XXL (Mylène Farmer song)

Background and writing

After the failure of the film Giorgino in 1993 in which she played, Farmer decided to live in Los Angeles in order to fall back into anonymity. In 1995, she found the inspiration to write new songs by reading various books, including La Mort intime by French author Marie de Hennezel, and Le livre tibétain de la vie et de la mort. She then asked to Laurent Boutonnat to join her in California to produce together a new album, Anamorphosée. However, following the failure of the 1993 film Giorgino, they decided to propose a Farmer's new public image and a new sound with rock and grunge sonorities. So, when the French channel M6 announced the name and the content of the first single, "XXL", that was a big surprise, since the album was not released yet then. Many fans did not expect a such musical change; some of them decided to abandon the new universe proposed by the duo Farmer / Boutonnat, and a new public was won over.

On 24 August 1995, a promotional format was sent to radio stations: it was composed of giant wrought iron letters 'XXL', designed by Henry Neu, with the CD. The CD single was released on 19 September 1995. The various remixed on the four formats are all produced by Laurent Boutonnat and Bertrand Châtenet. It was Farmer's first single cover on which she did not appear (the second was later "L'Histoire d'une fée, c'est...").

Another remix, named 'UK remix', has been done about a year later, on "Rêver"'s CD maxi, by Richard Dekkard. As for the 'JXL remix', it was produced by the Dutch musician Junkie XL and features on the compilation RemixeS.

Lyrics and music

"XXL" is a feminist song in which Farmer sings love that all girls need, and claims it with the same "power of a prayer". For the first time, the message of her song is not universal, since it is exclusively for women. She evokes all kinds of women: bourgeois, homeless, romantic, pessimistic, feminists, anti-abortion, great ladies, prostitutes, transsexuals, stars, women who are suffering or not from the AIDS virus. The name of the song is a reference to the largest size in the American ready-to-wear. Unlike most of the lyrics in songs written by Farmer, those of "XXL" are generally easy to understand.

The song has very rock sonorities made by guitarist Jeff Dahlgren, "electric guitars are ultra-present, the rhythm is more aggressive". From its beginning, its rhythmic is very drive.

Music video

Unlike Farmer's previous music videos, this one was not directed by Laurent Boutonnat, but by Marcus Nispel. This Requiem Publishing production cost about 80,000 euros (230,000 euros, according to journalist Benoît Cachin) and was shot for two days : one for Farmer, the other for the extras, in Fillmore, California, on the Fillmore and Western Railway, in August 1995. After an idea by Farmer, the video shows a 1910 locomotive being driven at high speed -this train was also used in a Richard Attenborough's film Chaplin-, which is frequently interpreted as a symbol of the sexual intercourse.

Producer Anouk Nora explained that some difficulties were met for the shooting: "The idea of putting the artist hanging in front of a moving train, it was unthinkable. Because the United States, they are a stickler on security issues." Thus, it was necessary to sign releases to allow the filming; moreover, Farmer was burned herself twice during the shooting. For the shooting, the singer remained hung on this locomotive for nearly five hours under a 40-degree temperature and was scared because it ran sometimes very quickly. She wore a dress made by the French fashion designer Thierry Mugler. No tricks were used, and according to author Erwan Chuberre, "the staging is firmly photographic", but there is "no screenplay". In the video, Farmer appears much more "glamorous and sophisticated woman" than before and "proudly proclaims her femininity". It premiered on 18 September 1995 on M6.

Shot in black and white, the video features Farmer hung on at the front of a moving locomotive, filmed in an orange grove. These images alternate with those of the train passengers who are very different from each other (social origin, race, age, marital status ...). The action probably takes place in the United States in the mid-twentieth century, as evidenced by the sets and costumes.

Cover versions

The song was parodied in 1996 by Le Festival Roblès under the title "L'Amour en 4L", and was covered by Rejane in 1998. In 2009, Belgian singer Jonatan Cerrada made a come back in his singing career with an acoustic cover version of "XXL". In 2010, Les Enfoirés recorded a cover of the song for their album La Crise de nerfs! ; the singers on this version are Amel Bent, Grégoire Boissenot, Hélène Segara, Lorie, Renan Luce and Lââm for the verses.

Live performances

The song was never performed on television, but on the 1996, 2006, 2009 and 2013 concerts.

The song was the last one of the 1996 concert Live at Bercy. It began with the sound of a train and the scene was fumigated then. Farmer, raised on a hoist, wore an indented black outfit, and her dancers wore pants and a golden tank top. The song was scheduled for the 2000 Mylenium Tour, but was finally rejected. During the 2006 series of concerts, the hall was fully blue when "XXL" was performed. The singer asked the audience to clap their hands, and at the end of the song, the refrain was repeated by Farmer and the audience. The song was performed on the 2009 tour and Farmer wore a glittering short dress with red cape with hood; at one point, she caresses her guitarists from the torso until the crotch. In the Timeless Tour, XXL was performed as the 17th song of the setlist. This version had a melancholic intro with samples of "A-t-on Jamais" from her album Monkey Me and, after the first verse, the song turned into the original one while rotating lights lit up the crowd and the stage. Mylène wore a black suit with a white shirt, and black tie and black high-heeled shoes. In this tour, Mylène asked the crowd to sing the chorus of the song back to her only in few dates.

Chart performances

On 23 September 1995, the single entered directly to number one on French Top 50 Singles Chart, recording for the single her third top charting single. However, the single fell quickly the next weeks. It remained for five weeks in the top ten and 12 weeks in the chart (top 50). In 1995, it was the 42nd best-selling single of the year in France. The song was also number one on French Airplay Chart.

In Belgium (Wallonia), the single ranked on the Ultratop 50 chart for 14 weeks, from 7 October 1995 to 6 January 1996. It went straight into the top ten and reached a peak of number three for two non consecutive weeks. It totaled seven weeks in the top ten and was the 36th best-selling single of 1995.

"XXL" stayed on Swiss Singles Chart for ten weeks, from 15 October to 17 December 1995, including a peaked at number 11 on 5 November, then dropped. This peak position remains for Farmer her highest placement in Switzerland.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "XXL":

Credits and personnel

These are the credits and the personnel as they appear on the back of the single: