Lost in France
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Lost in France
| cover = Lost in France Single.jpeg
| alt =
| caption = Cover of the German single
| type = single
| artist = Bonnie Tyler
| album = The World Starts Tonight
| B-side = Baby I Remember You
| released = September 1976Hendriks, Phil (2009). "The World Starts Tonight". In The World Starts Tonight (pp. 2–4) [CD booklet]. London: Cherry Red Records.
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2020/10/jim-steinman-made-plethora-of-pompous-pop|title= Turn Around, Bright Eyes Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date= 16 October 2020|access-date= 28 December 2023}}
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=3}}
| label = RCA Victor
| writer = {{flat list|
- Ronnie Scott
- Steve Wolfe
}}
| producer = {{flat list|
- David Mackay
- Ronnie Scott
- Steve Wolfe
}}
| prev_title = My! My! Honeycomb
| prev_year = 1976
| next_title = More Than a Lover
| next_year = 1977
}}
"Lost in France" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released as a single in September 1976 by RCA Records, written by her producers and songwriters Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe. "Lost in France" was Tyler's second single and first chart hit in her career, which featured on her debut album The World Starts Tonight (1977). The lyrics depict Tyler in a daze due to love.
The song was praised by critics, though some preferred her follow-up single "More Than a Lover" for its controversial nature. "Lost in France" was a commercial success. It peaked highest at number two in South Africa, and was also a Top 20 hit in a further six countries.
Background
Bonnie Tyler was spotted by talent scout Roger Bell in The Townsman Club, Swansea, singing the Ike & Tina Turner song "Nutbush City Limits" with her band Imagination in 1975. She was invited to London to record some demo tracks. After months had passed, Tyler received a phone call from RCA Records, offering her a recording contract. "My! My! Honeycomb" was to become her first single, released in April 1976. The song failed to chart, only receiving local airplay in Wales. In response to this, RCA increased their promotional efforts for the release of "Lost in France", arranging for Tyler to fly to a château in France to meet with a large number of journalists.
Soon after the song's release, Tyler underwent an operation to remove nodules from her vocal cords. She failed to follow the six-week rest period instructed by her doctor and was left with a permanent, distinct raspy quality.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/may/10/bonnie-tyler-husky-voice|title=Bonnie Tyler: 'Forget being a star - do it for the love of it'|work=The Observer|date=10 May 2009|accessdate=14 October 2014}}
Recording
Tyler recorded four demos in London in 1975. "My! My! Honeycomb" was released as her first single with "Got So Used to Loving You" as its B-side,{{cite AV media notes|title=My! My! Honeycomb|others=Bonnie Tyler|year=1976|type=7-inch single|publisher=RCA Records|id=RCA 2679}} and "Lost in France" was released with "Baby I Remember You" as its B-side. David Mackay, Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe produced the songs. "Got So Used to Loving You" and "Lost in France" were later chosen to appear on her debut album The World Starts Tonight, which was released in February 1977.{{fact|date=February 2025}}
Composition
"Lost in France" is a country pop song with a length of three minutes and 54 seconds.{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=mw0000842694|pure_url=yes}}|title=The World Starts Tonight – Bonnie Tyler|work=Allmusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdate=13 November 2014}} It is set in common time and has a moderate tempo of 118 beats per minute.{{cite journal|title=Digital sheet music – Bonnie Tyler – Lost in France|website=Musicaneo.com|publisher=Universal Music Publishing}} It is written in the key of B-flat major and Tyler's vocals span one octave and a semitone, from A3 to B-flat4.
Music Video
Tyler is seen singing as she walks through the gardens of a château, inside a cafe, and later singing from an upstairs window.
Chart performance
On the week ending 30 October 1976, "Lost in France" entered the UK Singles Chart weeks after its initial release. Two weeks later, the song reached the Top 40, reaching number twenty-two.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19761107/7501/|title=1976 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive - 13th November 1976|work=Official Charts Company|accessdate=14 November 2014}} "Lost in France" continued to rise until it reached number nine on 27 November, maintaining the position for two weeks.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19761121/7501/|title=1976 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive - 27th November 1976|work=Official Charts Company|accessdate=14 November 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19761128/7501/|title=1976 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive - 4th December 1976|work=Official Charts Company|accessdate=14 November 2014}} The single gradually dropped following its peak, spending a total of ten weeks on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/bonnie%20tyler/|title=Bonnie Tyler - Artist - Official Charts|work=Official Charts Company|accessdate=14 November 2014}}
Critical reception
The Sydney Morning Herald described the song as the "stand-out track" from The World Starts Tonight, naming it the "most commercial."{{cite news|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19770724&id=jv5jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f-YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1824,7700502 |title= How Luck Changed for Bonnie |date= 24 July 1977 |accessdate= 5 November 2014 |work= The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher= Fairfax Media }} Record Mirror favoured the follow-up single "More Than a Lover", though agreed "Lost in France" was the more commercial of the two.
Live performances
Tyler's first television promotion for "Lost in France" took place on Top of the Pops on 4 November 1976.{{fact|date=May 2020}}
Tyler performed "Lost in France" live in Zaragosa, Spain, in 2005. The performance was recorded and released on Tyler's album Bonnie Tyler Live (2006) and the accompanying DVD Bonnie on Tour (2006).{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-mw0001156620|title=Bonnie Tyler – Live|publisher=AllMusic. All Media Network|accessdate=14 November 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/bonnie-on-tour-mw0001158939|title=Bonnie Tyler – Bonnie on Tour|publisher=AllMusic. All Media Network|accessdate=14 November 2014}}
Track listing
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1976–77)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=316}}
| align="center"|18 |
| {{singlechart|Austria|12|artist=Bonnie Tyler|song=Lost in France|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 November 2014}} |
| {{singlechart|Flanders|21|artist=Bonnie Tyler|song=Lost in France|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 November 2014}} |
| {{single chart|Wallonia Tip|35|artist=Bonnie Tyler|song=Lost in France|rowheader=true|accessdate=2 April 2020}} |
| {{singlechart|West Germany|3|artist=Bonnie Tyler|song=Lost in France|songid=9629|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 November 2014}} |
| {{singlechart|Dutch40|24|artist=Bonnie Tyler|song=Lost in France|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 November 2014}} |
| scope="row"| Netherlands (Dutch Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Bonnie+Tyler&titel=Lost+In+France&cat=s|title= Dutch Single Top 100 – 19/02/1977 |publisher=Dutch Charts |access-date= 26 August 2021 |language=dutch}}
|align="center"|20 |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url= http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(T).html#bonnietyler |title= South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (T) |work= Rock.co.za |publisher= John Samson |accessdate= 13 January 2014}}
| align="center"|2 |
| {{singlechart|Sweden|13|artist=Bonnie Tyler|song=Lost in France|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 November 2014}} |
| {{singlechart|UK|9|date=19761221|artist=Bonnie Tyler|song=Lost in France|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 November 2014}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year–end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1977)
! scope="col"| Peak position |
|---|
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/dHS3QPH.jpg|title=Kent Music Report No 183 – 26 December 1977 > National Top 100 Singles for 1977|publisher=Kent Music Report|via=Imgur.com|accessdate=13 June 2021}}
|align="center"|77 |
| scope="row"|Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web|url= https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1977 |title= Offiziellecharts.de – Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1977 |publisher=GfK Entertainment Charts |accessdate= 1 October 2020}}
| align="center"|8 |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url= http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1977.html |title= South African Rock Lists Website - Hits 1977 |work= Rock.co.za |publisher= John Samson |accessdate= 4 February 2019}}
| align="center"|20 |
{{col-end}}
Cover versions
- Swedish dansband Wizex covered the song in 1977, featuring Kikki Danielsson on lead vocals. The song was later rereleased on Danielsson's 2001 compilation album Fri.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/fri-mw0001267010|title=Kikki Danielsson – Fri|publisher=AllMusic. All Media Network|accessdate=14 November 2014}}
- Chris Conti recorded a dance version of "Lost in France" as a single, released in 1995.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/lost-in-france-mw0001701258|title=Chris Conti – Lost in France|publisher=AllMusic. All Media Network|accessdate=14 November 2014}}
Personnel
Credits are adapted from liner notes of The World Starts Tonight.
;Technical and production
{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
- Dave Harris – assistant engineering
- Ashley Howe – engineering
- Andrew Hoy – production co-ordination
- David Mackay – arranging, engineering, producer
- George Nicholson – engineering
- Ronnie Scott – producer
- Simon Wakefield – assistant engineering
- Steve Wolfe – producer
{{col-3}}
;Sounding
- Bonnie Tyler – vocal
{{col-3}}
;On instruments
- Terry Britten – guitar
- Dave Christopher – guitar
- Kevin Dunne – bass guitar
- Barry Guard – percussion
- Simon Phillips – drums
- Alan Tarney – bass guitar, guitar
- Steve Wolfe – guitar
{{col-3}}
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Bonnie Tyler songs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lost In France}}
Category:Songs written by Ronnie Scott (songwriter)