Show is the fourth and final studio album of French singer and actress Brigitte Bardot and was released in 1968 by Disc'AZ. The album served as the soundtrack to a television special produced by Bardot herself, which showcased performances of her songs. It contains 15 tracks in total, including five instrumentals. The vocal selections explore a variety of styles, from gentle ballads to psychedelic pop arrangements, and reflect the theatrical flair typical of Bardot's music during that period. Notably, several songs on the album were originally created with accompanying video clips, a practice that resembled early music videos.[1]
Prior to the album's release, the AZ label issued a four-track EP featuring original songs by Rivière and Bourgeois, all of which would later appear on Show. The lead track was titled "Oh Qu'il est Vilain".[2] L. P. Braconnot from Brazilian newspaper Tribuna da Imprensa rated the EP three out of five stars.[3] Around the same time, one of the standout tracks, "Harley Davidson", was released as a single and generated international attention. An English-language version was reportedly planned by Tony Rivers for release on MCA Records.[4]
In 1969, Record World reported that the Argentine label Producciones Fermata issued a localized edition of the album titled Brigitte Bardot y su show, According to the magazine the LP was attractively packaged and featured high-quality material, with particular emphasis on the contributions of composer Francis Lai, renowned for his work on A Man and a Woman.[5]
Singles
The single "Harley Davidson" / "Contact" entered the Belgian Ultratop 50 Singles Chart (Wallonia) on December 30, 1967, debuting at position 39. It spent a total of 11 weeks on the chart, with its final appearance on March 9, 1968, at position 48. Its peak was No. 16, where it stayed for one week. In the overall chart ranking, the track placed 5860th, earning 225 points.[6][7]
The single "Ay Que Viva La Sangria" debuted at position 30 on September 13, 1969 in the Dutch Charts. However, it exited the chart the same week, marking a one-week stay with no further climb. Its peak remained at No. 30, and it ultimately ranked 22,185th in the all-time chart with 71 points.[8]
According to critic Zac Johnson, Show stands out among Brigitte Bardot's musical releases for its eccentric and theatrical nature. He highlights the album's mix of groovy go-go tracks like "Harley Davidson" and "Contact", alongside the sultry ballad "Mister Sun", which he associates with Bardot's charm. Johnson acknowledges that while Bardot was never expected to be an operatic vocalist, her recordings—particularly on this album—are fun, humorous, and offer a distinctly entertaining pop experience, especially for fans of obscure French pop from the 1960s.[1]
Track listing
Side 1
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Harley Davidson"
Serge Gainsbourg
2:30
2.
"Marseillaise Générique"
Francis Lai (Orchestre)
2:10
3.
"Mister Sun"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
3:12
4.
"Ay Que Viva la Sangria"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
2:30
5.
"Ce N'est Pas Vrai"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
1:38
6.
"Gang Gang"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
2:30
7.
"Saint-Tropez"
Francis Lai (Orchestre)
1:10
8.
"Port Grimaud"
Francis Lai (Orchestre)
3:00
Side 2
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Oh Qu'il Est Vilain"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
2:25
2.
"Paris"
Francis Lai (Orchestre)
1:35
3.
"Je Reviendrai Toujours Vers Toi"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
2:23
4.
"On Déménage"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
2:03
5.
"Le Diable Est Anglais"
Jean-Max Rivière, Gérard Bourgeois
2:40
6.
"David B."
Francis Lai (Orchestre)
1:10
7.
"Contact"
Serge Gainsbourg
2:17
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner noter of the LP Show.[9]
Arranged By:
Charles Blackwell (tracks: A3, A6, B3, B4),
Christian Gaubert (tracks: A2, A7, A8, B2, B6),
Michel Colombier (tracks: A1, B7),
Paul Piot (tracks: A4, A5, B1, B5).
Composed By, Written By:
Francis Lai (tracks: A2, A7, A8, B2, B6),
Jean-Max Rivière (tracks: A3 to A6, B1, B3 to B5),
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