Rêver

Single infobox |
Name = Rêver


Artist = Mylène Farmer
from Album = Anamorphosée
Released = November 16, 1996
Format = CD single
CD maxi
Digital download (since 2005)
Recorded = 1995
Genre = Pop
Length = 4:42
Label = Universal
Writer = Text : Mylène Farmer
Music : Laurent Boutonnat
Producer = Laurent Boutonnat
Certification =
Chronology = Mylène Farmer singles
Last single = "Comme j'ai mal"
(1996)
This single = "Rêver"
(1996)
Next single = "La Poupée qui fait non"
(1997)Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = CD maxiExtra tracklisting
Album = Anamorphosée
Type = studio
prev_track = "XXL"
prev_no = 7
this_track = "Rêver"
track_no = 8
next_track = "Alice"
next_no = 9Extra tracklisting
Album = Live à Bercy
Type = live
prev_track = "Désenchantée"
prev_no = 4
this_track = "Rêver"
track_no = 5
next_track = "Laisse le vent emporter tout"
next_no = 6Extra tracklisting
Album = Mylenium Tour
Type = live
prev_track = "Beyond My Control"
prev_no = 4
this_track = "Rêver"
track_no = 5
next_track = "Il n'y a pas d'ailleurs"
next_no = 6Extra tracklisting
Album = Music Videos II & III
Type = Video
prev_track = "La Poupée qui fait non"
prev_no = 12
this_track = "Rêver"
track_no = 13
next_track =
next_no = Extra tracklisting
Album = Les Mots
Type = compilation
prev_track = "Comme j'ai mal"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "Rêver"
track_no = 6
next_track = "C'est une belle journée"
next_no = 7Extra tracklisting
Album = Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy
Type = live
prev_track = "Redonne-moi"
prev_no = 11
this_track = "Rêver"
track_no = 1
next_track = "L'Autre"
next_no = 2

"Rêver" is a 1995 song recorded by the French artist Mylène Farmer. Fifth single from her fourth album "Anamorphosée", it was released on November 16, 1996. Even if its sales were not huge, the song remains one of most known by the general public because of the subjects it deals with, namely the Holocaust and a call for tolerance.

Background, writing and release

Initially, only three singles from the studio album "Anamorphosée" were scheduled. However, because of the fall of Farmer during a concert in Lyon on June 15, 1996, the song "Rêver" was chosen as the sixth single in order to make the fans wait, since the release of the live album would be deferred."Rêver", L'histoire de la chanson : la chanson hymne à la tolérance [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/reverglobalite.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved January 13, 2008]

The single was released only in CD (no vinyl). The digipack version of the CD maxi contains a new remix of "XXL". The second track of the CD single is the live version of the song. As for the single remix ('stripped dream remix'), it was produced by Laurent Boutonnat.

"Rêver" was performed during the last three tours : 1996 Tour, Mylenium Tour and Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy. When Farmer sang this song at these occasions, she sometimes wept.

Lyrics and music

"Rêver" was the first Farmer's song to refer to the genocide of World War II, in the first verse, through the book "If This Is a Man", written by Primo Levi (the second single was "Souviens-toi du jour"). When the single was released, a lot of people haven't seen the reference to this tragedy in the song, which Farmer didn't enjoy. One verse of the chorus, "J'irai cracher sur vos tombes", refers to a book by Boris Vian ["L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 263-264 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)] under the pseudonym of Vernon Sullivan. This book provoked a controversy in 1947 because of its violent and sexual content."Rêver" [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/singles/single.php?single=rever Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved January 13, 2008)] The verse "Nous ne marcherons plus ensemble", in the poem "Dans le Monde étranger", written by the French author Pierre Reverdy, is also quoted in the song. ["Instant-Mag", No. 16, 2004, p. 12]

In this song, Farmer said she "hopes for a better world, and confesses that she was perhaps misled glorifying misery. However, (...) [for her] , that hope is just an inaccessible dream". "Rêver" ends in a different way from other Farmer's songs : not with the refrain, but with a phrase : "J'ai rêvé qu'on pouvait s'aimer / J'avais rêver du mot aimer". ["Mylène Farmer Influences", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Mascara Ed., p. 76,77 (ISBN 978-2351440261)]

Music video

Initially, a video in a studio version was scheduled, but finally a live version was produced (in two versions). The video shows images from the 1996 concert.

TV performances

At the time of the single's release, Farmer performed the song in playback in one TV show, "Les Enfants de la guerre", on November 27, 1996, on TF1, in which she wore the same dress made by Paco Rabanne as that of 1996 concerts. ["Rêver", TV performances [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/repertoire-des-chansons.php?chanson=rever Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved January 13, 2008)]

"Rêver" was also sung in the "NRJ Music Awards" on January 10, 2003. These performance was carried out in live accompanied by Yvan Cassar who played piano. ["Instant-Mag", No. 13, 2003, p. 4] It was the first time since 17 years that Farmer sang in live on television.

Chart performances

The song managed to remain on the French Top 50 Singles Chart for 15 weeks, from November 23, 1996, to March 1, 1997. It peaked at number 7 in its second week and didn't fall quickly, unlike the previous single, "Comme j'ai mal". It is the 14th Top 10 for Farmer in this chart."Rêver", French SNEP Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Myl%E8ne+Farmer&titel=R%EAver&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved January 1, 2007)] Sales were not huge ; however, thanks to this single, the album "Anamorphosée" was able to reach number one for two weeks in the Top Album, one year and a half after its release.

In Belgium (Wallonia), the song debuted at number 30 in the Ultratop 40 Singles Chart on December 21, 1996 and reached number 12, its highest position, on February 2, 1997. It left the chart after 17 weeks of attendance, on April 26,"Rêver", Belgian (Wallonia) Ultratop 40 Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?key=62686&cat=s Ultratop.be] (Retrieved January 3, 2007)] and was the 96th best-selling single of the year.1997 Belgian Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=1997 Ultratop.be] (Retrieved January 21, 2008)]

Cover versions

In 2002, Gregorian covered the song in a 5:02 new age version which features on the album "Masters of Chant Chapter II". [Gregorian, "Rêver" [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gregorian&titel=R%EAver&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved January 13, 2008)]

The most notable cover was recorded with a video in 2002 by Les Enfoirés for the album "2002 : Tous dans le même bateau" (track 17, 4:45). [Les Enfoirés, "2002 : Tous dans le même bateau", track listing [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Les+Enfoir%E9s&titel=R%EAver&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved January 13, 2008)] Among the artists who perform "Rêver", there are Francis Cabrel, Pascal Obispo, Marc Lavoine, Patrick Bruel, Muriel Robin and Maurane. In this version, Alizée sings alone the first verses.

Formats and track listings

; CD single
# "Rêver" (radio edit) — 4:42
# "Rêver" (live version) — 6:00

; CD maxi - Crystal case
# "Rêver" (radio edit) — 4:42
# "Rêver" (the stripped dream mix) — 5:10
# "Rêver" (live version) — 6:00
# "XXL" (UK remix) — 9:00

; CD maxi - Digipack
# "Rêver" (radio edit) — 4:42
# "Rêver" (the stripped dream mix) — 5:10
# "Rêver" (live version) — 6:00
# "XXL" (UK remix) — 9:00

; CD single - Promo
# "Rêver" (radio edit) — 4:42; Digital download
# "Rêver" (album version) — 5:21
# "Rêver" (1996 live version) — 8:26
# "Rêver" (2000 live version) — 5:54
# "Rêver" (2006 live version) — 8:04

; CD maxi - Promo
# "Rêver" (radio edit) — 4:42
# "Rêver" (the stripped dream mix) — 5:10
# "Rêver" (live version) — 6:00
# "XXL" (UK remix) — 9:00

; VHS - Promo
# "Rêver" (video)

Versions

; Official versions

References