Hélène (song)

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“Hélène”
“Hélène” cover
Single by Roch Voisine
from the album Hélène
Released November 1989
Format CD single
CD maxi
12" maxi
Recorded 1989
Genre Pop
Length 3:42
Writer(s) Stéphane Lessard
Roch Voisine
Producer Georges Mary
Certification Platinum France, 1990
Roch Voisine singles chronology
"Hélène"
(1989)		 "Pourtant"
(1990)

"Hélène" is a the debut song recorded by the Canadian singer Roch Voisine. It was the first single from his first album Hélène, and was released in November 1989.

The cover for the CD maxi used the same photograph as that of the album Hélène : Roch Voisine's face with a black background.

Contents

[edit] Music video

The video features the singer and an air hostess who are in love but who are forced to separate because of professional reasons. She is English because when, in the video, she writes her name on a mirror with her lipstick, she doesn't end it with an 'e' ('Helen').

The video was shot on the shores of Lachine Canal in Mirabel, near Montreal. The model who plays the role of Hélène is Ariane Cordeau.[1]

[edit] Chart performances

The single was a huge success in Canada where it reached #1. It also topped the chart for nine weeks in France, where it featured for 27 weeks from November 11, 1989 to May 5, 1990 (it stayed for 20 weeks in the top 10)[2] and was certified Platinum disc by the French certificator, the SNEP, for about 1 million copies sold[3]. The song also peaked at #3 in Norway[4].

According to Infodisc website, it is the 139th best-selling single of all time in France[5].

Roch Voisine was the first Canadian to reach number 1 on French SNEP Singles Chart, followed by Bryan Adams, Céline Dion and Garou a few years latter[6] [7].

[edit] Track listings

CD-Maxi
  1. "Hélène" (New English Version) (3:42)
  2. "Hélène" (French Verson) (3:42)
  3. "Hélène" (Instrumental) (3:42)
7"-Single
  1. "Hélène" (3:42)
  2. "Ton Blues" (3:35)
CD-Single
  1. "Hélène" (3:42)
  2. "Ton Blues" (3:35)

[edit] Chart

Chart (1989-1990) Peak
position
Canadian Singles Chart 1
French Singles Chart[2] 1 (9)
Norwegian Singles Chart[4] 3
Country Certification Sales/shipments
France Platinum[3] 877,000[8]
Preceded by
"Swing the Mood" by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers		 French (SNEP) number one single (first run)
December 9, 1989 - January 20, 1990		 Succeeded by
"Les Valses de Vienne" by François Feldman
Preceded by
"Les Valses de Vienne" by François Feldman		 French (SNEP) number one single (second run)
February 24, 1990 - March 3, 1990		 Succeeded by
"Les Valses de Vienne" by François Feldman

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nos années Top, clips et 45 tours : 1984-1991, Marc Lemonier, 2008, p. 91 (ISBN 225807648X)
  2. ^ a b "Hélène", French Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved February 8, 2008)
  3. ^ a b Roch Voisine's certifications Chartsinfrance.net (Retrieved January 8, 2008)
  4. ^ a b "Hélène", Norwegian Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved February 8, 2008)
  5. ^ Best-selling single of all time in France Infodisc.fr (Retrieved February 9, 2008)
  6. ^ Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, 2002, p. 172 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
  7. ^ Alex P. King, Hit-parade, 20 ans de tubes, 2005, Pascal Ed., p. 9 (ISBN 978-2350190099) Vingt ans de tubes (Retrieved April 23, 2008)
  8. ^ Certifications of Roch Voisine's singles Infodisc.fr (Retrieved February 9, 2008)