Gabriel (song)
Encyclopedia
"Gabriel" is a 2005 song recorded by French
artist Najoua Belyzel
. It was her debut single
from her album Entre deux mondes... en équilibre, on which it is the sixth track, and was released in November 2005. It achieved great success in Belgium (Wallonia) where it topped the chart, and in France. To date, it is Belyzel's most successful single in terms of peak positions and sales and can be deemed as her signature song
.
and electronica
. The style of voice is between Cranberries
' singer Dolores O'Riordan
(a little hoarse at times) and Mylène Farmer
(rise in acute notes and singing on the breath). The lyrics are poetic ("Que ton âme se jette à l'eau dans mon corps océan", "Zéphyr"...) and there are several play on words ("Gabriel, s'attend (Satan) à plus qu'un sentiment...", "Qu'il en soit ainsi ("Ainsi soit-il (Amen)", ...).
The phrase "Es-tu fait pour lui, es-tu fait pour moi ?" was interpreted as a choice between love (spiritual) of God ("Him") or that (physical) of a deadly human (a non shared love), but it has often been incorrectly interpreted as a hesitation in a choice of sexual orientation (gay / bi or hetero).
In France, the song had a long chart trajectory. It started at number 35 on 26 November 2005, then sometimes climbed, sometimes dropped. It entered the top ten in its eleventh week and stayed in it for 17 consecutive weeks, including a peak at number three for two weeks. The song dropped slowly and totaled 36 weeks in the top 50 and 40 weeks on the chart (top 100).
Digital download
CD maxi - Germany
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
artist Najoua Belyzel
Najoua Belyzel
Najoua Belyzel is a French pop rock/electronic singer of Moroccan-Egyptian descent.- Biography :...
. It was her debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from her album Entre deux mondes... en équilibre, on which it is the sixth track, and was released in November 2005. It achieved great success in Belgium (Wallonia) where it topped the chart, and in France. To date, it is Belyzel's most successful single in terms of peak positions and sales and can be deemed as her signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
.
Song information
The music, written by Najoua Mazouri and composed by Christophe Casanave, is a mixture of popPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
. The style of voice is between Cranberries
The Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
' singer Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She led The Cranberries to worldwide success and fame for 13 years before the band took a hiatus in 2003. Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007...
(a little hoarse at times) and Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer, , born Marie-Hélène Jeanne Gautier, , , is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author....
(rise in acute notes and singing on the breath). The lyrics are poetic ("Que ton âme se jette à l'eau dans mon corps océan", "Zéphyr"...) and there are several play on words ("Gabriel, s'attend (Satan) à plus qu'un sentiment...", "Qu'il en soit ainsi ("Ainsi soit-il (Amen)", ...).
The phrase "Es-tu fait pour lui, es-tu fait pour moi ?" was interpreted as a choice between love (spiritual) of God ("Him") or that (physical) of a deadly human (a non shared love), but it has often been incorrectly interpreted as a hesitation in a choice of sexual orientation (gay / bi or hetero).
In France, the song had a long chart trajectory. It started at number 35 on 26 November 2005, then sometimes climbed, sometimes dropped. It entered the top ten in its eleventh week and stayed in it for 17 consecutive weeks, including a peak at number three for two weeks. The song dropped slowly and totaled 36 weeks in the top 50 and 40 weeks on the chart (top 100).
Track listings
CD single- "Gabriel" (radio edit) — 3:35
- "Gabriel" (instrumental) — 3:34
Digital download
- "Gabriel" (radio edit) — 3:35
- "Gabriel" (instrumental) — 3:34
CD maxi - Germany
- "Gabriel" (radio edit) — 3:35
- "Gabriel" (instrumental) — 3:35
- "Gabriel" (blue PM atmosphere mix) — 3:18
- "Gabriel" (blue PM extended mix) — 5:04
- "Gabriel" (house mix) — 4:45
- "Gabriel" (music video) — 3:34
Peak positions
| Chart (2005-2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Flanders) Ultratip Chart | 17 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 3 |
| German Singles Chart | 62 |
| Quebec Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 20 |
Year-end charts
| End of year chart (2006) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 3 |
| French Digital Chart | 11 |
| French Singles Chart | 8 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified | Physical sales | Digital downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Platinum | June 15, 2006 | 300,000 | 309,300 (278,889 in 2006) | 31,916 in 2006 |