Savoir aimer

Infobox Single
Name = Savoir aimer


Cover size =
Border =
Caption =
Artist = Florent Pagny
Album = Savoir aimer
A-side =
B-side = "Combien ça va"
Released = October, 1997
Format = CD single
Digital download (since 2005)
Recorded = France, 1997
Genre = Pop, Ballad
Length = 4:40
Label = Polygram
Writer = Lionel Florence
Pascal Obispo
Producer = Caroline Molko
Audio sample? =
Certification = Diamond France, 1997
Chronology = Florent Pagny singles
Last single = "Oh Happy Day" (1996)
This single = "'Savoir aimer" (1997)
Next single = "Chanter" (1998)
Misc =

"Savoir aimer" is a 1997 song recorded by the French singer Florent Pagny. It was the first single from his album of the same name, on which it features as first track, and his 14th single overall. Released in October 1997, it was a smash success in France and Belgium, topping the chart for several months, and remaining Pagny's most successful single.

Background and writing

The song was composed by Pascal Obispo, who also participated in other two songs on Pagny's album, and Lionel Florence, who had also worked for many French singers. [Elia Habib, "Muz hit. tubes", p. 399 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)] In the music video, Pagny is in front of the camera and transcribed the song in the universal sign language.

The song has been performed on Pagny's concerts tours in 1998, 2004 and 2005, and is thus available on the singer's live albums "En concert", "Été 2003 à l'Olympia" and "Baryton - L'Intégrale du spectacle". It is part of Pagny's 2008 compilation "Les 50 Plus Belles Chansons".

In 2001, the song has been covered by Pagny himself in a duet version with Souad Massi on his album "2" (14th track), which contains songs originally performed by Pagny or other artists overdubbed as duets. ["2", track listing and charts [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Florent+Pagny&titel=2&cat=a Lescharts.com] (Retrieved June 16, 2008)] As the song was a great success in France, it was included throughout the years on many famous compilations in France, such as "Hit Express 5", "Les Plus Grandes Chansons du Siècle, vol. 1" (released in 1999), "Lionel Florence: des Rencontres et des Mots", "Les Plus Belles Victoires de la Musique" (2002), "Les 100 Plus Belles Chansons" (2006) and "Hits de diamant" (2007).

Chart performances

In France, the single went straight to #1 on the singles chart on October 25, 1997, which was very rare at the time (the fifth). It was disloged the week after by Aqua's huge hit "Barbie Girl", but managed to reached again #1 the week after, and remained at the top for a total of nine weeks. It then dropped first slowly, then more quickly and featured for 19 weeks in the top ten, 23 weeks in the top 50 and 24 weeks in the top 100."Savoir aimer", French Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=13162&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved June 16, 2008)] It achieved Diamond statusFlorent Pagny's certifications in France [http://www.chartsinfrance.net/certifications/artiste-609.htm Chartsinfrance.net] (Retrieved June 16, 2008)] and was ranked at #6 on the 1997 Annual Chart established only ten weeks after the single release.1997 French Singles Chart [http://www.disqueenfrance.com/classements/singles/classement_annuel.asp?date=12 Disqueenfrance.com] (Retrieved June 16, 2008)] With more than 1,2 million copies sold, "Savoir aimer" is the 35th best-selling single of all time in France. [Best-selling singles of all time in France [http://www.infodisc.fr/S_ToutTemps.php Infodisc.fr] (Retrieved June 16, 2008)]

In Belgium (Wallonia), the song entered the chart at #21 on November 8, climbed to #8 and to #2, staying there for five weeks just behind "Barbie Girl". Then it topped the chart for four weeks, then almost kept on dropping. It totaled 14 weeks in the top ten, 19 weeks in the top 20 and 24 weeks in the top 40."Savoir aimer", Belgian (Wallonia) Albums Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?key=13162&cat=s Ultratop.be] (Retrieved June 16, 2008)] It was the fifth best-selling single of 1997, with only nine weeks on the chart.1997 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=1997 Ultratop.be] (Retrieved June 16, 2008)]

Track listings

; CD single
# "Savoir aimer" — 4:43
# "Combien ça va" — 3:40

; Digital download
# "Savoir aimer" — 4:40
# "Savoir aimer" (1998 live version) — 5:26
# "Savoir aimer" (2004 live version) — 7:22
# "Savoir aimer" (2005 live baryton version) — 4:18
# "Savoir aimer" (duet with Souad Massi) — 4:09

Certifications and sales

References