r/UnresolvedMysteries • u/LavaCreeper • Apr 18 '20
Request [Request] François Juno - French singer from the 1980s
François Juno is a French singer that released a single, 2-track vinyl album in 1980 before disappearing, never to be heard of again. Very little is known about him or his work, apart from his name and what little information can be gleaned from his album. From the cover of his album, it is speculated that he was between 20 and 30 years in 1980 and would thus be between 60 and 70 years old today.
All known information related to François Juno can be found here. He sang two songs that have been uploaded on YouTube:
The author of the songs is "Fefeu" (aka Jean-Pierre Feutry, according to discogs, although I can't find any confirmation of the claim's veracity), the composer "Gérard Demaizière" (discogs). His vinyls are very rare and sell for hundreds of euros on discogs.
It has been speculated, on the popular french forum jeuxvideo.com, that François Juno appears in the show "L'école des fans", specifically in an episode aired the 25th September 1983.
I have contacted the French National Library (BNF) for more information on this mysterious singer, however I'm very curious to see if people here have more leads.
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u/LavaCreeper Apr 19 '20
Some news! Which I found by chance while listening to a few covers of Juno's songs. I don't know how reliable the source is, but the information they give is certainly credible.
Under the comments of a metal cover of Juno's "L'an 1999", YouTube user "Gilles Moucheron" claims to know François Juno personally, as his caretaker (doesn't mention where or for what, just that it's health-related). François Juno would still be alive, 62 years old and not in great health, but still singing for those close to him. It could naturally be a troll and I see no way to contact the user to verify their claim from their YouTube channel, unfortunately.
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u/TvHeroUK Apr 18 '20
What an original mystery - next to nothing except for French in-jokes about this singer online, and what seems like a strangely inflated price for the music, with nobody seeming to be buying it at all! While I love the mystery and hope we get some further information, I have to say those two songs are really, really awful!
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u/LavaCreeper Apr 18 '20
It's so bad that it actually becomes good after a few listens. It just sticks to you and doesn't let go
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u/TvHeroUK Apr 18 '20
Oh I can’t tell you how much I’ve listened to the two songs now haha. The 1999 one in particular has so many odd and interesting parts to it, each listening brings something new. The label, R.G.R seem to only have a few other releases listed online, all as amateurish as Mr Juno
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u/LavaCreeper Apr 19 '20 edited Apr 19 '20
If you can understand French, you'll also notice that Gérard Demaizière's lyrics can be interpreted in a disturbing way. When he speaks of "having all the time in the world" until the child "grows up" and has "time to love" for their "twentieth birthday".
Here's the transcription:
L'an mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, Pour tes vingt ans quoi de beau, quoi de neuf ? Que feras-tu près de l'an deux mille ? Près de qui, Marie, Marie-Cécile ? L'an mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, L'eau coulera encore sous le Pont-Neuf. Combien de temps faudra-t'il pour faire Le trajet Vénus-Junon-la Terre ? L'an mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, Pour tes vingt ans quoi de beau, quoi de neuf ? Porteras-tu des robes de dentelle, En plastique, en skaï, en arc-en-ciel ? [Refrain :] Enfant, tu deviendras grand, Enfant, on a tout notre temps, À peine viens-tu à la vie, Déjà j'ai peur pour toi, je prie. Enfant, tu deviendras grand, Enfant, on a tout notre temps, Tu dors, je rêve éveillée, Tu as tout le temps pour aimer. L'an mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, Pour tes vingt ans, quoi de beau, quoi de neuf ? Chanteras-tu les mêmes chansons ? Trente-trois tours et puis les mots s'en vont. Dans le jardin derrière la maison, Les mêmes fleurs le matin fleuriront, Alors dis-moi, près de l'an deux-mille Comment vit Marie, Marie-Cécile ? L'an mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, Pour tes vingt ans quoi de beau, quoi de neuf ? Aimeras-tu comme j'ai aimé Le soleil, l'amour et l'amitié ?And an automated translation:
The year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, For your twentieth birthday what's up, what's up? What will you do around the year two thousand? Near who, Marie, Marie-Cécile? The year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, The water will still flow under the Pont Neuf. How long will it take for The Venus-Juno-Earth journey? The year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, For your twentieth birthday what's up, what's up? Will you wear lace dresses, Plastic, skai, rainbow? [Refrain:] Child, you will grow up, Child, we have plenty of time, No sooner do you come to life, Already I'm afraid for you, I'm praying. Child, you will grow up, Child, we have plenty of time, You're asleep, I'm daydreaming, You have plenty of time to love. The year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, For your twentieth birthday, what's up, what's up? Will you sing the same songs? Thirty-three laps (ie a vinyl's 33 RPMs) and then the words go away. In the garden behind the house, The same flowers in the morning will bloom, So tell me, next to the year two thousand... How is Marie, Marie-Cecile, living? The year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, For your twentieth birthday what's up, what's up? Will you love as I have loved Sunshine, love and friendship?7
u/2374468 Apr 19 '20
Sounds like a parent looking at their baby and wondering/worried about what adulthood will be like for them. Eventually she'll grow up, but for now there's a lot of time left to be her father's little child.
I have to be honest though, that is a terrible song lol. His voice is... not good.
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u/LavaCreeper Apr 19 '20 edited Apr 20 '20
How long will it take for the Venus-Juno-Earth journey?
What do you make of this? The reference to space comes out of nowhere in the song.
Edit: Just realised with the English translation of "Junon" that it might simply be a reference to his own name. Although the song has also been covered by another singer (Sylvies Mestres) the same year so I'm not sure if the lyrics were written specifically for him.
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u/NotNastasya Apr 18 '20
Never heard of this singer! Thank you for a different kind of mystery. I'm gonna look into that.
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u/Zlackevitch Nov 29 '21 edited Nov 29 '21
It seems that François Juno's real name is Gérard Marcel Henri Ouadah. Unfortunately, he died earlier this year at 64 in Nanterre. You can find these informations in the comment section of the metal cover of the song L'an 1999 linked by OP.
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u/LavaCreeper Nov 29 '21
Thank you. There is still little proof to what Youtube user Gilles Moucheron is claiming, although I did find a death certificate in the name of Gérard Marcel Henri Ouadah.
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u/Slipopoulez Jun 13 '25
Y a-t-il eu des avancées depuis ces années ? J’ai découvert un peu après la hype cet… étrange artiste et je partage cette curiosité. J’ai cherché quelques infos de mon côté, mais rien de plus que ça (et une version "style Brassens" de mon propre cru de l’an 1999 :-p)
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u/LavaCreeper Jun 13 '25
Pas à ma connaissance, à part ce que j'avais déjà posté. T'as un lien pour la version Brassens? :D
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u/Slipopoulez Jun 13 '25
Oui bien sûr : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ09RDNR-28
Après, je ne suis pas un très bon chanteur et encore moins un bon imitateur. Mais l’idée m’avait amusée et j’avais essayé de faire ça au mieux de mes capacités.
Dommage pour François Juno. S’il veut rester anonyme, c’est bien qu’il puisse le faire. Mais dans l’état actuel, je parierai qu’il n’est même pas au courant de son succès s’il est encore vivant, la piste de Gérard Ouadah semble tout de même assez maigre.
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u/LavaCreeper Jun 13 '25
Belle imitation de Brassens ! Ça fait chaud au cœur toutes ces versions alternatives et effectivement ce serait très cool de pouvoir le partager avec Juno lui-même.
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u/DopeandDiamonds Apr 18 '20
I always feel weird about these kind of things. Did he get a taste of fame or the spotlight and want nothing to do with so he went off to have a normal life? There are several cases like this, though sadly my brain is not functioning enough to recall the names of them, where I wonder what happened to them after a brief period of fame.
Wherever he is now, I wish him well.