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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "Ainsi soit je" say to its therapist? It had an identity crisis.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ainsi soit je...
Studio album by
Mylène Farmer
Released18 March 1988
StudiosStudio Mega, Paris (France)
GenresSynthpop, baroque pop, darkwave
Length45:47
LabelPolydor
ProducerLaurent Boutonnat
Mylène Farmer chronology
Cendres de lune
(1986)		 Ainsi soit je...
(1988)		 En concert
(1989)
Alternative cover
Promotional edition - Europe
Singles from Ainsi soit je...
  1. "Sans contrefaçon"
    Released: 16 October 1987
  2. "Ainsi soit je..."
    Released: 4 March 1988
  3. "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
    Released: 12 September 1988
  4. "Sans logique"
    Released: 20 February 1989

Ainsi soit je... (a play on ainsi soit-il, which can mean either "so be it" or "amen") is the second album by Mylène Farmer, released on 18 March 1988.[1][2] It contains the hit singles "Sans contrefaçon", "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" and "Sans logique". Generally well received by critics, it was very successful and is, to date, Farmer's second best-selling LP.

Background

[edit]

After the success of the album Cendres de lune and the hits "Sans contrefaçon" and "Ainsi soit je...", Farmer had no problem releasing a second album that would be well received by the public, enabling her to consolidate her growing popularity, thus preventing her from slipping back into anonymity. The album took from five to six months to be finished.[3] It was recorded at studio Mega, Avenue Maréchal-Maunoury, in Paris (XVIe arrondissement) under the leadership of Thierry Rogen, a renowned sound engineer who had already worked in particular with Michel Sardou.[4]

The cover of the album shows Farmer turned sideways, accompanied by the puppet used in the music video for "Sans contrefaçon". The photographs of the booklet were made by Elsa Trillat.

The album was released in April 1988 and met great success, both critically and commercially.

Lyrics and music

[edit]

The texts, which contain many literary references to famous authors (such as Baudelaire, Poe, etc.), were written by Mylène Farmer, except "L'Horloge" (a poem by Charles Baudelaire), "Déshabillez-moi" (originally sung in 1966 by Juliette Gréco) and "The Farmer's Conclusion" (which is an instrumental song). The album has a melancholy and sad tone, and deals with death, suicide, madness with gloomy and desperate texts. Sexual ambiguity, sodomy and provocation are also tackled.[5][6]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[7]

The album was generally well received in the media and remains sometimes considered as "one of the most successful",[8] even the singer's "best album".[6] When the album was released, the press said: "Mylène shows an imagination and a new maturity in these charming libertine poems and her synthetic hits containing literary references" (20 Ans).[9] This "great" (Gaipied)[10] and "successful" (Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace)[11] album has "an intellectual and musical universe always so creative" (Gaipied).[12] Its songs were described as "powerful, sometimes catchy and often spellbinding compositions" (Paris Nuit),[13] whose texts are "chiseled but perfectly licentious" (France Soir).[14] The "poetic quality of the texts" and "the sense of the melody" (Le Télégramme)[15] were also mentioned. Rock and Folk said this Laurent Boutonnat's production is "impeccable", demonstrating his "undoubted talent".[16] According to Télé Poche, "the time of success has come for Mylène Farmer" with this album.[17] The journalist Caroline Bee said this album is "an ambiguous, bright, romantic and beautifully produced gem".[8] A review in Pan-European magazine Music & Media praised Ainsi soit je..., ranking it as "Album of the week", and added: "A first-class electro-based pop LP... That sophisticated sensuality! Laurent Boutonnat's production and compositions are flowing with a commerciabdity, comparable to the works of the Pet Shop Boys. Farmer... reveals the full palette of her caressing and dreamy voice."[18]

Some criticisms were also made against Ainsi soit je... For example, according to L'Humanité, this album uses an "old-fashioned stylistic mannerism to reinvent poetry" (L'Humanité).[19] Rock Land qualified this album as a "second collection of bad thoughts with a spectacular flippantly", whose "B-side is flat".[20]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In France, the album debuted at number 8 in April 1988, but it dropped to number 26 five months later. However, thanks to the successful single "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" (number-one hit in December 1988), the album reached number one for two weeks in December 1988. The album managed to stay for eleven months in the top ten and about one year on the chart.[21] On 29 June 1988, the album was certified Gold by the SNEP for 100,000 copies sold, then Platinum for 300,000 sales, then Double Platinum on 17 February 1989 for 600,000 sales, and eventually Diamond on 14 November 1989 for a minimum of 1,000,000 copies sold.[22][23] The album was also released in Germany, where it reached number 47.[24]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics are written by Mylène Farmer except where noted; all music is composed by Laurent Boutonnat except where noted.

Ainsi soit je...
No.TitleLyricsMusicLive performancesLength
1."L'Horloge"Charles Baudelaire Tour 1989
Live 2019		4:07
2."Sans contrefaçon"  Tour 1996
Mylenium Tour
Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy
Tour 2009
Timeless 2013
Live 2019
Nevermore 2023/2024		5:22
3."Allan"  Tour 19894:46
4."Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"  Tour 1989
Mylenium Tour
Tour 2009
Live 2019		4:52
5."La ronde triste"   4:13
6."Ainsi soit je..."  Tour 1989
Tour 1996
Tour 2009
Tour 2009
Live 2019		6:18
7."Sans logique"  Tour 1989
Live 2019		4:30
8."Jardin de Vienne"   5:17
9."Déshabillez-moi"Gaby VerlorRobert NyelTour 1989
Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy		3:45
10."The Farmer's Conclusion"   2:15

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BRMA)[31] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[22] Diamond 1,500,000[32]
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[33] Gold 25,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 1,800,000[34]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

[edit]
  • Mylène Farmer – lead vocals
  • Laurent Boutonnat – keyboards, synthesizer, producer
  • Thierry Rogen – sound, mixing, programming
  • Slim Pezin – guitar
  • Bernard Paganotti – bass
  • Pol Ramirez del Più  (a pseudonym for Farmer and Boutonnat) – pan flute, shakuhachi
  • Les Moines Fous du Tibet  (a pseudonym for Farmer and Boutonnat) – background vocals
  • Frédéric Rousseau – programming
  • Bertrand Le Page / Polygram Music – editions (tracks 1–8, 10), Intersong Paris editions (track 9)
  • André Perriat (Top Master) – mastering, engraving
  • Elsa Trillat – photo
  • Jean-Paul Théodule – model
  • Benoît Lestang – puppet
  • Bertrand Le Page – management
  • Recorded and mixed at Studio Mega

Release history

[edit]
DateLabelRegionFormatCatalog
1988 Polydor France CD 835654-2
Picture CD
12" 835564-1
Cassette 835465-4
Collector edition ?
Allemagne CD 835564-1
12" 835564-2
Canada 12" 835564-1
Promo 12"
Cassette 835564-4
Italy Cassette 835564-4
Japan CD POCP1001
Promo CD
Korea 12" RG2039
Netherlands Cassette 835564-4
Spain 12" 835564-1
1994 Polygram France CD 8355642
1998 Polygram France 835564
2005 Polydor Digital —
2005 Universal CD - Digipack 9828262

Formats

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". Le Progrès (in French). 18 April 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  2. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". Madame Figaro (in French). 3 June 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  3. ↑ Pulsion (in French). May 1988.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  4. ↑ Violet, 2004, p. 93.
  5. ↑ Chuberre, 2007, p. 26.
  6. 1 2 Cachin, 2006, pp. 28-29.
  7. ↑ AllMusic review
  8. 1 2 Bee, 2006, p. 362.
  9. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". 20 Ans (in French). June 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  10. ↑ "Skeuds de Noël". Gaipied (in French). 12 December 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  11. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace (in French). 14 May 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  12. ↑ "Ainsi soit-elle". Gaipied (in French). 17 May 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  13. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". Paris Nuit (in French). April 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  14. ↑ G., R. (19 November 1988). "Mylène Farmer: "Vivre avec trois amants"". France Soir (in French). Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  15. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". Le Télégramme (in French). 20 April 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  16. ↑
    * "Ainsi soit je... (1)". Rock and Folk (in French). 1988. Retrieved 27 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
    * "Ainsi soit je... (2)". Rock and Folk (in French). 1988. Retrieved 27 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
  17. ↑ "Cherchez 'la' Farmer". Télé Poche (in French). 30 April 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  18. ↑ "Esprit français - French Talent" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 22. 28 May 1988. p. 21. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 11 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
  19. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". L'Humanité (in French). 2 June 1988. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  20. ↑ "Ainsi soit je...". Rock Land (in French). May 1988. Retrieved 27 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
  21. ↑ "Albums chart trajectories in France, database" (in French). Infodisc. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
  22. 1 2 "French album certifications – Mylène Farmer – Ainsi soit je..." (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 15 November 2021. Select MYLÈNE FARMER and click OK. 
  23. ↑ "Du diamant pour Mylène Farmer". Var Matin (in French). 3 March 1989. Retrieved 30 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
  24. 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – Mylène Farmer – Ainsi soit je.." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  25. ↑ "Hits of the World (21 January 1989)" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  26. ↑ "Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  27. ↑ "1988 Year End Eurocharts – European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 31. OCLC 29800226. Page 17 on the PDF archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2023 – via World Radio History.
  28. ↑ "Les Albums (CD) de 1988 par InfoDisc" (in French). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  29. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums 1989" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 December 1989. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  30. ↑ Legrand, Emmanuel (3 February 1990). "French Product Dominates Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 5. p. 10. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 17 November 2025 – via World Radio History.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  32. ↑ Jonathan Hamard (3 January 2016). "Mylène Farmer : quel est son album le mieux vendu ?" (in French). Webedia. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  33. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Farmer')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  34. ↑ "Les spectacles: Mylène Farmer, les dessous du mythe". Le Parisien (in French). 11 September 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
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