Parlez-vous français ?

"Parlez-vous français ?" (French pronunciation: [paʁle vu fʁɑ̃sɛ]; "Do you speak French?") is a song recorded by Spanish disco duo Baccara, written by Rolf Soja, Frank Dostal and Peter Zentner. It is best known as the Luxembourgian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1978, held in Paris.

This article is about the Luxembourgish song. For the Australian song, see Parlez Vous Francais?
"Parlez-vous français?"
Single by Baccara
from the album Light My Fire
B-side"Amoureux"
Released1978
LabelRCA Records
Songwriter(s)
Eurovision Song Contest 1978 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Mayte Mateos, María Mendiola
As
Language
Composer(s)
Rolf Soja
Lyricist(s)
Conductor
Rolf Soja
Finals performance
Final result
7th
Final points
73
Entry chronology
◄ "Frère Jacques" (1977)
"J'ai déjà vu ça dans tes yeux" (1979) ►

Background

The French-language version of "Parlez-vous français?" was included on Baccara's second studio album Light My Fire and an English version – with the same title – was also released as a single in certain markets.

The song was composed and produced by the same team who had written the duo's breakthrough single "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" and the follow-ups "Sorry, I'm a Lady" and "Darling", the Germans Rolf Soja and Frank Dostal, with Peter Zentner[1](also lyrics).

The song is an up-tempo disco duet, with the singers describing the importance of speaking French – described as "the language of love and summer". One of them at least has recently been on holiday and required a working knowledge of that language in order to have a holiday romance.

Eurovision

The song was performed seventeenth on the night, following Denmark's Mabel with "Boom Boom" and preceding Israel's Izhar Cohen and Alphabeta with "A-Ba-Ni-Bi". At the close of voting, it had received 73 points, placing 7th in a field of 20.

Despite its moderate success in the Contest "Parlez-vous français?" proved to be one of the year's best-selling entries, reaching #8 in Sweden, #18 in Austria, #21 in West Germany and #30 on the Dutch singles charts.[2][3] However, when the duo released their first 'greatest hits' album in late 1978, The Hits of Baccara, the song was surprisingly omitted. Despite this, "Parlez-vous français?" has become a favourite among Contest fans, most recently being performed as part of a medley by Dana International during the Congratulations special in late 2005.

It was succeeded as Luxembourgish representative at the 1979 contest by Jeane Manson with "J'ai déjà vu ça dans tes yeux". Composers Rolf Soja and Frank Dostal returned to the Contest in 1986 when they co-wrote Luxembourg's entry "L'amour de ma vie", performed by Canadian singer Sherisse Laurence.

Charts
Chart (1978) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[4] 18
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 7
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[7] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 30
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 8
West Germany (Official German Charts) 21

References
  1. Discogs.com, composers
  2. "Musicline.de, chart positions Baccara, Germany". Archived from the original on 2012-09-30. Retrieved 2009-12-05.
  3. Swisscharts.com, chart positions Baccara, Austria, Sweden, Netherlands
  4. "Baccara – Parlez-Vous Francais?" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  5. "Baccara – Parlez-Vous Francais?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  6. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Baccara". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  7. "Baccara – Parlez-Vous Français?" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  8. "Baccara – Parlez-Vous Francais?" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  9. "Baccara – Parlez-Vous Francais?". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
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