Pursue your Passion for Paris with Ochsner Sport and Dalida’s “Les Feuilles mortes”

 

But I miss you most of all, my darling

When autumn leaves start to fall 

These words mark the end of one of the most popular jazz standards of all time, “Autumn Leaves,” estimated to be covered by well over a thousand pop and jazz musicians. These include artists as diverse as Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Bill Evans, and, my personal favourite, Eva Cassidy. With a plaintive and melancholy feel, as well as an inherent malleability, it can even fit into house or disco genres.

But although the lyrics of “Autumn Leaves” were written by the iconic American lyricist and songwriter Johnny Mercer, the man also behind compositions such as “Moon River” and “Days of Wine and Roses,” the original composition actually has French origins. It’s based on Hungarian emigre Joseph Kosma’s “Les Feuilles mortes” (The Dead Leaves), itself inspired by Kosma’s own ballet music. It has also been found to have many similarities to a passage in Tchaikosvksy’s 1888 composition Hamlet Overture-Fantasia, Op.67. 

One particularly catchy version of the French original comes from Dalida. Released in 1976, at the height of the disco craze, it has a certain enchanting and bittersweet mix of danceability and wistfulness. It is just one of many tracks the French-Egyptian singer released over her long and storied career, racking up a whopping 140 million sales worldwide. 

We licensed the track for Swiss sportswear and sporting goods retailer Ochsner Sport’s latest “Passion for Paris,” campaign, which was released just in time for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Ochsner Sport is the official partner of the Swiss Olympic team, while Dalida is widely beloved in the country, making this mix of music and visuals the perfect combination. Please feel free to check out the German-language 30-second spot below!

Brand: Ochsner Sport | Agency: thjnk | Music Research and Licensing: Tracks and Fields