« Paul Anka est un garçon de vingt ans qui écrit ses chansons et qui les chante. »

Autograph manuscript by Boris Vian titled "Conseil de révision (des opinions)" on Paul Anka: "Paul Anka is a boy of 20 who writes his own songs and sings them."

n. d. [but 1958] | 20.9 x 26.9 cm | 4 pages on 4 leaves

Autograph manuscript by Boris Vian titled "Conseil de révision (des opinions) [Recommendations for a review of opinions]" on Paul Anka.
4 pages written in blue ballpoint pen on 4 perforated leaves, stapled. Crossings out and corrections. Lateral fold to left margin, but light.
The manuscript was for the “elite", which is to say the readers of Canard enchaîné, but was eventually published in La Belle époque (1980).
A fine article promoting the Olympia concert of a young Paul Anka, 17 at the time, more than ten years before the global success of My Way.
Incidentally, Boris Vian made the "American star" a little older than his actual years: " Paul Anka is a boy of 20 who writes his own songs and sings them". Vian, himself a songwriter and musician, nonetheless points out: "Since he has not written dozens and dozens of songs, he also sings other people's, for example 'Jingle Bells', because it's winter and Christmas." Vian insists on the snobbery of the Parisian public that is obviously less receptive to American innovations: "Paul Anka, the evening of the premiere, had a triumph with the 'people', which chilled the stalls, composed of knowing stars, semi-stars, demi-stars and the usual suspects at such occasions." Vian then responds point by point to the singer's detractors, singing his praises. "He sings very well and seems able to 'swing' in the Latin way...He has an excellent presence and almost too much craft for his age...He has far fewer 'airs' than one might have feared given his sales and publicity." Very aware of new American musicians, Boris risks a little bit of judgement, without losing his legendary humor, in keeping with the caustic tone of Canard enchaîné : "He is thus a classic singer when he wants to be, and unfortunately Anka is to be regarded well above the Kalin twins, those two awful monkeys and the grimacing Presley (whom we saw at the cinema)."
As the title of this article indicated, "A recommendation for a revision", Boris Vian seems to have changed his mind about the young singer after attending his French premiere. In another article planned for Canard enchaîné and written a little while earlier, he had declared: "You clearly know the latest nickname for the young singer Paul Anka, 'the Canadian bawler. He is short and charming; the Anka of misfortune."

Provenance : Fondation Vian