Belle (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Belle


Cover size =
Border =
Caption =
Artist = Patrick Fiori, Daniel Lavoie and Garou
Album = Notre-Dame de Paris
A-side =
B-side = "Déchiré"
Released = 1998
Format = CD single
Recorded = France, 1997
Genre = Ballad
Length = 4:36
Label = Sony Music
Writer = Luc Plamondon (text)
Richard Cocciante (music)
Producer = Richard Cocciante
Jannick Top
Serge Perathoner
Audio sample? =
Certification = Diamond France, 1998
Chronology = "Notre-Dame de Paris" singles
Last single = "Vivre" (1998)
This single = "Belle" (1998)
Next single = "Le Temps des cathédrales" (1998)
Misc =

"Belle" is a 1997 song performed by the French singers Patrick Fiori, Daniel Lavoie and Garou, from the musical "Notre Dame de Paris". Released as a single in 1998, it was a smash hit in France and Belgium, topping the charts for many months. To date, the song is the one of the best-selling singles of all time in these countries.

Background and writing

As for the songs from the musical, the text was written by Luc Plamondon, who had also written the musical "Starmania" in 1987, and the music composed by Richard Cocciante. The musical arrangements were made by Richard Cocciante, Jannick Top and Serge Perathoner who also worked on the musical direction.

"Belle" is a romantic song in which the three singers, who respectively portrayed Quasimodo (Garou), Frollo (Daniel Lavoie) and Phœbus (Patrick Fiori), reveal in turn their love for the gypsy Esmeralda, before singing together the last verse.Elia Habib, "Muz hit. tubes", p. 434,435 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)]

Chart performances and records

The song was charted on the French Singles Chart for 60 weeks, which is to date the second single with most total weeks in the Top 100 (the number one is "U-Turn (Lili)", by AaRON, with 61 weeks), and the first one in the top 50, with 49 weeks. It entered the chart at #96 on May 9, 1998, and climbed slowly, reaching number one in its 18th week, which is the one of the slowest climb to the first place. It was also the first trio to reach #1 on this chart. It had huge weekly sales when the musical was performed, from September 12, 1998. It stayed at the top for 18 consecutive weeks, which was at the time the record of the most weeks at #1 (this record was beaten in 2000 by Lou Bega's "Mambo n°5 (a Little Bit of...)", with 20 weeks). After that, the song managed to drop slowly, totaling 31 weeks in the top ten."Belle", in French Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Daniel+Lavoie+%2F+Patrick+Fiori+%2F+Garou&titel=Belle&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved April 26, 2008)]
Certified Diamond disc by the SNEP,French certifications [http://www.disqueenfrance.com/certifications/single.asp?forme_certif=6&annee=13 Disqueenfrance.com] (Retrieved April 24, 2008)] it was the best-selling single of 1998,1998 French Singles Chart [http://www.disqueenfrance.com/classements/singles/classement_annuel.asp?date=13 Disqueenfrance.com] (Retrieved April 26, 2008)] of the 1990s, and the third one of all time in France (behind Tino Rossi's "Petit Papa Noël" and JJ Lionel's "La Danse des Canards"),Best-selling singles of all time in France [http://www.infodisc.fr/S_ToutTemps.php Infodisc.fr] (Retrieved April 26, 2008)] with about 2,221,000 copies sold. [Sales of "Belle" in France [http://www.infodisc.fr/S_Certif.php Infodisc.fr] (Retrieved April 26, 2008)]

In Belgium (Wallonia), the single debuted at #24 on the Ultratop 40 Singles Chart, on June 6, 1998. It topped the chart for only six weeks, from September 19 to October 24, but remained in the top ten for 30 consecutive weeks. It fell off the chart (Top 40) after 44 weeks."Belle", in Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Daniel+Lavoie+%2F+Patrick+Fiori+%2F+Garou&titel=Belle&cat=s Ultratop.be] (Retrieved April 26, 2008)] It is the best-selling single of the year1998 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=1998 Ultratop.be] (Retrieved April 26, 2008)] and the most successful song from 1995 in that country. [Best-selling singles in Belgium from 1995 [http://www.ultratop.be/fr/bestall.asp Ultratop.be] (Retrieved April 26, 2008)]

Track listings

; CD single
# "Belle" — 4:36
# "Déchiré" by Patrick Fiori — 3:18

Certifications

References