Serge Lama ranks among the most traditionally minded French songwriters. His strong, powerful voice, combined with his very intense and theatrical stage persona, has often earned him comparisons to Jacques Brel. Just after his first recordings in the mid-'60s, his career was sidetracked by a car accident that left him partially paralyzed and resulted in the death of his wife. He had some hit singles during the late '60s and '70s, the most famous one being "Je Suis Malade," although some accused him of male chauvinism, particularly on "Femmes, Femmes, Femmes" and "Superman." His popularity peaked in the '80s with the success of his musical, Napoléon. ~ Olivier Duboc