Le monde est stone

"The World Is Stone"
"The World Is Stone"
Single by Cyndi Lauper
from the album Tycoon
B-side	"Learn to Live Alone"
Released	May 25, 1992
Studio	The Hit Factory (New York City)
Length	4:24
Label	Epic
Songwriters	Michel Berger; Luc Plamondon; Tim Rice;
Producer	Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper singles chronology

"Le monde est stone" (lit. 'the world is stone') is a song written and produced by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon for the 1978 Canadian-French musical Starmania. It was originally performed by Fabienne Thibeault and released on the Starmania album in 1978. Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded "Le monde est stone" for her 1991 album, Dion chante Plamondon. The English-language version with lyrics by Tim Rice, titled "The World Is Stone", was recorded by American singer Cyndi Lauper and released on the Tycoon album in 1992.

Cyndi Lauper version

Cyndi Lauper recorded the English version of "Le monde est stone", titled "The World Is Stone", for the Tycoon album in 1992. "Le monde est stone" has been associated with Fabienne Thibeault, Marie Carmen, Celine Dion, and Maurane. The song was composed by Michel Berger, with original French lyrics by Luc Plamondon and English lyrics by Tim Rice.

Although the single was not released in the United States, it became successful in several European countries, particularly in France, where it reached number two, remained in the top five for three months, and spent 31 weeks in the top 50. The B-side of the single was "Learn to Live Alone" (the English version of "Les uns contre les autres"), which also appeared on Tycoon. The single sold 250,000 copies in France.

Critical reception

Upon its release, Jon Wilde of Melody Maker described "The World Is Stone" as "the kind of muzak ballad that would give seasick a bad name".^[2]

Formats and track listing

UK CD #1 and Australian CD single^[3]^[4]

"The World Is Stone" – 4:24
"Learn to Live Alone" – 5:08
"Time After Time" – 3:59

UK CDc#2^[5]

"The World Is Stone" – 4:24
"I Drove All Night" – 4:08
"What's Going On" – 3:51

European 7-inch, CD, and cassette single^[1]^[6]^[7]

"The World Is Stone" – 4:24
"Learn to Live Alone" – 5:08

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the UK CD #1 booklet.^[3]

Michel Berger – writing
Luc Plamondon – writing
Tim Rice – writing
Cyndi Lauper – vocals, production, arrangement
Peter Wood – arrangement
Frank Filipetti – mixing
Guy Gray – recording
Jay Ryan - Second Engineer, recording and mixing sessions.

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance
Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[8]	106
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[9]	41
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[10]	13
France (SNEP)^[11]	2
Germany (GfK)^[12]	100
Ireland (IRMA)^[13]	16
UK Singles (Official Charts)^[14]	15
UK Airplay (Music Week)^[15]	14

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance
Chart (1992)	Position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[16]	55

Certifications

Certifications
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)^[17]	Gold	250,000^*
^* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history
Region	Date	Label	Format	Cat. No.	Ref.
United Kingdom	25 May 1992	Epic	7-inch vinyl Cassette CD 1	657970 7 657970 4 657970 2	^[18]
United Kingdom	1 June 1992		CD 2	657970 5
Australia	29 June 1992		Cassette CD	657970 4 657970 2	^[19]

References

1 2 The World Is Stone (European 7-inch single sleeve). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 7.
↑ Wilde, Jon (30 May 1992). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 29.
1 2 The World Is Stone (UK CD #1 liner and disc notes). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 2.
↑ The World Is Stone (Australian CD single liner notes). Epic Records. 1992. EPC 657970 2.
↑ The World Is Stone (UK CD #2 single liner notes). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 5.
↑ The World Is Stone (European CD single liner notes). Epic Records. 1992. EPC 657970 1.
↑ The World Is Stone (European cassette single sleeve). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 4.
↑ "Response from ARIA re: chart in inquiry, received 3 March 2017". Retrieved 9 April 2017 – via Imgur.
↑ "Cyndi Lauper – The World Is Stone" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 40. 3 October 1992. p. 27. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
↑ "Cyndi Lauper – The World Is Stone" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The World Is Stone". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
↑ "Official Singles Chart on 20/6/1992 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
↑ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 4 July 1992. p. 16. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
↑ "1992 Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 17. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
↑ "French single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – The World Is Stone" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 7 November 2025. Select CYNDI LAUPER and click OK.
↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 23 May 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
↑ "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 29/06/92: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 126. 28 June 1992. p. 20.

[eur7-1] 1 2 The World Is Stone (European 7-inch single sleeve). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 7.

[2] Wilde, Jon (30 May 1992). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 29.

[ukcd1-3] 1 2 The World Is Stone (UK CD #1 liner and disc notes). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 2.

[4] The World Is Stone (Australian CD single liner notes). Epic Records. 1992. EPC 657970 2.

[5] The World Is Stone (UK CD #2 single liner notes). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 5.

[6] The World Is Stone (European CD single liner notes). Epic Records. 1992. EPC 657970 1.

[7] The World Is Stone (European cassette single sleeve). Epic Records. 1992. 657970 4.

[8] "Response from ARIA re: chart in inquiry, received 3 March 2017". Retrieved 9 April 2017 – via Imgur.

[sc_Flanders_Cyndi_Lauper-9] "Cyndi Lauper – The World Is Stone" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 6, 2020.

[10] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 40. 3 October 1992. p. 27. Retrieved 6 March 2020.

[sc_France_Cyndi_Lauper-11] "Cyndi Lauper – The World Is Stone" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved March 6, 2020.

[sc_Germany_Cyndi_Lauper-12] "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved March 6, 2020.

[sc_Ireland2_-13] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The World Is Stone". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 6, 2020.

[sc_UK_-14] "Official Singles Chart on 20/6/1992 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 6, 2020.

[15] "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 4 July 1992. p. 16. Retrieved 2 November 2025.

[16] "1992 Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 17. Retrieved 6 March 2020.

[FranceCyndi_LauperThe_World_Is_StonesingleCertRef-17] "French single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – The World Is Stone" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 7 November 2025. Select CYNDI LAUPER and click OK.

[18] "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 23 May 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[19] "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 29/06/92: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 126. 28 June 1992. p. 20.

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v t e Cyndi Lauper singles
She's So Unusual	"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" "Time After Time" "She Bop" "All Through the Night" "Money Changes Everything" "When You Were Mine"
True Colors	"True Colors" "Change of Heart" "What's Going On" "Boy Blue" "Maybe He'll Know"
A Night to Remember	"I Drove All Night" "My First Night Without You" "Heading West" "A Night to Remember"
Hat Full of Stars	"Who Let In the Rain" "That's What I Think" "Sally's Pigeons"
Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some	"Hey Now (Girls Just Want to Have Fun)" "I'm Gonna Be Strong" "Come on Home"
Sisters of Avalon	"You Don't Know" "Sisters of Avalon" "Ballad of Cleo and Joe"
Merry Christmas ... Have a Nice Life	"Early Christmas Morning"
Shine	"Shine"
At Last	"At Last" "Walk On By"
The Body Acoustic	"Time After Time"
Bring Ya to the Brink	"Same Ol' Story" "Into the Nightlife"
Memphis Blues	"Just Your Fool"
Detour	"Hard Candy Christmas" "Funnel of Love"
Other singles	"You Make Loving Fun" "We Are the World" "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" "Hole in My Heart (All the Way to China)" "Another Brick in the Wall" "The World Is Stone" "Disco Inferno" "A Christmas Duel" "Girls Just Wanna Set Your Heart"