Benjamin — “Un Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 9, 2023

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD

854) Benjamin — “Un Train”

Cool fuzz-drenched garage rock, straight outta Paris, by a mysterious tramp named Benjamin. Kevin du 77 tells us (courtesy of Google Translate) that: “Un train is an original composition released on vogue in 1966 with Jacques Dutronc and his band as an accompaniment. Powered by a fuzz guitar, the title hits the mark, very high quality French beat/garage!” (http://www.requiempouruntwister.com/2007/08/benjamin-un-train-1966.html) To anonymous (courtesy of Google translate), “a train is superb . . . . I think the world of show biz was not made for him”. (http://www.requiempouruntwister.com/2007/08/benjamin-un-train-1966.html)

Sébastien Desrosiers tells us something of Benjamin’s recordings (courtesy of Google translate):

“In the recent biography of Antoine (Oh Yeah), the author gives us some details about this mysterious “impostor”. It seems that artistic director Jacques Wolfsohn (also at Vogue) was looking for new singers to emulate Antoine’s style. He will bet in the first place on this Benjamin; when the latter will not succeed in recording a hit, Wolfsohn will opt for a young arranger named … Jacques Dutronc. A similar case could also be cited, that of Édouard (attempt at stylistic pagiat also unsuccessful), pseudonym of the lyricist Jean-Jacques Rivet, close to Dassin.” (http://www.requiempouruntwister.com/2007/08/benjamin-un-train-1966.html)

François gives us some sense of Benjamin (courtesy of Google translate):

“I met Benjamin in 1968 when I was living in Paris to take theater lessons. I was 20 years old. I rubbed shoulders with him for a sympathetic boy, who therefore remained faithful to his nonconformity even in adversity. That year, one weekend we were in Saint-Malo with a group of friends . . . . He confided to me straight out that he was ‘an’ alcoholic.” (http://www.requiempouruntwister.com/2007/08/benjamin-un-train-1966.html)

Anonymous adds (courtesy of Google translate):

“Hello I was 16 in 1966, I loved beatnics although I never was one. I don’t remember Benjamin at that time, but a few years ago I read an article in March where we were talking about fallen artists and Benjamin was in the foreground. He told his life, his participation in the photo of the century, he said that even that day, he was drunk. The report mentioned that he was a tramp and an alcoholic, but that he was an extraordinary person, very cultured with a fabulous memory. Since then, I often think of him, I look for information but I find nothing.” (http://www.requiempouruntwister.com/2007/08/benjamin-un-train-1966.html)

Finally, Charlotte Puertas (courtesy of Google translate) tells us: “I’m his daughter…. A train was written and composed by my father who died in December 2000″. (http://www.requiempouruntwister.com/2007/08/benjamin-un-train-1966.html)

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