Like I said, it doesn’t go into my dj box too often, but whenever I do play it, I’m just reminded how bizarre, great and gigantic this little Vetty treasure is!

– DJ del Piero