Julien Clerc logo and album art (1968–1970)
“Sur tes pas” / “Ivanovitch” / “La Tarentelle”. 7″ single, Odeon, Oct. 1968. Photography by Philippe Galand.
During the first years of his career, French singer-songwriter Julien Clerc (b. 1947) used a wordmark composed from ornamented caps. It appeared on all original French releases until 1970.
Originally shown by Jean Midolle in his lettering sampler Spécimen des écritures modernes (1834–1835) as Romaine (genre arabesque), the letterforms were redrawn by Armin Haab and reproduced in Lettera 2 (1961). This showing was likely the source for the artist’s logo. Only in the mid 1970s, the alphabet was adopted by Mecanorma, the French manufacturer of rubdown type, as Lettres Ornées C. [Edit: Mecanorma’s adaptation was launched already in 1967, and is a more likely source for this application than Lettera.]
L’amour En Chantier, 7″ EP, Odeon, 1968. Photography by Philippe Galand. Song titles in caps from Folio.
Self-titled debut album, Odeon, 1969.
A variation with stacked letters, to go with the portrait photograph by Philippe Galand, for “Si Tu Reviens” / “La Californie”, 7″ single, Odeon, 1969. The titles are in lowercase Playbill.
“Le Delta” / “Les Vendredis” / “Yann Et Les Dauphins” / “La Petite Sorcière Malade”, 7″ single, Odeon, 1969. Titles in right-aligned caps from a grotesque, possibly Folio (which is used on the back) or Univers. Photography by Philippe Galand.
“Carthage” / “Des Larmes Sucrées” 7″ single, Odeon, Oct. 1969. Photography by Tony Frank. Titles in what appears to be all-lowercase Akzidenz-Grotesk.
“4 Heures Du Matin” / “La Veuve De Joe Stan Murray”, 7″ single, Odeon, 1970. Titles in Monotype Grotesque and Futura. Photography by Bernard Leloup.
“Les Fleurs Des Gares” / “Le Caravanier”, 7″ single, Pathé, 1970. Titles in Akzidenz-Grotesk. Photography by Bernard Leloup.
Des Jours Entiers À T’Aimer, second LP, Pathé, 1970. Photography by Jean-Marie Périer.
“Des Jours Entiers À T’Aimer…” / “Zucayan”, 7″ single, Odeon, 1970. Titles in Monotype Grotesque.
Poster by Pathé Marconi, using the photo by Tony Frank.
