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Né en 17 à Leidenstadt

{{Infobox song

| name = Né en 17 à Leidenstadt

| cover = Né_en_17_à_Leidenstadt.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Fredericks, Goldman, Jones

| album = Fredericks Goldman Jones

| B-side = Tu manques

| released = July 1991

| recorded = France

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop

| length = 3:50

| label = Columbia

| writer = Jean-Jacques Goldman

| producer = Jean-Jacques Goldman,
Erick Benzi

| prev_title = À nos actes manqués

| prev_year = 1991

| next_title = C'est pas l'amour

| next_year = 1991

}}

"Né en 17 à Leidenstadt" (English: "Born in '17 in Leidenstadt") is a 1990 song written by Jean-Jacques Goldman for his group Fredericks Goldman Jones. It was the third single from their debut album, Fredericks Goldman Jones, and was released in July 1991. It has been performed twice by Goldman alone, and also by Goldman with Carole Fredericks and Michael Jones, each with a specific verse to sing. An English version exists in which Fredericks and Jones sing in their native language.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}}

Lyrics and music

In this song, the three singers are wondering if they would have acted differently if they had been in the situation of Germans after the 1918 defeat and during the rise of Nazism (stating that the composer, Jean-Jacques Goldman, had Polish and Jewish origins and that his mother is German), or in that of Northern Irish who were into civil war, or if they would show more solidarity with blacks if they were born as being white and rich in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Therefore, the song deals with the question on the topic of the choice and the position. It ends with the wish to never have to choose a camp.

'Leidenstadt' is an imaginary city whose name is composed of the German words das Leiden (the suffering) and die Stadt (the city).{{cite web |title="Né en 17 à Leidenstadt" |url=http://www.parler-de-sa-vie.net/index2.html |publisher=Parler-de-sa-vie |language=French |accessdate=7 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518005140/http://www.parler-de-sa-vie.net/index2.html |archivedate=18 May 2008 }} However, a town named 'Lydenburg' (same meaning in Afrikaans) does exist in South Africa.

According to Goldman, the song was very difficult to compose and record. The introduction, played on the piano, was inspired by Virginian artist Bruce Hornsby.

The song features as the third track on the 1990 album Fredericks Goldman Jones,{{cite web |title=Fredericks Goldman Jones, track listing |url=http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=6955&cat=a |publisher=Lescharts |language=French |accessdate=7 May 2008}} and as the third track too on the 2000 best of Pluriel 90-96.{{cite web |title=Pluriel 90-96, track listing |url=http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=3413&cat=a |publisher=Lescharts |language=French |accessdate=7 May 2008}} In the English-speaking countries, the song was released in a bilingual version (French / English) entitled "Born in 1917 in Leidenstadt".

Chart performances and cover versions

In France, the song charted for 16 weeks on the official single chart (top 50), from 6 July to 10 October 1991. It started at number 33 and reached a peak at number 11 in the eighth week. It then almost did not stop to drop on the chart and totaled nine weeks in the top 20.{{cite web |title="Né en 17 à Leidenstadt", French Singles Chart |url=http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=43619&cat=s |publisher=Lescharts |language=French |accessdate=7 May 2008}} "Né en 17 à Leidenstadt" is the fourth most successful single of the trio, behind "Nuit", "À nos actes manqués" and "1,2,3".

The song was covered in 2000 by Michel Leclerc (instrumental version), and by Le Collège de l'Esterel in 2002.

Track listings

  • CD single
  1. "Né en 17 à Leidenstadt" — 3:51
  2. "Tu manques" — 6:03
  • 7" single
  1. "Né en 17 à Leidenstadt" — 3:51
  2. "Tu manques" — 6:03
  • Cassette
  1. "Né en 17 à Leidenstadt" — 3:51
  2. "Tu manques" — 6:03

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

!Chart (1991)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Europe (European Airplay Top 50){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-08-03.pdf|title=European Airplay Top 50|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=31|date=3 August 1991|page=18|oclc=29800226|via=World Radio History |accessdate=21 October 2021}}

|align="center"|20

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-08-10.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=32|date=10 August 1991|page=18|oclc=29800226|via=World Radio History |accessdate=21 October 2021}}

| align="center"|59

scope="row"|France (Airplay Chart [AM Stations])

|align="center"|1

scope="row"{{Single chart|France|11|artist=Fredericks, Goldman & Jones|song=Né en 17 à Leidenstadt|accessdate=21 October 2021|refname="lescharts"}}
scope="row"|Quebec (ADISQ){{cite web |url=http://bibnum2.banq.qc.ca/bna/palmares/2010-Franco/Franco-Compilation_succes_ordre_alpha_interpretes.pdf |title=Compilation des succès par ordre alphabétique d'interprètes |publisher=Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec |author=Michel Gignac |website=banq.qc.ca |page=298 |language=French |accessdate=14 April 2025}}

|align="center"|45

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20080518005140/http://www.parler-de-sa-vie.net/index2.html "Né en 17 à Leidenstadt", story, lyrics and anecdotes]

{{Jean-Jacques Goldman}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:1990 songs

Category:1991 singles

Category:Carole Fredericks songs

Category:Jean-Jacques Goldman songs

Category:Michael Jones (Welsh-French musician) songs

Category:Songs written by Jean-Jacques Goldman

Category:Columbia Records singles