Lintvelt, Jaap, (2000), Aspects de la narration : thématique, idéologie et identité : Guy de Maupassant, Julien Green, Anne Hébert, Jacques Poulin, Québec, Éditions Nota bene. In the opening years of the ‘60s, Volkswagen added a raft of gorgeous and it has to be said totally timeless turquoise hues, including Turquoise itself (L 380), Pacific (L 398), the iconic Bahama Blue (L 519) below and the equally evocative Pastel Blue (L 391). Gilberto Gil was inspired to write Volkswagen Blues by his own experiences and observations of life. The song reflects his deep longing for freedom and his desire to explore new horizons. 2. What does the Volkswagen Beetle symbolize in the song? Ocean Blue (L 57) came crashing in in 1976, accompanied by Barrier Blue (L 52) a year later. Florida Blue (LA5A) below made its debut in 1979 and was available on Beetles as well as Polos and Golfs from that era. River Blue (LK6V) was a lovely green tinged metallic from this late air-cooled, early water-cooled era. The contradictory sounding Deep Light Blue (LE6P) was offered from 1986, alongside Dove (LA5Z) which always looked nice on the Golf. A host of new blues came along in 1988, including Blue (LD5V), Monza (LE5L) above, Marine (LA5B), Biskava (LB5Z), Surf Blue (LD5B) and Deep Sea Blue (LD6A). The dark Orly Blue (LP5Z), Jade (LN6V) and Bright Blue (LP5V) appeared in 1989. The striking Calypso (LA6Z) joined VWs blues in 1990.

This is a simply wonderful story that I am so pleased to have encountered in a course on Travel Narratives. I won't lie, my favorite character may be the cat, but that's because he is such a cute addition to the story that I cannot help myself.

Poulin, Jacques, (1984) (2004), Volkswagen Blues, translated by Sheila Fischman, Toronto, Cormorant Books, 219-220. Jacques Poulin drew me into his bilingual world, where the French Canadian language and world meets with the American one. We learn about the conquest, we travel with them, we feel with them... Isn't it what we ask from a book ? To learn and to feel ? Incredibly, the first metallic blue (L 35) appeared in March 1953, although it only lasted for around a year so it’s somewhat rare. There was a bit of a gap in proceedings until 1956 when Horizon Blue (L 331) made its debut (below). Metallic Glacier Blue (L 334) came next and was available from 1957 through until 1958. Around this time, there was another quite attractive blue available – Capri (L 335). Gilberto Gil, who was also a key figure in the tropicalismo movement, uses powerful imagery and metaphors in the song to convey his message. The mention of the Volkswagen Beetle in the title serves as a symbol of both nostalgia and freedom. The car in the song represents a means of escape, a vehicle that can take us on a transformative journey, both physically and spiritually.

Things started to come a bit more down to earth again with rather unimaginatively named VW Blue (L 633) – see below – which was offered between 1966 and 1968 alongside Zenith Blue (L 639) from August 1967. Cobalt Blue (L 630) was similarly subdued and appeared on a variety of VWs until around 1970. This was followed by Diamond Blue (L 50B) from 1969 and Marina Blue (L 54) and Sapphire (L 50D) from 1970. Gemini (L 96) heralded the first of the vibrant ‘70s metallics. Gentian (L 51B) joined VW’s colour palette from 1971 and a rather unusual Turquoise metallic (L 95) appeared a year later. The lyrics of Volkswagen Blues are poetic and thought-provoking, allowing listeners to interpret them in various ways. At its core, the song speaks about the longing for freedom and the need to break free from societal constraints. It reflects the desire to embark on a journey, both physically and metaphorically, in search of oneself and the meaning of life. the believability of the novel by reminding the reader of the predominantly Anglophone nature of today’s America. As well as underscoring the realism of the novel, the inclusion of other languages “ suppose une compétence de lecteur bilingue [ c], according to Simon [ 9], and suggests a greater theme: the affect of language on individuals and culture.Into the mid-‘90s and VW again freshened their palette with the addition of a variety of exciting new blues, including Mint (LB6U), Calypso (LA6Z), Smoke Blue (LH5Y), Jamaica Blue (LL5V) as above left and Steel (LB5T) above right. Alas, things all became a bit more reserved when it came to later blues, with most being somewhat dark and anonymous metallics. At the end of the journey, the couple find Théo and to their surprise he is suffering from amnesia and paralysis, he is unable to remember his brother. However, as a result of this, Jacques finds the inspiration to write a new book and he seemingly has a fresher outlook on life, as though he is finally affirmed as to his true identity. Furthermore, the couple end up having a rather sceptical view of the ideological American dream, perhaps because they have travelled such a long way through the vast land of North America only to find Théo terminally ill rather than the wealth and prosperity that they had hoped for. I just couldn't stop reading, I felt like I knew both main characters, even though not many specific details are given about them. We don't know their full names, we don't know their age or so many other things. I think it is actually what makes them ring so realistic ! it feels like we all met on the side of the road, that we all rode in the old Volkswagen, looking for someone only the man knows, and even he doubts he has actually ever known his brother. Volkswagen Blues resonated with audiences when it was released due to its relatable themes and poetic lyrics. The song became an anthem for those longing for freedom and searching for their place in the world. 8. Are there any covers or adaptations of Volkswagen Blues?