The song is a ballad, with Barrière reminiscing about a girl he used to know and how pretty she was. Her beauty was apparently so much that he could not love her. Barrière also recorded the song in German and Italian, as "Du gingst fort ohne Abschied" and "Era troppo carina" respectively. The song was well received in Latin America, particularly in Chile.[1]
Dragan Stojnić, a Yugoslavchanson singer, released a cover version of the song in 1965 with lyrics in Serbo-Croatian, entitled "Bila je tako lijepa". The song was released on the EP of the same name.[2] This version was a great hit in all former Yugoslavia.
"Bila je tako lijepa", a cover version of the Dragan Stojnić version of the Alain Barrière song "Elle était si jolie", was the third and last single by the Serbianpunk rock band Pekinška Patka, released in 1980.
Track listing
"Bila je tako lijepa" (A. Barrière, B. Stojadinović, N. Čonkić) (3:24)
"Bumba, rumba" (N. Čonkić, S. Kovačević) (2:24)
Other versions
Croatianpunk rock band Hladno Pivo recorded a cover version of the song, mainly relying on the Pekinška Patka version.
In Vietnamese, the song is known as "Em Đẹp Như Mơ".[4]
Israeli singer Daklon recorded a cover version of the song in Hebrew, called Benativ Meurpal (On a Foggy Path), in 1998.[5]
Israeli poet David Avidan wrote a parody based on the song in Hebrew, performed by Arik Lavie. The parody is about a prostitute and her pimp.[6]
Israeli Singer Rika Zarai recorded a cover version of the song.
References
^Billboard - 23 Jan 1965 Vol. 77, n° 3- Page 18 "Chile Industry Suffers Loss in 1964: .....Last year was a good year for European artists in Chile. Gilbert Becaud, Alain Barriere, Rita Pavone and Michele were best sellers, and they are new sinking idols for the young set. "Natalie," the best seller in the singles market for Odeon, "Elle etait si jolie" and "Ma Vie," by Alain Barriere have created a great demand for European hits."
