Sex and the Girl's Single: French Popular Music and the Long Sexual Revolution of the 1960s.

The article discusses the role of sexuality in the music and careers of young female singers, sometimes known as copines, in France during the 1960s. Particular focus is given to performers Sylvie Vartan, Sheila, and Françoise Hardy. It is suggested that while popular music served as a vehicle for young men to challenge sexual norms, the music performed by young women and its reception often reinforced these norms. According to the author, the sexual revolution of the 1960s did not signal the end of the objectification of women or challenge notions of girlhood and young womanhood. Details on sexual themes in song lyrics are presented. Flirting and media coverage of female performers are also discussed.