This set presents songs written between 1950 and 1962 by two of the most eminent figures in the Oulipo movement, Raymond Queneau and Paul Braffort. Queneau was one of the greatest poets and playwrights in 20th century France, the author of Exercices de style and Zazie dans le metro; he cofounded the movement called Oulipo in 1960, writing numerous songs for Juliette Greco, the Freres Jacques, Roland Petit and Zizi Jeanmaire. Paul Braffort, an author, composer, engineer, mathematician and researcher, joined the Oulipo in 1961, writing and composing for Barbara, Les Quatre Barbus, Catherine Sauvage and Mouloudji. This anthology was compiled by Olivier Julien, and contains some 40 unpublished songs which appear here for the first time on CD. Filled with an impish wry humour and often great tenderness, these titles, written mainly before the birth of the movement, are the precursors of the “Oulipian” wordplay in the French language. Patrick FReMEAUX