5:55
5:55 is the second album by French musician and actress Charlotte Gainsbourg. It is also her first album release in twenty years. Charlotte collaborated on the album with French duo Air, English musician Jarvis Cocker, and Irish singer-songwriter Neil Hannon, as well as Radiohead's main producer Nigel Godrich. "The Songs That We Sing" and "5:55" were released as singles. The album went platinum in France, selling over 500,000 copies.[6][7] In the United States, the album sold a modest 22,000 copies. "The Songs That We Sing" was #78 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.[8]
In order to distance herself from her famous father and mother (Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin), Charlotte decided to sing most of the album in English (leaving only one song in French, "Tel Que Tu Es", meaning "Such As You Are"). Critics have been very positive in France, describing this effort as a total achievement from all points of view. English critics have been more mixed, saying that Charlotte's second album does not sound all that different compared with the work of her parents. Notably, Pitchfork Media's review described the album's erotic lyrical content as reminiscent of Serge Gainsbourg's, and Charlotte's vocal approach as highly similar to that of her mother.[4]
The first single, "The Songs That We Sing" was also included in the soundtrack to the 2009 film The Uninvited.[9][10]
Track listing
All music composed by Air, except where noted.
1. |
"5:55" | Jarvis Cocker, Jean-Benoît Dunckel, Nicolas Godin | |
4:52 |
2. |
"AF607105" | Cocker | |
4:30 |
3. |
"The Operation" | Cocker | |
3:59 |
4. |
"Tel Que Tu Es" | Dunckel, Godin | |
3:09 |
5. |
"The Songs That We Sing" | Cocker, Neil Hannon | |
2:57 |
6. |
"Beauty Mark" | Cocker, Dunckel, Hannon, Godin | |
3:06 |
7. |
"Little Monsters" | Cocker | |
3:46 |
8. |
"Jamais" | Cocker | |
4:37 |
9. |
"Night-Time Intermission" | Charlotte Gainsbourg, Cocker | Air, Gainsbourg, Cocker |
2:44 |
10. |
"Everything I Cannot See" | Cocker | |
5:45 |
11. |
"Morning Song" | Gainsbourg, Cocker | |
3:08 |
Bonus tracks
On some releases one or two bonus tracks were added, for details see release history.
12. |
"Set Yourself on Fire" | Cocker | |
4:10 |
13. |
"Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping" | Cocker, Hannon | |
3:45 |
Personnel
- Charlotte Gainsbourg – vocals
- Jean-Benoît Dunckel – piano, organ, synthesizer, glockenspiel, vibraphone, backing vocals, synth drums
- Nicolas Godin – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, bass, glockenspiel, synth drums, synthesizer, tambourine, melodica, percussion
- Neil Hannon – acoustic guitar
- Jeremy Stacey – drums
- Tony Allen – drums
- The Millennia Ensemble – strings
- David Richard Campbell – string arrangements, conductor
- Joby Talbot – string arrangements
- Nigel Godrich – production, mixing
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Dan Grech-Marguerat – engineering
- Darrell Thorp – engineering
- Florian Lagatta – engineering
Chart performance
Album
Singles
- "The Songs That We Sing"
Release history
Region |
Date |
Label |
Format |
Catalog |
Notes |
France |
28 August 2006 (2006-08-28) |
Because Music |
CD |
3116662 |
|
Enhanced CD |
3116672 |
Limited edition, with bonus track "Set Yourself on Fire". Enhanced section includes a Flash version of the booklet including lyrics, pictures and credits. |
4 September 2006 (2006-09-04) |
LP album |
BEC5772052 |
Double album. |
UK |
Because Music, Atlantic Records |
5051011-5911-2-9 |
|
Europe |
Because Music, Warner Music |
2564-63652-2 |
|
Japan |
8 November 2006 (2006-11-08) |
Warner Music |
CD |
WPCR-12431 |
With bonus tracks "Set Yourself on Fire" and "Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping" |
US |
24 April 2007 (2007-04-24) |
Vice Records |
Enhanced CD |
94703-2 |
With bonus tracks "Set Yourself on Fire" and "Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping". Enhanced section includes the promotional videos of "The Songs That We Sing" and "5:55" and an interview with Gainsbourg. |
References
External links
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| Studio albums | |
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| EPs | |
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| Singles | |
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| Featured singles | |
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| Labels | |
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