J'ai demandé à la lune
Encyclopedia
"J'ai demandé à la lune" ("I asked the moon" in English) is the most popular song from the 2002 album Paradize
which allowed Indochine
to reconnect with the media that had abandoned the band a decade earlier. Written by Mickaël Furnon, the singer of Mickey 3D
, the song was released as the second single from this album on March 2002, and quickly became a national success, selling over a million units. The album similarly achieved commercial success a few months later.
asked the daughter of his friend Rudy Léonet to perform the background vocals.
The music video shows Sirkis walking towards the camera with a baby, then a young child in his arms, and finally Pauline appears alongside him and sings a duet with Sirkis.
status on 6 November 2002 and was the fifth best-selling single of the year.
In Belgium (Wallonia), the single charted for 36 weeks. It first stabilized in the low positions, then entered the top ten in its 12th week and stayed there for 17 consecutive weeks, peaking at number one for five weeks. After falling off the top five, it almost did not drop. The single was ranked fifth on the 2002 End of the Year Chart.
In Switzerland, "J'ai demandé à la lune" debuted at a peak of number four on 21 July 2002. It stayed for many weeks at the bottom of the chart (top 100) and became the 39th hit of the year in the country.
on the live album Live à Saint-Étienne.
There is also a longer version, which was available on a CD sold in December 2002 for the benefit of the association Médecins Sans Frontières
.
The song is also covered by Vox Angeli, a choir composed of children, and features as the first track on the 2008 album of the same name.
The song is also covered by Scala & Kolacny Brothers
In 2011, the single was partly re-written by Mickaël Furnon under the title "On demande pas la lune" for the annual Les Enfoires
charity concert. This version peaked at number 30 on the French Singles Chart, and at number nine on the Belgian (Wallonia) Ultratop 40.
Paradize
Paradize is a 2002 album recorded by French band Indochine. It was its ninth studio album and was released on May 14, 2002. It achieved great success in francophone countries and even topped the albums chart in Belgium...
which allowed Indochine
Indochine (band)
Indochine is a French new wave/rock band, formed in 1981. The band was very successful in France in the 1980s, as well as other parts of continental Europe and Latin America, with songs like L'Aventurier and Canary Bay...
to reconnect with the media that had abandoned the band a decade earlier. Written by Mickaël Furnon, the singer of Mickey 3D
Mickey 3D
Mickey 3D is a French rock group from Montbrison that was founded in 1997 when Mickaël Furnon alias Mickey and Aurélien Joanin alias Jojo parted from the local group 3Dk. They were supported by the group Louise Attaque, which had them play before their concerts. In 1999 they recorded their first...
, the song was released as the second single from this album on March 2002, and quickly became a national success, selling over a million units. The album similarly achieved commercial success a few months later.
Background and music video
During the recording of the album, Indochine's singer Nicola SirkisNicola Sirkis
Nicola Sirkis Nicola Sirkis Nicola Sirkis (born 22 June 1959 in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, is the frontman and singer of the French rock band Indochine. He is the only remaining member of the original line-up of the band which he formed in 1981 with a friend, Dominique Nicolas, soon to be joined by...
asked the daughter of his friend Rudy Léonet to perform the background vocals.
The music video shows Sirkis walking towards the camera with a baby, then a young child in his arms, and finally Pauline appears alongside him and sings a duet with Sirkis.
Chart performances
The song was listed on the French SNEP Singles Chart, and debuted at number 14 on 13 April 2002 and reached number one for one week on 20 July. The single remained in the top ten for 20 weeks, in the top 50 for 27 weeks and on the charts (top 100) for 31 weeks. It finally achieved DiamondMusic 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,...
status on 6 November 2002 and was the fifth best-selling single of the year.
In Belgium (Wallonia), the single charted for 36 weeks. It first stabilized in the low positions, then entered the top ten in its 12th week and stayed there for 17 consecutive weeks, peaking at number one for five weeks. After falling off the top five, it almost did not drop. The single was ranked fifth on the 2002 End of the Year Chart.
In Switzerland, "J'ai demandé à la lune" debuted at a peak of number four on 21 July 2002. It stayed for many weeks at the bottom of the chart (top 100) and became the 39th hit of the year in the country.
Cover versions
In 2004, the song was covered by Mickey 3DMickey 3D
Mickey 3D is a French rock group from Montbrison that was founded in 1997 when Mickaël Furnon alias Mickey and Aurélien Joanin alias Jojo parted from the local group 3Dk. They were supported by the group Louise Attaque, which had them play before their concerts. In 1999 they recorded their first...
on the live album Live à Saint-Étienne.
There is also a longer version, which was available on a CD sold in December 2002 for the benefit of the association Médecins Sans Frontières
Médecins Sans Frontières
' , or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic diseases. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland...
.
The song is also covered by Vox Angeli, a choir composed of children, and features as the first track on the 2008 album of the same name.
The song is also covered by Scala & Kolacny Brothers
Scala & Kolacny Brothers
Scala & Kolacny Brothers is a Belgian women's choir, conducted by Stijn Kolacny and arranged and accompanied by Steven Kolacny on the piano. Formed in 1996 and winning the Belgian 'Choir of the Year'-contest in 2000, they have made five studio albums, starting with On The Rocks in 2002.Most songs...
In 2011, the single was partly re-written by Mickaël Furnon under the title "On demande pas la lune" for the annual Les Enfoires
Les Enfoirés
Les Enfoirés , is the name given to the singers and performers in the yearly charity concert for the Restaurants du Cœur .-History:...
charity concert. This version peaked at number 30 on the French Singles Chart, and at number nine on the Belgian (Wallonia) Ultratop 40.
Track listings
- CD single
- "J'ai demandé à la lune" — 3:29
- "Punker" — 2:50
- "Glory Hole" — 3:27
Peak positions
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 1 |
| French Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 4 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 5 |
| French Airplay Chart | 5 |
| French TV Music Videos Chart | 17 |
| French Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 39 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Platinum | 21 September 2002 | 40,000 |
| France | Diamond | 6 November 2002 | 750,000 |