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John (Desireless song)

"John"
John (Desireless).jpg
Single by Desireless
from the album François
B-side "Remix"
Released 1988
Format CD maxi, 7" single, 12" maxi
Recorded 1988
Genre Synthpop
Length 3:58
Label CBS Records
Songwriter(s) Jean-Michel Rivat
Producer(s) Jean-Michel Rivat
Desireless singles chronology
"Voyage Voyage"
(1987)
"John"
(1988)
"Qui sommes-nous ?"
(1989)
"Voyage Voyage"
(1987)
"John"
(1988)
"Qui sommes-nous ?"
(1989)

"John" is a synthpop song recorded by French singer Desireless. It was the second single from the album François on which it is the tenth track. Following the huge success of "Voyage Voyage", it was released in May 1988. Written and produced by Jean-Michel Rivat, the song was Desireless' last hit single in France.

The song deals with a man named John, apparently a soldier, who died during a mission. The lyrics mention several locations referring to conflicts in the 20th century : Hanoi and Haiphong (Vietnam War, 1945-54 / 1964-1975), Madrid (Spanish Civil War, 1936–39), Port Said (second Israeli-Arab war, 1956), Baghdad (Iran-Iraq, 1980–88), Berlin (Second World War, Cold War). Several Gods worshiped in various religions are also cited in the lyrics, such as God, Jehovah (Christianity, Judaism), Allah (Islam), Brahma and Vishnu (Hinduism).

The song was released in several European countries, notably in France, where it became a top five hit in July 1988 and remained for 18 on the chart (top 50), nine of them in the top ten. It was released in UK in a remixed version produced by Les Adams, but was a relative failure (a sole week on the chart, at number 92), while it failed the chart in the Netherlands. Yet, the song was a big hit - as its predecessor - in Spain, reaching n°8.


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