SAN FRANCISCO, the story of this song

[Jean Pierre]

The story of this song :
In 1971, Catherine Le Forestier, accompanied by her brother Maxime on guitar, won first prize at the Spa festival. With the money they earned, they both decided to leave for San Francisco. They went to the address given to them by Luc Alexandre, a Belgian friend who assured them that the city was made for them. They stay there for several weeks, in the middle of a hippie community called "Hunga Dunga", where Vietnamese deserters and homosexuals, among others, rub shoulders
Back in France, Maxime receives a letter accompanied by drawings sent to him by the inhabitants of the Blue House. Speaking very little English and to thank them for their welcome, he decides to send them a song rather than a letter and so he quickly writes and composes San Francisco. Title played on the guitar, it evokes this house inhabited by hippies.

On the occasion of Maxime Le Forestier's 40-year career, his record company suggested to the owners of the company - which had meanwhile been painted green - that they give it back its blue colour6.  On June 21, 2011, the singer gave the final brushstroke and on June 22, 2011, a plaque was affixed to the record label bearing the inscription "In 1970, Maxime Le Forestier was inspired by this blue house when he wrote one of his very first hits, San Francisco.

Here th video clip with the tranlation of lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=damz6B0_foc

JP guitar,6 and 12 string, bongo, bass
 

[Jean Pierre]

The Blue House actually exists in San Francisco

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbMuiANN1wM

[des0free]

Wow this is impressive playing and production, and very complex skillful guitar playing.  I feel like I may have heard this song before because my wife sometimes listens to French music.  Maybe it was the original.  She also sometimes listens to Francis Cabrel, could it have been covered by him?  I will have to look for a translation.  By the way, I lived in San Francisco for 2 years.

[Jean Pierre]

thank you DesOfree
No, it's a song by French singer Maxime Leforestier.
Here is a live version where Maxime plays with 3 "big names" of the guitar in France: Manu Calvin, Jean Felix Lalanne and Michel Haumont, wonderful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDtXXlD98kw

FOR GUITARISTS listen to JF Lalanne's harmonic descent at 1'55"....magnificent

[Ferryman_1957]

You certainly introduce us to a lot of music that non-French people have never heard! This is a very nice piece of music beautifully arranged and played. A really nice song that evokes memories of the hippy capital when the hippies were still around.

I lived in the Bay Area and worked in San Francisco for a couple of years but by then it was full of tech geeks, not hippies......

[Greeny]

Very lovely indeed. The layered guitars are gorgeous. Another fine performance.