"À ma place" | ||||
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Single by Zazie and Axel Bauer | ||||
from the album Personne n'est parfait | ||||
B-side | "Tu seras bien" | |||
Released | 7 May 2001 | |||
Format | CD single, digital download (since 2005) | |||
Genre | Pop, rock | |||
Length | 4:30 (single version) 5:28 (album version) |
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Label | Mercury Records, Universal Music | |||
Writer(s) | Zazie, Axel Bauer | |||
Producer(s) | Pierre Jaconelli, Axel Bauer | |||
Zazie singles chronology | ||||
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"À ma place" is a 2001 pop song recorded as a duet by French singers Zazie and Axel Bauer. It was the second single off Bauer's album Personne n'est parfait and was released on 7 May 2001. It became a smash hit in France and Belgium (Wallonia) where it reached the top five.
The song was written and composed by both singers. It deals with the difficulties that can be met by a couple to understand each other. According to Elia Habib, the story of the song "[oscillates] between passion and insanity". The music video and the cover single are very refined and the song looks like a "dramatic script meticulously directed".
The music video was directed by Didier Le Pêcheur who had previously directed five music videos for Zazie at the time.
"À ma place" was not included on Zazie's studio album, but only on Bauer's Personne n'est parfait on which it appears in an extended version, then on Bauer's best of La Désintégrale. In 2003, the live version performed during Zazie's tour was added on her live album Ze live!! and in the collector edition of La Désintégrale. The song, as well as the music video (on the DVD), were also available on Zazie's 2008 greatest hits Zest of.
In France, the single debuted at #33 on 12 May 2001, then climbed directly to the top ten and remained in it for 17 weeks, including a peak at number four for two consecutive weeks. It totalled 30 weeks in the top 50 and 32 weeks in the top 100 and earned a Gold disc. The song is currently the 738th best-selling singles of all time in France. In Belgium (Wallonia), it debuted at #32 on 4 August 2001 and reached number one four weeks later. It remained for 12 weeks in the top ten and 25 weeks in the Ultratop 50. To date, "À ma place" is the most successful single of both singers in terms of chart positions.
The song was awarded 'Francophone song of the year' at the 2002 NRJ Music Awards and was thus included on the compilation NRJ Music Awards 2002.