La Question by Françoise Hardy

La question (pronounced [la kɛstjɔ̃]; French for "The question") is the eleventh studio album by French singer-songwriter Françoise Hardy, released in October 1971 on Sonopresse. Like many of her previous records, it was originally released without a title and came to be referred to, later on, by the name of its most popular song. It is her second album produced under Hypopotam, a production company she established in 1970. The music on the album was almost entirely composed by the Brazilian musician Tuca, who supervised the project and participated as a guitarist. One of her most sparsely produced albums, La question combines Hardy's sensual vocals with bossa nova-tinged guitar playing, touches of bass and subtle string arrangements. Lyrically, it encompasses themes of love, anxiety, eroticism and fear, attributed to instabilities in her relationship with Jacques Dutronc at that time. While the album was not well received by French audiences and radio stations upon release, it earned the acclaim of critics and came to be viewed as a turning point in Hardy's career, in which she moved toward a less commercial and more mature style. The album has since attained cult status, and is celebrated as one of the most important works in Hardy's discography.