Edith Piaf: her Music and her Life Quiz

Answer: Edith Gassion

Her full name at birth was Édith Giovanna Gassion. She was given the name "La Mome Piaf" by Louis Leplee, a nightclub owner who discovered her on the street and gave her her first big break in show business.

Answer: The Little Sparrow

"Piaf" was another word for "sparrow" in the Parisian dialect. (The more common word for sparrow in French is "moinneau".)

"Mome" was slang for "waif" or "kid".

In English, the nickname has been translated as "The Little Sparrow".

She stopped calling herself "La Mome Piaf" around 1937 and used "Edith Piaf" from then on.

Answer: Milord

Piaf had a big hit with this song, which was written for her by Moustaki and Piaf's longtime friend Marguerite Monnot.

Answer: rose

From "La Vie En Rose". (In English, that literally means "life in pink".) Piaf wrote the lyrics, but not the melody.

The song has since been covered my many artists in both French and English, and has been used in many movies. The song even won a Grammy Hall of Fame award (U.S.) in 1998.

It was the title of a 1998 documentary on Piaf, and also one of the titles of the biographical film on Piaf that was released in 2007.

Answer: Marcel Cerdan

Cerdan was a welterweight boxing world champion (considered France's greatest boxer), and was married. Cerdan died in a plane crash in 1949. He was flying to see Edith in New York, and he was also scheduled to have a rematch fight with Jake LaMotta, who had beaten him earlier that year.

Answer: Mon Legionnaire

The chorus goes:

"J'sais pas son nom, je n'sais rien d'lui.
Il m'a aimée toute la nuit,
Mon légionnaire!
Et me laissant à mon destin,
Il est parti dans le matin
Plein de lumière!"

Answer: Jean Cocteau

Cocteau and Piaf became good friends. He wrote the play in 1940 with her in mind. Her co-star was her then-lover, actor Paul Meurisse. She got rave reviews for her performance.

Interestingly, Cocteau and Piaf both died on the same day.

By the way, if you have never seen Cocteau's classic film, "La Belle et La Bete" (Beauty and the Beast), it is a must-see!

Answer: Yves Montand

Piaf met Montand in 1944. He was a young man just starting his career. Piaf, who was older and more established, took him under her wing and gave him career advice and help.

In 1945, Piaf and Montand co-starred in Marcel Blistène's film "Etoile sans lumière".

Piaf later had a passionate affair with singer Moustaki, but that was in the late 1950s. He co-wrote "Milord" for her.

Answer: Non, je ne regrette rien

"Non, je ne regrette rien" was recorded by Piaf in 1960 and practically became her motto. It's since been recorded by many other singers.

The title translates literally as "No, I regret nothing" but is usually referred to in English as "No regrets".

Answer: Marion Cotillard

"La Vie en Rose" is the story of Piaf's life. It was directed by Olivier Dahan and co-starred Gerard Depardieu.

Cotillard has been in several films. The actress didn't do the singing though: most of it was taken from actual recordings of Edith Piaf.