Que mon cœur lâche
"Que mon cœur lâche" | ||||
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Polydor | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Lyrics: Mylène Farmer Music: Laurent Boutonnat | |||
Producer(s) | Laurent Boutonnat | |||
Mylène Farmer singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
"Que mon cœur lâche" is a 1992 song recorded by the French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer. The single was released on 23 November 1992 to promote Farmer's compilation album Dance Remixes. Farmer also recorded an English-language version of the track, entitled "My Soul Is Slashed" which was released in May 1993. Originally recorded as a charity single, the song deals with AIDS and caused some controversy as lyrics seem to encourage the rejection of condoms. Produced as a short film, the music video was directed by the French film director Luc Besson, and features Farmer as an angel sent to Earth by God. The song reached the top ten in France and Belgium.
Background and writing
French version
In 1992, the pop singer
At the same time, Farmer and Boutonnat decided to release their first
English version
Farmer also recorded an English version of the song, entitled "My Soul Is Slashed" (the English title is not a direct translation of the French version, the title of which roughly translates to "My Heart Gives Up"). This was the second time that Farmer had recorded one of her singles in a foreign language (the first one being "My Mum Is Wrong" in 1984, the English version of "Maman a tort"). Mainly edited for Germany and the US, the song was translated by Ira Israel in collaboration with Mylène Farmer. In an interview, Ira Israel said that it was especially difficult to write the lyrics of "My Soul Is Slashed" as Farmer was insistent that the song had to convey the right wording, rhythm, meaning, and feeling of the original, rather than being a direct and literal translation. Farmer disliked the first text he had composed and, as a result, they worked together on the English lyrics.[7][8]
The cover of "My Soul is Slashed" is similar to that of the French version, but with a black background. The English version of the song has never been performed on television or at Farmer's concerts, and is only available on the European version of the compilation Dance Remixes and on the long-box version of Farmer's 2001 greatest hits package Les Mots. Despite hopes that it would establish Farmer in the UK and the US, the English version was commercially unsuccessful.[9]
Lyrics and music
"Que mon cœur lâche" deals with the themes of AIDS and
Music video
Production
For the first time in Farmer's singing career,
There are three versions of the video : a first version with French subtitles, featured on Farmer's
Plot
At the beginning of the video, an old man dressed with a fancy suit – God, in Paradise – reads a newspaper with disgust, saying "Jesus Christ", which prompts the appearance of Christ, although God replies that "it's just an expression they have down there". Thinking that humans have damaged love, he decides to send his best
Inspiration and interpretation
Instant-Mag said the video was inspired by Federico Fellini and Mel Brooks' works, and especially by David Lynch's movie Blue Velvet. Indeed, as in this film, the video alternates between imaginary elements and real situations, while the use of an oxygen mask is a direct callback. It symbolizes the fact that "every person is looking for his drunkenness which can lead to extreme erotic games". It is an allegory of what fuels desire. The club named 'Q' in the video may be a reference both to the novel Steppenwolf, written by Hermann Hesse, but also to the bar "One-Eyed Jack" in Twin Peaks, in which the heroine Laura Palmer has lost her innocence being fascinated by this bar where fantasies can be satisfied. The message of this video is that, "behind the appearance of propriety is bursting the world of fantasies and its attractiveness".[17]
This video is also very critical of religions : God is presented as a very austere businessman. Moreover, according to some analyses, the video explains that to give free rein to sexual fantasies, it necessary to transgress social and religious norms (respectively represented by the bouncer and God). As for the white curtains within the nightclub, they would be a symbol of the hymen or condoms.[16] This video is very different from previous ones of Farmer, as it is much more humorous and ironic,[1] especially when Jesus asks God: "Father, why don't you send me on Earth?" and the latter replied: "The last time, it was a disaster". Farmer said that these dialogues were as a "smile", a "fickleness" she had not displayed in her former videos.[18]
Promotion and live performances
Farmer performed the song in two French television shows : in Stars 90 (
"Que mon cœur lâche" was sung in a rock version during the 1996 tour and was thus included on the live album and VHS/DVD Live à Bercy. The song was accompanied by a sexy choreography in which Farmer is dancing around a vertical iron bar and was surrounded by muscular male dancers in Plexiglas bubbles with bare buttocks.[21][22] The song was also performed during the Mylenium Tour in 2000, but only in the shows in Russia.
Chart performances
In France, the single debuted at number 14 on 5 December 1992 and reached number 9 four weeks later. The song stayed a total of 17 weeks in the top 50, 12 of them in the top 20.[23] In Belgium (Wallonia), the single entered the chart at number 25, peaked at number eight for two consecutive weeks and remained for nine weeks in the top 30.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "Que mon cœur lâche" and "My Soul Is Slashed":[24][25]
- "Que mon cœur lâche"
- 7" single / 7" single – Limited edition (200) / CD single – Black CD / CD single – White CD / Cassette
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (single version) | 4:05 |
2. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (dub remix) | 4:18 |
- 7" maxi
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (extended dance remix) | 8:10 |
2. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (damage club remix) | 6:20 |
- Digital download
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (single version) | 4:05 |
2. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (extended dance remix) | 8:10 |
3. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (1996 live version) | 4:35 |
- CD single – Promo – Crucifix
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (single version) | 4:10 |
- "My Soul Is Slashed"
- CD single – Germany
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "My Soul Is Slashed" (single mix) | 4:15 |
2. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (French single mix) | 4:10 |
- CD maxi – Germany
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "My Soul Is Slashed" (single mix) | 4:15 |
2. | "My Soul Is Slashed" (the rubber remix) | 7:34 |
3. | "Que mon cœur lâche" (extended French dance remix) | 8:10 |
- CD single – Promo – France
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "My Soul Is Slashed" (the rubber remix) | 7:34 |
2. | "My Soul Is Slashed" (single mix) | 4:15 |
Release history
Date[24][25] | Label | Region | Format | Catalog |
---|---|---|---|---|
October 1992 | Polydor | France | CD single – Promo | 4288 |
23 November 1992 | 7" single | 861 206-7 | ||
CD single | 861 206-2 | |||
7" maxi | 861 207-1 | |||
Cassette | 865 820-4 | |||
1993 | 7" maxi – Promo | 2321 | ||
Germany | CD single | 861814-2 | ||
CD maxi | 861815-2 |
Official versions
Version[26] | Length | Album | Remixed by | Year | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Que mon cœur lâche"[15] | |||||
Single / Album version | 4:05 | Les Mots / Plus grandir | — | 1992 | See the previous sections |
Promotional Single Version | 4:05 | — | — | 1992 | This version is the same as the single version. It is only available on French promotional CD single and on the German CD single of "My Soul Is Slashed", under the name 'French Single Mix'. |
Dub Remix | 4:18 | — | Laurent Boutonnat, Thierry Rogen | 1992 | This is a dance remix with an a cappella introduction in which Farmer sings the refrain. Many violins can be heard in the musical bridge also similar to the 'Damaged Club Mix'. |
Extended Dance Remix | 8:10 | Dance Remixes | Laurent Boutonnat, Thierry Rogen | 1992 | This is a dance remix devoted to the CD maxi of "My Soul Is Slashed", under the name of 'Extended French Dance Remix'.
|
Damaged Club Mix | 6:20 | — | Laurent Boutonnat, Thierry Rogen | 1992 | This remix, which contains the whole of lyrics from the original version, is slower than the 'Extended Club Remix'. Many violins can be heard in the musical bridge. |
Music video | 6:44 | Music Videos II, Music Videos II & III | — | 1992 | |
Live version (recorded in 1996) |
4:35 | — | — | 1992 | This version is similar to the album one but has more rock sounds. See Live à Bercy. |
"My Soul Is Slashed"[27] | |||||
Single Mix | 4:15 | Les Mots / Plus grandir (long box edition) |
Laurent Boutonnat | 1993 | This is the English version of "Que mon cœur lâche", but lyrics are different. |
The Rubber Remix | 7:34 | Dance Remixes | Laurent Boutonnat | 1993 | This is a dance version with a musical introduction that lasts about two minutes. |
Credits and personnel
These are the credits and the personnel as they appear on the back of the single:[24][25][28]
- Mylène Farmer – lyrics
- Laurent Boutonnat – music
- Bertrand Le Page and Toutankhamon – editions
- Polydor– recording company
- Marianne Rosensthiel – photo
Charts and sales
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|
References
- Bee, Caroline; Bioy, Antoine; Thiry, Benjamin (January 2006). Mylène Farmer, la part d'ombre (in French). L'Archipel. ISBN 2-84187-790-6.
- Cachin, Benoît (2006). Le Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer (in French). Tournon. ISBN 2-35144-000-5.
- Chuberre, Erwan (2007). L'Intégrale Mylène Farmer (in French). City. ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7.
- Chuberre, Erwan (2008). Mylène Farmer, phénoménale (in French). City. ISBN 978-2-35288-176-6.
- Chuberre, Erwan (18 June 2009). Mylène Farmer : Des mots sur nos désirs (in French). Alphée. ISBN 978-2-7538-0477-7.
- Royer, Hugues (2008). Mylène, biographie (in French). Spain: Flammarion. ISBN 978-2-35287-139-2.
- Violet, Bernard (2004). Mylène Farmer, biographie (in French). J'ai lu. ISBN 2-290-34916-X.
Notes
- ^ a b c Chuberre, 2008, pp. 152–55.
- ^ a b c "Mylène Farmer – "Que mon cœur lâche" – Histoire du single" (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
- ^ Violet, 2004, pp. 151–53.
- ^ "Que mon cœur lâche" (in French). Sans-logique. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
- ISBN 2-9518832-0-X.
- ^ ""Que mon cœur lâche", L'histoire de la chanson : Le premier texte engagé" (in French). Mylenefarmeriscalled. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
- ^ Mylène Farmer et Vous (in French). 17. June 2007.
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(help) - ^ Royer, 2008, p. 196.
- ^ "My Soul Is Slashed" (in French). Sans-logique. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
- ^ Chuberre, 2007, pp. 255–56.
- ^ Royer, 2008, p. 99.
- ^
* Bourrillon, Martine. "Mylène Farmer: J'ai peur pour l'amour". Télé 7 Jours (in French). 1699. Devant-soi. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
* Bourrillon, Martine. "Mylène Farmer: J'ai peur pour l'amour". Télé 7 Jours (in French). 1699. Devant-soi. Retrieved 27 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
* Bourrillon, Martine. "Mylène Farmer: J'ai peur pour l'amour". Télé 7 Jours (in French). 1699. Devant-soi. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
* Bourrillon, Martine. "Mylène Farmer: J'ai peur pour l'amour". Télé 7 Jours (in French). 1699. Devant-soi. Retrieved 27 March 2008. - ^
* Darbois, Jean. "Mylène Farmer: "En amour, chacun doit prendre ses responsabilités"". Ciné Télé Revue (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
* Darbois, Jean. "Mylène Farmer: "En amour, chacun doit prendre ses responsabilités"". Ciné Télé Revue (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 10 March 2010. - ^ "Mylène Farmer – "Que mon cœur lâche" – Clip" (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
- ^ a b Cachin, 2006, pp. 218–23.
- ^ a b Bee, 2006, pp. 238–40.
- ^ Bee, Caroline; Brunet, Océane; Bioy, Antoine; Delayre, Frédéric (2004). "Que mon cœur Lynche". Instant-Mag (in French). 16. Pantin: Tear Prod: 20–23.
- ^ Royer, 2008, pp.279–80.
- ^ ""Que mon cœur lâche", television performances" (in French). Sans-logique. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
- ^ "Mylène Farmer – "Que mon cœur lâche" – TV" (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Chuberre, 2008, p. 191.
- ^ Violet, 2004, p. 182.
- ^ a b ""Que mon cœur lâche", French Singles Chart" (in French). Lescharts. Retrieved 12 January 2008.
- ^ a b c "Mylène Farmer – "Que mon cœur lâche" – Supports" (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
- ^ a b c "Mylène Farmer – "My Soul Is Slashed" – Supports" (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
- ^ "Mylène Farmer – "Que mon cœur lâche" – Versions" (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Cachin, 2006, pp. 172–73.
- ^ "Mylène Farmer – "Que mon cœur lâche" – Crédits" (in French). Mylene.net. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ^ Royer, 2008, p. 356.
- ^ Cachin, 2006, p. 219.
External links
- (in French) Mylène Farmer - "Que mon cœur lâche" All about the song, on Mylene.net