"Les Cactus" (, ) is a song by French singer-songwriter Jacques Dutronc, released in 1967 as the third and final single from his 1966 self-titled debut album.
It reached number 4 in the French singles chart in March 1967, selling over 400,000 copies.Michel Leydier (2010). Jacques Dutronc: La Bio. Paris: Seuil, p. 117
"Les Cactus" was referenced by French Prime Minister Georges Pompidou in the Assemblée Nationale to indicate his feelings towards his former Finance Minister, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who was a harsh critic of his successor Michel Debré: "As Jacques Dutronc says, there is a cactus here". The comment made front-page news.
A live cover of the song was released as a single by Vanessa Paradis in 1994, and it was covered by The Last Shadow Puppets on their The Dream Synopsis EP.
Track listing Words by Jacques Lanzmann and music by Jacques Dutronc, except "La Compapade", words and music by Jacques Dutronc.
Side A
Side B
Personnel Jacques Dutronc: voice, guitar, percussion Hadi Kalafate: bass, percussion Alain Le Govic (alias Alain Chamfort): piano, organ Jean-Pierre Alarcen: guitar Jacques Pasut: rhythm guitar Michel Pelay: drums
External links
Video of Jacques Dutronc performing "Les Cactus" on the French TV show Palmarès des chansons, November 1966.
References