Puisque tu pars

Background, lyrics and music

Goldman explained that the song deals with "departure, separation, and everything it implies". He said : "The idea came to me at the end of my concerts, when people sang: 'this is just a goodbye ...' [...] So I thought about writing a song about departure, but to show that departure is not necessarily sad, but there were also positive sides to leaving and separating."

The song, which shows a "certain maturity" in the writing, has an "emotional expressiveness which depicts the dilemma of a love that doesn't want to be possessive".

The song is included on several of Goldman's albums, such as Traces, Intégrale and Singulier (best of), Du New Morning au Zénith and Un tour ensemble (in live versions). The live performance by Goldman and Les Fous Chantants features on the DVD Solidarités Inondations.

Cover versions

"Puisque tu pars" was covered by Jean-Félix Lalanne in 1990, by Michael Lecler in 1996 (instrumental version), by Les Fous Chantants in 2000 (features on the album 1 000 choristes rendent hommage à Jean-Jacques Goldman, by Le Collège de l'Estérel in 2002, and by Les 500 Choristes in 2006 (for the compilation of the same name, eighth track).

The song was also covered in Mandarin Chinese or Putonghua by Tracy Huang in 1991 under the title "讓愛自由".

It was covered in English-language by Céline Dion, under the title "Let's Talk About Love," available on the album of the same name in 1998 and in 1999 on one of her live albums, Au coeur du stade. It was translated by Bryan Adams and Eliot Kennedy. A demo version of Adams' translation appeared on the CD single "Cloud Number Nine" in 1999.

Tony Carreira made a cover version in Portuguese-language under the title "Já que te vais" although in the beginning before the controversy authorship of several songs, the song was registered as written by Ricardo Landum and Tony Carreira.

Chart performances

The single ranked in France for 24 weeks on the official chart established by the SNEP. It went straight to number 23 on 16 July 1988 and reached the top ten two weeks later. It climbed quickly but remained behind the two summer hits "Nuit de folie" and "Un Roman d'amitié (Friend You Give Me a Reason)", peaking for three non consecutive weeks at number three. It totaled 15 weeks in the top ten, then dropped rather quickly. It achieved Silver status.

According to Infodisc website, 562,000 copies of the single were sold, making the hit the 446th best-selling single of all time in France.

The song was also released in Canada and Japan, but failed to reach the singles chart in these countries.

Track listings

1. "Puisque tu pars" — 7:24
2. "Entre gris clair et gris foncé"
3. "Tout petit monde"

1. "Puisque tu pars" — 4:50
2. "Entre gris clair et gris foncé" — 3:57

1. "Puisque tu pars" (extended version) — 7:24
2. "Puisque tu pars" (edit) — 4:50
3. "Entre gris clair et gris foncé" — 3:57