To France
Encyclopedia
"To France" is a single
by musician Mike Oldfield
, released in 1984. It is from the album Discovery
and features Maggie Reilly
on vocals.
It references Mary Stuart in its chorus. The B-sides for the single are the non-album tracks "In the Pool" and "Bones".
video for "To France" is a mock-live performance of the song. Oldfield plays a Fender Stratocaster
in the video.
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...
by musician Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
, released in 1984. It is from the album Discovery
Discovery (Mike Oldfield album)
Discovery is the ninth album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1984. It was recorded at Oldfield's then-home in Villars-sur-Ollon in the Swiss Alps where he was living for tax reasons...
and features Maggie Reilly
Maggie Reilly
Maggie Reilly is a Scottish singer best known for her collaborations with the composer and instrumentalist Mike Oldfield...
on vocals.
It references Mary Stuart in its chorus. The B-sides for the single are the non-album tracks "In the Pool" and "Bones".
Music video
The music video that appears on the Elements - The Best of Mike OldfieldElements - The Best of Mike Oldfield (video)
Elements - The Best of Mike Oldfield is a video collection by Mike Oldfield released in October 1993. It was released by Virgin Records on VHS and Laser disc...
video for "To France" is a mock-live performance of the song. Oldfield plays a Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
in the video.
Charts
The song reached the top 10 in a number of countries in 1984, reaching number 1 in France.| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 9 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 VRT Top 30 The VRT Top 30 or Radio 2 Top 30 is a Belgian record chart that runs on the VRT, more specifically on Radio 2. The list is the new version of the old BRT Top 30, that changed along with the media group's name in 1992.... |
3 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 3 |
| French Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 6 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
12 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 7 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 48 |
Year-End Chart
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Spanish Singles Chart | 17 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 | 33 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 37 |
| German Media Control Charts | 37 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 56 |
Cover versions
- In 1995, Marina KapuroMarina KapuroMarina Stanislavovna Kapuro , is a Russian singer.She entered the Pioneers Palace's ensemble at the age of eight. Later she completed at Saint Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts....
recorded a RussianRussian languageRussian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
version, called "Маленький остров" ("little island"). - In 1996, Maggie ReillyMaggie ReillyMaggie Reilly is a Scottish singer best known for her collaborations with the composer and instrumentalist Mike Oldfield...
reinterpreted "To France" on her solo album ElenaElena (album)- Track listing :# "Walk On By" – 3:58# "To France" – 5:09# "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" – 0:39# "Little Boy's Eyes " – 3:44...
, and in 2009 she recorded another version of the song for her album Looking Back Moving Forward. - In 1996, Blind GuardianBlind GuardianBlind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
released a Power metalPower metalPower metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
cover of "To France" on their album The Forgotten TalesThe Forgotten TalesThe Forgotten Tales is a compilation album by Blind Guardian. It was published in 1996. The cover artwork was created by Andreas Marschall. "'The Forgotten Tales'" contains several cover versions of popular songs, including "Mr. Sandman", "Surfin' USA", and "Spread Your Wings" as well as alternate...
. - In 1998, RMBRMB (band)RMB is the name of a German electronic music band, founded by Rolf Maier-Bode whose initials form the band name. Maier-Bode works in the studio with partner Farid Gharadjedaghi.- History :...
released a cover of "To France" on their album Widescreen. - In 2002, NovaspaceNovaspaceNovaspace is a German Eurodance project which, between 2002 and 2004, covered several 1980s hits, such as "Time After Time", "Guardian Angel" and "Beds Are Burning"...
released a cover of "To France" as a single. - In 2008, Liz Kay released a technoTechnoTechno 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...
cover version called "To France 2008". - In 2011, Leaves' EyesLeaves' EyesLeaves' Eyes is a German-Norwegian symphonic metal band from Stavanger, Norway and Ludwigsburg, Germany. They were formed in 2003 by Liv Kristine, the former lead singer of Theatre of Tragedy and the entire line-up of Atrocity...
released a cover of "To France" on their album MeredeadMeredeadMeredead is the fourth studio album by the German/Norwegian symphonic metal band Leaves' Eyes. It was released on April 20, 2011 on Napalm Records.-Title:...
. - In 2011, Kim WildeKim WildeKim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
covered the song for her album SnapshotsSnapshots (Kim Wilde album)Snapshots is the twelfth studio album and the first covers album by British singer Kim Wilde. It was released in Germany on 26 August 2011 by Columbia SevenOne and was released in other regions as an import on 13 September 2011...
and released it as the second single.