L'Âme-stram-gram

Single infobox |
Name = L'Âme-stram-gram


Artist = Mylène Farmer
from Album = Innamoramento
Released = March 9, 1999
Format = CD single
CD maxi
12" maxi
Digital download (since 2005)
Recorded = 1999, France
Genre = Pop
Length = 5:16 (single version)
4:24 (album version)
Label = Polydor
Writer = Text : Mylène Farmer
Music : Laurent Boutonnat
Producer = Laurent Boutonnat
Certification = Silver France, 1999
Chronology = Mylène Farmer singles
Last single = "Ainsi soit je... (live)"
(1997)
This single = "L'Âme-stram-gram"
(1999)
Next single = "Je te rends ton amour"
(1999)Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = CD maxiExtra tracklisting
Album = Innamoramento
Type = studio
prev_track = "L'Amour naissant"
prev_no = 1
this_track = "L'Âme-stram-gram"
track_no = 2
next_track = "Pas le temps de vivre"
next_no = 3Extra tracklisting
Album = Mylenium Tour
Type = live
prev_track = "L'Amour naissant"
prev_no = 2
this_track = "L'Âme-stram-gram"
track_no = 3
next_track = "Beyond My Control"
next_no = 4Extra tracklisting
Album = Music Videos III
Type = Video
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "L'Âme-stram-gram"
track_no = 1
next_track = "Je te rends ton amour"
next_no = 2Extra tracklisting
Album = Music Videos II & III
Type = Video
prev_track = "Comme j'ai mal"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "L'Âme-stram-gram"
track_no = 6
next_track = "Je te rends ton amour"
next_no = 7Extra tracklisting
Album = Les Mots
Type = compilation
prev_track = "C'est une belle journée"
prev_no = 7
this_track = "L'Âme-stram-gram"
track_no = 8
next_track = "Je te rends ton amour"
next_no = 9Extra tracklisting
Album = RemixeS
Type = compilation
prev_track = "L'Instant X"
prev_no = 2
this_track = "L'Âme-stram-gram"
track_no = 3
next_track = "C'est une belle journée"
next_no = 4

"L'Âme-stram-gram" is a 1999 song recorded by the French artist Mylène Farmer. The song was released as the first single from Farmer's fifth studio album "Innamoramento" on March 9, 1999. It was illustrated by an expensive music video shot in China in which Farmer portrayed two characters. The song has success in France, even if it failed to top the chart.

Background and writing

In January 1999, Farmer was no longer appeared on television for more than a year and a half, after the release of the singles from the album "Live à Bercy". At that time, rumours announced the singer's return would be imminent, with a very rhythmic single named "The Small World" and a new album whose name would be "Mes Moires". These forecasts were proved wrong ; but as early as February, the radio station NRJ aired the new Farmer's single, which in fact named "L'Âme-stram-gram". According to some fans, this song, with very techno dancing accents, seemed to show a singer's change of registry musical. ["L'Âme-stram-gram" [http://www.mylene.net/mylene/d_s_asg.php Mylene.net] (Retrieved January 4, 2008)]

Promotional envelopes (some sealed, others not) were released in limited edition on March 2 and 6 and contain, in addition to the CD single, the song's lyrics written by Farmer. ["Jukebox", No. 179, June 2002 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/2002/Jukebox_magazine_179_062002_1.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 22, 2008)] There is a spelling mistake in the word "immiscer" and a deletion. ["Instant-Mag", No. 7, 2001, p. 30]

The song is available in its studio version on "Innamoramento" and "Les Mots", in a live version with Hispanic accents on "Mylenium Tour" and in a remixed version ('full intention ultra mix') by Michael Gray and Jon Pearn on "RemixeS".

Lyrics and music

"L'Âme-stram-gram", whose text was written in Milan, is a "techno ballad" dealing with sex, childhood and psychoanalysis. With this song, Farmer "abandons the Slavonic and American universes to be interested in Asia". ["L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 32-33 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)]

It contains numerous erotic puns : ["L'Âme-stram-gram", L'histoire de la chanson : le titre de la confidence amoureuse [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/amestramglobalite.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved January 5, 2008)] "J'ouïs tout ce que tu confesses / Et l'essaim scande l'ivresse", "J'ouïs tout ce que tu susurres / L'essaim bat la mesure", "Immisce et glisse l'abdomen / Dans l'orifice à moi", "L'âme-stram-gram, pique-moi dans l'âme / Bourrée bourrée de nœuds mâles / L'âme-stram-gram pique dames". The associtations of sonorities allow to hear, or at least to refer, to the orgasm, the female organs ( "cunt", "buttock", "breast") and the sexual penetration. ["Mylène Farmer Influences", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Mascara Ed., p. 48,49 (ISBN 978-2351440261)]

The song also refers to "a childhood rhyme (a song recited by children to point out a person at random from a group) and the psychoanalysis with the theme of the sofa and the "Oedipus complex" identified by Sigmund Freud". The voice is also "quite subdued in order to make it more heavenly, the music used more synthesizers and bass guitar than the previous album". ["L'Âme-stram-gram" [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/singles/single.php?single=lame-stram-gram Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved January 5, 2008)]

Music video

The video, which lasts 7:50, was conducted with great pomp. It was filmed in Beijing by Ching Siu Tung for five days and four nights. Like most other of Farmer's videos, it is a Requiem Publishing and Stuffed Monkey production. The screenplay, written by the singer, is based on a Chinese legend and the film series ")]

The staging was extremely careful and the images were very aesthetic. It was shot with a huge budget of 400,000 euros (900,000 euros according to another source ["Mylène Farmer, le culte - L'envers du décor", Sophie Khairallah, 2007, Why Not Ed., p. 44] ). This costliness is mainly because of the construction of scenery (a reconstruction of the Great Wall of China) and digital special effects. Despite the very cold temperatures during the shooting, Farmer was not wearing a T-shirt under her costume and also directed most of the stunts. Valérie Bony, a dancer of Farmer's tours, played this one's body double when the latter was showed from her back. ["L'Âme-Stram-Gram", videoclip [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/amestramclip.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved January 5, 2008)]

The video features two twin sisters, played by Farmer, and several Chinese bandits. Initially, the two sisters are dressed in blue veils and play together in a veiled coloured decor. But numerous knights arrive and begin to prosecute the two sisters. Suddenly, the latters derive their long tongue, which, in contact, produce a power making drop the soldiers from their horses. Nevertheless, the robbers managed to stun one of the two sisters and to capture another. They bring her in an immense stable where some people are tortured. Then the second sister, exhausted, comes in order to rescue her sister, but makes a fatal fall in climbing the long staircase leading to the stable. Her soul leaves her body and reach the sky. The sister still alive and the soul then derive their long tongue, a fire falls on their enemies, and they escape from the stable. While it starts to snow, they play in the airs under the full moon ; however, in the early morning, the soul disappears in the sky. Her sister, desperate, thinks back to the good times spent with her and decides to throw herself from the top of the Great Wall of China in order to be eternally with her in Paradise. The video ends with credits. ["L'Âme-stram-gram", music video [http://www.jukebo.fr/mylene-farmer_videos_l-ame-stram-gram_3srp3.html?idtp=0 Jukebo.fr] (Retrieved May 15, 2008)]

According to an analysis, the video illustrates the idea of "a myth overtaken by reality" : indeed, "the image of a serene life enshrined in the completeness, came to be overtaken by the harsh reality. This fantasy can exist and be realised only outside reality". ["Mylène Farmer - La part d'ombre", Caroline Bee, Antoine Bioy & Benjamin Thiry, 2005, Archipel Ed., p. 244-246]

TV and chart performances

In 1999, Farmer performed the song in three TV shows : "Les Années tubes" (April 2, TF1), "Hit Machine" (April 17, M6), "Tapis rouge" (April 24, France 2). On these occasions, she had a new hairstyle while loops, but that was short-lived. ["L'Âme-stram-gram", TV performances [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/repertoire-des-chansons.php?chanson=lame-stram-gram Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved January 5, 2008)] The choreography created by Farmer was performed with two dancers.

In France, the single went straight to #2, on March 13, 1999. At that time, some observers thought that Mylène Farmer could become the first artist whose every studio album, in a series of four consecutive, would have produced a number-one single ("Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" from "Ainsi soit je...", "Désenchantée" from "L'Autre...", and "XXL" from "Anamorphosée"). [Elia Habib, "Muz hit. tubes", p. 454 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)] Against all odds, the single kept on dropping the following weeks. It remained for only four weeks in the Top 10, ten weeks in the Top 50, and 16 weeks in the chart."L'Âme-stram-gram", French SNEP Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Myl%E8ne+Farmer&titel=L%27%E2me%2Dstram%2Dgram&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved December 24, 2007)] Howerver, the single was certified Silver disc by the French certificator SNEP1999 certifications in France [http://www.disqueenfrance.com/certifications/single.asp?suite=3&forme_certif=6&annee=15 Disqueenfrance.com] (Retrieved September 5, 2007)] and ranked number 58 on the Annual Singles Chart.1999 French Singles Chart [http://www.ifop.com/europe/sondages/discannu/single99.stm Ifop.com] (Retrieved December 24, 2007)]

In Belgian Ultratop 40 Single Chart, the single was listed for 13 weeks from March 20 to June 12. It debuted at number #22 before jumping to its highest position, #9, the week after. Then it fell every week, but very slowly."L'Âme-stram-gram", Belgian (Wallonia) Ultratop 40 Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?key=29841&cat=s Ultratop.be] (Retrieved January 3, 2007)] Thus "L'Âme-stram-gram" was in Belgium the best-selling single from the album "Innamoramento", with the longest running and the best peak position. It reached number 53 on the Belgian Annual Singles Chart1999 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=1999 Ultratop.be] (Retrieved December 24, 2007)] .

Formats and track listings

; CD single
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (single version) — 4:20
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (instrumental) — 4:30

; CD maxi - Digipack
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (single version) — 4:20
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique dames club mix) — 6:35
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique d'âme club mix) — 6:50
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Lady Bee by Lady B's remix) — 6:25

; CD maxi - Crystal case - Germany
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (single version) — 4:20
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique dames club mix) — 6:35
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique d'âme club mix) — 6:50
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Lady Bee by Lady B's remix) — 6:25

; 12" maxiA-side :
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique dames club mix) — 6:35
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (single version) — 4:20B-side :
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique d'âme club mix) — 6:50
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Lady Bee by Lady B's remix) — 6:25; Digital download
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (album version) — 4:24
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (live version) — 5:59
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (full intention sultra mix) — 8:00

; CD single - Promo
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (single version) — 4:12

; CD single - Promo - Luxurious envelope - Limited edition (200)
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (single version) — 4:12

; 12" maxi - PromoA-side :
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique dames club mix) — 6:35
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (single version) — 4:20B-side :
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Perky Park pique d'âme club mix) — 6:50
# "L'Âme-stram-gram" (Lady Bee by Lady B's remix) — 6:25

Versions

; Official versions

References