Monday, December 11, 2017

Johnny Hallyday - French Rock 'n' Roll, Death, and Taxes . . . .

While I was in France last week touring and attending an academic conference, a French music legend died and was mourned.  Johnny Hallyday, the King of French rock 'n' roll (known widely as the "French Elvis"), died earlier this month at the age of 74 after a battle with lung cancer.  I learned of this in a circuitous way--because one of his songs, Quelque Choses de Tennessee (Something of Tennessee), was playing on the radio in a hotel shuttle van and caught my attention (for obvious reasons, although the song refers to Tennessee Williams, not the state, as it turns out).  Also, I happened to be in Paris the day of his funeral, when many roads (including the Avenue des Champs-Élysées) were blocked off for the related activities.

Curiosity about the song and the singer led me to the Internet.  My Internet searching revealed Hallyday as the singer and described an interesting life.  This guy loved the United States--not only adopting rock 'n' roll, but also writing lyrics about this country based on his U.S. travels.  Perhaps most famous is Mon Amérique à Moi (My America and Me), which includes the following lyrics near and dear to my heart (sung in French, of course):

My America is modest and quiet
She says to me, "Good morning!" with a big smile
Serves hot coffee, vanilla apples
Invites me to spend Christmas in Tennessee
And to go horseback riding in West Virginia . . . .

Cool.  Honestly, I am amazed that I hadn't heard of this guy before.  I am sorry that he left this world before I knew of his music.  But I am glad to have found it.

My research also revealed that Johnny Hallyday had business-related law issues--specifically French wealth tax law issues.  Of course, show business--like other businesses--generates income and, therefore, income taxes.  An article on Hallyday's death in Variety, for example, notes that "he struggled for a long time to reimburse 100 million francs in back taxes."  A CATO Institute article (quoting from a book coauthored by the author of the article) offers a bit more information:

Hallyday created a media sensation when he fled to Switzerland in 2006 to avoid the tax. He has said that he will come back to France if Sarkozy “reforms the wealth tax and inheritance law.” Hallyday stated: “I’m sick of paying, that’s all … I believe that after all the work I have done over nearly 50 years, my family should be able to live in some serenity. But 70 percent of everything I earn goes to taxes.”

Interestingly, in addition to his time in Switzerland, Hallyday resided for many of his last years in Los Angeles for tax reasons.

So, here's to Johnny Hallyday, a fan of U.S. culture who brought that culture to the French populace.  May he rest in peace, free of illness, pain, and French wealth taxes.  And may his music be a lasting memory and legacy.  Check it out, if you are unfamiliar with it.  It has some Elvis, some Johnny Cash, and something else in it.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/business_law/2017/12/johnny-hallyday-french-rock-n-roll-death-and-taxes-.html

Current Affairs, Joan Heminway, Music | Permalink

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