We seem to have forgotten just how unsuccessful Boris Vian was in his lifetime. The posthumous success of his novels, the use of his songs (notably Le Déserteur) in so many political and social struggles in the sixties and the singular aura that has surrounded his memory since the seventies have led us to overlook the fact that Vian's talent was not actually recognised in his day. Vian's increasingly cult status has been further enhanced by the number of contemporary singers and musicians - many of whom were not even born when he died in 1959 - who have cited him as an inspiration.

Vian's singing career was actually very brief, lasting from January 1954 to March 1956 (he made his professional stage debut in December 1954.) Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Vian's career as a singer was the extent to which it flopped in both commercial and critical terms. True, some of his songs made an impact. Le Déserteur (which got Vian booed on stage at several concerts in the  provinces) was better known recorded by Mouloudji. And On n’est pas là pour se faire engueuler, which received extensive radio play, was a hit not for Vian but for Philippe Clay. Vian had little success as a songwriter, either, only his comic numbers such as Faut rigoler and Blouse du dentiste (both sung by Henri Salvador) taking off with the public. It was Vian's comic repertoire that first brought him posthumous glory when Serge Reggiani recorded his own version of Arthur où t’as mis le corps and La Java des bombes atomiques.

It is hard to tell whether younger artists have been inspired by Vian's novels such as L’Ecume des jours, his work as a jazz critic, his songwriting or his all-round genius. But generation after generation singers and musicians have lined up to proclaim themselves legitimate 'heirs' of Vian - self-declared successors include Jacques Higelin and Brigitte Fontaine in the seventies, Daniel Darc in the eighties, Benoit Morel (ex-la Tordue) in the nineties and, more recently, Orly Chap.

Les Têtes Raides have pledged their own allegiance in recent years, regularly performing Je voudrais pas crever at their live shows. And just a few months back artists from across the generations were queuing up to appear on the Vian tribute compilation On n’est pas là pour se faire engueuler. But Vian's posthumous success is perhaps not so surprising in an age when Serge Gainsbourg has become a cult reference for 'nouvelle French chanson.' After all, it was Gainsbourg who once said that he had been inspired to launch his own singing career after seeing Vian live on stage!