B-side "Greta" Recorded 1986, France Length 3:30 | Released 1 April 1986 Genre Dance-pop, synthpop | |
Format 7" single, 7" maxi, cassette,
digital download (since 2005) | ||
"Libertine" [libɛʁtin]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 met success on the French chart, becoming thus Farmer's first big hit. In 2002, the song was successfully covered by Kate Ryan, who reached the top 20 in several European countries.
Contents
Background and writing
The song was inspired by a rock music song, "L'Amour tutti frutti", composed in 1984 by Jean-Claude Déquéant. It had not achieved success at the time, but was appreciated by the duo Farmer / Boutonnat who wanted to use it for their next song. When Farmer did tests of singing on the music, she repeated "Je suis une catin" ("I am a whore") in the refrain; that inspired Boutonnat for the theme of the song. Two vinyl's covers were released: the first one, in April, shows dark-haired Farmer wearing an orange robe, and the second one, in June, using an image from the videoclip with red-haired Farmer with a pistol in her hand. The song became a hit, fortunately, because Polydor, the record label of Farmer, could at any time break off the contract signed with the singer for two albums if the song had not been successful. In addition, the song allowed the album Cendres de Lune to be a success.
At the time, various remixes were produced by Boutonnat to the nightclubs. An English version of the song, "Bad Girl", was recorded, but unlike "My Mum Is Wrong", it was not released as a single because the recording was not very conclusive.
Lyrics and music
"Libertine", one of the few songs whose lyrics were not composed by Farmer, contains many explicit references to sexuality. Some phrases are very obscure or seem inconsistent.
Music video
Produced by Polydor and directed by Boutonnat, the video was shot in five days at the Château de Ferrières and Château de Brou in France, with a budget of what would now be about 46,000 euros (76,000 or 300,000 euros according to other sources). Farmer said at the time that the video had a derisory cost in comparison with the effect it produced. Presented on 18 June 1986 in preview at the cinema of the Champs-Elysées, this music video was the first one whose length was so long (10:53). It is said to be the first instance of full frontal nudity made by a singer on a major music video. It was inspired by Stanley Kubrick's film Barry Lyndon. Most of the extras were actually employees of Polydor and Movie Box. Sophie Tellier, who plays the Woman in Red, was one of Farmer's dancers and also appeared in other singer's videos. She would also play Farmer's enemy in the video Tristana. Appropriately enough, Rambo Kolawski, the man who raped Farmer's character in the video for "Plus grandir", also appears as the man she kills in the duel.
The action takes place in mid-18th century France. Libertine (Farmer) is a young woman who dresses in male clothing and spends her time in debauched parties. When the film begins she and a man are about to engage in a duel with pistols, witnessed by a Woman in Red. Libertine kills the man and runs away on a white horse, while the Woman in Red threatens revenge. Later, in a castle, Libertine has a bath with two other women, anatomies on full display. They then dress, Libertine in male attire, and go to a banquet hall filled with people engaged in various pleasures. A man sends Libertine a message and follows her to an upstairs room, rejecting the Woman in Red's advances. The man and Libertine make love. (At this stage Farmer is shown fully naked, including full frontal, and the music stops to give way to sounds evoking eroticism, (moans and howles of wolves)). When Libertine returns to the party she is attacked by the Woman in Red. They fight violently and some blood flows. Seriously hurt by a fireplace poker, Libertine and the man manage to escape on horseback, but the Woman in Red stages an ambush with accomplices and they are killed. The two murdered bodies are shown in close-up. The bodies are later found in the video for "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces".
The video was aired on many TV channels, but sometimes in a shortened version removing the scenes of violence and sex. The character played by Farmer embodies "the liberal ideas of the [18th century], to the borders of vice and the loss of self", engaging in "extremes practices", such as the "sadomasochistic relationship" with the man. Thanks to this daring video, Farmer gained star status in France. The music channel M6 which, at the time, was showing only music videos, broadcast the uncensored version. At the time, she had explained in an interview that she was bare in this video, but that it was for the first and the last time.
The music video is included on the videos albums Les Clips and Music Videos I.
Critical reception
"Libertine" was generally well received by contemporary media. France Soir considered this song has "a little music that puts in a good mood from the awakening". The video was much discussed in the media and caused the stir. It was described as a "detonating videoclip", "a real gem directed as a mini-movie", the music video "the most complete and the longest", "more a mini-movie than a videoclip", "the videoclip the strongest of the year".
In France, the song debuted at the number 43 on the singles chart on 30 August 1986. It gained a fews places every week and reached number ten on 25 October. The song managed to remain for twelve weeks in the top 20 and for twenty weeks on the chart. The song was certified Silver disc in 1986 by the SNEP. It was thus the first Farmer's top ten hit, becoming a very popular song in France over the years and one of the ten best-selling singles of the singer.
Promotion and live performances
Farmer performed the song in numerous TV shows at the time, between 20 January 1986 and 22 January 1987. With more than 25 appearances in different programmes on various French and Belgian channels (TF1, Antenne 2, FR3, RTBF Belgium, La 5, RTL TV), "Libertine" is to date Farmer's song which was the most promoted on television. At certain performances, she also sang - in playback - "Maman a tort" and "Greta", and was sometimes interviewed.
The song was performed on 1989, 1996 and 2009 concerts tours. It was also included in a medley during the Mylenium Tour.
Cover versions
Several artists covered the song including French punk rock and alternative rock group Ludwig von 88 on its album 17 plombs pour péter les tubes, in 1994, Edwige Chandelier, one of the dancers on the 1989 tour, in 1996, for the album Les Plus Belles Chansons françaises - 1986, Les Enfoirés, in 2000 (the song was performed by Liane Foly, Karen Mulder, Axelle Red and Michèle Laroque and their version is available on the album Enfoirés en 2000, released on 28 February 2000), Kate Ryan, in 2003 (see below), and Les Dindes Suprêmes, in 2007. In 2009, French band La Pompe Moderne released its album Greatest Hits with a cover version of "Libertine".
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "Libertine":
Credits and personnel
These are the credits and the personnel as they appear on the back of the single:
Kate Ryan version
Following the success of her cover version of "Désenchantée", Kate Ryan did another one of "Libertine" and released it as single in late 2002. The single also reached the top 20 in several countries, but was less successful than Ryan's previous Farmer's cover version.
In Belgium (Flanders), the single entered the chart on 14 December 2002 at number 25, then it climbed directly to the top 10 and reached a peak at number seven in the following week, then dropping quickly. Staying sic weeks in the top ten and for a total of 13 weeks on the chart (top 50), it had an average chart running in comparison with the other singles from the album Different.
In Germany, the single reached the top ten in its first week at number nine, then climbed to number seven, its peak position, a few weeks later. Spending a total of 15 weeks in the top 100, it had the second-best chart running for a single of Kate Ryan in this country. It also reached number seven in Austria and stayed even for 17 weeks on the chart, including seven weeks in the top ten.