B-side Instrumental Recorded Belgium Length 3:24 | Released September 1987 Genre Pop | |
Format 7" single, 12" maxi (1987)
CD single, CD maxi (1993) | ||
"C'est l'amour" is a popular song recorded by Belgian band Léopold Nord & Vous. It was trio's debut single, released in September 1987, from the album of the same name, and perhaps remains to date its most known song, due to the huge success it met in France and the number of cover versions and remixes that it was the subject throughout the years. It can be deemed as band's signature song.
Contents
Background and release
In 1987, Alec Mension, a Belgian artist who had already released several singles in his country, recorded in Tony Visconti studio, in London, a song he wrote in English-language, entitled "Don't walk away". However, no recording company agreed to sign a contract with him, because nobody thought that the song had potential. Mension decided to re-record the song adding French voices to the English mix. He then re-wrote the lyrics in French-language along with his two brothers, Benoît and Hubert. The song was re-entitled "C'est l'amour".
The song was eventually released in early September 1987. The cover art was made by Steve Sauvage who also made those for Muriel Dacq's first two singles. "C'est l'amour" was re-issued in 1993 in remixed versions named "Unity Power mixes". "C'est l'amour" was part on many French and Belgian compilations released in the 2000s, such as Absolument 80: Tubes français Vol. 1, Top 50 vol.3, Nos belges années 1978-1988, volume 1, Bel 80 - Het beste uit de Belpop van 1987, Best of - Les Tubes Fête, Club 80's and 100 Chansons Françaises. In 2007 and 2008, the song was performed at the RFM Party 80 concert tour in which numerous artists of the 1980s, including Alec Mension, participated.
Structure and video
According to an expert of French charts, the song has "very nice sounds", a "humorous" tone and enjoys "good humor". The theme of love is here, ironically, used in all its facets. In the verses, after expressing an idea in the form of a question or an exclamation, the words "C'est l'amour" are chanted as being the cause of each idea previously mentioned. The song has also dance-pop sonorities.
The video shows two of the singers in an elevator, dressed as baggage handlers and performing the song. Throughout this one, the elevator goes up and down and welcomes various people, that what gives rise to various situations.
Chart performances
In France, the single went to #26 on the SNEP singles chart on September 19, 1987. It climbed almost every week and entered the top ten four weeks later. It finally peaked at number 2 twice, on November 21 and December 12, being unable to dislodge Los Lobos's big hit "La Bamba" which was atop then. The song totaled 14 weeks in the top ten, ten dropped more quickly and fell off the chart (top 50) after 24 weeks.
Certified Gold disc by the SNEP, the song is currently the 358th best-selling single of all time in France. Worldwide, the song has sold more than one million copies.
Cover versions
Throughout the years, the song was notably covered in foreign languages by many artists.
In 2008, Quentin Mosimann, the winner of Star Academy 7 in France, covered "C'est l'amour" on his debut album Duel. He first decided to release this song as second single from his album, but eventually cancelled this idea. The same year, Kitch & Co produced a dance version of the song, devoted to the discothèques, available on the cover album 100 reprises dancefloor.