"Amoureuse" is a French language composition by Véronique Sanson introduced on her 1972 album of the same name.[1] Rendered in English the song became a hit single for Kiki Dee and – as "Emotion" – for Helen Reddy.
The original song title "Amoureuse" – which does not feature in its lyrics – is the French equivalent of the English adjective amorous and is also a feminine noun meaning ”woman in love",lover. Sanson's lyric describes the contradictory feelings of passion and fear of a woman involved in a new love affair. Sanson was inspired to write the song while driving "up the Champs-Elysées in my little Autobianchi A112" at six AM: "It was a feeling of freedom... I was constantly monitored... and I wrote this song because I knew I was going to get yelled at by my parents [upon arriving home]."[2]
"Amoureuse" had its first major impact out of France via a cover version for the Quebec market by France Castel (fr) which reached #1 on the French-language chart for Canada in December 1972: the track was featured on Castel's 1973 album release Je le vois dans ma soupe.
The earliest English rendering of the song was by lyricist Gary Osborne, who from the age of 15 had written English lyrics for a number of French-language songs beginning with "Adiós Amor" in 1967.[3] While faithfully rendering Sanson's lyrics in the chorus, Osborne in the verses introduced the concept of an initial sexual encounter into the song. The first evident recording of this version was by Sanson herself with UK and US single releases in respectively September 1972 and November 1972.[4] The Sanson/Osborne version of "Amoureuse" was then recorded in April 1973 by Kiki Dee who credits Tony King, vice president of Rocket Records, with suggesting that she record "Amoureuse"[5] for her album Loving and Free produced by Elton John: issued as a single 31 August 1973, Dee's "Amoureuse" made a belated chart entry in November 1973 to rise to a UK chart peak of #13 that December,[6][7][8] besting an attempted cover version by Polly Brown issued 21 September 1973.
Almost a year after her UK success with "Amoureuse", the track would afford Dee a chart hit in Australia with a #12 peak in the autumn of 1974.
In the US, "Amoureuse" served as the B-side for the February 1975 Kiki Dee Band release "Step by Step", the non-charting follow-up single to "I've Got the Music in Me".
"Amoureuse" was re-issued in the UK as the B-side of the 1976 Kiki Dee single "Loving & Free": the single became a double-sided hit reaching #13 on the UK chart and #4 in Ireland. A 1984 reissue of Dee's "Amoureuse" reached #77 on the UK chart.[8]
"Emotion" - Patti Dahlstrom version also recorded by Helen Reddy
Artie Wayne, an exec with the Warner Music Group whose Elektra label handled Sanson's U.S. releases, sent a copy of Sanson's Amoureuse album to his friend Texas singer/songwriter Patti Dahlstrom suggesting Dahlstrom put English lyrics to the title cut. Dahlstrom would recall: "I was mesmerised by the music to 'Amoureuse', but I don’t speak French and had no idea what the lyrics meant. I carried the melody in my head for weeks and then one day the first line – 'Lonely women are the desperate kind' – just fell out as my key turned in the lock, and the lyric to 'Emotion' wrote itself very quickly."[9]
Dahlstrom's English rendering of "Amoureuse" was introduced on the singer's own album The Way I Am which was recorded in August 1973: the track re-entitled Sanson's composition as "Emotion", that word being prominently featured in Dahlstrom's lyrics which expressed the viewpoint of a woman whose relationship with an inconsiderate lover is redeemed by the passion of their periodic trysts.[10] "Emotion" was issued as a single off The Way I Am in October 1973 but did not chart.
Patti Dahlstrom was also a friend of Paul Williams whose own compositions were regularly recorded by Helen Reddy, and Reddy recorded "Emotion" for inclusion on her 1974 Free and Easy album from which an abridged edit was issued as a single in January 1975 to peak at #22, Reddy's first Top Twenty shortfall since before "I Am Woman" in 1972. "Emotion" did reach #1 on the Easy Listening chart, the sixth of Reddy's eight Easy Listening #1's and her last consecutive.[10]
In 2009, Véronique Sanson stated in an interview to the French magazine Platine that Dahlstrom's version remains her favorite version of "Amoureuse",[11] although Dahlstrom's "Emotion" is lyrically distinct from the Osborne translation.[12]
Other versions
With its original French lyrics "Amoureuse" has also been recorded by many singers in France and Québec, including Hart-Rouge (album La fabrique / 1994), Lucid Beausonge (fr) (album Ils chantent Véronique Sanson / 1996), Réjane Perry (fr) (album Atlas, Les plus belles chansons françaises, 1972 / 1996), Les Enfoirés (Jean-Louis Aubert, Hélène Ségara, Natasha St-Pier, Christophe Willem) (album Les Enfoirés font leur cinéma / 2009), Lara Fabian (album Toutes les femmes en moi / 2009), and Caroline Néron (album Le destin /2010).
Olivia Newton-John recorded "Amoureuse" with the Gary Osborne-penned lyrics for her 1973 album Music Makes My Day and would remake the song as a duet with Elaine Paige for Paige's 2010 duets album Elaine Paige and Friends. In 1998 Barbara Dex reached #10 on the Ultratip chart with her version of Amoureuse with Osborne's lyrics: the track was also included on Dex's album Strong. "Amoureuse" with Osborne's lyrics has also been recorded by Linda Martin (album You Needed Me/ 1998)[13] and Deborah Sasson (album Romance/ 1984),[14] among others.
Véronique Sanson recorded "Amoureuse" with German lyrics by Michael Kunze (released b/w "Regen am Morgen (Besoin de Personne)"), and also recorded a Spanish version entitled "Enamorada".[4] The German-language rendering of "Amoureuse" with lyrics by Michael Kunze was also recorded by Katja Ebstein, appearing on her 1977 album Liebe under the title "Für einen Tag mit dir".
Daniela Davoli had a 1978 single release of an Italian rendering of "Amoureuse" entitled "Diverso amore mio" ("Other than my love"), written by lyricist Cristiano Magioglio, which was that same year recorded by Véronique Sanson (single "Povero maledetto" (Le maudit) / "Diverso amore mio" (Amoureuse)).[4]
^Asked "Y a-t-il eu deux textes anglais?" Sanson responds: "Non, c'est juste qu'Helen Reddy a préféré prendre en titre un mot anglais du texte que garder 'Amoureuse' qui n'était pas un mot anglais. Cependant, je suis certaine que le texte était le même."
(in French) Véronique Sanson's official website : Covers of "Amoureuse"
(in French) Véronique Sanson's official website : "Amoureuse" lyrics in all languages
(in French)
Sanson performing the French language original in 1972
Kiki Dee's version in English on Top of the Pops, 1973 given a country music twist
January 21, 2023
amoureuse, french, language, composition, véronique, sanson, introduced, 1972, album, same, name, rendered, english, song, became, single, kiki, emotion, helen, reddy, single, véronique, sansonfrom, album, side, mariavah, releasedmarch, 1972length3, 39labelele. Amoureuse is a French language composition by Veronique Sanson introduced on her 1972 album of the same name 1 Rendered in English the song became a hit single for Kiki Dee and as Emotion for Helen Reddy Amoureuse Single by Veronique Sansonfrom the album AmoureuseB side Mariavah ReleasedMarch 1972Length3 39LabelElektra Warner Music GroupSongwriter s Veronique SansonProducer s Michel BergerVeronique Sanson singles chronology Le printemps est la 1969 Amoureuse 1972 Besoin de personne 1972 Amoureuse Single by Kiki Deefrom the album Loving and FreeB side Rest My Head Released31 August 1973GenreEasy listeningLength4 09 album version LabelThe Rocket Record CompanySongwriter s Veronique Sanson Gary OsborneProducer s Elton John Clive FranksKiki Dee singles chronology Lonnie and Josie 1973 Amoureuse 1973 Hard Luck Story 1974 Emotion Single by Helen Reddyfrom the album Free and EasyB side I ve Been Wanting You So Long ReleasedJanuary 1975GenreEasy listeningLength2 54LabelCapitolSongwriter s Veronique Sanson Patti DahlstromProducer s Joe WissertHelen Reddy singles chronology Angie Baby 1974 Emotion 1975 Bluebird 1975 Contents 1 Background and first recordings 2 Emotion Patti Dahlstrom version also recorded by Helen Reddy 3 Other versions 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBackground and first recordings EditThe original song title Amoureuse which does not feature in its lyrics is the French equivalent of the English adjective amorous and is also a feminine noun meaning woman in love lover Sanson s lyric describes the contradictory feelings of passion and fear of a woman involved in a new love affair Sanson was inspired to write the song while driving up the Champs Elysees in my little Autobianchi A112 at six AM It was a feeling of freedom I was constantly monitored and I wrote this song because I knew I was going to get yelled at by my parents upon arriving home 2 Amoureuse had its first major impact out of France via a cover version for the Quebec market by France Castel fr which reached 1 on the French language chart for Canada in December 1972 the track was featured on Castel s 1973 album release Je le vois dans ma soupe The earliest English rendering of the song was by lyricist Gary Osborne who from the age of 15 had written English lyrics for a number of French language songs beginning with Adios Amor in 1967 3 While faithfully rendering Sanson s lyrics in the chorus Osborne in the verses introduced the concept of an initial sexual encounter into the song The first evident recording of this version was by Sanson herself with UK and US single releases in respectively September 1972 and November 1972 4 The Sanson Osborne version of Amoureuse was then recorded in April 1973 by Kiki Dee who credits Tony King vice president of Rocket Records with suggesting that she record Amoureuse 5 for her album Loving and Free produced by Elton John issued as a single 31 August 1973 Dee s Amoureuse made a belated chart entry in November 1973 to rise to a UK chart peak of 13 that December 6 7 8 besting an attempted cover version by Polly Brown issued 21 September 1973 Almost a year after her UK success with Amoureuse the track would afford Dee a chart hit in Australia with a 12 peak in the autumn of 1974 In the US Amoureuse served as the B side for the February 1975 Kiki Dee Band release Step by Step the non charting follow up single to I ve Got the Music in Me Amoureuse was re issued in the UK as the B side of the 1976 Kiki Dee single Loving amp Free the single became a double sided hit reaching 13 on the UK chart and 4 in Ireland A 1984 reissue of Dee s Amoureuse reached 77 on the UK chart 8 Emotion Patti Dahlstrom version also recorded by Helen Reddy EditArtie Wayne an exec with the Warner Music Group whose Elektra label handled Sanson s U S releases sent a copy of Sanson s Amoureuse album to his friend Texas singer songwriter Patti Dahlstrom suggesting Dahlstrom put English lyrics to the title cut Dahlstrom would recall I was mesmerised by the music to Amoureuse but I don t speak French and had no idea what the lyrics meant I carried the melody in my head for weeks and then one day the first line Lonely women are the desperate kind just fell out as my key turned in the lock and the lyric to Emotion wrote itself very quickly 9 Dahlstrom s English rendering of Amoureuse was introduced on the singer s own album The Way I Am which was recorded in August 1973 the track re entitled Sanson s composition as Emotion that word being prominently featured in Dahlstrom s lyrics which expressed the viewpoint of a woman whose relationship with an inconsiderate lover is redeemed by the passion of their periodic trysts 10 Emotion was issued as a single off The Way I Am in October 1973 but did not chart Patti Dahlstrom was also a friend of Paul Williams whose own compositions were regularly recorded by Helen Reddy and Reddy recorded Emotion for inclusion on her 1974 Free and Easy album from which an abridged edit was issued as a single in January 1975 to peak at 22 Reddy s first Top Twenty shortfall since before I Am Woman in 1972 Emotion did reach 1 on the Easy Listening chart the sixth of Reddy s eight Easy Listening 1 s and her last consecutive 10 In 2009 Veronique Sanson stated in an interview to the French magazine Platine that Dahlstrom s version remains her favorite version of Amoureuse 11 although Dahlstrom s Emotion is lyrically distinct from the Osborne translation 12 Other versions EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Amoureuse news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message With its original French lyrics Amoureuse has also been recorded by many singers in France and Quebec including Hart Rouge album La fabrique 1994 Lucid Beausonge fr album Ils chantent Veronique Sanson 1996 Rejane Perry fr album Atlas Les plus belles chansons francaises 1972 1996 Les Enfoires Jean Louis Aubert Helene Segara Natasha St Pier Christophe Willem album Les Enfoires font leur cinema 2009 Lara Fabian album Toutes les femmes en moi 2009 and Caroline Neron album Le destin 2010 Olivia Newton John recorded Amoureuse with the Gary Osborne penned lyrics for her 1973 album Music Makes My Day and would remake the song as a duet with Elaine Paige for Paige s 2010 duets album Elaine Paige and Friends In 1998 Barbara Dex reached 10 on the Ultratip chart with her version of Amoureuse with Osborne s lyrics the track was also included on Dex s album Strong Amoureuse with Osborne s lyrics has also been recorded by Linda Martin album You Needed Me 1998 13 and Deborah Sasson album Romance 1984 14 among others Shirley Bassey recorded Emotion for her 1975 album Good Bad but Beautiful Veronique Sanson recorded Amoureuse with German lyrics by Michael Kunze released b w Regen am Morgen Besoin de Personne and also recorded a Spanish version entitled Enamorada 4 The German language rendering of Amoureuse with lyrics by Michael Kunze was also recorded by Katja Ebstein appearing on her 1977 album Liebe under the title Fur einen Tag mit dir Daniela Davoli had a 1978 single release of an Italian rendering of Amoureuse entitled Diverso amore mio Other than my love written by lyricist Cristiano Magioglio which was that same year recorded by Veronique Sanson single Povero maledetto Le maudit Diverso amore mio Amoureuse 4 See also EditList of number one adult contemporary singles of 1975 U S References Edit Track listing of the original album on Veronique Sanson s official website Archived from the original on 12 December 2013 Veronique Sanson J ai laisse tomber mon orgueil lejdd fr Archived from the original on 20 October 2013 Retrieved 19 October 2013 Buckley David 2009 Elton the biography Chicago Chicago Review Press p 167 ISBN 978 1556527944 a b c Foreign discography on Veronique Sanson s official website Archived from the original on 25 May 2014 Dee Kiki 22 September 2013 Kiki Dee Interview Graham Rogers Interview BBC Wiltshire Osborne credited Songfacts com Archived from the original on 16 October 2013 Retrieved 7 June 2012 Osborne on Discogs Discogs com Archived from the original on 20 August 2013 Retrieved 7 June 2012 a b The Official Charts Company Retrieved 2 February 2010 Patti Dahlstrom Patti Dahlstrom Archived from the original on 10 November 2013 Retrieved 9 January 2012 a b Artie Wayne 29 October 2006 Archived from the original on 13 November 2012 Retrieved 2 February 2010 VSPlatine5 jpg image Archived 13 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Asked Y a t il eu deux textes anglais Sanson responds Non c est juste qu Helen Reddy a prefere prendre en titre un mot anglais du texte que garder Amoureuse qui n etait pas un mot anglais Cependant je suis certaine que le texte etait le meme Linda Martin You Needed Me at Discogs Deborah Sasson Romance at DiscogsExternal links Edit in French Veronique Sanson s official website Covers of Amoureuse in French Veronique Sanson s official website Amoureuse lyrics in all languages in French Veronique Sanson s official website Foreign discography Sanson performing the French language original in 1972 Kiki Dee s version in English on Top of the Pops 1973 given a country music twist Comparison of the lyrics in original French and the Osbourne English versions Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amoureuse amp oldid 1117143614, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
