Music Review: Petula Clark: Live at the Paris Olympia (2003)

Petula Clark is terrific in this recorded concert.  You have to put up with the crazy camera work with angles making it look like Clark is under the mike, or going to fall on her face, and about half of the songs being sung in French to appeal to the local audience, and the conversation being mostly in French, but Clark's talent shines through out.  She sings songs from musicals and movies she has been in:  "Look to the Rainbow" from Finian's Rainbow, "You and I" from Goodbye Mr. Chips, "With One Look" from Sunset Boulevard and "Tell Me its not True from The Blood Brothers.  She seems some beautiful French melodies, some with a Jazz flavor.  She shines when she sings song form her own repetoire.  Don't Sleep in the Subway was new to me, but it still moved me.  Toward the end of the show was a trio of songs which brought the house down:  "I Know a Place", "Sign of the Times" and "Downtown" were excellent and had my blood pumping.  This is worth watching or listening to.