N'importe quoi


"N'importe quoi" is the name of a 1987 song recorded by the French artist Florent Pagny. It was his debut single, released in March 1988. It became a big hit in France, topping the chart for two months and remaining to date Pagny's second best-selling single in terms of charts and sales.

Background, writing and covers

After several appearances in films, Pagny decided to record his first single, "N'importe quoi". He composed the music, while he and Marion Vernoux wrote the lyrics. The song deals with the themes of drugs and alcohol; in this protest song, the narrator addresses a friend, trying to make him think about the dangers of these substances. The music video was filmed under a circus tent.
Pagny performed the song during his 2003 tour, and thus features on his 2004 live album Été 2003 à l'Olympia, as eighth track. The song was also included on Pagny's best of Les 50 Plus Belles Chansons, released in 2008, and on the French compilation Les 100 Plus Belles Chansons.
The song was covered by Les Enfoirés on their album 2011: Dans l'œil des Enfoirés. The song was performed by Christophe Maé, Patricia Kaas, Amel Bent and Jean-Jacques Goldman.

Chart performances

The song was charted for 26 weeks on the French Singles Chart, from 12 March 12 to 3 September 1988. It started at number 48, then climbed quickly and reached the top ten in its fifth week. It finally topped the chart for eight consecutive weeks, from its ninth to sixteenth weeks. Then it almost did not stop to drop on the chart, totaling 16 weeks in the top ten and 22 weeks in the top 25.
"N'importe quoi" hit Silver status awarded by the SNEP, making the song Pagny's second most successful single, only beaten by his 1998 huge hit "Savoir aimer".
According to Infodisc website, "N'importe quoi" is the 365th best-selling single of all time in France.

Track listings

; 7" single
  1. "N'importe quoi" — 3:50
  2. "Je resterai là" — 3:30
; 12" maxi
  1. "N'importe quoi" — 5:25
  2. "N'importe quoi" — 3:50
  3. "Je resterai là" — 3:30
; Digital download
  1. "N'importe quoi" — 3:50
  2. "N'importe quoi" — 5:16

    Creditshttp://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=652806

Production

Peak positions

Certifications