Michèle (song)

"Michèle"
Single by Gérard Lenorman
from the album Drôles de chansons
B-side"Et je t'aime"
Released1976 (1976)
GenreChanson, pop
Length3:08
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)Didier Barbelivien, Michel Cywie
Composer(s)Gérard Lenorman
Producer(s)Jean-Jacques Souplet
Music video
"Michèle" (TF1, 1976) on YouTube

"Michèle" is a song by French singer Gérard Lenorman[1] released in early 1976 as the first single from his album Drôles de chansons.

The song tells the story of two Parisian high school students who experience their first love between the ages of 15 to 17.[2]

Composition

The lyrics were written by Didier Barbelivien and are autobiographical.[2] The music was composed by Michel Cywie.

Originally, the song was to be titled "Marcelle",[3] but when Barbelivien showed it to Lenorman, the singer instantly decided to rename it to "Michèle" as a tribute to The Beatles[4][5] and also because, as he said, the name "goes so well with the song". At first, the lyricist declined, saying that Michèle was his aunt's name. Lenorman recalls: "I'm replying to him that, well, it is not my aunt's name and that 'Marcelle' won't do it at all." Then, Barbelivien said he was worried about the similarity to the title of The Beatles' song "Michelle". But Lenorman insisted and assured the lyricist that "in six months The Beatles will be so over".[5]

In fact, the song has been mistaken for a cover of The Beatles' "Michelle".[6] Moreover, its lyrics mention The Beatles' song "Yesterday".[7]

Reception

The song spent 13 weeks on the French chart in February–May 1976.[5]

Charts

Chart (1976) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] 5

References

  1. ^ "Paris Collector : "Michèle" de Gérard Lenorman". ici (France Bleu). 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2025-01-12.
  2. ^ a b "Michèle (chantée par Gérard Lenorman) a bel et bien existé". Ouest France. Retrieved 2025-01-12.
  3. ^ "« Michèle », une chanson qui a bien failli s'appeler « Marcelle » ! - ici". ici, le média de la vie locale.
  4. ^ "Toutes les chansons d'amour ont une histoire (Lenorman Michelle - Beatles Yesterday)". www.radioomega.fr. March 28, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Gérard Lenorman fête son 75e anniversaire sur RTL". www.rtl.fr. February 9, 2020.
  6. ^ Duilhé, Maryse. "Chanson à la une - Michelle, par Paul McCartney". Podcast Journal, l'information internationale diffusée en podcast.
  7. ^ "Michèle lyrics translation in English - Gérard Lenorman". Musixmatch.
  8. ^ "Gérard Lenorman – Michèle" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2025-01-12.