Pourvu qu'elles soient douces
Encyclopedia
"Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" (English: "Let's Hope They Are Soft") is a 1988
synthpop
song by the French artist Mylène Farmer
. Third single
from her second studio album Ainsi soit je...
, it was released on 12 September 1988. Very provocative, the song deals with sodomy
and enjoys a very long music video which contains sexual and violent scenes. It achieved a great success in France, becoming Farmer's first number-one hit.
", Farmer chose to release "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" as the third single from the album Ainsi soit je...
. The song was released in a remixed version.
The song was exported outside France under the title "Douces" in Germany and the Netherlands and had a less sexy cover photo. It was also released in Japan where it was marketed as a promotional 7"
with another cover design. In 2003, Paul Oakenfold
remixed the song which was added on the remix album
RemixeS
.
, Farmer addresses her lover who thinks only of her buttocks and there are many alliteration
s.
The song has been said by fans, critics and Farmer herself to be about sodomy
, and even a real "ode to sodomy", while some consider it to be a logical sequel to her 1986 hit "Libertine
" which is about prostitution
. Farmer explained that "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" is "a pamphlet
written as we take revenge on men, taboos, childhood".
, the video was shot for five days in the forest, in Rambouillet
(France). It was censored on television because of its depiction of female nudity - Farmer in particular - and sex. It is entitled "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces - Libertine II" because it was a continuation of "Libertine", and takes place during the Seven Years' War
, in the 18th century. Some excerpts were shown in exclusivity on 12 September 1988 in the French television program Nulle Part Ailleurs, on Canal+
.
It appeared in the Book of Records in 1989 because it was at the time the music video the most expensive —at the time, it was announced that it cost more than 3 million francs (€450,000); however, subsequent sources said it was a mistake, as it cost about 1,5 million francs (€225,000) — the longest (17:52) and with the most of extras (circa 600). Many of them were made available by the French Army
. Some were committed and recruits who benefited from a week of holiday, although they had much work during the shooting. Jean-François Casamayou, the director of CasaFilms, provided cranes
, loumas, steady-cams and many other technical materials. There were about 50 technicians.
The horse used in the video by Farmer was borrowed from Mario Luraschi, a specialist in film stunts, which had a farm at the Abbey of Chaalis
, France. The Andalusian
white horse was called Llamado and was then nine years old. Farmer remade many times the scene with her galloping horse and finally succeeded; however, the dangerous scenes were performed by a stuntman. There was a lack of costumes, and those obtained were quite worn from having been used in more than 20 films about the French Revolution
; this could jeopardize the production. The costume designer
Carinne Sarfati and her team darned uniforms used by actors playing in the video. The editor of Tradition Magazine, Jean-Louis Viau, was responsible for ensuring the historical reality of the video and to avoid anachronisms, and taught the extras to handle weapons of the 18th century. Farmer, who shows her breasts and her buttocks in the video, said she was a little intimidated by the nudity scenes, and was afraid of commentaries by technicians, but that finally all happened very well. Yann Babilee, who played the role of the English officer, explained in an interview that he was immediately charmed by the screenplay of the music video.
realizes that his troops have taken the wrong road and are in France rather than being in Prussia
(the words, in English, are subtitled in French language
). Then, as the song begins, the captain brings a fruit bowl to Libertine who is sleeping in a tent. With his whip, he raises the sheet to look at her buttocks
, but the young drummer enters the tent and surprises him doing that. To punish him, the captain flogs him in front of many other soldiers. He then hands the whip onver to Libertine, expecting her to also flog the boy, but she turns and whips the captain's face. In the tent, the man, very angry, throws some clothes to Libertine and looks at her when she undresses. Then she breaks a bottle over his head and runs away on horseback. The captain pursues her, finds her lying hurt near a tree, and carries her in his arms back to the camp. While they make love, the rival of Libertine, in connivance with the French army, brings prostitutes in the camp to distract the British troops. The next day, the French army bombs the English camp, while the rival shoots the captain and kills him. Libertine, who watches the scene, fights and eventually kills her with a bayonet
. As the burning camps are left filled with dead bodies scattered on the ground, Libertine picks up the young drummer, while the soldiers of the French army watch at them leaving on horseback.
The video shows some daring scenes, including several more or less explicit references to the buttocks, masturbation
, prostitution
, debauchery, and ends with very violent scenes showing murder by gunshot and sword, and blood and dead bodies.
, at the UGC Normandie. The video was nominated at the 1989 Victoires de la Musique
, but did not win.
Some scenes, including the slow images filmed in low-angle shot
which show drunk infantry
men running after scantily clad prostitutes, and wine which flows over topless of the prostitutes being cavorting on the ground, were removed when the video was presented in prime time
on television.
To the author Erwan Chuberre, it was a "disproportionate masterpiece for a music video and marked the spirits and the majority of journalists present at the preview (...) were won over". Other journalists were "outraged by the many images of nudity". According to the biographer Bernard Violet, the video was a "triumph" when it was released because of its production as well as its subject. The psychologist Hugues Royer considered the video as a "historical masterpiece, written as a real short movie". French magazine Graffiti awarded it as the
"video of the year".
, in this song, "Farmer generously lent us her fantasies on the dashing arrangements by L. Boutonnat".
In France, the single debuted at number 34 on 8 October 1988, climbed every week on the chart and eventually reached number one where it stayed for five weeks, thus becoming Farmer's first of the nine number ones she has obtained in the country. Then, the single dropped slowly and stayed in the chart for a total of 23 weeks, which is her third longest-running single in French Top 50.
In terms of sales, "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" is also Farmer's second biggest success ever, behind "Désenchantée
". The single sold more than half a million copies in France by the time it was released, with 10,000 copies being sold every day at the peak of the song's popularity.
), Avis de recherche (14 October, TF1), La Une est à vous (22 October, TF1), Dimanche Martin (6 November, Antenne 2
), Jacky Show (6 November, TF1), Cocoparadise (16 November, TF1), Interchallanges (20 November, TF1), Une Soirée pour les restos (17 December, TF1) and Avis de recherche (30 December, TF1). Farmer also performed the song on a Dutch (on 2 December 1990), and a Danish (in January 1991) programmes, and on Tapis Rouge (11 September 1999). To promote this song on television, Farmer wore a sequin naked-back dress and a bun as hairstyle. She performed a new choréography with her two female dancers, one of them being Sophie Tellier.
The song was performed during the 1989
, 1999
(but included in a medley) and 2009 tours. During the 1989 tour, Farmer wore a red spandex
pantyhose
, heel boots, transparent gray veil. She performed a very dynamic collective choreography, with suggestive movements. The song began with a set of lights. Farmer, back on the podium, moved her hips and played with her microphone. The dancers came on stage by the stairs and formed a circle. While the musical bridge continued, Farmer joined the dancers who removed the bottom of her dress; two of them lifted the singer. At the end of the song, Farmer presented the musicians. On the 199 tour, Farmer wore a black costume composed of a woven trousers open on the upper thighs, a transparent bustier, high shoes with heels, a large necklace and two iron false-buttocks; with her dancers, she performed the same choreography as when the 1989 tour. On her 2009 tour, Farmer wore a glittering short dress with red cape with hood, and her dancers a red coat; they performed the same choreography with only a few changes during the musical bridge.
in 2003, by Réjane for a 1989 hits compilation, and by some contestants of the French show Star Academy 1. The song was parodied by Les Caramels Fous under the name of "Pourvu qu'elles soient grosses". However, these cover versions were not released as singles. The song was covered by Lorie, Elsa Lunghini
, Jenifer Bartoli
and Patricia Kaas
for Les Enfoirés
' 2006 album Le Village des Enfoirés
and included in a medley named "Medley Uniformes".
Composed by Laurent Boutonnat and written by Farmer, this song is mainly instrumental. As both beautiful and sad, it deals with the issues of depression, anxiety, boredom and the desire to die. It was performed on 7 November 1988 in the programme Du Côté de chez Fred on Antenne 2
, as well as during the 1989 tour
(on the album En Concert, the title does not have its ellipsis
), and replaced "Dernier Sourire
" which was first scheduled to be performed. It was not included on Ainsi soit je...
and on the best of
Les Mots (but only available in the long box version of the best of). The song is played in a version instrumental in the closing credits
of the video for "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces".
1 CD single version
2 CD maxi and vinyl versions
1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
song by the French artist Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer, , born Marie-Hélène Jeanne Gautier, , , is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author....
. Third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from her second studio album Ainsi soit je...
Ainsi Soit Je...
Ainsi Soit Je... is the second album by Mylène Farmer, released in April 1988. It contains the hit singles "Sans contrefaçon", "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" and "Sans logique"...
, it was released on 12 September 1988. Very provocative, the song deals with sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
and enjoys a very long music video which contains sexual and violent scenes. It achieved a great success in France, becoming Farmer's first number-one hit.
Background and writing
After the minimum success of "Ainsi soit je...Ainsi soit je... (song)
"Ainsi soit je..." is a 1988 song recorded by the French artist Mylène Farmer. The song was released as a single twice: as the second single from her second studio album Ainsi soit je... on 4 April 1988, and as the second single in a live version from her second live album Live à Bercy on 20...
", Farmer chose to release "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" as the third single from the album Ainsi soit je...
Ainsi Soit Je...
Ainsi Soit Je... is the second album by Mylène Farmer, released in April 1988. It contains the hit singles "Sans contrefaçon", "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" and "Sans logique"...
. The song was released in a remixed version.
The song was exported outside France under the title "Douces" in Germany and the Netherlands and had a less sexy cover photo. It was also released in Japan where it was marketed as a promotional 7"
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
with another cover design. In 2003, Paul Oakenfold
Paul Oakenfold
Paul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
remixed the song which was added on the remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
RemixeS
RemixeS
RemixeS is a compilation of French singer Mylène Farmer's singles by various famous DJ's, including JXL, Felix Da Housecat and Paul Oakenfold.-Brackground, writing and release:...
.
Lyrics and music
The music, very dynamic and effective, eclipses the words that are very daring (many people have not yet understood the theme of the song). In the refrainRefrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
, Farmer addresses her lover who thinks only of her buttocks and there are many alliteration
Alliteration
In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
s.
The song has been said by fans, critics and Farmer herself to be about sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
, and even a real "ode to sodomy", while some consider it to be a logical sequel to her 1986 hit "Libertine
Libertine (song)
"Libertine" is a 1986 song recorded by French artist Mylène Farmer. It was the third single from her first studio album Cendres de Lune and was released on 1 April 1986. It was particularly known for its huge music video, produced as a film and which contains explicit sexual and violent scenes. It...
" which is about prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. Farmer explained that "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" is "a pamphlet
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
written as we take revenge on men, taboos, childhood".
Production
Gilles Laurent participated in the writing of the screenplay. Directed by Laurent BoutonnatLaurent Boutonnat
Laurent Pierre Marie Boutonnat is a French composer and film and music video director, best known as the songwriting partner of Mylène Farmer and the director of moody, provocative and literature-inspired music videos.- Career :...
, the video was shot for five days in the forest, in Rambouillet
Rambouillet
Rambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center...
(France). It was censored on television because of its depiction of female nudity - Farmer in particular - and sex. It is entitled "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces - Libertine II" because it was a continuation of "Libertine", and takes place during the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, in the 18th century. Some excerpts were shown in exclusivity on 12 September 1988 in the French television program Nulle Part Ailleurs, on Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
.
It appeared in the Book of Records in 1989 because it was at the time the music video the most expensive —at the time, it was announced that it cost more than 3 million francs (€450,000); however, subsequent sources said it was a mistake, as it cost about 1,5 million francs (€225,000) — the longest (17:52) and with the most of extras (circa 600). Many of them were made available by the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
. Some were committed and recruits who benefited from a week of holiday, although they had much work during the shooting. Jean-François Casamayou, the director of CasaFilms, provided cranes
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
, loumas, steady-cams and many other technical materials. There were about 50 technicians.
The horse used in the video by Farmer was borrowed from Mario Luraschi, a specialist in film stunts, which had a farm at the Abbey of Chaalis
Chaalis Abbey
Chaalis Abbey was a French Cistercian abbey north of Paris, at Fontaine-Chaalis, near Ermenonville, now in Oise. Nowadays the buildings of the abbey houses the Musée Jacquemart-André .....
, France. The Andalusian
Andalusian horse
The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE , is a horse breed developed in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ancestors have been present on the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century, and its conformation...
white horse was called Llamado and was then nine years old. Farmer remade many times the scene with her galloping horse and finally succeeded; however, the dangerous scenes were performed by a stuntman. There was a lack of costumes, and those obtained were quite worn from having been used in more than 20 films about the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
; this could jeopardize the production. The costume designer
Costume Designer
A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
Carinne Sarfati and her team darned uniforms used by actors playing in the video. The editor of Tradition Magazine, Jean-Louis Viau, was responsible for ensuring the historical reality of the video and to avoid anachronisms, and taught the extras to handle weapons of the 18th century. Farmer, who shows her breasts and her buttocks in the video, said she was a little intimidated by the nudity scenes, and was afraid of commentaries by technicians, but that finally all happened very well. Yann Babilee, who played the role of the English officer, explained in an interview that he was immediately charmed by the screenplay of the music video.
Plot
In the video, the scene takes place on 18 August 1757. A young English drummer discovers the still body of Libertine, covered in blood. He calls William, an older soldier, who believes that Libertine is a man, while the young boy says she is a girl. Soon they realize that she is alive and take her to the camp for treatment. Meanwhile, the captain of the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
realizes that his troops have taken the wrong road and are in France rather than being in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
(the words, in English, are subtitled in French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
). Then, as the song begins, the captain brings a fruit bowl to Libertine who is sleeping in a tent. With his whip, he raises the sheet to look at her buttocks
Buttocks
The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
, but the young drummer enters the tent and surprises him doing that. To punish him, the captain flogs him in front of many other soldiers. He then hands the whip onver to Libertine, expecting her to also flog the boy, but she turns and whips the captain's face. In the tent, the man, very angry, throws some clothes to Libertine and looks at her when she undresses. Then she breaks a bottle over his head and runs away on horseback. The captain pursues her, finds her lying hurt near a tree, and carries her in his arms back to the camp. While they make love, the rival of Libertine, in connivance with the French army, brings prostitutes in the camp to distract the British troops. The next day, the French army bombs the English camp, while the rival shoots the captain and kills him. Libertine, who watches the scene, fights and eventually kills her with a bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
. As the burning camps are left filled with dead bodies scattered on the ground, Libertine picks up the young drummer, while the soldiers of the French army watch at them leaving on horseback.
The video shows some daring scenes, including several more or less explicit references to the buttocks, masturbation
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, debauchery, and ends with very violent scenes showing murder by gunshot and sword, and blood and dead bodies.
Reception
Initially, the video was to be shown in previews in movie theatres, but it was eventually cancelled because the film producers were afraid that the video was better than the film aired then. However, the video was broadcast as an exclusivity on 6 October 1988 on the Champs-ÉlyséesChamps-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
, at the UGC Normandie. The video was nominated at the 1989 Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday...
, but did not win.
Some scenes, including the slow images filmed in low-angle shot
Low-angle shot
In cinematography, a low-angle shot, is a shot from a camera positioned low on the vertical axis, anywhere below the eyeline, looking up.-Famous examples:...
which show drunk infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
men running after scantily clad prostitutes, and wine which flows over topless of the prostitutes being cavorting on the ground, were removed when the video was presented in prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
on television.
To the author Erwan Chuberre, it was a "disproportionate masterpiece for a music video and marked the spirits and the majority of journalists present at the preview (...) were won over". Other journalists were "outraged by the many images of nudity". According to the biographer Bernard Violet, the video was a "triumph" when it was released because of its production as well as its subject. The psychologist Hugues Royer considered the video as a "historical masterpiece, written as a real short movie". French magazine Graffiti awarded it as the
"video of the year".
Critical reception
According to France SoirFrance Soir
France Soir is a French daily newspaper that prospered during the 1950s and 1960s, but it has declined since then under various owners. It was re-launched as a populist tabloid in 2006.-History:...
, in this song, "Farmer generously lent us her fantasies on the dashing arrangements by L. Boutonnat".
In France, the single debuted at number 34 on 8 October 1988, climbed every week on the chart and eventually reached number one where it stayed for five weeks, thus becoming Farmer's first of the nine number ones she has obtained in the country. Then, the single dropped slowly and stayed in the chart for a total of 23 weeks, which is her third longest-running single in French Top 50.
In terms of sales, "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" is also Farmer's second biggest success ever, behind "Désenchantée
Désenchantée
"Désenchantée" is a 1991 song recorded by the French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer. First single from her third studio album L'Autre..., it was released on 18 March 1991 and achieved a great success in France, topping the chart for more than two months...
". The single sold more than half a million copies in France by the time it was released, with 10,000 copies being sold every day at the peak of the song's popularity.
Promotion and live performances
In 1988, Farmer actively promoted the song performing it in nine French television shows : Sacrée Soirée (5 October, TF1TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
), Avis de recherche (14 October, TF1), La Une est à vous (22 October, TF1), Dimanche Martin (6 November, Antenne 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
), Jacky Show (6 November, TF1), Cocoparadise (16 November, TF1), Interchallanges (20 November, TF1), Une Soirée pour les restos (17 December, TF1) and Avis de recherche (30 December, TF1). Farmer also performed the song on a Dutch (on 2 December 1990), and a Danish (in January 1991) programmes, and on Tapis Rouge (11 September 1999). To promote this song on television, Farmer wore a sequin naked-back dress and a bun as hairstyle. She performed a new choréography with her two female dancers, one of them being Sophie Tellier.
The song was performed during the 1989
Mylène Farmer en concert
Mylène Farmer en concert is Mylène Farmer's 1989 concert tour in support of her second studio album, Ainsi soit je.... It was the first tour of the singer.- Introduction :...
, 1999
Mylenium Tour (tour)
Mylenium Tour is Mylène Farmer's 1999-2000 concert tour in support of her fifth studio album, Innamoramento.-Critical reception and commercial success:...
(but included in a medley) and 2009 tours. During the 1989 tour, Farmer wore a red spandex
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
pantyhose
Pantyhose
Pantyhose are sheer, close-fitting legwear, covering the wearer's body from the waist to the feet. Mostly considered to be a woman's and girl's garment, pantyhose appeared in the 1960s, and they provided a convenient alternative to stockings...
, heel boots, transparent gray veil. She performed a very dynamic collective choreography, with suggestive movements. The song began with a set of lights. Farmer, back on the podium, moved her hips and played with her microphone. The dancers came on stage by the stairs and formed a circle. While the musical bridge continued, Farmer joined the dancers who removed the bottom of her dress; two of them lifted the singer. At the end of the song, Farmer presented the musicians. On the 199 tour, Farmer wore a black costume composed of a woven trousers open on the upper thighs, a transparent bustier, high shoes with heels, a large necklace and two iron false-buttocks; with her dancers, she performed the same choreography as when the 1989 tour. On her 2009 tour, Farmer wore a glittering short dress with red cape with hood, and her dancers a red coat; they performed the same choreography with only a few changes during the musical bridge.
Cover versions
The song was covered by LorieLorie
Laure Pester, professionally known as Lorie, is a French singer. Her fame can be attributed to producer, songwriter and composer Johnny Williams and her father–manager Dominique Pester...
in 2003, by Réjane for a 1989 hits compilation, and by some contestants of the French show Star Academy 1. The song was parodied by Les Caramels Fous under the name of "Pourvu qu'elles soient grosses". However, these cover versions were not released as singles. The song was covered by Lorie, Elsa Lunghini
Elsa Lunghini
Elsa Lunghini, stage name Elsa , is a French singer and actress. She was a famous teenage pop-star in the late-1980s. In 1986, she was the youngest singer ever to reach number one in the French charts with the single T'en va pas, and she went on to sell millions of records during the decade...
, Jenifer Bartoli
Jenifer Bartoli
Jenifer Yaël Dadouche-Bartoli , better known as simply Jenifer, is a pop singer who has, since 2002, had a number of hit singles in the French, Belgium and Swiss charts...
and Patricia Kaas
Patricia Kaas
Patricia Kaas is a French singer and actress.Kaas is a very successful French-speaking singer, with an International following...
for Les Enfoirés
Les Enfoirés
Les Enfoirés , is the name given to the singers and performers in the yearly charity concert for the Restaurants du Cœur .-History:...
' 2006 album Le Village des Enfoirés
Le village des Enfoirés
Le village des Enfoirés is an album performed by Les Enfoirés, released in 2006. It was recorded during the show at La Halle Tony Garnier in Lyon, on 27 February 2006. It was broadcast on TF1 on 7 April 2006...
and included in a medley named "Medley Uniformes".
B-side: "Puisque..."
The vinyl's B-side contains a new song, "Puisque..."Composed by Laurent Boutonnat and written by Farmer, this song is mainly instrumental. As both beautiful and sad, it deals with the issues of depression, anxiety, boredom and the desire to die. It was performed on 7 November 1988 in the programme Du Côté de chez Fred on Antenne 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
, as well as during the 1989 tour
Mylène Farmer en concert
Mylène Farmer en concert is Mylène Farmer's 1989 concert tour in support of her second studio album, Ainsi soit je.... It was the first tour of the singer.- Introduction :...
(on the album En Concert, the title does not have its ellipsis
Ellipsis
Ellipsis is a series of marks that usually indicate an intentional omission of a word, sentence or whole section from the original text being quoted. An ellipsis can also be used to indicate an unfinished thought or, at the end of a sentence, a trailing off into silence...
), and replaced "Dernier Sourire
Sans logique
"Sans logique" is a 1988 song recorded by French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer. It was released on 20 February 1989 as the fourth and last single from her second studio album Ainsi soit je.... The song deals with schizophrenia, death, love and religion and was accompanied by a cinematic video...
" which was first scheduled to be performed. It was not included on Ainsi soit je...
Ainsi Soit Je...
Ainsi Soit Je... is the second album by Mylène Farmer, released in April 1988. It contains the hit singles "Sans contrefaçon", "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" and "Sans logique"...
and on the best of
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
Les Mots (but only available in the long box version of the best of). The song is played in a version instrumental in the closing credits
Closing credits
Closing credits or end credits are added at the end of a motion picture, television program, or video game to list the cast and crew involved in the production. They usually appear as a list of names in small type, which either flip very quickly from page to page, or move smoothly across the...
of the video for "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces".
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces":- CD maxi
- 7" single - France, Canada, Germany, Netherlands
- 12" maxi
- 12" maxi - Promo
- 7" single - Promo - Japan - Limited edition (50)
- CD maxi - Crystal case - Germany
- 12" maxi - Germany
- Digital download (since 2005)
Release history
| Date | Label | Region | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 September 1988 | Polydor | France | 7" single | 887 847-7 |
| 12" maxi | 887 847-1 | |||
| CD maxi | 887 847-2 | |||
| 7" single - Promo | 6863 365 | |||
| September 1990 | Germany | 7" single (+ Netherlands) 12" maxi, CD maxi |
887 847-7 | |
| CD maxi | 887 847-2 | |||
| Canada | 7" single | POS 1022 | ||
| 12" maxi | 887 847-1 | |||
| Japan | 7" single - Promo | DDI-3033 | ||
Official versions
| Version | Length | Album | Remixed by | Year | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" | |||||
| Album version | 4:56 | Ainsi soit je... Ainsi Soit Je... Ainsi Soit Je... is the second album by Mylène Farmer, released in April 1988. It contains the hit singles "Sans contrefaçon", "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" and "Sans logique"... |
— | 1987 | See the previous sections |
| Single version | 4:11 1 4:05 2 |
— | Laurent Boutonnat Laurent Boutonnat Laurent Pierre Marie Boutonnat is a French composer and film and music video director, best known as the songwriting partner of Mylène Farmer and the director of moody, provocative and literature-inspired music videos.- Career :... |
1988 | This is a remixed version including many gimmick Gimmick In marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries. However, the special feature is typically thought to be of little relevance or use. Thus, a gimmick is a special feature for the sake of having a special feature... s and scratches Scratching Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used... in the musical bridge Bridge (music) In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section... . |
| Remix club | 6:32 | Dance Remixes Dance Remixes Dance Remixes is the first remix album by Mylène Farmer, released on November 23, 1992.- Background, writing and release :This album was made to make the fans wait until the following album, postponed because of the Giorgino 's shooting.... |
Thierry Rogen | 1988 | This is a remixed version including many gimmicks and scratches in the musical bridge. Similar to the single version, it is longer and specially intended to the discothèques. |
| Music video | 17:52 | Les Clips Vol. III Les Clips Vol. III Les Clips Vol. III is a VHS recorded by the French singer Mylène Farmer, containing all the singer's videoclips from 1989 to 1990. It was released in March 1990 in France.... , Music Videos I Music Videos I Music Videos I is a VHS / DVD recorded by the French singer Mylène Farmer, containing all the singer's videoclips from 1985 to 1992. It was released in April 1997 in France.... |
— | 1988 | |
| Live version (recorded in 1989) |
8:58 | En Concert | — | 1989 | This long version has a long musical bridge played on guitar Guitar The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... and cello Cello The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... . |
| Live version (recorded in 2000) |
5:03 | Mylenium Tour Mylenium Tour Mylènium Tour is the third live album by Mylène Farmer, released on December 5, 2000.-Background:After having ending her third successful tour whose last shows were held in Russia on March 7, 2000, Farmer rested, and then decided to release an album and a DVD retracing her concert... |
— | 2000 | The song is included in a medley including "Maman a tort Maman a tort "Maman a tort" is a 1984 song recorded by French artist Mylène Farmer. It was the debut single from Farmer's first studio album Cendres de Lune, and marked the beginning of her collaboration with her long-time composer, Laurent Boutonnat. With lyrics by Jérôme Dahan, who also helped compose the... " / "Libertine Libertine A libertine is one devoid of most moral restraints, which are seen as unnecessary or undesirable, especially one who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behavior sanctified by the larger society. Libertines, also known as rakes, placed value on physical pleasures, meaning those... " / "Sans contrefaçon Sans contrefaçon "Sans contrefaçon" is a 1987 song recorded by French artist Mylène Farmer. It was released on 16 October 1987 as the first single from her second studio album, Ainsi soit je.... It was a big hit in 1987 and is one of her three best-selling singles. It became a very popular song in France over the... "; it is performed twice (at the beginning and at the end) and is the longest one of the medley. |
| Album version | 4:16 | Les Mots | Laurent Boutonnat Laurent Boutonnat Laurent Pierre Marie Boutonnat is a French composer and film and music video director, best known as the songwriting partner of Mylène Farmer and the director of moody, provocative and literature-inspired music videos.- Career :... |
2001 | This version is similar to the single version, but is very slightly longer. |
| Paul Oakenfold remix | 4:03 | RemixeS RemixeS RemixeS is a compilation of French singer Mylène Farmer's singles by various famous DJ's, including JXL, Felix Da Housecat and Paul Oakenfold.-Brackground, writing and release:... |
Paul Oakenfold Paul Oakenfold Paul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew... |
2003 | This version is slower than the previous ones. |
| Live version (recorded in 2009) |
5:02 | N°5 on Tour N°5 on Tour Nº5 on Tour is a double live album by French singer Mylène Farmer which documents her 2009 tour Mylène Farmer en tournée. It is her fifth live album and her 15th album overall. It was released on 7 December 2009, and it includes the standard set list that she sang during the indoor shows in France... |
— | 2009 | This version uses many electronic sounds. The introduction is composed of Farmer's voiced mixed like at the beginning of the 1988 'Remix club'. |
| "Puisque..." | |||||
| Studio version | 5:15 | Les Mots (long box edition only) |
— | 1988 | See the previous sections |
| Instrumental version | 5:15 | — | — | 1988 | All the lyrics are deleted, but the background vocals are kept. |
| Live version (recorded in 1989) |
8:15 | En Concert | — | 1989 | The song is performed with a lot of emotion. In the musical introduction that lasts over three minutes, beating thunder mingle with the song's melody. |
1 CD single version
2 CD maxi and vinyl versions
Credits and personnel
These are the credits and the personnel as they appear on the back of the single:- Mylène Farmer – lyrics
- Laurent Boutonnat – music
- Bertrand Le Page / Polygram Music – editions
- Polydor – recording company
- Marianne Rosensthiel – photo
- Jean-Pauk Théodule – design
Peak positions
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 26 |
| French SNEP Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... Singles Chart |
1 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
87 |
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
| Dutch Mega Singles Top 100 | 56 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified | Physical sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Gold | 1989 | 500,000 | 700,000 - 900,000 - 1,000,000 |