A good cover song can take the original song and frame it in a new light as the artist puts their own spin on it, but just as often a band’s choice of cover song can reveal something new about them as well. Casper Skulls’ “Ou Va la Chance” manages to do both.
The Toronto indie rockers’ recently released cover of Francoise Hardy’s “Ou Va la Chance” (itself a French language version of Phil Ochs’ “There But For Fortune”) hits the sweet spot between the gentle sounds of Hardy’s original version and the band’s own sound. And the song itself has a special significance to singer Melanie St. Pierre, who has dedicated it to her mémère:
“When I was young my mémère used to sing a French song to me called “Melanie” by Mélanie-Chantal Pary & André Sylvain. I specifically remember the lyrics going “Mélanie on a besoin de toi” which translates to something like “Melanie we need you.” Now as an adult I realize how sweet that was. This song is now dedicated to her.”
Give it a listen below: