Je marche seul

"Je marche seul" ("I Walk Alone") is the name of a 1985 song recorded by the French singer and songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman. It was released in June 1985 as the first single from his album Non homologué, as tenth track. Though the song failed to reach number one on the French Singles Chart, it remains one of Goldman's biggest hit singles as well as one of the more popular songs live.

"Je marche seul"
One of vinyl singles
Single by Jean-Jacques Goldman
from the album Non homologué
B-side"Elle attend"
ReleasedJune 1985
RecordedFrance
GenreNew wave, pop rock, synthpop
Length4:03
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Jean-Jacques Goldman
Producer(s)Jean-Jacques Goldman,
Marc Lumbroso
Jean-Jacques Goldman singles chronology
"Long Is the Road (Americain)"
(1984)		 "Je marche seul"
(1985)		 "Je te donne"
(1985)

Lyrics and music

The upbeat song begins with a long musical introduction highlighted by a sax solo.[1]

When the song was released as a single, Goldman explained in various interviews that the song was very hard to compose.[2] The lyrics describe someone walking alone along a road, annomyous and lost in thought, able to forget everything for the moment and the pleasure of being anonymous while observing the world.[3] Goldman has said that "Je marche seul" is a bright song because "the loneliness is not a punishment".[4]

The music video, produced by Bernard Schmitt in Brussel,[5] began to be aired on television in May 1985. It was well received in the media at the time. It shows Goldman portraying a renegade from Eastern Europe who has an affair in a train which is crossing the border.[4][6]

Jean-Jacques Goldman said in an interview that even before the release of the song in the media, he was sure to have a hit: "So, for "Je marche seul", I had no doubt!"[7]

Live performances

On 13 October 1985, Goldman performed the song as duet with Daniel Balavoine during the charity concert of the 'Chanteurs sans frontières' in La Courneuve to raise funds for Ethiopia.[8] The song was later included in Goldman's best of Intégrale and Singulier. It was performed during the singer's tours, and thus is available in the original version on Un tour ensemble, and in a medley version on En public, Traces and Intégrale.

On the television show Zénith, presented by Michel Denisot in December 1986, Goldman performed several of his songs in China. The shooting of "Je marche seul" took place in the Nankin avenue, in Shanghai, and shows the singer walking among thousands of Chinese.[9]

Cover versions

The song was covered by Jean-Félix Lalanne in 1990, by Eric Landman in 2000 for his album Eric Landman chante Jean-Jacques Goldman, and by Le Collège de l'Esterel in 2002. The most popular cover is that of Les Enfoirés, performed by Muriel Robin, Pierre Palmade, Gérard Jugnot, Axel Bauer, Zazie, Hélène Ségara and Natasha St-Pier, from the 2004 concert, available on the album 2004: Les Enfoirés dans l'espace.[10]

The song was also recorded in Dutch-language by Bart Herman, under the title "Ik loop alleen".

In 2012, Christophe Willem covered the song on the number one album Génération Goldman.

Chart performances

The single had a long chart history on the French Singles Chart: it stayed in the top 50 for 30 weeks, from 22 June 1985 to 11 January 1986. It debuted at number 25, reached the top ten four weeks later and remained in it for 14 consecutive weeks, including a peak at number two in its 11th and 15th weeks. Then it dropped slowly on the chart.[11] The same year, it was certified Gold disc by the SNEP.[12]

Infodisc website reveals that the song is the 247th best-selling single of all time in France, with about 731,000 copies sold.[13]

Track listings
  • 7" single
  1. "Je marche seul" — 4:03
  2. "Elle attend" — 3:17
  • 12" maxi
  1. "Je marche seul" (extended) — 5:58
  2. "Elle attend" — 3:15

Personnel
  • Jean-Jacques Goldman — singing, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and piano
  • Guy Delacroix — bass, programming
  • Patrick Bourgoin — saxophone
  • P.A. Dahan — drums
  • Roland Romanelli — synthesizers
  • Patrice Mondon — violin

Charts and certifications

References
  1. Habib, Elia (2002). Muz hit. tubes. Alinéa Bis. p. 47. ISBN 2-9518832-0-X.
  2. Korchia, Nicole (8–15 December 1990). "Interview of Jean-Jacques Goldman". Salut! (in French).
  3. "Jean-Jacques Goldman, antistar qui réussit!". Girls (in French). 13 June 1985.
  4. "Les espoirs et les doutes". Cool (in French). October 1985.
  5. Goudeau, Mathias. Jean-Jacques Goldman (in French). Paris: Musicbook. p. 94. ISBN 2-84343-109-3.
  6. Réval, Anne; Réval, Bernard (2003). Jean-Jacques Goldman (in French). France-Empire. p. 91. ISBN 2-7048-0965-8.
  7. "Quand la musique est bonne", RTL, 5 July 2003
  8. Réval, Anne; Réval, Bernard (2003). Jean-Jacques Goldman (in French). France-Empire. p. 95. ISBN 2-7048-0965-8.
  9. Dumas, Max (February 1987). "Nos cinq jours à Shanghai avec Jean-Jacques Goldman". Podium (in French).
  10. "2004: LesEnfoirés dans l'espace, track listing and charts" (in French). Lescharts. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  11. ""Je marche seul", French Singles Chart" (in French). Lescharts. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  12. "Singles certifications in France, database" (in French). Infodisc. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  13. "Best-selling singles of all time in France" (in French). Infodisc. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
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