Format CD single Length 3:21 | Genre Rap, pop Label M13, Sony Music | |
B-side "Qui ne tente rien n'a rien" Released March 25, 2000 (2000-03-25) | ||
"Ces soirées-là" is a 2000 song recorded by French-born singer/rapper Yannick. It was the second single from his debut album C'est comme ça qu'on aime and was released in March 2000. Based on a Claude François' song (Cette année-là), it achieved a smash success in France, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Contents
Background and structure
In 1976, the band Four Seasons recorded the hit single "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)". The same year, Claude François adapted the song in French-language under the title "Cette année-là" ("That Year"). In 2000, Yannick made a partial cover of François' version: it used almost the same music, but changed the verses. The song, a "dancing and joyful rap", is "festive and lively". According to an analysis of an expert of French charts, the song is characterized by "the brass instruments support[ing] then punctuat[ing] the refrain, the rhythmic tune so characteristic (...) and the bass [playing] in the soloist passage".
Chart performances
In France, the song debuted at #13 on March 25, 2000, then climbed and reached #1 three weeks later. It stayed there for 15 consecutive weeks, then dropped rather slowly. It totalled 24 weeks in the top ten, 36 weeks in the top 50 and 37 weeks on the chart (top 100). Certified Diamond disc by the SNEP, it is to date the 13th best-selling single of all time with more than 1.5 million copies sold.
"Ces soirées-là" was also successful in Belgium (Wallonia). It went to number 33 on May 6, 2000 and reached number one three week later. After 10 weeks atop, it kept on dropping and fell off the chart (top 40) after a total of 24 weeks.
The song was #4 for two weeks in July 2000 in Switzerland, but remained on the chart for 30 weeks, 14 of them in the top ten.
Cover versions
The song was covered by The Song Family on the cover album of the same name.
Pierre Palmade and Patrick Timsit recorded their own version of the song on Les Enfoirés' album 2002: Tous dans le même bateau, on which it features as second track.
It is also the opening number in worldwide smash-hit musical Jersey Boys, which features the life story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
Track listings
- "Ces soirées-là" (edit radio) — 3:21
- "Ces soirées-là" (extended version) — 4:43
- "Qui ne tente rien n'a rien" — 4:45
- "Ces soirées-là" (edit radio) — 3:21
- "Ces soirées-là" (house mix) — 5:08
- "Ces soirées-là" (version instrumentale) — 3:21
- "Ces soirées-là" (a capella) — 3:25