Le Chat (song)

"Le Chat" is a 1992 song recorded by French act Pow woW. It was the first single from its debut album Regagner les plaines, and was released in May 1992. This a cappella song, written by the band's four members, Ahmed Mouici, Pascal Periz, Bertrand Pierre and Alain Chennevière, met a great success in France where it was a number-one hit, becoming a popular song throughout the years.

For other uses, see Le Chat (disambiguation).
"Le Chat"
Single by Pow woW
from the album Regagner les plaines
B-side"Run on (God's Gonna Cut You Down)"
ReleasedMay 1992
RecordedFrance, 1992
GenreA cappella
Length2:54
LabelRemark
Songwriter(s)Ahmed Mouici
Pascal Periz
Bertrand Pierre
Alain Chennevière
Pow woW singles chronology
"Le Chat"
(1992)		 "Le lion est mort ce soir"
(1992)

Song information

The song was entirely composed by the band (members are writers, composers and performers). Elia Habib, an expert of French charts, says that "Le Chat" has "irresistible rhythms, notes, onomatopoeic sounds and vocals remarkably built on shrewdly exquisite contrasts and nuances". He also states : "The text, lively and original, is a sort of declaration of love vacillating between moving mewings and seductive purrs, before finishing in a hunter scratch".[1]

There were two single covers for the CD single and the 7" : the first is a photo of the band on a red and black background, the second is a drawing which shows a cat's tail.

In 1993, the song was awarded 'Song of the year' in the Victoires de la Musique.

In France, the single debuted at the bottom of the SNEP chart (#42) on May 30, 1992, then climbed quickly and finally entered the top ten in fifth week. It topped the chart two weeks later and stayed there for two months. Then it dropped slowly, totalling 18 weeks in the top ten and 28 weeks on the chart (top 50).[2] To date, "Le Chat" is the first and last number-one single recorded a cappella and is currently the 763rd best-selling single of all time in France.[3] It was also the second biggest hit of 1992 in France, behind François Feldman's "Joy". Pow woW was not able to duplicate this feat, even if the next single, "Le lion est mort ce soir", was a number four hit in France.

In France, the song was covered in 2004 by Star Academy 4 on the album Les Meilleurs Moments. This 3:07 cover features as seventh track on the album and is also available in instrumental version.[4]

Track listings
CD single
  1. "Le Chat" — 2:54
  2. "Run on (God's Gonna Cut You Down)" — 2:23
7" single
  1. "Le Chat" — 2:54
  2. "Run on (God's Gonna Cut You Down)" — 2:23
CD maxi
  1. "Le Chat" — 2:54
  2. "Run on (God's Gonna Cut You Down)" — 2:23

Certifications and sales
Country Certification Date Sales certified Physical sales
France Should be Gold — — 423,000[3]

Charts

References
  1. Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 243 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
  2. "Le Chat", French Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved November 13, 2008)
  3. Best-selling singles of all time in France Infodisc.fr Archived 2008-11-13 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved November 13, 2008)
  4. Les Meilleurs Moments, track listing and charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved November 13, 2008)
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