La Vie en rose

"La Vie en rose"
Song

"La Vie en rose" (French for "Life through rose-coloured glasses," literally "Life in pink") was the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf.

Piaf first popularized the song in 1946. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the melody of the song by "Louiguy" (Louis Gugliemi). Initially, Piaf's peers and her songwriting team did not think the song would be successful, but it became a favorite with audiences.^[1] An English version of the lyrics was written later by Mack David. Owing to its popularity, the song appeared on most of Piaf's subsequent albums. A 1998 documentary about Édith Piaf was called La Vie en Rose, as was the 2007 biographical feature film La Vie en rose, which won Marion Cotillard, who played Piaf from 19 until her death at 47, an Academy Award for Best Actress.

The song has become a standard and has been performed by many artists. It was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998. It has also become a generic song representing the French in foreign countries, as "Rule, Britannia!" and "Stars and Stripes Forever" have for Britain and the US, respectively.

Notable covers

Grace Jones version

"La Vie en rose"
Song
B-side	"I Need a Man"

"La Vie en Rose" was the third single by Jamaican singer and actress Grace Jones, her first single release on Island Records after having signed with the label and released her début album Portfolio in 1977. The single version was heavily edited, the original album version being more than seven minutes long. Jones' fairly radical bossanova/disco interpretation of Edith Piaf's signature tune became her first international hit single and a staple of her repertoire and later performed as part of her 1981 A One Man Show, then the only track from her disco era to be included in the show. Jones' recording of "La Vie en Rose" was released as a single in 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1985. The single finally reached #12 in the UK charts when re-released as a double A-side with "Pull Up To The Bumper" in 1985.

Track listings

• US 7" single (1977) IS-098

1. "La Vie En Rose" (7" Version) - 3:34
2. "I Need A Man" - 3:22

• CA 7" single (1977) IS-098

1. "La Vie En Rose" (7" Version) - 3:35
2. "I Need A Man" - 3:22

• GE 12" single (1980) Island 600 266-213

1. "La Vie En Rose" - 7:27
2. "I Need A Man" - 3:22

• IT 7" single (1977)

1. "La Vie En Rose"
2. "Tomorrow"

• CA 12" promo (1982) IS 865

1. "La Vie En Rose" - 7:24
2. "My Jamaican Guy"
3. "Pull Up To The Bumper"

• US 12" single (1985)

1. "La Vie En Rose" - 7:24
2. "Nipple To The Bottle" - 5:55
3. "Pull Up To The Bumper" (Remix) - 6:29
4. "Demolition Man" - 4:04

"La Vie en rose"
Song

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Denmark	1
Europe	1
Holland	1
UK Singles Chart	12
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	10

Donna Summer version

American singer Donna Summer covered "La Vie en Rose" in 1993 for the tribute album, Tribute to Edith Piaf, released in France and the United States, on which several contemporary stars recorded interpretations of some of Piaf's best known songs.

Released on both vinyl and CD, the American release of the album and single contain a different mix of Summer's synth-driven performance than the French release. These releases are among the most sought after of Summer's collectables.

Track listing (CD single - France)

1. "La Vie en Rose" (US Radio Mix - Remixed by Humberto Gatica) - 3:43
2. "La Vie en Rose" (Full Bass Mix - Remixed by Colin Peter & Carl Ward) - 4:25
3. "La Vie en Rose" (Extended Soul Mix - Remixed by Colin Peter & Carl Ward) - 7:40
4. "La Vie en Rose" (Stringapella Mix - Remixed by Colin Peter & Carl Ward) - 5:43

The US single features a variety of remixes by DJ Chris Cox.

List of other notable artists who have performed "La Vie en Rose"

Aretha Franklin Africando Albita Ali Project Alys Robi Amália Rodrigues Aoi Teshima Audrey Hepburn Barbara Feldon Belinda Carlisle Bette Midler Bing Crosby Bola de Nieve Brenda Lee Candan Erçetin Charles Aznavour Céline Dion Connie Francis Cyndi Lauper Dalida Dean Martin Dee Dee Bridgewater Diane Dufresne Diana Krall Elaine Paige Ella Fitzgerald Émilie Simon Fayray George Feyer Hibari Misora Herb Alpert In-Grid Jack Nicholson Jo Stafford Jose Carreras Josephine Baker Julian Clary Julio Iglesias Kaori Iida KT Tunstall

Lisa Ono Liza Minnelli Louis Armstrong Louise English Luciano Pavarotti Madeleine Peyroux Marlene Dietrich Martinique Melanie Fiona Melissa Manchester Mia Doi Todd Michael Bublé Micaela Haley Milva Mireille Mathieu Ognjen Vuletić Olivera Katarina Paula Cole Patricia Kaas Petula Clark Plácido Domingo Pomplamoose Renee Olstead Ronza Shirley Bassey Simona Molinari Sonja Bakić Sophie Milman Soraya Arnelas Susan Werner Taco Tatsuro Yamashita Thalía Tereza Kesovija Tony Bennett (with k.d. lang) Tony Martin Two-Mix Ute Lemper Vince Hill Wende Snijders Youssra Yves Montand Yvette Giraud Zazie

Films that feature "La vie en rose"

• Stage Fright (1950)
• "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" (1953) - instrumental only
• Sabrina (1954) as Sabrina Fairchild's song
• The Cheap Detective (1978)
• Bull Durham (1988)
• Christo in Paris (1990)
• Prêt-à-Porter (1994)
• Natural Born Killers (1994)
• French Kiss (1995)
• Sabrina (1995)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998)
• Summer of Sam (1999)
• Flip's Sorry (2002)
• Something's Gotta Give (2003)
• Jeux d'enfants (2003)
• La notte di Totò (2003)
• View from the Top (2003)
• Modigliani (2004)
• A World Without Thieves (2004)
• Lord of War (2005)
• Valiant (2005)
• The Yacoubian Building (2006)
• Mister Lonely (2007)
• La Môme (2007)
• Fred Claus (2007)
• Jellyfish (2007)
• The Bucket List (2007)
• WALL-E (2008)
• The Wackness (2008)
• Chrístabel Bertrand (2008)
• Map of the Sounds of Tokyo (2009)

Books and television

• "'La Vie en Rose?'" is the title of the thirteenth chapter of Ian Fleming's novel, Casino Royale. The song also is mentioned in his James Bond novels You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever as it brings back memories of Bond's relationship with Vesper Lynd.
• "La Vie en Rose" appeared in the television show I Love Lucy in the episode entitled "Hollywood Anniversary" right before Desi Arnaz sang the song "The Anniversary Waltz".
• La Vie en Rose was also the name of a 'dock ship' in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
• In the anime Di Gi Charat, the name Rabi~En~Rose is based in "'La Vie en Rose'"
• "La Vie en Rose" appears in an episode of The Relic Hunter entitled "Memories of Montmarte".
• "La Vie en Rose" appeared in the television show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in the episode entitled "Pheromone, My Lovely".
• "La Vie en Rose" is also mentioned in the John Boyne novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
• Barbara Feldon sang "La Vie en Rose" in a 1966 episode of Get Smart entitled "Casablanca".
• In "Cold Stones" (Episode 76 of The Sopranos), Rosalie Aprile hums a throaty version of "La Vie en Rose" to comfort Carmela Soprano.

References

1. ^ Édith Piaf biography from Radio France International

External links

• Template:Fr icon La vie en rose (1946) by Édith Piaf
• Édith Piaf
• Donna Summer discography, Rate Your Music

• Solo Piano Performance of "La Vie en Rose"