"Ève lève-toi" is a pop 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...

 recorded by French

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...

 Julie Pietri

Julie Pietri

Julie Pietri is a French pop singer. She is part of the Pied-Noir community and now lives in Paris...

 from her third album Le Premier Jour, and was released in August 1986. It is the best-known song of this artist and can be considered as her signature song

Signature song

A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...

. It achieved success in France where it topped the SNEP Singles Chart and became a popular song throughout the years.

Background and writing

This female anthem was written by Julie Pietri

Julie Pietri

Julie Pietri is a French pop singer. She is part of the Pied-Noir community and now lives in Paris...

 and Jean-Michel Bériat. The music is composed by Vincent-Marie Bouvot. The originality of this song resides particularly in the melody which is at times Arabist (Julie Pietri was born in Algeria

Algeria

Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...

). The videoclip was filmed in Tunisia

Tunisia

Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...

.
In 1986, an English version was also released under the name "Listen to Your Heart". Three other versions were recorded thereafter : one more acoustic version on album Féminin singulière in 1995, another version with dance sonorities for European compilation Euro Pride 2000 and, more recently, a jazzy version as a bonus track on the album Autour de minuit in 2007.

About the song, Elia Habib, a specialist of French chart, explains : "The atmosphere built by the song is that of an Eastern Eden

Garden of Eden

The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...

, scene of the Origins. The melody and the orchestration refer to the undulating play of a bewitching flute. The scenery is set, and the text completes it, with short verses without verb : desire, temptation, original sin

Original sin

Original sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...

, vague recollections... (...) The chorus appeals to the celebration of the life while (...) the second verse [is about] the contemporary woman and underlines its multiplicity."

Chart performance

In France, the single started at #48 on September 9, 1986, then climbed every week and eventually reached number one in its 13th week. It remained on the chart for 27 weeks, 16 of them spent in the top ten. It was certified Gold disc by the SNEP. According to Infodisc Website, the song is currently the 193rd best-selling single of all time in France, with about 790,000 copies sold.

Cover versions

In 2002, the song was covered by French contestants of Star Academy 2

Star Academy France

Star Academy was a French reality television show produced by the Dutch company Endemol, based on the Spanish format called Operación Triunfo. It consists of a contest of young singers. It spawned an equally successful show in Quebec called Star Académie. It was broadcast on TF1...

 Emma Daumas

Emma Daumas

Manuelle "Emma" Daumas is a French songwriter and performer, particularly well known for her participation in Star Academy.-Beginnings:...

 and Anne-Laure Sibon for the album Star Academy fait sa boum.

French singer Leslie

Leslie (singer)

Leslie is a French pop-R&B singer born on February 4, 1985 in Le Mans, France. Her father is Vietnamese and Polynesian while her mother is FrenchIn 2007, she recorded a duet single with the R&B singer Bobby Valentino, "Accorde-moi"....

 covered the song for her 2007 album 80 souvenirs.

Track listings

These are the formats of track listings of the releases of "Ève lève-toi":
7" single - France

1. "Ève lève-toi" — 3:50
2. "L'homme qui aimait les femmes" — 4:10

7" single - Europe

1. "Listen to your heart" (English version of "Ève lève-toi") — 4:22
2. "Norma Jean" (English version of "L'homme qui aimait les femmes") — 4:03

12" maxi - France

1. "Ève lève-toi" (remix club) — 5:52
2. "Ève lève-toi" — 3:50

12" maxi - Europe

1. "Listen to Your Heart" (extended club remix) — 6:42
2. "Norma Jean" — 4:03

Certifications and sales

Country	Certification	Sales certified	Physical sales
France	Gold	500,000	790,000

Charts

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Eurochart Hot 100	25
French SNEP Singles Chart	1