Pourvu qu'elles soient douces

Infobox Single
Name = Pourvu qu'elles soient douces


Artist = Mylène Farmer
from Album = Ainsi Soit Je...
B-side = "Puisque..."
Released = September 12 1988
Format = CD maxi
7" single
7" maxi
Digital download (since 2005)
Recorded = 1988
Genre = Synthpop
Length = 4:55 (album version) 4:16 (single version)
Label = Polydor
Writer = Text : Mylène Farmer Music : Laurent Boutonnat
Producer = Laurent Boutonnat
Certification = Gold France, 1989
Last single = "Ainsi soit je... (1988)
This single = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" (1988)
Next single = "Sans logique" (1989)Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Background = khaki


Lower caption = CD maxiExtra album cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = European versionExtra tracklisting
Album = Ainsi soit je...
Type = studio
prev_track = "Allan"
prev_no = 3
this_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
track_no = 4
next_track = "La Ronde triste"
next_no = 5Extra tracklisting
Album = Les Clips Vol. II
Type = Video
prev_track = "Ainsi soit je..."
prev_no = 2
this_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
track_no = 3
next_track =
next_no = Extra tracklisting
Album = En concert
Type = live
prev_track = ""
prev_no = 7
this_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
track_no = 8
next_track = "Allan"
next_no = 9Extra tracklisting
Album = Dance Remixes
Type = compilation
prev_track = "Que mon cœur lâche"
prev_no = 1
this_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
track_no = 2
next_track = "Libertine"
next_no = 3Extra tracklisting
Album = Music Videos I
Type = Video
prev_track = "Libertine"
prev_no = 2
this_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
track_no = 3
next_track = "Tristana"
next_no = 4Extra tracklisting
Album = Les Mots
Type = compilation
prev_track = "Ainsi soit je..."
prev_no = 6
this_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
track_no = 7
next_track = "Sans logique"
next_no = 8Extra tracklisting
Album = RemixeS
Type = compilation
prev_track = "Je t'aime mélancolie"
prev_no = 6
this_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
track_no = 7
next_track = "California"
next_no = 8

"Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" is a 1988 synthpop song by the French artist Mylène Farmer. Third single from her second studio album "Ainsi soit je...", it was released on September 12, 1988. Very provocative, the song deals with sodomy and enjoys a very long music video which contains sexual and violent scenes. It achieved a great success in France, becoming Farmer's first number-one hit.

Background and writing

After the minimum cost of "Ainsi soit je...", Farmer chose to release "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" as the third single from the album "Ainsi soit je...". The song was launched in a remixed version.

The song was released under the title "Douces" in Germany and the Netherlands. It was charted in Japan where it was marketed as a promotional 7" with another cover. In 2003, Paul Oakenfold remixed the song which was added on the remix album "RemixeS". ["Pourvu qu'elles soient douces", L'histoire de la chanson : La première chanson numéro 1 de Mylène [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/pqsdglob.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved March 16, 2008)]

The song was performed on the 1989 tour and included in a medley on the 1999 Mylenium Tour.

Lyrics and music

The text was written by Mylène Farmer while the music was composed by Laurent Boutonnat.

The music, very dynamic and effective, eclipses the words that are very daring (many people have not yet understood the theme of the song). ["Mylène Farmer Influences", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Mascara Ed., p. 70,71 (ISBN 978-2351440261)] In the refrain, Farmer addresses her lover who thinks only of her buttocks."Le Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Tournon Ed., p. 203-208]

The song has been said by fans, critics and Farmer herself to be about sodomy, while some consider it to be a logical sequel to her 1986 hit Libertine which is about prostitution. Farmer explained that "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" is "a )]

Music video

Directed by Laurent Boutonnat, the video was shot for seven days in the forest, in Rambouillet (France). It was censored on TV because of its depiction of female nudity - Farmer in particular - and sex. It is entitled "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces - Libertine II" because it was a continuation of "Libertine", and takes place during the Seven Years' War, in the 18th century. Some excerpts were shown in exclusivity on September 12, 1988 in the French TV program Nulle Part Ailleurs, on Canal+. It appeared in the "Book of Records" in 1989 because it was at the time the videoclip the most expensive - it cost more than 3 million francs (450,000 euros)"L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 40 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)] -, the longest (17:52) and with the most of extras (about 500). ["Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/singles/single.php?single=pourvu-quelles-soient-douces Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved December 22, 2007)] ["Pourvu qu'elles soient douces", videoclip [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/pqsdclip.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved March 16, 2008)]

In the video, the scene takes place on August 18, 1757. A young English drummer discovers the inanimate body of Libertine, covered in blood. He calls William, an older soldier, who believes that Libertine is a man. Soon they realize that she is alive and take her to the camp for treatment. Meanwhile, the captain of the British Army realizes that his troops have taken the wrong road and are in France rather than being in Prussia (the words, in English, are subtitled in French-language). Then, as the song begins, the captain brings a fruit bowl to Libertine who is sleeping in a tent. With his whip, he raises the sheet to look at her buttocks, but the young drummer enters the tent and surprised him doing that. To punish him, the captain flogs him before many other soldiers. He then gives the whip to Libertine for correcting the young boy in turn, but she bangs on the captain's face. In the tent, the man, very angry, throws some clothes to Libertine and looks at her when she undresses. Then she breaks a bottle over his head and runs away on horseback. The captain pursues her, finds her, hurt near a tree, and carries her in his arms until a tent. While they make love, the rival of Libertine, in connivance with the French army, brings prostitutes in the camp to distract the British troops. The next day, the French army bombs the English camp, while the rival fires on the captain and kills him. Libertine, who attends the scene, fights with her and eventually kill her with a bayonet. The camps filled with dead bodies scattered on the ground, Libertine picks up the young drummer, while the soldiers of the French army watch at them leaving on horseback. ["Mylène Farmer, la part d'ombre", Caroline Bee, Antoine Bioy and Benjamin Thiry, January 2006, Archipel Ed., p. 168-171]

Initially, the video was to be shown in preview in movie theatres, but it was eventually cancelled because the film producers were afraid that the video was better than the film aired then. ["L'Est Républicain", October 10, 1989, "Mylène Farmer, ainsi soit-elle !", Jean-Paul Germonville [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1989/L'est_republicain_301089b.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 30, 2008)] However, the video was broadcast as an exclusivity on October 6, 1988 on the Champs Elysees.

The video was nominated at the 1989 Victoires de la Musique, but did not win.

Cover versions

The song was covered by Lorie in 2003 ["Pourvu qu'elles soient douces", by Lorie [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/reprises/reprise.php?reprise=lorie-pourvu-quelles-soient-douces&retour=/mylene-farmer/discographie/repertoire-des-chansons.php?chanson=pourvu-quelles-soient-douces Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved March 16, 2008)] , by Réjane for a compilation of 1989 hits ["Pourvu qu'elles soient douces", by Réjane [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/reprises/reprise.php?reprise=rejane-pourvu-quelles-soient-douces&retour=/mylene-farmer/discographie/repertoire-des-chansons.php?chanson=pourvu-quelles-soient-douces Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved March 16, 2008)] , and by some contestants of the French show Star Academy 1. The song was parodied by Les Caramels Fous under the name of "Pourvu qu'elles soient grosses". However, these cover versions were not released as singles.

TV and chart performances

The song was performed in nine TV shows in 1988 : "Sacrée Soirée" (October 5, TF1), "Avis de recherche" (October 14, TF1), "La Une est à vous" (October 22, TF1), "Dimanche Martin" (November 6, Antenne 2), "Jacky Show" (November 6, TF1), "Cocoparadise" (November 16, TF1), "Interchallanges" (November 20, TF1), "Une Soirée pour les restos" (December 17, TF1) and "Avis de recherche" (December 30, TF1). Farmer also performed the song in a Dutch (on December 2, 1990) and a Danish (in January 1991) programmes. She also sang "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" on September 11, 1999, on "Tapis Rouge". ["Pourvu qu'elles soient douces", TV performances [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/tv/index.php?chanson=pourvu-quelles-soient-douces Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved March 16, 2008)]

In France, the single debuted at #34 on October 8, 1988, and progressed on the chart every week, until reaching the first position that it held for five weeks. So it was the first of the four Farmer's number-one in this country. Then, the single dropped slowly and stayed in the chart for a total of 23 weeks, which is the second Farmer's longest running in French Top 50."Pourvu qu'elles soient douces", French SNEP Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=13964&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved December 22, 2007)]

In terms of sales, "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" is the second Farmer's biggest success ever, behind "Désenchantée", selling more than 500 000 copies in France by the time it was released, with 10 000 copies being sold every day. ["Mylène Farmer", biography [http://www.mylene.net/mylene/biographie.php Mylene.net] (Retrieved December 22, 2007)] The single was then exported outside France rebaptised "Douces".

Formats and track listings

Credits and personnel

* Text : Mylène Farmer
* Music : Laurent Boutonnat
* Editions : Bertrand Le Page / Polygram Music
* Recording company : Polydor
* Photography : Marianne Rosensthiel
* Design : Jean-Pauk Théodule

Certifications and sales

Charts

References