Juli Chan Rejuvenates French Hit ‘Joe Le Taxi’
Juli Chan, the moniker of Polish singer and songwriter Julia Chmielarska, rejuvenates the legendary French hit single Joe Le Taxi with her delicate and somewhat sensual cover.
This version comes 34 years after the original version topped charts around the world and I think most of you may remember this Vanessa Paradis hit song. Joe Le Taxi is a song about a taxi driver who knows all the romantic streets of Paris very well. Joe loves the Parisian nightlife, with all the secret bars and shining bridges over the Seine. There is always good music in his cab. Standing in a traffic jam, the taxi driver Joe treats his passengers with a rumba, mambo, saxophone sounds and good old rock.
Now, the Polish singer brings back the 80s classic and infuses it with contemporary sounds that give it a fresh and modern appeal. I am really enjoying Juli Chan's lovely vocals and how they soar over the upbeat electronic production packed with a catchy beat, groovy guitar riffs and bright synths. The whole atmosphere of the song is quite warm and uplifting, making it perfect for a long drive out in the sun. Accompanying the release, Juli Chan has shared its official music video, directed by Tomasz Odziemek and Jakub Szuk, which you can check out below!
Speaking about the song, Juli Chan said,
When I was researching the song I discovered a fascinating story behind the lyrics. Joe is the pseudonym of Maria José Leão dos Santos, Portuguese female taxi driver who fled to France in the 1970s. Maria José was persecuted because of her sexual orientation. When Mari José's mother discovered her daughter was a lesbian, she took her to an exorcist, later to the hospital and eventually put her in a school run by nuns. In the French capital, she took the name Joe and a profession stereotypically reserved for men. She could be herself safely traveling around night Paris with guests of LGBT clubs. I think this story about the need for tolerance, non-discrimination, as a tribute to all strong women - it is worth recalling today as well as the beautiful melody of "Joe Le Taxi" from years ago.