Madame St Onge

There's a thin line, as anyone with an interest in bad records will know, between the truly awful and the trite; between recordings so bad that they are good and novelty songs purpose-built to be bad.

This could well be one of the latter, but I'm prepared to make an exception, because this is exceptional. I discovered the delights of Madame St Onge whilst on one of my regular visits to WMFU (http://blog.wfmu.org/), an essential resource for lovers of the perverse.

Think a French-Canadian version of the awesome Elva Miller (http://www.mrsmillersworld.com/). Mme St Onge bleats and brays her way through ten belters, many of them cover versions of popular hits. The Rolling Stones' Time is on my Side is rendered with wonderful, tuneless gusto; The Beatles' Help (translated as Il) is simply dreadful, but the real highlights are Prendes Moi (Try Me) - just listen to what happens 30 seconds in and if that doesn't sell you on the talents of Mme St Onge nothing will - and the other track here (yes, you lucky people you get two cuts today, I could not keep this gem to myself) Et Maintenant.

Recorded, one would assume, at some point around 1966/67 (judging by the material and the sound of the beat group backing her on the album), apparently Mme St Onge had a proper singing career in earlier times. Her real name was Francine Laplante, although she also recorded a couple of singles under the name of Maryse Marshall. I've not been able to find any evidence of these recordings yet, but I'm still looking!. Unfortunately Francine passed away earlier this year, but at least she left the world with this treasure, Les 10 Plus Grands Succes de Mme St Onge.

Enjoy!

http://rapidshare.com/files/67793934/Et_Maintenant.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/67795498/Prends_Moi.mp3.html