Pardonne-moi

Single infobox |
Name = Pardonne-moi


Artist = Mylène Farmer
from Album = Les Mots
Released = October 21 2002
Format = CD single
7" maxi
Digital download (since 2005)
Recorded = 2001, France
Genre = Pop
Length = 4:30
Label = Polydor
Writer = Text : Mylène Farmer
Music : Laurent Boutonnat
Producer = Laurent Boutonnat
Certification =
Chronology = Mylène Farmer singles
Last single = "C'est une belle journée"
(2002)
This single = "Pardonne-moi"
(2002)
Next single = "Fuck Them All"
(2005)Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = 7" maxiExtra tracklisting
Album = Les Mots
Type = compilation
prev_track = "L'Histoire d'une fée, c'est..."
prev_no = 14
this_track = "Pardonne-moi"
track_no = 15
next_track =
next_no = Extra tracklisting
Album = Music Videos IV
Type = Video
prev_track = "Les Mots"
prev_no = 1
this_track = "Pardonne-moi"
track_no = 2
next_track = "C'est une belle journée"
next_no = 3

"Pardonne-moi" is a 2001 song recorded by the French artist Mylène Farmer. It was the third and last single from her best of, "Les Mots", and was released on October 21, 2002. Like "À quoi je sers...", the song marked the end of an era in the singer's career. Even if it was a top ten hit in France, its sales were rather disappointing.

Background and writing

After many hesitations, Polydor sent to the radios the promotional CD in a glass case since September 2002 and announced the song's release as a single on October 14. ["Pardonne-moi" [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/singles/single.php?single=pardonne-moi Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved December 19, 2007)] Unlike the previous Farmer's songs "Les Mots" and "C'est une belle journée", as well as the cover of "Désenchantée" by Kate Ryan, "Pardonne-moi" was rarely broadcast on radio. The single was released in CD single in a limited edition (version easel) and in 12" maxi with a run of 6,000 copies containing another remix named 'forgiveness club remix'."Pardonne-moi", L'histoire de la chanson : La fin d'une ère ? [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/pardonneglob.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved December 20, 2007)]

Lyrics and music

This "melancholic" and "tortured""Mylène Farmer, l'icône", "Jukebox", n°253, p. 7 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/2008/02-2008-JUKEBOX-N253-2.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved May 13, 2008)] love song "uses imagery of fairy tale". Farmer evokes various princes to whom she speaks : Hungarian Prince, Hindu Prince, Arabic Prince, Dawn Prince, Black Prince. There are several references to the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty" ("La Belle au Bois dormant" or "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood"), by Charles Perrault."Le Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Tournon Ed., p. 191-193]

Music video

The videoclip, whose screenplay was written both by Mylène Farmer and Laurent Boutonnat, was directed by the latter. It was a Requiem Publishing and Stuffed Monkey production.

As the song had several oriental sonorities, foolish rumours went round about the video : it would be filmed in Morocco, during the singer's vacations on September 2002. In fact, it was shot for two days in Stains (France), and cost about 40 000 euros - so it was one of the less expensive Farmer's videoclip. It features a horse (which gallops on a treadmill to give the impression that it does not move forward) and a snake which belong to Farmer. She had bought them in Morocco). ["Pardonne-moi", videoclip [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/pardonneclip.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved December 19, 2007)]

The videoclip, in black and white, features Farmer, dressed as a nun, praying, and sometimes performing a dance in a white smoke. During the chorus, she begs forgiveness in a smoky light came from above. A mysterious knight on a horse gallops, accelerating his running over the video. Afterwards, Farmer has white eyes, then eyes similar to those of a snake. A big snake is also filmed closely. ["Pardonne-moi", videoclip [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/clips/clip.php?clip=pardonne-moi Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved December 19, 2007)]

In this videoclip, "Boutonnat seems totally resume the reins of Farmer's image : total harmony between photography, editing, and sound, but also haunting images at the expense of the construction, as moments which are thrown on their own ambiance (...). The absence of colours and landscapes, planes tight inspire melancholy, almost dread. This feeling is accentuated by certain images of the singer engaged in an epileptic choreography, pretending to struggle in a smoke. These images have gone for the most part upside down"."Instant-Mag", No. 12, 2003, p. 12]

Various elements of the video resume visual effects already used in the old Farmer's videoclips : black and white ("À quoi je sers..."), eyes rolled upwards ("Tristana"), a snake ("Sans logique"), a moon ("Ainsi soit je..."), a horse through a cloud of smoke ("Allan"), some moving sails ("L'Âme-stram-gram"), a smoky camera ("Beyond My Control"), and a succession of zoom lens ("Maman a tort"). Thus, many observers saw in these references a conclusive aspect in this video and a summary of Farmer's work, like "À quoi je sers...", 13 years earlier.

Critical reception

The song was generally well received in media. For example, it was said : The singer "uses ingredients that make her success : an enigmatic voice raised on somber and melancholy texts" ("Fan2"). ["Fan2", Ocotber 2002 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/2002/Fan2_42_102002.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 22, 2008)] The melody is "sweet and sad", with a "delightful and melancholy text" ("Star Club"). ["Star Club", November 2002, "Pardonne-moi" [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/2002/Star_club_180_112002.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 22, 2008)] "Pardonne-moi" has an "effective melody", a "evanescent voice" and a mysterious text, which can be interpreted in many ways ("Télé Magazine"). ["Télé Magazine", No. 2455, November 2002, "Le cri de Mylène" [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/2002/Tele_magazine_2455_112002_1.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 22, 2008)]

Chart performances

The single entered to number 6, its peak position, on French SNEP Singles Chart, on October 26, thus giving to Farmer her 25th top ten in France. However, the weeks after, the single kept on carrying out dives in the lower positions, staying only six weeks in the top 50 and 17 weeks on the chart."Pardonne-moi", French SNEP Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Myl%E8ne+Farmer&titel=Pardonne%2Dmoi&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved December 19, 2007)]

In Belgium (Wallonia), the single made its debut at the 13th place on November 6 and entered the Top 10 the following week, climbing to #7, which was its peak position. The six weeks after, the single never stopped to fall, leaving the chart after eight weeks of attendance."Pardonne-moi", Belgian (Wallonia) Ultratop 40 Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?key=5383&cat=s Ultratop.be] (Retrieved January 3, 2007)] It appears at #85 on Belgian End of the Year chart.2002 Belgian Singles Chart [http://www.skynet.be/index.html?l1=entertainment&l2=ultratop&l3=yearview&fetchlist=grab&type=100_singles&yr=2002&new_lang=fr Skynet.be] (Retrieved December 19, 2007)]

In Switzerland, "Pardonne-moi" had a surprising running. It debuted at number 53 on November 11, before dropping. It left the chart on January 26, 2003, after being listed for nine weeks, but came back straight to its peak position (#45) the following week. The single stayed another week in the chart, then disappeared definitively."Pardonne-moi", Swiss Top 100 Singles Chart [http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Myl%E8ne+Farmer&titel=Pardonne%2Dmoi&cat=s Hitparade.ch] (Retrieved December 19, 2007)]

Formats and track listings

; CD single
# "Pardonne-moi" (single version) — 4:30
# "Pardonne-moi" (dark side of the mix) — 4:30
# "Pardonne-moi" (instrumental) — 4:30

; CD single - Tryptic
# "Pardonne-moi" (single version) — 4:30
# "Pardonne-moi" (dark side of the mix) — 4:30
# "Pardonne-moi" (instrumental) — 4:30

; 12" maxi
A-side :
# "Pardonne-moi" (forgiveness club remix) — 6:30
B-side :
# "Pardonne-moi" (single version) — 4:30; Digital download
# "Pardonne-moi" (single version) — 4:30

; CD single - Promo
# "Pardonne-moi" (radio edit) — 4:05

; CD single - Promo - Luxury - Limited edition (800)
# "Pardonne-moi" (radio edit) — 4:05

; VHS - Promo
# "Pardonne-moi" (video)

Versions

; Official versions

References

External links

* [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/2002/Star_club_180_112002.jpg"Pardonne-moi", lyrics]