Fais-moi une place

"Fais-moi une place"
Single by Julien Clerc
from the album Fais-moi une place
B-side"Gare à la casse"
ReleasedJanuary 1990
Recorded1989
GenrePop, chanson
Length3:35
LabelVirgin
Composer(s)Julien Clerc
Lyricist(s)Françoise Hardy
Producer(s)Phil Ramone
Julien Clerc singles chronology
"Les Menhirs"
(1988) 		"Fais-moi une place"
(1990) 		"Fille de feu"
(1990)

"Fais-moi une place" is a 1989 pop song recorded by French singer Julien Clerc. Written by Françoise Hardy with a music composed by Clerc, it was the first single from his 15th studio album Fais-moi une place, on which it appears as the seventh track, and was released in January 1990. It achieved success in France where it was a top ten hit and won the category "Song of the year" at the 1991 Victoires de la Musique.

Background and writing

Clerc and Hardy had a first collaboration in 1988, on Clerc's album Les Aventures à l'eau. In 1989, he proposed to Hardy several of his compositions, but she was not interested by them; however, the last one he played, the one which was later that of "Fais-moi une place", pleased her, though the melody was not finished. Hardy had an audio cassette of the composition, and about three days later, she sent Clerc a version of "Fais-moi une place" with her own lyrics and sung by her, asking him not to change a single thing, as she deemed that the first attempt was always good and that she would not rewrite the lyrics. Clerc eventually recorded the song in New York.[1][2]

Music video

The black and white music video for "Fais-moi une place" was directed by Didier Le Pecheur.[3]

Critical reception

"Fais-moi une place" was elected "Song of the year" at the 1991 Victoires de la Musique. Elia Habib, an expert of the French charts, qualified it as a "1990s standard",[4] and Anthony Martin of RTL deemed it a "great" and "melancholy" song.[1]

Cover versions

In 1989, the same year of the recording by Clerc, Hardy made her own version of "Fais-moi une place" on the compilation Vingt ans vingt titres, as she stated she liked the song. In 1990, American group Comateens covered the song in a very bubble gum version titled "A place for Me", which was released as a single in 1991.[1][4] "Fais-moi une place" was also covered by Michel Delpech (Les Plus Belles Chansons françaises, 1996), Jérémy Amelin of Star Academy 5 (Les Meilleurs Moments, 2005), Maurane and Christophe Willem (Kiss and Love for Sidaction, 2014) and Liane Foly (Crooneuse, 2016). In 2019, Clerc covered the song as a duet with his daughter Vanille and considered that this version expressed more the love between parents and children.[1]

Chart performance

In France, "Fais-moi une place" debuted at number 30 on the chart edition of 10 February 1990, which was the highest debut that week; then it climbed every week and reached a peak of number eight in its fourth week, and remained for a total of 13 weeks in the top 50.[5] On the European Hot 100, it started at number 89 on 3 March 1990, reached a peak of number 34 in its third week,[6] and appeared on the chart for ten weeks. Much played on radio, it also charted for eight weeks on the European Airplay Hot 100, with a peak for two weeks at number 21,[7] and was number one on the French AM national aiplay.[8]

Track listings

  1. "Fais moi-une place" — 3:35
  2. "Gare à la casse" — 3:52
  3. "Le Verrou" — 2:22
  1. "Fais moi-une place" — 3:35
  2. "Gare à la casse" — 3:52
  • 7" single - Promo[11]
  1. "Fais moi-une place" — 3:35
  • 12" single - Promo[12]
  1. "Fais moi-une place" — 3:35

Charts

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 43
Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[7] 21
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[6] 34
France (Airplay Chart [AM Stations])[8] 1
France (SNEP)[5] 8

Release history

Country Date Format Label
France 1990 CD single[9] Virgin
7" single[10]
Promotional 7" single[11]
Promotional 12" single[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Martin, Anthony (29 October 2020). "Découvrez "Fais-moi une place" de Julien Clerc chanté en anglais par Comateens" (in French). RTL. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  2. ^ Dufreigne, Philippe (26 July 2020). "Les secrets des tubes : "Fais-moi une place" de Julien Clerc". bfmtv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  3. ^ "France – Spotlight" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 4. 27 January 1990. p. 14. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 19 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ a b Habib, Elia (2002). Muz hit.tubes (in French). Alinéa Bis. p. 181. ISBN 2-9518832-0-X.
  5. ^ a b "Julien Clerc – Fais-moi une place" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 11. 17 March 1990. p. IV-V. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 30 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  7. ^ a b "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 12. 24 March 1990. p. III. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 30 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  8. ^ a b "Playlist report – The most played records in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 4. 27 January 1990. p. II. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 19 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
  9. ^ a b "Fais-moi une place" at Discogs, CD single 1 France (Julien Clerc – "Fais-moi une place") (accessdate: 30 September 2021).
  10. ^ a b "Fais-moi une place" at Discogs, 7" single Promo France (Julien Clerc – "Fais-moi une place") (accessdate: 30 September 2021).
  11. ^ a b "Fais-moi une place" at Discogs, 12" single Promo France (Julien Clerc – "Fais-moi une place") (accessdate: 30 September 2021).
  12. ^ a b "Fais-moi une place" at Discogs, 12" single Promo France (Julien Clerc – "Fais-moi une place") (accessdate: 30 September 2021).
  13. ^ "Julien Clerc – Fais-moi une place" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 September 2021.