Line #29 Music/EmilieJolie


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/r_908597_1560939274_2943.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Cover of the original 1979 album.]]
3	[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click to see the cover of the 1998 version.]]\
4	https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/r_529868_1219096346.jpg[[/labelnote]]]]
5
6	''Émilie Jolie'' is a "musical tale" conceived by [[{{UsefulNotes/France}} French]] SingerSongwriter Philippe Chatel in 1979. First released as an album, it went on to be adapted into a TV Special, [[TheMusical a musical]] and an animated film.
7
8	Written in dedication to Chatel's daughter (who is also named Émilie), the story is about the [[ProtagonistTitle titular character]] who is alone in her room at night and reads a picture book. Accompanied by The Narrator (and The Clock in the 1998 version), she discovers various characters, notably The Witch who is longing for a Charming Prince. Émilie sets out to find him by turning the pages and discovering a variety of characters.
9
10	The first version of the tale includes a wide cast of French {{Chanson}} musical artists, including Henri Salvador, Françoise Hardy, Julien Clerc, Robert Charlebois, and other contemporaries. Phillipe Chatel would re-record the album in 1998 with a different cast of artists, new characters and different arrangements.
11
12	It is now known as one of France' most famous musicals and Phillippe Chatel's greatest work.
13
14	!!Cast of the 1979 version
15
16	* Séverine Vincent as Émilie Jolie
17	* Henri Salvador as The Narrator
18	* Robert Charlebois as The Blue Rabbit
19	* Julien Clerc as The Great Bird
20	* Sylvie Vartan as The Ostrich
21	* Music/FrancoiseHardy as The Witch
22	* Isabelle Mayereau as The Umbrella Ribs
23	* Music/GeorgesBrassens as The Hedgehog
24	* Bernard Paganotti as The Alien
25	* Yves Simon as The Small Pebble
26	* Alain Souchon as The Cock
27	* Laurent Voulzy as The Donkey
28	* Eddy Mitchell as The Wolf
29	* Music/LouisChedid as The Raccoon
30	* Phillippe Chatel as The Novice Prince Charming
31
32	!!Cast of the 1998 version:
33
34	* Natacha Boulenger as Émilie Jolie
35	* Jacques Dutronc as The Narrator
36	* Michel Fugain as The Blue Rabbit
37	* Creator/JohnnyHallyday as The Great Bird
38	* Maurane as The Ostrich
39	* Axelle Red as The Witch
40	* Zazie as The Umbrella Ribs
41	* Khaled as The Hedgehog
42	* Danielle Darrieux as The Clock
43	* Phillippe Chatel as The Alien
44	* Alain Chamfort as The Small Pebble
45	* Arnold Turboust as The Cock
46	* Étienne Daho as The Donkey
47	* Lara Fabian as The Sad Little Flower
48	* Alain Bashung as The Wolf
49	* Art Mengo as The Raccoon
50	* Florent Pagny as The Novice Prince Charming
51
52	!!Tracklist (italicized songs are exclusive to the 1998 album)
53
54	# "Song of the Young Girl in the Empty Bedroom" (sung by The Narrator)
55	# "The Blue Rabbits Gathering's Song"
56	# "Song of Émilie and the Great Bird"
57	# "The Ostrich's Song"
58	# "The Witch's Song"
59	# "The Umbrella Ribs' Song"
60	# "The Blue Rabbits Gathering's Song" (reprise)
61	# "The Hedgehog's Song" (also sung by Émilie and The Narrator)
62	# "''The Clock's Song''"
63	# "The Extraterrestrial's Song"
64	# "The Pebble's Song"
65	# "''The Clock and The Witch's Duo''"
66	# "The Cock and Donkey's Song"
67	# "''The Sad Little Flower's Song''"
68	# "The Wolf's Song"
69	# "The Raccoon's Song"
70	# "The Beginning of The End Song"
71	# "The Novice Prince Charming's Song"
72	# "The Final Song" (sung by The Narrator)
73
74	----
75	!!This musical tale provides examples of:
76
77	* AdaptationExpansion: The 1998 version of the album features two new characters: The Clock and The Flower, as well as a new song featuring The Clock and The Witch.
78	* AlbumClosure: "The Final Song" ends the story yet suggests that [[spoiler: Émilie could see her friends again for another time]].
79	* AnimateInanimateObject: The Umbrella Ribs, The Clock and The Pebble.
80	* ArcWords: "Turn the page".
81	* ArtInitiatesLife: The Narrator gives life to The Novice Prince Charming by drawing him.
82	* {{Autotune}}: Featured on the 1998 version, and especially applied on Émilie's vocals.
83	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: The Witch [[spoiler: turns into a beautiful and sweet princess after meeting The Novice Prince Charming]].
84	* BigBadWolf: Subverted with The Wolf who is martyrised by a grandma after losing his teeth.
85	* {{Bookends}}: The original album starts and ends with a piano cover of "Émilie and The Great Bird's Song". Songs-wise, the opening and closing tracks are sung by The Narrator.
86	* {{Bowdlerise}}: "The Wolf's Song" has a lyric about how Little Red Riding Hood was smart enough to not "pull that fucking bobbin". In the 1998 version, The Wolf instead sings "that cursed bobbin".
87	* BrokenBird: The Witch.
88	* BrokenRecord: The outro of The Raccoon's Song.
89	* CallAndResponseSong: "Émilie And The Great Bird's Song", "The Extraterrestrial's Song" and "Cock And Donkey's Song".
90	* CallBack: The 1998 version of "The Hedgehog's Song" ends with a ShoutOut to Georges Brassens who played the character on the original album.
91	* CharacterTitle
92	* {{Chanson}}: The main genre of the tale. Most guests (especially on the original album) are also iconic figures of said genre.
93	* ChromaKey: Constantly used in the 1980 TV adaptation of the first album.
94	* ColorCodedCharacters:
95	** The Blue Rabbits who turn red when they catch a cold.
96	** The Raccoon who is black and white and wishes to have Émilie's colours.
97	* DeadlyEuphemism: "The Song of Émilie and The Great Bird" mentions flying as a metaphor for dying. The Great Bird tells him Émilie that when she'll be old enough, she'll fly and join the birds.
98	** In the 1998 version, death is mentionned and is also reffered to as "Going to the birds' land" when [[spoiler: The Clock has her hands taken away by The Witch]].
99	* {{Dedication}}: Created by Phillippe Chatel for her daughter named Émilie.
100	* DefrostingIceQueen: The Witch [[spoiler: ditches her black clothing and becomes a sweet princess after meeting The Novice Prince Charming]].
101	* DespairEventHorizon: The Witch lives alone in her castle and wishes for a PrinceCharming to save her from her sadness.
102	* DoubleMeaning: The Great Bird tells Émilie that she has to turn all the pages. In the story's context, The Great Bird encourages Émilie to continue her journey in the storybook, but out of context, he also encourages her to live her life to the fullest and not miss a thing.
103	* DramaticShattering: Glass shattering is heard when The Witch is introduced.
104	* GettingReadyForBedPlot: "The Song
105	* TheEeyore: The Hedgehog constantly complains about being spiky and alone.
106	* TheElevenOClockNumber: The appropriately named "Beginning of The End Song".
107	* TheEnd: Subverted with "The Beginning of The End Song" which happens after Émilie and The Narrator enter a white page with the word "END" in it. They're against it since they haven't found The Prince Charming yet.
108	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: With the exception of Émilie Jolie and The Alien (who is named A440), all the characters are named after what they are or what they do.
109	* EvilWearsBlack: The Witch starts her song by saying she's only clothed in black dresses. [[spoiler: After meeting The Novice Prince Charming, her black dress turns white.]]
110	* FaceOnTheCover: Émilie is featured on the front cover of both albums.
111	* FetchQuest: Émilie has to find a PrinceCharming for The Witch.
112	* FinishingEachOthersSentences: The Cock and The Donkey do this on their song.
113	* GenreRoulette: ''Émilie Jolie'' prominently features {{Chanson}} music, but some song stand out
114	** "The Ostrich's Song" is a Broadway-inspired tune.
115	** "The Alien's Song" (notably the 1979 version) features synthesizers and a space rock sound.
116	** "The Wolf's Song" is a rock'n'roll tune.
117	* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Émilie.
118	* HumbleHero: The Novice Prince Charming who is perfectly aware of how he doesn't have much.
119	* IAmSong: Most of the songs are about the characters of the story presenting themselves or their situation.
120	* IceQueen: The Witch.
121	* ImpoverishedPatrician: The Novice Prince Charming describes himself as "a king with no kingdom" and leaves in a house with a thatched roof.
122	* InSeriesNickname: Emilie is referred to as "The fairy of this book" by The Hedgehog and The Wolf.
123	* InnocentBlueEyes: Émilie, along with her blond hair and her pink cheeks.
124	* InvisibleParents: Emilie's parents are only mentionned in the opening song. They are out for tonight while Emilie is alone in her room.
125	* LargeHam: In contrast to Julien Clerc's performance on "Émilie And The Great Bird's Song", Johnny Hallyday's version features the hammy vocals he is known for.
126	* LetsDuet: "Émilie And The Great Bird's Song" and "Cock And Donkey's Song". The 1998 album also has "The Clock And The Witch's Duo".
127	* LimitedLyricsSong: "The Umbrella Ribs' Song".
128	* MagicKiss: Émilie heals the fever of The Blue Rabbits by kissing their ears.
129	* MeaningfulAppearance: Émilie is described by the narrator as a blond girl with blue eyes and pink cheeks. Later on, she meets The Raccoon who asks her to give him her colours.
130	* MirrorCharacter: The 1998 version introduced The Flower who complains about being alone and wishes to be picked, in a similar fashion to The Pebble who is abandonned and looking for someone to pick him up.
131	* ModestRoyalty: The Novice Prince Charming wears blue jeans.
132	* TheMusical: While ''Émilie Jolie'' was originally presented as a "musical tale", it was planned as a one-off project with no theatrical musical in mind. However, its success led to a stage adaptation in 1985 and many others through the decades.
133	* NarrationEcho: Émilie does that after The Blue Rabbit's Song.
134	* PictureBooks: The story moves forward as Emilie turns the pages of her picture book.
135	* PrinceCharming: Slightly subverted with The Novice Prince Charming.
136	* PrinceCharmless: Downplayed with The Novice Prince Charming who doesn't have any charisma yet remains humble.
137	* ProtagonistTitle
138	* {{Pun}}: Three French-exclusive puns are The Umbrella Ribs, The Cock and The Donkey, and The Raccoon:
139	** In French, The Umbrella Ribs are called "Baleines de Parapluie" (''Umbrella whales'').
140	** A French idiom says that when you abruptly switch from one subject to another, you "go from the Cock to the Donkey" (''Passer du coq à l'âne''). This is why the Cock and the Donkey are looking for missing words in this story.
141	** Raccoons are called "Ratons laveurs" (''Washing raccoons'') in French. The Raccoon is shown as someone who never stops washing.
142	* RearrangeTheSong:
143	** "The Ostrich's Song" is sung by Sylvie Vartan on the original album, but the TV special uses a version featuring Diane Dufresne.
144	** The 1998 album has a version of "Émilie and The Great Bird's Song" performed by Lara Fabian and Philippe Chatel.
145	** The 1998 version of The Wolf's Song has its chorus sung by backing vocals and a [[{{Bowdlerise}} bowdlerised]] lyric.
146	** When Phillipe Chatel played "Emilie and The Great Bird's Song" at a concert in 1981, he sang the whole lyrics but said "And the little girl said..." before singing Emilie's lyrics.
147	* RecordProducer: Phillipe Chatel on both albums.
148	* RepriseMedley: [[spoiler: After finding The Prince Charming,]] Émilie calls all the characters to come and we hear all the previous songs as short extracts crossfading into each other.
149	* RockAndRoll: The genre of "The Wolf's Song".
150	* RoleSwapPlot: The Wolf is now a defenseless animal who is attacked by a grandma.
151	* SavageWolves: Averted with The Wolf who lost his teeth and is now harassed by The Grandma.
152	* {{Scatting}}: Featured on "The Ostrich's Song" and on the outro of "The Alien's Song".
153	* ShoutOut:
154	** Music/GeorgeGershwin is mentionned several times on "The Ostrich's Song".
155	** The 1998 version of "The Hedgehog's Song" namedrops Music/GeorgesBrassens who originally played the character and was the only cast member who passed away by the time the second album was released.
156	** The Small Pebble laments about how he was separated from his siblings by Literature/HopOMyThumb.
157	** The Wolf references Literature/LittleRedRidingHood in his song.
158	** The Raccoon describes himself "like a Creator/CharlieChaplin film" due to the fact that he is black and white.
159	* SicknessEqualsRedness: The Blue Rabbits turn red when they catch a cold.
160	* SignatureLine: "May your dreams devour your life so that your life doesn't devour your dreams", said by The Narrator at the end of the story (as well as Philippe Chatel whenever he played "Emilie and The Great Bird's Song" live).
161	* SingleStanzaSong: "The Umbrella Ribs' Song".
162	* TheSomethingSong: All song titles follow that naming scheme.
163	* SpokenWordInMusic: Used in the interludes.
164	* TheStinger: The two albums end with a short sequence of Émilie (Phillipe Chatel's daughter) laughing. It is called "Emilie's Laugh" on the original album and is a hidden track on the 1998 album.
165	* StockSoundEffects: Featured on the interlude track which announces The Wolf's Song.
166	* {{Tagline}}: "May your dreams devour your life so that your life doesn't devour your dreams", which is also the final quote said by the narrator.
167	* TitleDrop: It easily happens when you have a CharacterTitle.
168	* TheVamp: The Ostrich aspires to become one.
169	* VocalDissonance: After Emilie asks them about The Prince Charming, The Rooster and The Donkey have their voice pitching up as they repeat that they never met him.
170	* VocalTagTeam:
171	** The Narrator, The Hedgehog and Émilie sing on "The Hedgehog's Song".
172	** "Cock and Donkey's Song".
173	* WickedWitch: Subverted with the 1979 version where The Witch is more of an IceQueen who hopes to find a PrinceCharming. This is also featured on 1998 version, however [[spoiler: she loses her patience and almost kills The Clock. Hopefully, Émilie convinces her to remain hopeful]].
174	* YouSoundFamiliar: Phillipe Chatel plays The Novice Prince Charming on the original 1979 album and later plays The Alien on the 1998 album.

Context Music / EmilieJolie