Olympia 64 (Live) by Jacques Brel

Probably the best export from Belgium since waffles, beer and Tintin the Boy Detective! My French is a little (by which I mean a lot) rusty but the drama and emotion in these songs is unmistakeable. I’ve listened twice today and I’m going for a third listen using the auto-translate on my phone to get a better idea of the lyrics.

It’s clear to see the direct line of influence from Brel to Bowie to Scott Walker to Nick Cave and beyond, not just in the covers of his songs but also in the mesmerising performance style.

Chanson-tastic!