Aznavour became a one-man industry. He recorded in English, German, Italian, and Spanish. Noteworthy titles:
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During his career spanning over 85 years, Charles Aznavour produced 91 original studio albums and recorded over 1,400 songs in 9 languages. His extensive discography includes standard French albums, international releases in languages like English, Spanish, and Italian, and numerous live recordings. Early Career & First Albums (1952–1960)
Aznavour's early recordings transitioned from his partnership with Pierre Roche to his solo breakthrough. Charles Aznavour chante... (1953) Charles Aznavour chante Charles Aznavour, vol. 2 (1955) Charles Aznavour chante Charles Aznavour, vol. 3 (1956) Bravos du music-hall à Charles Aznavour (1957) C'est ça (1958) Les Deux Guitares (1960) Golden Era (1961–1980)
This period saw the release of his most enduring global hits like "La Bohème" and "She". Je m'voyais déjà (1961) Il faut savoir (1961) La Mamma (1963) Que c'est triste Venise (1964) La Bohème (1966) Désormais... (1969) Non, je n'ai rien oublié (1971) Idiote je t'aime... (1972) Visages de l'amour (1974) – Features the UK #1 hit "She" Hier... Encore (1975) Autobiographie (1980) Notable Singles & Signature Songs
"La Bohème" (1965): Widely considered his signature song and a staple of French chanson.
"Emmenez-moi" (1967): A popular track known for its themes of escape.
"She" (1974): A massive international success that reached #1 on the Official UK Singles Chart.
"For Me Formidable" (1963): One of his best-known bilingual (French/English) songs. Where to Access for Free
You can find comprehensive lists and listen to many of his recordings through these platforms:
| Year | Release Title (Single or Album) | Type | Notable Track | |------|--------------------------------|------|----------------| | 1952 | Je bois / J’ai bu | Single | First original recordings under his own name | | 1953 | Viens aux ruines | Single | Early chanson style | | 1956 | Sur ma vie | Single | One of his first major emotional ballads | | 1960 | Je m’voyais déjà (It Will Be My Day) | Single / EP | International breakthrough (UK #21) | | 1962 | La Mamma | EP | Signature song; later included in albums | | 1963 | Charles Aznavour – N° 1 | Album | Contains Il faut savoir | | 1965 | La Bohème | Single | Later became a global standard | | 1972 | Comme ils disent | Single | Landmark song about a gay drag queen | | 1974 | Aznavour ‘74 – Hier encore | Album (compilation of new recordings) | Title track written in 1964 |
By the 1980s and 90s, Aznavour had released over 40 original French studio albums, plus English, Spanish, Italian, German, and Armenian versions of his hits. In total, his official discography exceeds 80 distinct album titles (including live albums, compilations, and international versions) and roughly 200+ singles from 1952 until his final recordings in 2018.