A version in 1977 by Grace Jones was also a successful international hit.[4]
Background and release
The song's title can be translated as "Life in happy hues", "Life seen through rose-coloured glasses", or "Life in rosy hues"; its literal meaning is "Life in Pink."[5]
The lyrics of "La Vie en rose" were written by Édith Piaf for music composed by Louiguy, and is registered with SACEM.[6] It was probably Robert Chauvigny who completed the music. When Piaf suggested to Marguerite Monnot that she sing the piece, the latter rejected "that foolishness." It was eventually Louiguy who accepted authorship of the music. The song was broadcast live before being recorded. Piaf offered the song to Marianne Michel, who modified the lyrics slightly, changing "les choses" ("things") for "la vie" ("life"). In 1943, Piaf had performed at a nightclub/bordello called "La Vie en Rose."[7] Initially, Piaf's peers and songwriting team did not think the song would be successful, finding it weaker than the rest of her repertoire. Heeding their advice, the singer put the song aside, only to change her mind the next year. It was performed live in concert for the first time in 1946. It became a favorite with audiences.[6] "La Vie en rose" was the song that made Piaf internationally famous, its lyrics expressing the joy of finding true love and appealing to those who had endured the hardships of World War II.[8]
"La Vie en rose" was released on a 10-inch single in 1947 by Columbia Records, a division of EMI, with "Un refrain courait dans la rue" making the B-side. It met with a warm reception and sold a million copies in the United States. It was the best-selling single of 1948 in Italy, and the ninth best-selling single in Brazil in 1949.[9] Piaf performed the song in the 1948 French movie Neuf garçons, un cœur. The first of her albums to include "La Vie en rose" was the 10-inch Chansons Parisiennes, released in 1950. It appeared on most of Piaf's subsequent albums, and on numerous greatest hits compilations. It went on to become her signature song and her trademark hit, ranking with "Milord" and "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" among her best-known and most recognizable tunes. Encouraged by its success, Piaf wrote eighty more songs in her career.[6]
English lyrics were written by Mack David, and numerous versions were recorded in the United States in 1950. The recordings that charted were by Tony Martin (reached the No. 9 position in the Billboard chart), Paul Weston (No. 12 position), Bing Crosby (No. 13 position), Édith Piaf (No. 23 position), Ralph Flanagan (No. 27 position) and Victor Young (No. 27 position). Louis Armstrong recorded C'est si bon and La Vie en rose in New York City with Sy Oliver and his Orchestra on 26 June 1950,[10] which reached the No. 28 position on the Billboard chart and was certified silver in the United Kingdom in 2023.[11][12] Bing Crosby also recorded the song in French in 1953 for his album Le Bing: Song Hits of Paris. A version titled "Take Me To Your Heart Again" by Vince Hill reached #18 in Canada, March 14, 1966.[13]
Grace Jones covered "La Vie en rose" in 1977 for her debut studio albumPortfolio. It was the third and the last single from that album, and at the same time, her first single release on Island Records after having signed with the label.
The single version was heavily edited from its original album version. Jones's fairly radical bossa nova interpretation of Édith Piaf's signature tune became her first international hit single and a staple of her repertoire. It was later performed as part of her 1981 A One Man Show, then the only track from her disco era to be included in the show. In Spain and Mexico the track was billed as "La Vida en Rosa" on the 7-inch single release, although it was not a Spanish language version of the song. Jones's recording of "La Vie en rose" was later re-released a number of times in the early 1980s and finally reached number 12 in the UK charts when re-released as a double A-side with "Pull Up to the Bumper" in 1985. The single was certified Gold in France and Italy.[16]
Jones said about the song, "That's a very special song to me. Oh God, I cry every time I sing it. I had quite a few French lovers, so every time I sing it I think about them."[17]
The music video for the song was made using the chroma key technique. It presents Jones dancing and singing the song with the famous 1978 montage of herself in the background, which was later used for the cover of her 1985 Island Life compilation. The video begins with Jones wearing a rose-patterned coat. Having removed it, the singer dances in a scanty gold dress which reveals her right nipple as well as black underwear.
Track listing
French 7-inch single (1977)[18]/ Dutch 7-inch single (1977)[19]
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Appearances and references in media
Louis Armstrong’s English cover appears in the 2008 Disney/Pixar film WALL-E.
Edith Piaf’s original version is used in the 2014 video game BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea: Episode 2, where it is also sung by one of the characters.
Grace Jones’ version plays over the closing credits of Robert Altman’s 1994 film Prêt-à-Porter.
The 2007 film La Vie en Rose, a biopic of Piaf’s life, is named in reference to the song.
^"Italian News"(PDF). Cash Box. 8 July 1978. p. 40. Retrieved 1 January 2023. Rain of gold for Grace Jones. Her big hit "La Vie En Rose" has sold over a million copies in Italy
