Yé-yé

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Yé-yé (also known as Yeyé in Spanish) is a genre of pop music that originated in the early 1960s in France and also gained popularity in Spain, Italy, and Portugal. The term "Yé-yé" comes from the English phrase "yeah, yeah", popularized by British beat music groups. It emerged during a period of economic growth in post-war Europe, when British and American pop culture were highly influential. The genre drew inspiration from "British Invasion" bands, but incorporated more orchestral arrangements and elements of American jazz.

Usually sung by very young teenage women (known as the "Yé-yé Girls"),^[1] Yé-yé songs typically featured themes relating to the dreams, desires, and experiences of the youth. Although love was a common topic, lyrics also included references to the hardships of adolescence, such as loneliness and school life. Although heavily influenced by British and American pop music, Yé-yé singers nearly always performed in their native languages, as opposed to many other musical trends of the time that favored English lyrics.

History[]

Origins[]

The Yé-yé movement emerged in France during the early 1960s, quickly gaining popularity throughout Western Europe and even reaching South America. Its rise is closely linked to the French radio program Salut les copains ("Hello pals"), which first aired in December 1959.

A key feature of Salut les copains was the segment "Le chouchou de la semaine" ("The Sweetheart of the Week"), which reported on the latest Yé-yé music and fashion. The show's immense popularity played a really important role in popularizing the movement into the mainstream. In 1962, a magazine with the same name launched editions in France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, expanding the genre's reach and influence.

Hosted by Daniel Filipacchi and Frank Ténot and only featuring songs aimed at teenagers, the show became a cultural phenomenon among the French youth. It popularized now iconic artists like Sylvie Vartan, Françoise Hardy, Serge Gainsbourg, Sheila, Johnny Hallyday, Mireille Mathieu, and Salvatore Adamo, among others.^[2]

Prior to this decade, the boundaries between teenagers and adults in Western societies were not yet completely understood. For instance, many teenagers were fed up with listening to sad stories about their older relatives and war, while shows like Salut les copains actually reflected their daily experiences. The economic empowerment of teenagers coincided with the emergence of a new age category: adolescence.^[3] Mass media, including press, radio, television, and film, played a crucial role in the emergence of this new age group by providing them new idols and role models, many of whom were British pop stars ("British Invasion").

Initially, cinema introduced new adolescent heroes, including figures like James Dean. Shortly after, Rock 'n' Roll music took on this influential role. However, all forms of media were involved in this process. Elvis Presley transitioned into a film star, much like French Yé-yé icons such as Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Vartan, and France Gall, who also began appearing in movies.

France[]

In France, Yé-yé represented a significant cultural shift. Young women saw themselves represented in popular music for the first time, as it was one of the first musical scenes to be dominated by girls. These singers and idols were teenagers just like the audience, and their lyrics addressed well-known subjects among the youth. Yé-yé also brought innovation to European music at large, with its influence extending to regions like Quebec and Japan. Notably, Yé-yé is often cited as a precursor to Shibuya-Kei music.

Yé-yé girls were usually very young and innocent. For instance, France Gall was just 14 years old when she recorded her first album, and won the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest representing Luxembourg at the age of 17, with her song "Poupée de cire, poupée de son". While many songs conveyed an image of youthful innocence and explored themes of first love, such as Françoise Hardy's "Tous les garçons et les filles" and Brigitte Bardot's "Un jour comme un autre", some also subtly touched on topics of sexuality.

Although inspired by Rock 'n' Roll, Yé-yé was also shaped by commercial interests. To appeal to parents and advertisers, producers often encouraged a more polished sound, catchy melodies, and upbeat lyrics. French Yé-yé singers were marketed as wholesome idols, and this opened up opportunities for brands to endorse their products.^[4]

The Yé-yé movement faded in the late 1960s in France, but its impact on French pop music and society remains. Yé-yé girls rejected traditional gender roles and inspired many women to embrace a more independent and confident lifestyle. The genre also experienced a resurgence in popularity in the late 1970s.

Spain[]

In Spain, Yé-yé was a really big deal and lasted longer than in other places. Despite the fact that the ideology of Yé-yé music was incompatible with Franco's dictatorship, it was one of the most prominent musical scenes in the country between 1963 and 1968. Much like in France, it also showed changing attitudes towards women, and it also hinted at a shift towards democracy in the following decade.

Pilar García de la Mata y Caballero de Rodas, profesionally known as Mimo, was the first Yé-yé singer in Spain, and is often cited as one of the pioneers of Spanish Rock music. In 1965, the Spanish comedy film Historias de la Televisión (Television Stories) was released, featuring the song "Chica Yeyé" performed by Conchita Velasco. The song rose to number one on the Spanish music charts in 27 weeks, achieving widespread popularity and becoming one of the most recognizable songs in Spain.

In 1968, Massiel won the Eurovision Song Contest with her song "La, la, la". This song was originally intended to be performed by Joan Manuel Serrat. However, the original version of the song was disqualified because of its Catalan-language lyrics, and the Francoist regime actively suppressed autochthonous languages from the media. This, again, demonstrates the struggle for freedom of expression in Yé-yé music.

Although Yé-yé is often perceived as a predominantly French and British-driven phenomenon, Spanish Yé-yé also had its own unique flavor, and was heavily influenced by Italian pop music. The annual San Remo Music Festival in Italy served as a major source of musical trends and a model for Spanish festivals like the Festival de la Canción Mediterránea in Barcelona and the Festival de Benidorm.^[5]

Other notable Yé-yé girls from Spain include Marisol, Rosalía, Lita Torelló, Salomé, Lorella, Ana Belén, Karina, Gelu and Rocío Dúrcal.

Portugal[]

The Yé-yé movement in Portugal started in the year 1956, with the first Yé-yé bands being formed in the city of Coimbra. Most of the Portuguese Yé-yé music was performed by musical bands, including Os Babies, Os Conchas, Os Ekos, Os Sheiks, Os Celtas, Conjunto Académico João Paulo and Os Demónios Negros . Another important Portuguese Yé-yé singer was Daniel Bacelar . Although the Yé-yé movement started much later in Portugal than in other countries, it quickly became popular. Yé-yé music was played on the radio and in nightclubs throughout the country, and it also appeared in films and TV shows. Similiarly to Spain, Portugal was also under an authoritarian regime known as Estado Novo at the time, so the Yé-yé movement was seen as a symbol of social revolution against fascism, and it was embraced by the Portuguese youth, heightening its popularity.

Italy[]

Although not as influential as its French or Spanish counterparts, Italy also had its own Yé-yé scene. Artists like Rita Pavone, Rosy, Jenny Luna, Adriano Celentano, and Little Tony rose to fame in the mid 1960s. Girl groups like Le Amiche, Le Snobs, and Sonia e le Sorelle also contributed to the movement.

Even Mia Martini, before achieving fame under her stage name, began her career as a "ragazza yéyé" (yé-yé girl) known as Mimì Berté. In 1959, Mina also became the first female rock-and-roll singer in the country. One key figure was Catherine Spaak, a Parisian-born singer who achieved considerable success in Italy with a musical style reminiscent of Françoise Hardy. The movement began to fade around 1967, and the next trends were blues rock, pop, and psychedelia.

Influence on Foreign Music[]

Yé-yé also gained some important attention in Japan during the 1960s. City Pop, a Japanese musical genre and Euro-Romance Yé-yé music shared some similiarities, such as catchy melodies, simply lyrics and the topic of youth. Because of this, some Japanese City Pop artists were inspired by French yé-yé artists, and viceversa. This led to the surge of a Japanese microgenre known as "Shibuya Kei", which took many clues from both City Pop and Yé-yé.

Eventually, its popularity faded everywhere during the 1970s, mainly because the youth was moving on into other musical genres, like Rock or Psychedelic music. However, Yé-yé had a long lasting impact on western European music and traditional gender norms in the west.

Fashion[]

The Yé-yé Girl Fashion was all about social rebellion and modernization: at the time, western societies started to become less restrictive of women's fashion. So, Yé-yé fashion included innovative feminine fashion elements like miniskirts, tight dresses, and bold colours. Hairstyles were also an important part of the typical Yé-yé look: they often featured long bangs covering the forehead, and the hairstyles in general typically included long straight hair, ponytails, bob hairs or beehive cuts. In fact, long bangs were so popular within the Yé-yé subculture that some adults nowadays still associate them with it. Makeup was also an important part of the general look, as it was becoming more socially acceptable. The fashion style associated with Yé-yé could be described as 'effortlessly chic'.

Some of the most suggested features of Yé-yé fashion include:

Short skirts and dresses
Tight clothing
Bold colors
Miniskirts
Breton-striped shirts
A-line dresses
Shift dresses
Turtlenecks
Knee-high boots
Mary Jane shoes
Cat-eye sunglasses
Headbands
Bow ties
Long bangs
Long straight hair
Beehive cuts
Short bobs or ponytails
Makeup, mainly focusing on the eyes and lips

Subculture[]

Yé-yé Girls[]

The Yé-yé Girls were a youth subculture that emerged in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal during the early 1960s. Yé-yé girls were often young girls who were stylish and independent. They usually wore miniskirts, go-go boots, and very characteristic hairstyles like beehives or straight hairstyles with bangs. They were respectivily also influenced by the genre of the same name, Yé-yé music. This subculture was heavily influenced by American and British pop culture, fashion, and music, which became extremely influential during the post-second world war era. In fact, the term Yé-yé is derivated from the "Yeah! Yeah!" catchphrase that many British and American musical artists of the time used in their songs.

Yé-yé Boys[]

RaphaelSinger — Spanish singer Raphael when he was younger. He was an important figure of Yé-yé music in the 1960s.

Although the Yé-yé movement was mainly dominated by young women and girls, there were also some important masculine idols representative of the genre. Contrary to Yé-yé girls emphasis on innocent and pure fashion, they were often boys with a romantic and innocent vibe, for example Richard Anthony, Michel Polnareff or Serge Gainsbourg, who wrote songs for many artists like France Gall.

The Portuguese Yé-yé musical scene was notable for Yé-yé Boys as well, as most bands were mainly made up by men due to the dictatorial political situation of Portugal at the time.