French Music: "Comme d’habitude" by Claude François
An iconic French pop star singing an iconic song, which would become an American icon as well.
“Comme d’habitude,” by Claude Francois, later translated as “My Way,” made famous by Frank Sinatra in America.
Comme d’habitude Claude François - 1967
Claude François, a French pop icon known as "Cloclo," was born in Ismaïlia, Egypt. He gained fame with hits like "Comme d'habitude," which became internationally famous as "My Way" performed by Frank Sinatra.
Comme d’habitude is a melancholic French ballad that captures the quiet heartbreak of a relationship gone cold, where routine replaces love. With its slow, sweeping melody and Claude François’s emotive delivery, the song paints a picture of two people living side by side but drifting apart.
He’s singing about his relationship with France Gall and the style of the song is the complete opposite of the later versions made by Paul Anka into English. It’s deeply personal, subtly dramatic, and became a cultural touchstone—later transformed into the global anthem My Way, done most famously by Frank Sinatra.
An incredibly skilled performer, his music catalog includes hits like "Le Téléphone Pleure" and adaptations of English songs into French, like "Je vais à Rio" from "I Go to Rio." François sold over 35 million records during his lifetime and more than 60 million after his death.
His unexpected death at 39 came just as he was planning a US career. He was also known for French covers of American hits, adapting to trends in France as popular music moved from rock and roll to disco.
Former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (1974-1981) is quoted as saying Claude François was, to him, "the French equivalent of The Beatles.
Some other notable covers of American songs by François:
1. "Belles! Belles! Belles!" - Adaptation of "Made to Love" (Girls, Girls, Girls) by The Everly Brothers.
2. "Si j'avais un marteau" - French version of "If I Had a Hammer" by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays, popularized by Trini Lopez.
3. "C'est de l'eau, c'est du vent" - a version of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" by Bob Dylan.
4. "Cette année là" - a rendition of "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" by The Four Seasons.