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C'est la Vie (B*Witched song)

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"C'est la Vie"
Single by B*Witched
from the album B*Witched
English titleThat’s Life
B-side"We Four Girls"
Written
Published1998
Released25 May 1998 (1998-05-25)
RecordedSurrey, England
StudioMothership
Genre
Length2:52
Label
Producer(s)Ray Hedges
B*Witched singles chronology
"C'est la Vie"
(1998) 		"Rollercoaster"
(1998)
Music video
"C'est la Vie" on YouTube

"C'est la Vie" is a song by Irish girl group B*Witched.[1] It was released on 25 May 1998, through Epic and Glowworm as the group's debut single from their self-titled debut studio album B*Witched.

The song was nominated for two Ivor Novello Awards, best selling UK single, and best song musically and lyrically.[2] The song contains a number of double entendres and was once referred to as "smutty" in an interview.[3] The music video, directed by Alison Murray, had a budget of around £60,000 and features the group dancing energetically in a field of flowers with a dog, while playfully teasing a boy.

Style, writing and composition

[edit]

The song was written by Tracy Ackerman, Lindsay Armaou, Martin Brannigan, Ray Hedges, Edele Lynch, Keavy Lynch, and Sinéad O'Carroll.[4] It contains a number of double entendres and was once referred to as smutty in an interview. On the subject, the group said "Well you see the clever thing with 'C'est la Vie' was that it went over children's heads, but the parents got the innuendos. It was perfect for everyone."[5] The song is said to be a mixture of pop and bubblegum.[6]

Recording and production

[edit]

The group recorded the song at Ray Hedges' Mothership Studios in Surrey, England.[7]

Release, promotion and marketing

[edit]

In 1998 preparations were made for the release of the single. In March the group rehearsed for the "C'est la Vie" music video and in April, the group filmed the music video, both in London.[8] The music video was directed by Alsion Murray with a budget of about £60,000.[9] It begins with the four girls lying on the ground in a field of brightly coloured meadow flowers on a sunny day. A dog appears, next to one of the girls, and the quartet then begin dancing and singing to a teenage boy in a treehouse. The boy is then magically tied to a tree and the dog chases toward him, before lipstick kiss marks appear over his face. The boy is freed from the tree, the girls sprinkle him with water from a hose and the dance an Irish reel, before lying back down in the field where they began.

When asked about the music video, Sinéad mentioned that the art department was having to stand the flowers up all day, while Keavy alluded to it taking about 24 hours of nonstop filming.[10] In March 2023, an upscaled 4K version of the music video was uploaded to the group's official YouTube channel.[11]

Critical reception

[edit]

In December 1998 American music journalist Chuck Taylor wrote:

This European creamsicle has already tickled the top of the European pop charts, and with good reason. It's catchy as all get-out, has a chorus that lingers like poison ivy, and adds unlimited spoonfuls of zip spin after spin. In a perfect world, this dancey helping of youth-oriented pop would have no problem conquering the States with its giddy melody and squeaky-clean teenage vocals, but sadly, top 40 has again entered one of those periods during which it shins most any uptempo track that might be considered plain and simple fun. That & a shame, given the growing profile of this personable Dublin-based female quartet and its fine self-titled debut album. In any case, open-minded programmers who have had success with Britney Spears or Cleopatra should certainly give this a meaningful spin and let their audiences have a chance to catch on to the magic of this fearless track." [12]

In 1999 the song was nominated for two Ivor Novello Awards: best selling UK single and best song musically and lyrically.[2]

Controversy and legacy

[edit]

In February 2013, during an interview, Keavy revealed that the line "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" is about more than a pair of jeans, she stated "That line was supposedly about our jeans — although obviously it wasn’t really! The video’s director wanted Sinéad to look down her jeans when she sang that. That got stopped pretty quickly by our management."[13] In August 2013, during an interview, Lindsay revealed that the song isn't as innocent as it seems, she stated "Well you see the clever thing with 'C'est la Vie' was that it went over children's heads, but the parents got the innuendos. It was perfect for everyone.[5]

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of "C'est la Vie" and B*Witched:

"C'est la Vie"

  • Lindsay Armaou – vocal
  • Edele Lynch – vocals
  • Keavy Kynch – vocals
  • Sinéad O'Carroll – vocals
  • Erwin Keiles – guitars
  • Daniel Collier – fiddle
  • Ray "Madman" Hedges – arranger, producer, writer
  • Martin Brannigan – arranger, writer
  • Elaine Constantine – photography

Remixes

  • K-Klass Epic Klub Remix — remix and additional production by K-Klass for Diesel Productions, featuring Biggy Birch on Synthadelica. Engineered by Andrew Williams at The Bunker, Wrexham, Wales[citation needed]
  • Skynet Glass Palace Vocal Mix — remix by Blade. Representation by Alchemy Management[citation needed]
  • Dog In The River Mix — additional production and remixes by Billy & Ginger for Glowworm Productions[citation needed]

Charts

[edit]

On 31 May 1998, the song debuted at number one on the UK singles chart, where it remained the following week. It also took the number one spot in Ireland, New Zealand, and Scotland.[14]

On 17 April 1999, the song made it to number nine on the US charts and made it to 97 on Billboard's 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[15]

By September, 2017, the single had sold more than 927,000 units in the UK, with an additional 77,032 in streaming equivalent, making the total combined sales 1,004,568.[16]

Certifications and sales figures

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[51] Platinum 70,000^
Belgium (BEA)[52] Gold 20,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[53] Platinum 30,000*
Sweden (GLF)[54] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[55] Platinum 927,535^
United States (RIAA)[56] Gold 700,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Label Format Catalog
Japan 26 August 1998 [57] Epic CD ESCA-7345
UK 25 May 1998 [58] Epic, Glowworm Cassette, CD 666053 2, 666053 4, 666053 5
US 15 December 1998[59] Epic, Glowworm Cassette, CD 34K 79084, 34T 79084, 49K 79085

References

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  8. ^ Electronic Press Kit on YouTube
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