"Je ne veux pas" (I Don't Want To) - Official Topic

[SuperLove4Celine]

"Je ne veux pas" (or "I Don't Want To") is a mid-tempo, French single by Céline which was released in 1987. It was released as both a 7" single and a 12" maxi-single. Both the original and "Extended" versions can be found below. This topic is to discuss the song. What are your thoughts regarding "Je ne veux pas?" Love it? Hate it? Give your thoughts here!

 

Cover Art

 

----------

 

Original Version

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqo5zzLonXs

 

Extended Version

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE1Bd0oW3Do

[Davey84]

I really love this song! It's totally quirky and 80s! It's a shame we don't really know a lot of these French non album singles: release dates, what was their aim? Etc.

 

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G950F met Tapatalk

 

 

[SuperLove4Celine]

I really love this song! It's totally quirky and 80s! It's a shame we don't really know a lot of these French non album singles: release dates, what was their aim? Etc.

 

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G950F met Tapatalk

 

Agreed! Though, we did get a little bit of information about the song in Celine's book, "My Story, My Dream." Here is the section in which she discusses the song:

 

...[W]hen I went to the studio to record one of the songs Eddy had written, Romano Musumarra, who'd composed the music, told me that I overdid songs. I can still hear him saying: 'Hold back your voice, don't give so much.'

 

Ironically, the song I was recording was called 'Je ne veux pas' (I Don't Want To). I was disappointed, frustrated, and shocked.

 

France wasn't interested in the kind of pop singer I wanted to be. They couldn't accept that I'd changed. They wanted me to remain the ingenue, the somewhat starry-eyed and dreamy little girl I no longer was and I no longer wanted to be.

[stone]

I love this song! I always thought this song and Fais Ce Que Tu Voudras were like the test or intro songs to the Incognito/meet the new Céline era.

[nuts2you]

I have that album

[Chantemoi]

I love this song! I always thought this song and Fais Ce Que Tu Voudras were like the test or intro songs to the Incognito/meet the new Céline era.

 

Two of my favourite Céline songs. Oh, and « Billy » is also on that list, and was recorded during the same era.

[woodstock]

what was their aim? Etc.

It's very simple. At that time, her career in France wasn't that good. So René came with a brilliant idea : he looked who were the songwriters who had big hits in France. Musumarra was one of them. Despite being an italian and living in Italy, he provided many hits for french singers ("Ouragan" for Stéphanie -princess of Monaco ; "T'en Va pas" for young Elsa ; "Toute Première Fois" for Jeanne Mas. They were all number one songs).

So René thought Musumarra would give Céline a hit in France. Sadly, the same thing went on and that was another failure.

[Alex_Incognito]

I love love love Jeanne Mas' songs. You can feel it in Je ne veux pas.

[comingback]

I love this song! I always thought this song and Fais Ce Que Tu Voudras were like the test or intro songs to the Incognito/meet the new Céline era.

 

Yep they tested the markets. She even recorded a German album at this time, which wasn't released. Than she signed the Sony contract, because she wanted an international (English and French) career.

The problem in France was her old fashion image. Young hot singers like Vanessa Paradis were the stars in France/Europe ( she told that in an Quebec TV special in 2016).

 

Edited February 6, 2022 at 06:20 PM by comingback

[SuperLove4Celine]

I'm absolutely loving the positive responses in this thread! "Je ne veux pas" is one of my all-time favorite French songs by Céline. I'd love to see it get some more attention from either Céline herself, or just uploading an "official audio" clip to her YouTube channel so more fans can discover the song.

 

I did some digging around on YouTube, and I found a few videos of Céline performing the song. One of them is mediocre quality, but considering the age of the clips. the other two are pretty dang good! Enjoy!

 

 

----------

 

 

----------

 

[ivo]

I have always loved this song and listened many times the last month. Her voice is so strong, like the song a lot.

[woodstock]

I love love love Jeanne Mas' songs. You can feel it in Je ne veux pas.

I love "Toute Première Fois" too and I forgot to say that I've always adored "Je ne veux pas". Love the song and how it sounds. Too bad it wasn't a hit, I think it might have been a good song on stage, just like "Dans un Autre Monde" is !

[SuperLove4Celine]

I love "Toute Première Fois" too and I forgot to say that I've always adored "Je ne veux pas". Love the song and how it sounds. Too bad it wasn't a hit, I think it might have been a good song on stage, just like "Dans un Autre Monde" is !

 

I'd absolutely love to see "Je ne veux pas" brought back to the stage in some capacity. While I'd prefer for it to be performed in full, I'd be willing to settle for it to be included in a medley.

[PuraVida]

one of her best songs and hardest vocally from the 80s, that's for sure. her high belts are everything on it

[ordinary fan]

I looove je ne veux pas, one of my favorite early french songs from her!

[SuperLove4Celine]

I looove je ne veux pas, one of my favorite early french songs from her!

 

Agreed. I remember falling in love with it the first time I heard it on one of those early compilation albums. I think it may have been "The Early Singles" CD.