Long Is the Road
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| “Long Is the Road (Américain)” | |||||
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| Single by Jean-Jacques Goldman from the album Positif |
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| B-side | "P'tit blues peinard" | ||||
| Released | November, 1984 | ||||
| Format | 7" single 12" maxi |
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| Recorded | France | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Length | 4:46 | ||||
| Label | Epic | ||||
| Writer(s) | Jean-Jacques Goldman | ||||
| Producer | Jean-Jacques Goldman Marc Lumbroso |
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| Jean-Jacques Goldman singles chronology | |||||
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"Long Is the Road (Américain)" is the name of a 1984 song recorded by the French singer and songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman. It was released on November 1985 as the third and last single from his album Positif, on which it features as the eighth track. The song was the first hit of Goldman on the French Singles Chart, reaching the top ten.
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[edit] Lyrics and music
Lyrics are mainly in French-language, but there are also many English words throughout the song.
"Long Is the Road (American)" begins with a mainly musical introduction in which Goldman chanted many "dam dam dam dam". Then the song starts and deals with the American Dream, seen in the first verse as authentic Eldorado, while the the second verse refers to the disappointment towards the social inequalities and the difficulty to make one's fortune in the U.S.[1]
The refrains are very different from the couplets : very playful, they are built in the same way as negro spirituals. This gospel is "persevering but sometimes dull, sometimes bright of hope".[1] The background vocals conclude the song by repeating many "A-mérican", after a tune played on saxophone.
"Long Is the Road (Américain)" was performed on several of Goldman tours and was therefore included on the live albums En public, Traces and Tour souvenir. It also features on the compilations Intégrale and Singulier.
[edit] Cover versions
The song was covered by Jean-Félix Lalanne in 1990, by Les Fous Chantants in 2000 on their album 1 000 Choristes rendent hommage à Jean-Jacques Goldman, and by Chimène Badi in 2007 for Les Enfoirés' album 2007: La caravane des Enfoirés.
It was performed by Patrick Fiori and Carole Fredericks on May 27, 2000, on the French TV show Tapis rouge.
[edit] Chart performance
"Long Is the Road (Amériain)" was the first appearance of Goldman on the French Singles Chart : indeed, the singer had had other hits in France, such as "Quand la musique est bonne", "Encore un matin" or "Envole-moi", but the chart had not been yet created. "Long Is the Road (Américain)" entered it at #31 on November 11, 1984, in other words, one week after the first edition of the chart. It reached the top ten in its tenth week and remained in it for six weeks, peaking at #6 on February 6, 1985. After that, it almost kept on dropping on the chart and featured on it until its 23 week.[2]
A version in English-language was also recorded by Jean-Jacques Goldman under the title "USA (Long Is the Road)" and released in Portugal and Spain.
[edit] Track listings
- 7" single
- "Long Is the Road (Américain)" — 4:46
- "P'tit blues peinard" — 3:33
- 12" maxi
- "Long Is the Road (Américain) (extended version) — 7:27
- "P'tit blues peinard" — 4:27
[edit] Chart
| Chart (1985)[2] | Peak position |
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| French Singles Chart | 6 |
[edit] External links
- "Long Is the Road (Américain)", story, lyrics and anecdotes ("Chansons" => "En un clic" => "Long Is the Road (Américain)")
[edit] References
- ^ a b Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 32 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
- ^ a b "Long Is the Road (Américain)", in French Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved May 9, 2008)
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