Plus grandir
Encyclopedia
"Plus grandir" is a 1985
song recorded by French
singer-songwriter
Mylène Farmer
and is the first song written by the singer. It was released twice: first, on 25 September 1985 in a studio version as second single
from Farmer's debut album Cendres de Lune
, then on 12 May 1990 in a live mix version as second single from the live album En Concert. In spite of positive critics and a music video produced as a short film in cinemascope, the song achieved moderate success in France in terms of sales and chart performances.
", Farmer separated from the songwriter
Jerome Dahan and her contract with the record company
RCA
ended. She then signed with Polydor
for two albums and, for the first time, she wrote the lyrics of her next single, "Plus grandir", which was released in September 1985 (it was also released in Canada
, but without cover, and at the same time that "We'll Never Die", only released in this country), with "Chloé" as B-side. Despite sales fairly low, Polydor allowed the duo Mylène Farmer
/ Laurent Boutonnat
to create the album Cendres de Lune
, in March 1986.
About five years after the single's release, Farmer did not yet expected the relative success of this song, which was her first composition. She then decided to release this song for the second time, but in live version, after the success of the live album En Concert in 1990. The song's success was relative, except in nightclub
s. Eventually, the song was the last collaboration at level of editing and management
between Farmer and Bertrand Le Page because of artistic differences in late 1989.
The 1985 promotional 7" contained a photo of the pram used in the music video and a letter written by Farmer. Among the various formats of the live song, there was a picture disc
, which is the first one in the singer's career.
The song deals with subjects that Farmer was especially fond of at the time: difficulty of leaving childhood
, fear of aging
, permanent pain of living and death
. Boutonnat said in an interview: "When listening well, we see that lyrics talk about death, childhood and the loss of virginity. In the same time, of course we can extrapolate and speak of it in different words." About lyrics, Farmer explained: "Old age traumatizes me, it's what I wanted to say in the song". French author Erwan Chuberre said ""Plus grandir" is a song that sounds like a hymn to the refusal to grow old, it is the denial of becoming an adult to avoid dying."
Boutonnat composed a rather pop music
, which is quite rare for a sensitive theme.
was made by Laurent Boutonnat
who also wrote the screenplay. Farmer drew the storyboard of the video. This Movie Box / Laurent Boutonnat / Polydor
production with a 7:32 length cost about 330,000 francs (about 50,000 euros; the most expensive videoclip of 1985) and was shot for five days: four days at Studio Sets in Stains
and the other one in Saint-Denis
's cemetery
. Boutonnat stated: "It is a co-production with Polygram. I went to see both the president of the group, Mr Levy, and that of Polydor. Both were seduced by the script and accepted the idea of shooting."*
*
Boutonnat managed to convince advertiser Stephan Sperry to contribute in the financing of the video. Jean-Pierre Sauvaire, film editor Agnès Mouchal, costume designer Corinne Sarfati and film director Francois Hanss were part of the technical team. Max Gautier, Farmer's father, also participated in the preparation of scenery, which included among other things a pond (also used in Ainsi soit je...
) and the dolls made by Farmer. Rambo Kolawski, who played the role of the rapist, has also appeared in the next video, "Libertine
". The instrumental "Cendres de Lune", available on the album of the same name
, can be heard at the opening credits
.
Boutonnat tried to register himself with the National Center of Cinematography for the video was considered as a short film. Therefore, it was aired in the cinema in preview and was first seen in Kinopanorama cinema in Paris on 13 Novembre 1985. On television, it was broadcast for the first time on Platine 45, on Antenne 2
.
pushing a pram who comes to meditate at her own grave
. Then, in a house full of spider
s' webs, a girl on her bed, also played by Farmer, mistreats her doll
throwing it in all directions and drowning it in the water. While crying, she begs the Virgin Mary
to not grow and die. During her sleep, a man enters her room and rape
s her, which she eventually agrees to (Farmer reveals one of her breasts). The next day, dwarfish nuns beat the girl giving kicks, then with a knife
, the girl cuts the doll's limbs, turns on herself and becomes a very old woman. The video ends with the woman in the cemetery who puts a bunch on the grave and goes away.
Journalist Caroline Bee said the theme of the video refers to the "passage from childhood to adolescence with what it involves of physical, but also psychological changes, (...) and new responsibilities, and sexuality". According to an analysis published in Instant-Mag, the amputation of the doll is a "symbolism of the defilement" and is synonymous with a "childhood stolen". Writer and psychologist Hugues Royer declared that the rape is here the symbol of mourning forced of the early years. "Agreeing to become an adult goes with the acceptance of our inevitable end." Biographer Bernard Violet thinks the music video has several film references, including The Devils
by Ken Russell
, and Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock
.
In France, the video was often censored and only broadcast in a shortened version, as it criticized religion and deals with death and sex. For example, French show Bonsoir les clips, although being aired on the night, refused the video which it considered as "too morbid". On television, the scene of the rape
as well as that of the evil dwarfish nun
s were removed. Despite that, the video was much aired on television in 1985 and 1986 and received positive reviews. Magazines Charlie considered the music video as very "amazing", OK as "a true little masterpiece", and Salut said it has a "tortured atmosphere". Bee stated the "video is neat and the atmosphere is murky".
. The introduction was filmed at the same time as the not live images from "Allan
", and shows the monk
who opened the concert
, in a hazy nature.
While the 1985 studio version did not reach the French
Top 50 Singles Charts, the 1990 live single had a short running: it stayed on the chart for seven weeks, from 19 May to 30 June 1990, peaking at number 35 on 16 June.
; she also sang "Maman a tort
"), Super Platine (Antenne 2
; she performed "On est tous des imbéciles
" too), Tapage nocturne (27 December 1985, TF1
), Hit des Clubs (January 1986, RTL
), L'Académie des 9 (14 January 1986, Antenne 2), Citron Grenadine (RTBF
) and Azimuts (FR3 Lorraine; she also sang "Chloé").
"Plus grandir" was sung during the 1989 concert
as second song of the show. Farmer then wore black veils, a white collar and small white socks, and performed a rhythmical choreography with two female dancers who reproduce the same gestures behind her. At the end of the song, the singer said "good evening" to the audience. The song was not performed during the next four concerts, as in 1995 Farmer said the theme of the song was no longer part of her concerns.
1985 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV...
song 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...
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....
and is the first song written by the singer. It was released twice: first, on 25 September 1985 in a studio version as second 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 Farmer's debut album Cendres de Lune
Cendres de Lune
Cendres de Lune is the debut album by the French singer/songwriter Mylène Farmer, released on April 1, 1986. The album was precedeed by the hit single "Libertine", and the album was rereleased in 1987 preceded by the song "Tristana"...
, then on 12 May 1990 in a live mix version as second single from the live album En Concert. In spite of positive critics and a music video produced as a short film in cinemascope, the song achieved moderate success in France in terms of sales and chart performances.
Background, writing and release
After the relative failure of the "On est tous des imbécilesOn est tous des imbéciles
"On est tous des imbéciles" is a 1984 song recorded by French artist Mylène Farmer. It was released in February 1985 as her second single after "Maman a tort" and its English-translated version "My Mum Is Wrong". Although the song was provocative and rather critical of the show business, it was...
", Farmer separated from the songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Jerome Dahan and her contract with the record company
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
ended. She then signed with Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
for two albums and, for the first time, she wrote the lyrics of her next single, "Plus grandir", which was released in September 1985 (it was also released in 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...
, but without cover, and at the same time that "We'll Never Die", only released in this country), with "Chloé" as B-side. Despite sales fairly low, Polydor allowed the duo Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer, , born Marie-Hélène Jeanne Gautier, , , is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author....
/ 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 :...
to create the album Cendres de Lune
Cendres de Lune
Cendres de Lune is the debut album by the French singer/songwriter Mylène Farmer, released on April 1, 1986. The album was precedeed by the hit single "Libertine", and the album was rereleased in 1987 preceded by the song "Tristana"...
, in March 1986.
About five years after the single's release, Farmer did not yet expected the relative success of this song, which was her first composition. She then decided to release this song for the second time, but in live version, after the success of the live album En Concert in 1990. The song's success was relative, except in nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s. Eventually, the song was the last collaboration at level of editing and management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
between Farmer and Bertrand Le Page because of artistic differences in late 1989.
The 1985 promotional 7" contained a photo of the pram used in the music video and a letter written by Farmer. Among the various formats of the live song, there was a picture disc
Unusual types of gramophone records
The overwhelming majority of records manufactured have been of certain sizes , playback speeds , and appearance...
, which is the first one in the singer's career.
Lyrics and music
 Plus grandir, j'veux plus grandirPlus grandir pour pas mourir, pas souffrir  |
| — Beginning of the chorus |
The song deals with subjects that Farmer was especially fond of at the time: difficulty of leaving childhood
Childhood
Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In developmental psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood , early childhood , middle childhood , and adolescence .- Age ranges of childhood :The term childhood is non-specific and can imply a...
, fear of aging
Ageing
Ageing or aging is the accumulation of changes in a person over time. Ageing in humans refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change. Some dimensions of ageing grow and expand over time, while others decline...
, permanent pain of living and death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
. Boutonnat said in an interview: "When listening well, we see that lyrics talk about death, childhood and the loss of virginity. In the same time, of course we can extrapolate and speak of it in different words." About lyrics, Farmer explained: "Old age traumatizes me, it's what I wanted to say in the song". French author Erwan Chuberre said ""Plus grandir" is a song that sounds like a hymn to the refusal to grow old, it is the denial of becoming an adult to avoid dying."
Boutonnat composed a rather pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, which is quite rare for a sensitive theme.
Production
The 1985 video, the first one shot in cinemascopeCinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
was made 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 :...
who also wrote the screenplay. Farmer drew the storyboard of the video. This Movie Box / Laurent Boutonnat / Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
production with a 7:32 length cost about 330,000 francs (about 50,000 euros; the most expensive videoclip of 1985) and was shot for five days: four days at Studio Sets in Stains
Stains
Stains is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Heraldry:-Transport:Stains is served by Pierrefitte – Stains station on Paris RER line D...
and the other one in Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis....
's cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. Boutonnat stated: "It is a co-production with Polygram. I went to see both the president of the group, Mr Levy, and that of Polydor. Both were seduced by the script and accepted the idea of shooting."*
*
Boutonnat managed to convince advertiser Stephan Sperry to contribute in the financing of the video. Jean-Pierre Sauvaire, film editor Agnès Mouchal, costume designer Corinne Sarfati and film director Francois Hanss were part of the technical team. Max Gautier, Farmer's father, also participated in the preparation of scenery, which included among other things a pond (also used in 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 the dolls made by Farmer. Rambo Kolawski, who played the role of the rapist, has also appeared in the next video, "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...
". The instrumental "Cendres de Lune", available on the album of the same name
Cendres de Lune
Cendres de Lune is the debut album by the French singer/songwriter Mylène Farmer, released on April 1, 1986. The album was precedeed by the hit single "Libertine", and the album was rereleased in 1987 preceded by the song "Tristana"...
, can be heard at the opening credits
Opening credits
In a motion picture, television program, or video game, the opening credits are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production. They are now usually shown as text superimposed on a blank screen or static pictures, or sometimes on top of action in the show. There...
.
Boutonnat tried to register himself with the National Center of Cinematography for the video was considered as a short film. Therefore, it was aired in the cinema in preview and was first seen in Kinopanorama cinema in Paris on 13 Novembre 1985. On television, it was broadcast for the first time on Platine 45, 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...
.
Plot
In the video, we see a woman, played by Farmer, in a cemeteryCemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
pushing a pram who comes to meditate at her own grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
. Then, in a house full of spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s' webs, a girl on her bed, also played by Farmer, mistreats her doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
throwing it in all directions and drowning it in the water. While crying, she begs the Virgin Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
to not grow and die. During her sleep, a man enters her room and rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
s her, which she eventually agrees to (Farmer reveals one of her breasts). The next day, dwarfish nuns beat the girl giving kicks, then with a knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
, the girl cuts the doll's limbs, turns on herself and becomes a very old woman. The video ends with the woman in the cemetery who puts a bunch on the grave and goes away.
Symbolism and reviews
About the video, Boutonnat explained that the young woman who is played by Farmer is "beset by religious fantasies mainly (...) and related primarily to the world of childhood. You know, all those little things that you are afraid when you are young. I tried to transcribe in my music video like that phosphorescent statue of animated virgin and the appearances of dwarfs".Journalist Caroline Bee said the theme of the video refers to the "passage from childhood to adolescence with what it involves of physical, but also psychological changes, (...) and new responsibilities, and sexuality". According to an analysis published in Instant-Mag, the amputation of the doll is a "symbolism of the defilement" and is synonymous with a "childhood stolen". Writer and psychologist Hugues Royer declared that the rape is here the symbol of mourning forced of the early years. "Agreeing to become an adult goes with the acceptance of our inevitable end." Biographer Bernard Violet thinks the music video has several film references, including The Devils
The Devils (film)
The Devils is a 1971 British historical drama directed by Ken Russell and starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave. It is based partially on the 1952 book The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley, and partially on the 1960 play The Devils by John Whiting, also based on Huxley's book...
by Ken Russell
Ken Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
, and Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
.
In France, the video was often censored and only broadcast in a shortened version, as it criticized religion and deals with death and sex. For example, French show Bonsoir les clips, although being aired on the night, refused the video which it considered as "too morbid". On television, the scene of the rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
as well as that of the evil dwarfish nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s were removed. Despite that, the video was much aired on television in 1985 and 1986 and received positive reviews. Magazines Charlie considered the music video as very "amazing", OK as "a true little masterpiece", and Salut said it has a "tortured atmosphere". Bee stated the "video is neat and the atmosphere is murky".
1990 version
For the live version, a video of the 1989 tour was made with new images from "Plus grandir"'s performance and choreographyChoreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
. The introduction was filmed at the same time as the not live images from "Allan
Allan (song)
"Allan" is a 1988 song recorded by French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer. It was the first single from her first live album En Concert and was released in December 1989. The lyrics clearly refer to a fairly tale by Edgar Allan Poe as they mentioned one of his characters...
", and shows the monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
who opened the concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
, in a hazy nature.
Critical reception
The song was generally very well-received at the time by the media. Microsillon stated: "[It is] an impeccable record from a musical point of view; the simple lyrics are a refreshing breath". Paroles deemed this song "confirms the depth of the singer" and Podium said "the result is pure, moving (...). That may be naive, but far from being stupid". According to Télé Poche, "[Farmer] launched with her sweet voice this moving prayer". For L'Evénement du jeudi, "[this song] is perverse and morbid, but it is so exciting". and for Charlie, "the disc is not bad at all". However, Paris Normandie considered that lyrics are not very audible.While the 1985 studio version did not reach 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...
Top 50 Singles Charts, the 1990 live single had a short running: it stayed on the chart for seven weeks, from 19 May to 30 June 1990, peaking at number 35 on 16 June.
Promotion and live performances
After the single release, Farmer promoted the song in several television shows, performing in Ile de transe (31 October 1985, FR3France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
; she also sang "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...
"), Super Platine (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...
; she performed "On est tous des imbéciles
On est tous des imbéciles
"On est tous des imbéciles" is a 1984 song recorded by French artist Mylène Farmer. It was released in February 1985 as her second single after "Maman a tort" and its English-translated version "My Mum Is Wrong". Although the song was provocative and rather critical of the show business, it was...
" too), Tapage nocturne (27 December 1985, 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...
), Hit des Clubs (January 1986, RTL
RTL Group
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries...
), L'Académie des 9 (14 January 1986, Antenne 2), Citron Grenadine (RTBF
RTBF
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone is the public broadcasting organization of the French Community of Belgium, the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium...
) and Azimuts (FR3 Lorraine; she also sang "Chloé").
"Plus grandir" was sung during the 1989 concert
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 :...
as second song of the show. Farmer then wore black veils, a white collar and small white socks, and performed a rhythmical choreography with two female dancers who reproduce the same gestures behind her. At the end of the song, the singer said "good evening" to the audience. The song was not performed during the next four concerts, as in 1995 Farmer said the theme of the song was no longer part of her concerns.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "Plus grandir":Original version (1985)
- 7" single
- 12" maxi
- 7" single - Promo
Live mix version (1990)
- 7" single
- 12" maxi / 12" maxi - Picture disc
- CD maxi
- 12" maxi - Promo
- Digital download
Release history
| Date | Label | Region | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1985 | Polydor | France, Canada | 7" single | 883 428-7 |
| 12" maxi | 883 428-1 | |||
| Canada | 7" single | ? | ||
| May 1990 | France | 12" maxi - Promo | 2076 | |
| 7" single | 877216-7 | |||
| 12" maxi | 877217-1 | |||
| 12" maxi - Picture disc | 877331-1 | |||
| CD maxi | 877217-2 | |||
Official versions
| Version | Length | Album | Remixed by | Year | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Album version | 4:03 | Cendres de Lune Cendres de Lune Cendres de Lune is the debut album by the French singer/songwriter Mylène Farmer, released on April 1, 1986. The album was precedeed by the hit single "Libertine", and the album was rereleased in 1987 preceded by the song "Tristana"... |
— | 1985 | See the previous sections |
| Single version | 4:03 | — | — | 1985 | It is similar to the album version. |
| Long version | 6:00 | — | 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 :... |
1985 | This long version, only available on the maxi vinyl, includes a longer introduction, and more chorus and music. |
| Music video | 7:45 | Les Clips Les Clips Les Clips is a VHS recorded by the French singer Mylène Farmer, containing all the singer's videoclips from 1984 to 1987. It was released in November 1987 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.... |
— | 1985 | It is similar to the album version. |
| Live mix (recorded in 1989) | 4:50 | En Concert | Laurent Boutonnat | 1989 | This is a remix version combining the voices of Fredericks (in fact originally heard on "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... ") and that of Farmer. |
| Mother's live remix | 6:25 | 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 | 1989 | This remixed version, a disco Disco Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and... duet with 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... , was aired in many discothèques. The song starts with a dialogue between Fredericks and Farmer (as for the live mix, Fredericks' words are originally recorded for "Maman a tort"). English words, particularly the phrase "Who's my mother ?" that Farmer repeats throughout the song, have been added in this version. |
| Mum's rap | 4:15 | — | Laurent Boutonnat | 1989 | This is a rap version. |
| Music video | 4:50 | 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.... |
— | 1989 | It used the version recorded on stage. |
| Album version | 3:35 | Les Mots | Laurent Boutonnat | 2001 | This is a remixed and shortened version in which the sound seems to be more present and the voice of Farmer slower. Unlike the original version, the song finishs with a musical passage. |
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, production
- Carole – demo
- Bertrand Le Page and Toutankhamon – editions
- PolydorPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
– recording company - J.P. Dumas Griller – photo (1985 version)
- Marianne Rosentiehl – photo (1990 version)
Charts and sales
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
Physical sales |
|---|---|---|
| French SNEP Singles Chart | — | 80,000 (album version) |
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
Physical sales |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 35 | 60,000 - 70,000 (live mix) |