Rêver
Encyclopedia
"Rêver" is a 1995 song recorded by French
singer-songwriter
Mylène Farmer
. It was the fifth single
from her fourth album Anamorphosée
and was released on 16 November 1996. In spite of moderate sales and chart performances, the song remains one of most known by the general public because of the subjects it deals with, namely the Holocaust and a call for tolerance.
were scheduled. However, because of the fall of Farmer during a concert in Lyon
on 15 June 1996, the song "Rêver" was chosen as the fifth single in order to make the fans wait, since the release of the live album would be deferred.
The single was released only as CD, and there was no vinyl. On the single cover, Farmer is kneeling, completely naked while showing modesty
, which seems to be paradoxal. The digipack version of the CD maxi contains a new remix of "XXL
". The second track of the CD single
is the live version of the song. As for the single remix ('stripped dream remix'), it was produced by Laurent Boutonnat
.
, in the first line, through the book If This Is a Man
, written by Primo Levi
(the second single was "Souviens-toi du jour
"). When the single was released, many did not see the reference to this tragedy in the song, which Farmer did not enjoy. One line of the chorus, "J'irai cracher sur vos tombeaux", refers to a book by Boris Vian
under the pseudonym of Vernon Sullivan. This book provoked a controversy in 1947 because of its violent and sexual content. Several lyrics are inspired by poems by French
author Pierre Reverdy
: e.g., words "Nous ne marcherons plus ensemble" is an exact quote of the poem "Dans le monde étranger", "Dansent les flammes, les bras se lèvent" refer to the poem "Esprit pensant" and lyrics "Le monde comme une pendule, qui s'est arrêtée" seem to be inspired by the poem "Toujours là". The song also mentions the "angels", a recurrent theme in Farmer's songs.
In this song, Farmer says she "hopes for a better world, and confesses that she was perhaps misled glorifying misery. However, (...) [for her], that hope is just an inaccessible dream". "Rêver" ends in a different way from other Farmer's songs: not with the chorus, but with the phrase "J'ai rêvé qu'on pouvait s'aimer / J'avais rêvé du mot aimer". French author Erwan Chuberre says "Rêver" is probably one of the most moving songs of Farmer's directory.
Initially, a video in a studio version was scheduled, but finally a live version was produced (in two versions). The video shows images from the 1996 concert in which Farmer is wearing a golden dress.
, in which she wore the same dress made by Paco Rabanne
as that of 1996 concerts. The recording of the performance took place without the audience, which caused the anger of hundreds of fans who came from France and Belgium and who had waited several hours under the rain. This incident was widely reported in the press. "Rêver" was also sung in the NRJ Music Awards
on 10 January 2003. These performance was carried out in live version accompanied by Yvan Cassar who played piano
. It was the first time since 17 years that Farmer sang in live on television.
"Rêver" was performed during the last four tours: 1996 Tour, Mylenium Tour
, Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy
and Mylène Farmer en tournée. When Farmer sang this song at these occasions, she often wore a white dress, was accompanied by Cassar on the piano and sometimes wept. No choreography was used for these performances. On the 1999 tour, Farmer wore an orange costume composed of a privateer trousers, a thick jacket and orange shoes, with high heels.
to be able to reach number one for two weeks on the top album, one year and a half after its release, and was most aired on radio.
In Belgium (Wallonia), the song debuted at number 30 on the Ultratop 40
on 21 December 1996 and reached a peak of number 12, on 2 February 1997. It fell off the chart after 17 weeks, and was the 96th best-selling single of the year.
covered the song in a 5:02 new age
version which features on the album Masters of Chant Chapter II
.
The most notable cover was recorded with a video in 2002 by Les Enfoirés
for the album 2002: Tous dans le même bateau (track 17, 4:45). Among the artists who perform "Rêver", there are Francis Cabrel
, Pascal Obispo
, Marc Lavoine
, Patrick Bruel
, Muriel Robin and Maurane
. In this version, Alizée
sings alone the first verses.
Prohor Shalyapin, a former contestant of Russian television reality show Star Academy
covered the song in Russian-language and his version is available on his own site.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer, , born Marie-Hélène Jeanne Gautier, , , is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author....
. It was the fifth 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 fourth album Anamorphosée
Anamorphosée
Anamorphosée is the fourth studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on October 17, 1995. Led by the number-one single "XXL", the album was something of a departure from her previous work...
and was released on 16 November 1996. In spite of moderate sales and chart performances, the song remains one of most known by the general public because of the subjects it deals with, namely the Holocaust and a call for tolerance.
Background, writing and release
Initially, only four singles from the studio album AnamorphoséeAnamorphosée
Anamorphosée is the fourth studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on October 17, 1995. Led by the number-one single "XXL", the album was something of a departure from her previous work...
were scheduled. However, because of the fall of Farmer during a concert in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
on 15 June 1996, the song "Rêver" was chosen as the fifth single in order to make the fans wait, since the release of the live album would be deferred.
The single was released only as CD, and there was no vinyl. On the single cover, Farmer is kneeling, completely naked while showing modesty
Modesty
Standards of modesty are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged....
, which seems to be paradoxal. The digipack version of the CD maxi contains a new remix of "XXL
XXL (Mylène Farmer song)
"XXL" is a 1995 song recorded by French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer. The song was the lead single from her fourth studio album Anamorphosée and was released on 19 September 1995. It marked an important change in the singer's career, with more rock sonorities, easier lyrics to understand and a...
". The second track of the CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
is the live version of the song. As for the single remix ('stripped dream remix'), it was produced by 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 :...
.
Lyrics and video
"Rêver" was Farmer's first song to refer to the genocide of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in the first line, through the book If This Is a Man
If This Is a Man
If This Is a Man is a work by the Italian writer, Primo Levi, describing his 11 months—from February 21, 1944 until liberation on January 27, 1945—in the German concentration camp at Auschwitz in Poland, during the Second World War...
, written by Primo Levi
Primo Levi
Primo Michele Levi was an Italian Jewish chemist and writer. He was the author of two novels and several collections of short stories, essays, and poems, but is best known for If This Is a Man, his account of the year he spent as a prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland...
(the second single was "Souviens-toi du jour
Souviens-toi du jour
"Souviens-toi du jour" is a 1999 song recorded by French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer. It was the third single from her fifth studio album Innamoramento and was released on 2 September 1999. Inspired by Primo Levi's book If This Is a Man, the song deals with the theme of the Holocaust...
"). When the single was released, many did not see the reference to this tragedy in the song, which Farmer did not enjoy. One line of the chorus, "J'irai cracher sur vos tombeaux", refers to a book by Boris Vian
Boris Vian
Boris Vian was a French polymath: writer, poet, musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor and engineer. He is best remembered today for his novels. Those published under the pseudonym Vernon Sullivan were bizarre parodies of criminal fiction, highly controversial at the time of their...
under the pseudonym of Vernon Sullivan. This book provoked a controversy in 1947 because of its violent and sexual content. Several lyrics are inspired by poems by French
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...
author Pierre Reverdy
Pierre Reverdy
Pierre Reverdy was a French poet associated with surrealism and cubism.Pierre Reverdy was born in Narbonne and grew up near the Montagne Noire in his father's house. Reverdy came from a family of sculptors. His father taught him to read and write. He studied at Toulouse and Narbonne.Reverdy...
: e.g., words "Nous ne marcherons plus ensemble" is an exact quote of the poem "Dans le monde étranger", "Dansent les flammes, les bras se lèvent" refer to the poem "Esprit pensant" and lyrics "Le monde comme une pendule, qui s'est arrêtée" seem to be inspired by the poem "Toujours là". The song also mentions the "angels", a recurrent theme in Farmer's songs.
In this song, Farmer says she "hopes for a better world, and confesses that she was perhaps misled glorifying misery. However, (...) [for her], that hope is just an inaccessible dream". "Rêver" ends in a different way from other Farmer's songs: not with the chorus, but with the phrase "J'ai rêvé qu'on pouvait s'aimer / J'avais rêvé du mot aimer". French author Erwan Chuberre says "Rêver" is probably one of the most moving songs of Farmer's directory.
Initially, a video in a studio version was scheduled, but finally a live version was produced (in two versions). The video shows images from the 1996 concert in which Farmer is wearing a golden dress.
Live performances
A few time after the single release, Farmer performed the song in playback in one television show, Les Enfants de la guerre, on 27 November 1996, on 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...
, in which she wore the same dress made by Paco Rabanne
Paco Rabanne
Francisco "Paco" Rabaneda Cuervo, more commonly known as Paco Rabanne is a Franco-Spanish fashion designer. He fled Spain for France with his mother when the Spanish Civil War broke out...
as that of 1996 concerts. The recording of the performance took place without the audience, which caused the anger of hundreds of fans who came from France and Belgium and who had waited several hours under the rain. This incident was widely reported in the press. "Rêver" was also sung in the NRJ Music Awards
NRJ Music Awards
The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM...
on 10 January 2003. These performance was carried out in live version accompanied by Yvan Cassar who played piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. It was the first time since 17 years that Farmer sang in live on television.
"Rêver" was performed during the last four tours: 1996 Tour, Mylenium Tour
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:...
, Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy
Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy (tour)
Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy is the Mylène Farmer's 2006 concert tour in support of her sixth studio album, Avant que l'ombre.... It was the fourth tour of the singer.More than 169,000 tickets were sold one about one year before the concert.-Set list:...
and Mylène Farmer en tournée. When Farmer sang this song at these occasions, she often wore a white dress, was accompanied by Cassar on the piano and sometimes wept. No choreography was used for these performances. On the 1999 tour, Farmer wore an orange costume composed of a privateer trousers, a thick jacket and orange shoes, with high heels.
Chart performances
The song entered the French Single Chart at number eight on 23 November 1996 and peaked at number seven the next week, thus becoming Farmer's 14th top ten hit in France. Then the single dropped and remained in the top 50 for 15 weeks. However, although sales were moderate, the single managed the album AnamorphoséeAnamorphosée
Anamorphosée is the fourth studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on October 17, 1995. Led by the number-one single "XXL", the album was something of a departure from her previous work...
to be able to reach number one for two weeks on the top album, one year and a half after its release, and was most aired on radio.
In Belgium (Wallonia), the song debuted at number 30 on the Ultratop 40
Ultratop 40
Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization...
on 21 December 1996 and reached a peak of number 12, on 2 February 1997. It fell off the chart after 17 weeks, and was the 96th best-selling single of the year.
Cover versions
In 2002, GregorianGregorian (band)
Gregorian is a German band headed by Frank Peterson that performs Gregorian chant-inspired versions of modern pop and rock songs. The band features both vocal harmony and instrumental accompaniment.- Band history :...
covered the song in a 5:02 new age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
version which features on the album Masters of Chant Chapter II
Masters of Chant Chapter II
Masters of Chant Chapter II is the third album by Gregorian.-Track listing:#"Moment of Peace" #"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"...
.
The most notable cover was recorded with a video in 2002 by 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:...
for the album 2002: Tous dans le même bateau (track 17, 4:45). Among the artists who perform "Rêver", there are Francis Cabrel
Francis Cabrel
Francis Cabrel is a well-known French singer-songwriter and guitarist. Inspired heavily by Bob Dylan, he has released a number of albums falling mostly within the realm of folk, with occasional forays into blues or country. Several of his songs, such as "L'encre de tes yeux" and "Petite Marie"...
, Pascal Obispo
Pascal Obispo
Pascal Michel Obispo is a French singer/songwriter.Pascal Obispo started singing in 1980. He got his first record deal in 1990, Le long du fleuve. With his second album, Plus que tout au monde, selling over 2 million albums, his songs became a popular success...
, Marc Lavoine
Marc Lavoine
Marc Lucien Lavoine is a French singer and actor. In 1985, his hit single "Elle a les yeux revolver" allowed him to reach the top of the French chart and marked the beginning of his successful singing career....
, Patrick Bruel
Patrick Bruel
Patrick Bruel is a French singer, actor, and professional poker player of Algerian Jewish descent.-Biography:...
, Muriel Robin and Maurane
Maurane
Maurane, real name Claudine Luypaerts, is a Belgian singer. She lives currently in Schaerbeek.Maurane was born at Ixelles. Her father was director in the Académie de Musique de Verviers, and when she was a teenager she took part in several musical contests...
. In this version, Alizée
Alizée
Alizée Jacotey is a French singer, known professionally by her given name Alizée She was discovered by Mylène Farmer, following her winning performance in the talent show, Graines de Star, in 1999...
sings alone the first verses.
Prohor Shalyapin, a former contestant of Russian television reality show Star Academy
Star Academy
Star Academy is a highly successful television show format based on the Spanish format "Operación Triunfo" produced by Endemol, that has been broadcast in over 50 countries...
covered the song in Russian-language and his version is available on his own site.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "Rêver":- CD single
- CD maxi - Crystal case / CD maxi - Digipack / CD maxi - Promo
- CD single - Promo
- Digital download
- VHS - Promo
Release history
| Date | Label | Region | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1996 | Polydor | France, Belgium | CD single - Promo | 3459 |
| CD maxi - Promo | 4480 | |||
| VHS Promo | — | |||
| 16 November 1996 | CD single | 573 194-2 | ||
| CD maxi | 573 195-2 | |||
Official versions
| Version | Length | Album | Remixed by | Year | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Album version | 5:22 | Anamorphosée Anamorphosée Anamorphosée is the fourth studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on October 17, 1995. Led by the number-one single "XXL", the album was something of a departure from her previous work... , Les Mots |
— | 1995 | See the previous sections |
| Radio edit | 4:42 | — | 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 :... |
1996 | The last refrain Refrain A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song... is deleted. |
| Stripped dream remix | 5:10 | — | Laurent Boutonnat | 1996 | The song begins with the sound of the wind and new percussions. It contains all the lyrics of the original version. |
| Live version (recorded in 1996) |
8:00 (audio) 8:45 (video) |
Live à Bercy Live à Bercy Live à Bercy is the second live album by Mylène Farmer, released on May 21, 1997. It was also produced as a video.-Background:After the successful concerts tour of 1996, whose shows were spread out from May 25 to December 15, a live album was recorded and produced by Thierry Suc, and sponsored by... |
— | 1996 | This long version is very similar to the album version but more moving. Farmer speaks to the audience and sang the chorus in almost a cappella the chorus, then starts crying and apologizes for not being able to finish the song. The audience sings the chorus instead of her. See 1996 Tour |
| Music video | 6:05 | Music Videos II & III Music Videos II & III Music Video II & III is a DVD recorded by the French singer Mylène Farmer, containing all the singer's videoclips from 1992 to 2000. It was released in March 2001 in France.... |
— | 1996 | |
| Single live version | 6:00 | — | Laurent Boutonnat | 1996 | This version is identical to the live version available on Live à Bercy Live à Bercy Live à Bercy is the second live album by Mylène Farmer, released on May 21, 1997. It was also produced as a video.-Background:After the successful concerts tour of 1996, whose shows were spread out from May 25 to December 15, a live album was recorded and produced by Thierry Suc, and sponsored by... , but is shorter as the passage sung by fans and Farmer's words are deleted. |
| Live version (recorded in 2000) |
5:56 | 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 almost the same as the 1996 live version, but is shorter, and at the end of the song, the refrain is repeated with the audience. See Mylenium Tour 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:... |
| Live version (recorded in 2006) |
7:42 | Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy is the fourth live album by Mylène Farmer, released on December 4, 2006.- Background :Six years after her Mylenium Tour, Mylène Farmer came back on stage with a tour in 2006 which included 13 shows at Bercy, in Paris. This very successful series of concerts started on... |
— | 2006 | See Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy (tour) Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy (tour) Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy is the Mylène Farmer's 2006 concert tour in support of her sixth studio album, Avant que l'ombre.... It was the fourth tour of the singer.More than 169,000 tickets were sold one about one year before the concert.-Set list:... |
| Live version (recorded in 2009) |
5:23 | 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 | See Mylène Farmer en tournée |
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
- Requiem Publishing – editions
- Polydor – recording company
- Karl Dickinson – photo
- Henry Neu – design
Peak positions
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
12 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 7 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1997) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 96 |
Sales
| Country | Certification | Physical sales |
|---|---|---|
| France | — | 110,000 |