Désenchantée
Encyclopedia
"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. It was Farmer's most successful song and is generally considered as her signature song
.
In 2002, the song was successfully covered by Kate Ryan
, who reached number-one in Belgium.
. In addition, at the time, many demonstrations
were organized by students throughout France
to protest against their status and conditions for learning, and the Gulf War
was raging. As a result, the pessimistic lyrics of the song found a strong echo in the worldwide events and thus certainly contributed to its success. According to the sound engineer Thierry Rogen, "Désenchantée" was recorded four times. Boutonnat originally wanted a jerky song with techno influences, but Rogen had convinced him to add drums
and a more funk
sound. The text was inspired by the 1934 book On the Heights of Despair by the Romania
n philosopher
Emil Cioran
.
Very quickly, the song had great success in France, becoming Farmer's biggest hit. As a result, the song was also released in other countries including Canada
, UK
, Austria
, Switzerland
, Belgium
, Netherlands
, Germany
, Australia
and Japan
. There were many formats for this song.
in the introduction, the bright and chiseled percussion
or vocals (performed by Debbie Davis and Carole Fredericks
) which brings out the refrain
. In the lyrics, the singer expresses her great lucidity on the absurdity of the world and discusses topics related to the existentialism
.
who also wrote the screenplay. Shot for five days (from 18 to 23 February 1991) in Budapest
, Hungary
, with a budget of about 240,000 euro, this video was one of the longest ones at the time (10:12) and used many extras: 119 children, many Hungarian actors such as Erika Francz Jánosné. There is another version shortened of four minutes. The video for the single features a riot in what appears to be a concentration camp
or gulag
facility where people and children are subject to forced labor and being treated abysmally by armed guards. The riot scenes are quite realistically shot and contain much violent action. The anthem-like song goes well with the visual background. According to French magazine Instant-Mag, this music video has a fairly similar structure to that of "Tristana
". It has a gloomy screenplay, an ambiguous end, allows various interpretations and deals with the theme of messianism
. Farmer "symbolically embodies the spirit of freedom". The final scene is inspired by the 1830 painting
La Liberté guidant le peuple
by Eugène Delacroix
.
The music video is included on the videos albums L'Autre
and Music Videos I
.
, in Budapest
. The interview was later aired on M6, on 7 April 1991. Farmer also performed the song in live on Studio 22, broadcast on the radio RTL
on 15 May 1991.
In 1991, Farmer appeared in five television shows to promote the song: Sacrée soirée (17 April, TF1
), La Une est à vous (20 April, TF1), Stars 90 (13 May, TF1; Farmer also sang "L'Autre"), Tous à la une (31 May, TF1) and Riva del Garda (Rai Uno, September). On these occasions, Farmer had a short hair (as in the music video) and wore white clothes. The performances was accompanied by a choreographied collective dance.
The song was performed on the 1996 tour, the Mylenium Tour
, the 2006 tour à Bercy
and the 2009 tour.
.
The single debuted on the French Single Chart
at number 12 on 13 April 1991 and reached number one two weeks after. There it stayed for nine consecutive weeks. After that, the single fell but slowly, and managed to remain for eighteen weeks on the top ten and for 25 weeks on the chart. The song has the second longest chart trajectory of all Farmer's singles in the top 50. It was the best-selling single by a woman in France and was certified Gold disc
by the SNEP
. The song was also a huge success in Belgium
where it also reached number one, in the Netherlands (number three), and Canada where it was a top nine hit.
In the other countries where it was released, "Désenchantée" achieved a moderate success. In Switzerland
, the single peaked at number 23 on 9 February 1992. In Austria
, the single was charted for eleven weeks, from 11 August to 20 October 1991, reaching a peak of number 16 on 29 September. In Germany
, the song was ranked only number 46.
1 French promo and English promo versions
2 Mainstream and promo versions
released in an eurodance
tune of her own version of "Désenchantée" as the third single from her debut album Different
, released in the same year. This version was successful in several European countries.
In 2009, the song was remastered and remixed by Paris Avenue, with dance/electronic style. The remix was included in Ryan's greatest hits album French Connection
.
CD maxi
), the single went directly into the top ten, which happens not very often in this chart, then it reached number one in the third week and stayed there for six weeks. Then it dropped very slowly and even spent ten weeks in the top three and twenty weeks in the top ten. After 27 weeks on the chart, it fell off the top 50. This chart running was the very best for Kate Ryan in this country. The single also reached number one in the Belgian dance chart.
The single was also very successful in other European countries, such as Germany
, Austria
and Norway
, where it reached the top three of the singles chart and stayed for several weeks in the top ten. It had the best chart performances of all of Ryan's singles ever.
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
song recorded by the 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...
singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer, , born Marie-Hélène Jeanne Gautier, , , is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author....
. First 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 third studio album L'Autre...
L'Autre...
L'Autre... is the third studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on April 9, 1991. It contains the singer's biggest hit, "Désenchantée", which was number-one in France for nine weeks, and other three top ten hits...
, it was released on 18 March 1991 and achieved a great success in France, topping the chart for more than two months. It was Farmer's most successful song and is generally 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...
.
In 2002, the song was successfully covered by Kate Ryan
Kate Ryan
Kate Ryan is a Belgian World Music Award winner. She began her singing career in 2001 and later found fame with a string of dance hits. These included covers, mostly of Mylène Farmer and France Gall, such as "Désenchantée", "Libertine" and "Ella, elle l'a" as well as new material...
, who reached number-one in Belgium.
Background and writing
After two years of absence in the media, Farmer launched this new single, "Désenchantée" on March 18, 1991, three weeks before the release of the album L'Autre...L'Autre...
L'Autre... is the third studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on April 9, 1991. It contains the singer's biggest hit, "Désenchantée", which was number-one in France for nine weeks, and other three top ten hits...
. In addition, at the time, many demonstrations
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
were organized by students throughout France
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...
to protest against their status and conditions for learning, and the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
was raging. As a result, the pessimistic lyrics of the song found a strong echo in the worldwide events and thus certainly contributed to its success. According to the sound engineer Thierry Rogen, "Désenchantée" was recorded four times. Boutonnat originally wanted a jerky song with techno influences, but Rogen had convinced him to add drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and a more funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
sound. The text was inspired by the 1934 book On the Heights of Despair by the Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n philosopher
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
Emil Cioran
Emil Cioran
-Early life:Emil M. Cioran was born in Răşinari, Sibiu County, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. His father, Emilian Cioran, was a Romanian Orthodox priest, while his mother, Elvira Cioran , was originally from Veneţia de Jos, a commune near Făgăraş.After studying humanities at the...
.
Very quickly, the song had great success in France, becoming Farmer's biggest hit. As a result, the song was also released in other countries including Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. There were many formats for this song.
Lyrics and music
"Désenchantée" has a melodious music, and its text has "unexpected hyphenate which dissect the phrases in small sections". This song also has "a very dancing rhythmic color" thanks to the chords played on the pianoPiano
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...
in the introduction, the bright and chiseled percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
or vocals (performed by Debbie Davis and Carole Fredericks
Carole Fredericks
Carole Denise Fredericks was an American singer most famous for her recordings in France. Carole emerged from the shadow of her brother, the legendary blues musicologist Taj Mahal, to achieve fame and popularity in Europe and the French-speaking world...
) which brings out the refrain
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
. In the lyrics, the singer expresses her great lucidity on the absurdity of the world and discusses topics related to the existentialism
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
.
Music video
The music video was produced by Requiem Publishing and Heathcliff SA and 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 :...
who also wrote the screenplay. Shot for five days (from 18 to 23 February 1991) in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, with a budget of about 240,000 euro, this video was one of the longest ones at the time (10:12) and used many extras: 119 children, many Hungarian actors such as Erika Francz Jánosné. There is another version shortened of four minutes. The video for the single features a riot in what appears to be a concentration camp
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
or gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
facility where people and children are subject to forced labor and being treated abysmally by armed guards. The riot scenes are quite realistically shot and contain much violent action. The anthem-like song goes well with the visual background. According to French magazine Instant-Mag, this music video has a fairly similar structure to that of "Tristana
Tristana (song)
"Tristana" is a 1987 song recorded by the French artist Mylène Farmer. Fourth single from her first studio album Cendres de Lune, the song was released in February 1987. As for the previous single "Libertine", the music video was produced as a film, with many extras and a huge budget...
". It has a gloomy screenplay, an ambiguous end, allows various interpretations and deals with the theme of messianism
Messianism
Messianism is the belief in a messiah, a savior or redeemer. Many religions have a messiah concept, including the Jewish Messiah, the Christian Christ, the Muslim Mahdi and Isa , the Buddhist Maitreya, the Hindu Kalki and the Zoroastrian Saoshyant...
. Farmer "symbolically embodies the spirit of freedom". The final scene is inspired by the 1830 painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
La Liberté guidant le peuple
Liberty Leading the People
Liberty Leading the People is a painting by Eugène Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled Charles X of France. A woman personifying Liberty leads the people forward over the bodies of the fallen, holding the tricouleur flag of the French Revolution in one hand and...
by Eugène Delacroix
Eugène Delacroix
Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix was a French Romantic artist regarded from the outset of his career as the leader of the French Romantic school...
.
The music video is included on the videos albums L'Autre
L'Autre (VHS)
L'Autre is a VHS recorded by the French singer Mylène Farmer, containing all the singer's videoclips from 1991 to 1992. It was released in September 1992 in France....
and 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....
.
Promotion and performances on tours
During the shooting of the music video, Farmer also gave a lengthy interview to French television host Laurent BoyerLaurent Boyer
Laurent Boyer is a French radio and television host. He is the companion of singer Alice Dona.He worked on M6 since its creation and presented programs such as Graines de star, Nos meilleurs Moments, Jour J and Fréquenstar.On radio, Laurent Boyer was a host on Kiss Fm, 95.2, and Europe 1 Laurent...
, in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. The interview was later aired on M6, on 7 April 1991. Farmer also performed the song in live on Studio 22, broadcast on the radio RTL
RTL (French radio)
In France, RTL is a popular nation-wide commercial radio network owned by the RTL Group.In 1931, Radio Luxembourg, the public radio network from Luxembourg, was privatised. Beginning in 1946, it could be heard easily in France. Until the 1980s, only the French public radio networks could transmit...
on 15 May 1991.
In 1991, Farmer appeared in five television shows to promote the song: Sacrée soirée (17 April, TF1
TF1
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...
), La Une est à vous (20 April, TF1), Stars 90 (13 May, TF1; Farmer also sang "L'Autre"), Tous à la une (31 May, TF1) and Riva del Garda (Rai Uno, September). On these occasions, Farmer had a short hair (as in the music video) and wore white clothes. The performances was accompanied by a choreographied collective dance.
The song was performed on the 1996 tour, the 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:...
, the 2006 tour 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 the 2009 tour.
Critical reception
"Désenchantée" was the most aired song on radio in 1991, and was also the song that brought the most money in 1991, 1992 and 2006, according to the SACEMSociété des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique is a French professional association collecting payments of artists’ rights and distributing the rights to the original songwriters, composers and music publishers.-History:...
.
The single debuted on the French Single Chart
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...
at number 12 on 13 April 1991 and reached number one two weeks after. There it stayed for nine consecutive weeks. After that, the single fell but slowly, and managed to remain for eighteen weeks on the top ten and for 25 weeks on the chart. The song has the second longest chart trajectory of all Farmer's singles in the top 50. It was the best-selling single by a woman in France and was certified Gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the 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...
. The song was also a huge success in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
where it also reached number one, in the Netherlands (number three), and Canada where it was a top nine hit.
In the other countries where it was released, "Désenchantée" achieved a moderate success. In Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the single peaked at number 23 on 9 February 1992. In Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, the single was charted for eleven weeks, from 11 August to 20 October 1991, reaching a peak of number 16 on 29 September. In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the song was ranked only number 46.
Cover versions
The song was covered by many artists, including :- In 1996, LioLioLio is a singer and actress who was a pop icon in France and Belgium during the 1980s.- Biography :...
recorded her own version for the compilation album 1991 - Les Plus Belles Chansons françaises. - In 1998, the French band AlliageAlliage (boy band)-History:Alliage was assembled during the 1990s boy band craze. The musical group was met with the most commercial success in France alongside fellow boy acts like Worlds Apart, 2Be3 and G-Squad. The band included four young men; Steven Gunnell, Roman Lata Ares, Brian Torres and lead singer...
covered the song on Hit Machine, but this version was not released as a single. - In 1999, the French singer Allan ThéoAllan ThéoAllan Théo is a French singer. He remained particularly known for his 1998 single "Emmène-moi", which peaked at number six.-Albums:* 2002 : Soupir – #40 in France, #19 in Belgium...
performed the song on stage. - The BelgianBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
dance-music singer Kate RyanKate RyanKate Ryan is a Belgian World Music Award winner. She began her singing career in 2001 and later found fame with a string of dance hits. These included covers, mostly of Mylène Farmer and France Gall, such as "Désenchantée", "Libertine" and "Ella, elle l'a" as well as new material...
in 2002. This version is perhaps the best known cover, because it was released as a single and achieved a great success in many countries. - In 2002, Liloo covered the song which was remixed by Mad' House.
- In 2005, the song was recorded by Pascal Obispo and Zazie and is available on Les Enfoirés' album 2005 : Le Train des Enfoirés.
- The song was covered by the Swedish artist Christer BjörkmanChrister BjörkmanChrister Samuel Björkman is a Swedish singer. He was a hairdresser, and had a hair-salon in Borås. He started his career by recording a song called "Våga och vinn" which was produced by Bruno Glenmark in the mid-1980s....
. - In 2006, Cynthia Brown, Cyril CinéluCyril CinéluCyril Cinélu, born 23 January 1987 in Lagny-sur-Marne, is a Francophone singer originally from Martinique who won the sixth season of Star Academy on 22 December 2006.- Biography :...
, Domy Fidanza and Elfy Ka covered the song in a rock version for an album of the Star Academy. - In 2008, German Dance Band SiriaSiriaŞiria is a commune in Arad County, Romania. According to the 2002 census it had 8,140 inhabitants.The administrative territory of the commune is and it lies in the contact zone of the Arad Plateau and Zărandului Mountains...
(An offshoot project of CascadaCascadaCascada is a German Eurodance act most famous for their hit singles "Everytime We Touch", "What Hurts the Most", and "Evacuate the Dancefloor"...
) Covered the song in a "Handz Up/Euro-TranceEuro-tranceThe term Euro-trance describes all "trance"-like European imports into the American dance music market, especially those recorded in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.-Dream house:...
Format. - The lyrics of ElectronicElectronic (band)-Albums:-Singles:-Music videos:-External links:* *...
's 1992 single "DisappointedDisappointed"Disappointed" was the fourth single by the English band Electronic. Like their first single "Getting Away with It" it featured Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys as well as founding members Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner. It was released in June 1992 on Parlophone soon after the demise of Factory Records...
" were partly inspired by "Désenchantée".
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "Désenchantée":- 7" single - France, Germany
- 12" maxi - France
- CD single - Japan
- CD maxi - France, Germany, Canada1, Australia
- Cassette, double length - France, Canada (promo)
- 12" maxi, double length - Promo - France
- 12" maxi - Germany, Canada2
- 12" maxi - Promo - English version - Canada
- 7" single - Promo - United Kingdom
- 7" single - Promo - Italy
1 French promo and English promo versions
2 Mainstream and promo versions
Official versions
| Version | Length | Album | Remixed by | Year | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Album version | 5:22 | L'Autre... L'Autre... L'Autre... is the third studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on April 9, 1991. It contains the singer's biggest hit, "Désenchantée", which was number-one in France for nine weeks, and other three top ten hits... |
— | 1991 | See the previous sections |
| Single version | 4:45 | — | — | 1991 | 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... is shortened. |
| Chaos mix (short version) | 4:10 | — | 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 :... , Thierry Rogen |
1991 | This dance Dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement... version is fast and begins with the sound of thunder. |
| Chaos mix (extended version) | 6:50 | — | Laurent Boutonnat, Thierry Rogen | 1991 | Various sounds are added to the music. Farmer's voice is very mixed at the end of this remix. |
| Edited version | 3:55 | — | — | 1991 | The musical bridge is entirely deleted. |
| Remix club | 8:10 | 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.... |
Laurent Boutonnat, Thierry Rogen | 1991 | The song begins with the sounds of children in a playground, and then with a musical introduction in which the words "génération", "désenchantée" and "tout est chaos" are sampled. The music is accelerated and the bridge is extanded. |
| Live version (recorded in 1996) | 8:15 | 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 version is very dynamic. See 1996 tour |
| Live version (recorded in 2000) | 7:12 | 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 | This version has techno Techno Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988... sonorities. 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:... |
| Album version | 5:00 | Les Mots | — | 2001 | The musical bridge is shortened. |
| Thunderpuss club anthem | 10:04 | 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:... |
Thunderpuss Thunderpuss Thunderpuss was the remix/productionteam of music producers Barry Harris and Chris Cox. Harris had previously worked as part of several music groups including Kon Kan, Top Kat, Killer Bunnies and Outta Control and had also released several singles himself... |
2003 | This dance/techno version has a musical introduction which lasts about 2:30. |
| Live version (recorded in 2006) | 6:42 | 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) |
7:42 | 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
- Mylène Farmer – lyrics
- Laurent Boutonnat – music
- Requiem Publishing – editions
- Polydor – recording company
- Marianne Rosenstiehl (Sygma) – photo
- Com'N.B – design
Peak positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 16 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 | 23 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 9 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 18 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 46 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 23 |
End of year charts
| Chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| French Singles Chart | 2 |
Sales
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified | Physical sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Gold | 1991 | 500,000 | 800,000 - 1,300,000 |
Successions
Kate Ryan cover version
In 2002, Belgian singer Kate RyanKate Ryan
Kate Ryan is a Belgian World Music Award winner. She began her singing career in 2001 and later found fame with a string of dance hits. These included covers, mostly of Mylène Farmer and France Gall, such as "Désenchantée", "Libertine" and "Ella, elle l'a" as well as new material...
released in an eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
tune of her own version of "Désenchantée" as the third single from her debut album Different
Different (Kate Ryan album)
Different is the debut studio album by Belgian singer Kate Ryan. It was released in 2002 by EMI Records. The album was produced by AJ Duncan and Phil Wilde. It peaked at number eight in Belgium and was certified Gold...
, released in the same year. This version was successful in several European countries.
In 2009, the song was remastered and remixed by Paris Avenue, with dance/electronic style. The remix was included in Ryan's greatest hits album French Connection
French Connection (Kate Ryan album)
French Connection is a French greatest hits album by Belgian singer Kate Ryan released under ARS Entertainment. The album was released in Canada on October 13, 2009, before being released in Ryan's native country of Belgium on October 23, 2009...
.
Track listings
CD singleCD maxi
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 2x Platinum | 29 June 2002 | 100,000 |
| France | Silver | 14 August 2002 | 125,000 |
| Germany | Gold | 2003 | 100,000 |
| Sweden | Gold | 18 February 2003 | 10,000 |
Chart performances
In Belgium (FlandersFlanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
), the single went directly into the top ten, which happens not very often in this chart, then it reached number one in the third week and stayed there for six weeks. Then it dropped very slowly and even spent ten weeks in the top three and twenty weeks in the top ten. After 27 weeks on the chart, it fell off the top 50. This chart running was the very best for Kate Ryan in this country. The single also reached number one in the Belgian dance chart.
The single was also very successful in other European countries, such as Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, where it reached the top three of the singles chart and stayed for several weeks in the top ten. It had the best chart performances of all of Ryan's singles ever.
| Chart (2002/03) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
3 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... |
1 |
| 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... |
14 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 12 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 2 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart 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... |
12 |
| 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... |
2 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 11 |
| End of year chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 2 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 48 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 3 |
| French Airplay Chart | 100 |
| French TV Music Videos Chart | 41 |
| French Singles Chart | 74 |
| End of year chart (2003) | Position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 32 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 50 |