'World's Best Chord Progressions' EP. 28 - 'Windmills of your mind', Michel Legrand

What gives a Chanson it's va va voom? Or at least what are the musical ingredients that make them (and their singers) sound so sohisticated and elegant?
Dans ma opinion, these songs are often lyric driven i.e. the lyrics are King followed by melody and finally harmony. They often sound baroque in style somehow and you can definitely see a link down the line to someone like Rufus Wainwright with his particular styke of chamber baroque pop.
That definitely seems to be the case with The Windmills of your Mind by the fantastic composer Michel Legrand whose music really defines that 40s/50s/60s french era. His score for the film musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg won worldwide acclaim and he was also a prolific writer for TV as well. This song was originally penned for the original Thomas Crown Affair movie.
Who's your faourite Chanson singer? The intensity of Edith Piaf? The heartbreak of Jaques Brel? Or perhaps the tres cool persona of Serge Gainsbourg?
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#chanson #windmillsofyourmind #thomascrownaffair #michellegrand #edithpiaf #jaquesbrel #sergegainsbourg #france #chordprogression #musictheory #chords #pianocover #pianosinger #umbrellasofcherbourg

[@Johnokey65]

Good work keep it up 😊

[@manatsea6966]

Thanks for watching!

[@WayneKitching]

Excellent song and great analysis! Another song that borrows from the French tradition is Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore, but it uses a more straightforward circle-of-fifths progression.

[@manatsea6966]

Thanks for this, just had a listen - yes I see! There is something inherently French in that progression...my guess is that it stems from the accordion being so synonymous with the chanson and the fact that instrument (the way the chord buttons are laid out) is structured in 5ths.