Allan (song)

Single infobox |
Name = Allan


Artist = Mylène Farmer
from Album = En concert
Released = December 1989
Format = CD maxi
7" single
7" maxi
Digital download (since 2005)
Recorded = 1989
Genre = Pop
Length = 4:46 (album version)
6:50 (live album version)
5:14 (live single version)
Label = Polygram
Writer = Text : Mylène Farmer
Music : Laurent Boutonnat
Producer = Laurent Boutonnat
Certification =
Chronology = Mylène Farmer singles
Last single = "À quoi je sers..."
(1989)
This single = "Allan (live mix)"
(1989)
Next single = "Plus grandir (live)"
(1990)Extra tracklisting
Album = Ainsi soit je...
Type = studio
prev_track = "Sans contrefaçon"
prev_no = 2
this_track = "Allan"
track_no = 3
next_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
next_no = 4Extra tracklisting
Album = En concert
Type = live
prev_track = "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces"
prev_no = 8
this_track = "Allan"
track_no = 9
next_track = "À quoi je sers..."
next_no = 1Extra tracklisting
Album = Les Clips Vol. III
Type = Video
prev_track = "À quoi je sers..."
prev_no = 2
this_track = "Allan (live)"
track_no = 3
next_track = "Plus grandir (live)"
next_no = 4Extra tracklisting
Album = Dance Remixes
Type = compilation
prev_track = "Sans logique"
prev_no = 4
this_track = "Allan"
track_no = 5
next_track = "Ainsi soit je..."
next_no = 6Extra tracklisting
Album = Music Videos I
Type = Video
prev_track = "Maman a tort"
prev_no = 13
this_track = "Allan (live)"
track_no = 14
next_track = "Plus grandir (live)"
next_no = 15

"Allan" is a 1988 song recorded by the French singer Mylène Farmer. It was the first single from her first live album "En concert" and was released in December 1989. Although it met success in discothèques, its sales remained relatively low in comparison with Farmer's other singles.

Background and writing

The song "Allan" was chosen as the first single from the 1989 concert even before the live album "En concert" would be released. Curiously, the B-side of the vinyl is not a live song, but the first version of "Psychiatric" (the 'new beat remix'), which appeared two years later on the album "L'Autre...". "Allan" doesn't appear on the VHS "En concert" and is on the 12" in a shorter version. However, the video of this song and that of the following live single, "Plus grandir (Live)", feature on "Les Clips vol. 3". ["Allan", L'histoire de la chanson : le premier single live [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/allanglobalite.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved January 14, 2008)]

The song was not included on the best of "Les Mots".

Lyrics and music

"Allan" is a tribute to Edgar Allan Poe, a American poet, that Farmer is very appreciative and that she has evoked in many interviews. One verse of the song containing the word "Ligeia" which refers to the name of Poe's )]

Music video

The video, a 5:42 Requiem Publishing production, was directed by Laurent Boutonnat (but François Hanss made all the big shots), with a budget of about 30,000 euros. It was shot for two days in Marne-la-Vallée (France) : one day for the monk and the white horse, and another for Farmer and the stage's decoration ignited. Two explosives and a rocket-flame were needed to set fire to the stage. The screenplay was written both by Boutonnat and François Hanss. The video's backstage were filmed by an amateur who sold unofficially this video ; it contains many secrets of the 1989 concert tour's video, and that of "Allan" (for example, Farmer slips on the dress for the video in her car because there was no dressing room on the stage). ["Allan", videoclip [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/allanclip.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved January 14, 2008)]

François Hanss directed many other Farmer's videos, including "Je te rends ton amour", "Innamoramento", "Dessine-moi un mouton", "Redonne-moi", "Avant que l'ombre..." and "Déshabillez-moi".

In the video, the monk who opened the cemetery's gates which were used as stage's set during Farmer's concert lights the fire to this set. The scene takes places in a field. The photograph of Edgar Allan Poe burns in the video. ["L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 26-27 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)]

Critical reception

According to "Star Music", "Allan" is a "sad" but "beautiful" song with "dance" sonorities."Star Music", January 1990 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1990/star_music_0190b.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 22, 2008)]

TV and chart performances

Farmer performed the song about two years before the single's release, in the French TV show "Fête comme chez vous", on Antenne 2, on May 5, 1988. ["Allan", TV performances [http://www.sans-logique.com/mylene-farmer/discographie/repertoire-des-chansons.php?chanson=allan Sans-logique.com] (Retrieved January 14, 2008)]

The song was listed for eight weeks, from January 13 to March 3, 1990, on the French Top 50 Singles Chart, peaking at number 32 in its fourth week."Allan", French Singles Chart [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=268825&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved January 8, 2008)] Its remixes were biggest successes in discothèques.

Formats and track listings

; 7" singleA-side :
# "Allan" (live version) — 5:15B-side :
# "Psychiatric" (7" version) — 4:00

; 7" maxi
* "Allan" (extended mix) — 7:57
* "Psychiatric" (new beat version) — 5:01
* "Allan" (live version) — 5:14; CD maxi
* "Allan" (extended mix) — 7:57
* "Allan" (live version) — 5:14
* "Psychiatric" (new beat version) — 5:01

; Digital download
* "Allan" (album version) — 4:46
* "Allan" (live version - "Ainsi soit je...") — 6:50
* "Allan" (extended mix) — 7:57

Versions

; Official versions

Charts

References