"Respire" is one of
Mickey 3D's most popular songs. Released in March 2003, it met success in France, Belgium and Switzerland. Like many
French rock
French rock is a form of rock music produced in France, primarily with lyrics in the French language.
French rock was born as early as mid-1950s, when writer, songwriter and jazz player Boris Vian wrote parody rock songs for Magali Noël or He ...
songs the topic is about a controversial and realistic subject, in this case, the environment and its destruction.
Lyrics and music
The text of the song addresses a "kid" to alert him about the state of the world that adults will leave to him. The first part of the song deals with the story of humans' arrival on Earth and their disturbance of the whole balance of nature. The second part imagines the future of people if they continue to do so (referring to the disappearance of
natural resources
Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural value. ...
, animals and even
genetic modification
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including th ...
because of
pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...
) and how the "kid" will try to explain to his grandchildren why he did nothing to prevent it. The third part speaks about the state of slavery, misery, and shame of the human species as well as the unpredictability of its future.
Music video
The music video was produced as an
animated feature, co-directed by Jerôme Combe, Stéphane Hamache and André Bessy. It represents a little girl running in what is believed to be nature, before discovering little by little it is actually a synthetic nature, reconstituted in a studio.
Awards and chart performances
In France, "Respire" won two
Victoires de la musique in 2004 : one for the best song of the year, the other for the best music video. It was charted for 25 weeks on the French singles chart. After a beginning at #26 on March 29, 2003, it climbed to #12, its peak position, that it reached again in its ninth week. It remained for six weeks in the top 20 and 15 weeks in the top 50,
["Respire", French Singles Char]
Lescharts.com
(Retrieved July 13, 2008) and was eventually certified
Silver disc
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
SNEP
SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in ...
.
In Belgium (Wallonia), the single went to #35 on April 5, 2003, and climbed until reaching #6 in its fifth week. Thereafter, it almost kept on dropping on the chart and totalled eight weeks in the top ten and 18 weeks on the chart (top 40).
["Respire", Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Char]
Ultratop.be
(Retrieved July 13, 2008)
In Switzerland, "Respire" featured on the chart for 16 weeks (from April 13 to July 27), 11 of them in the top 50, with a peak at #10 on May 18.
["Respire", Swiss Singles Char]
Hitparade.ch
(Retrieved July 13, 2008)
Track listings
; CD single
# "Respire" — 3:45
# "Chanson de rien du tout" — 2:49
# "Respire" (club 80) — 3:45
# "Respire" (music video) — 3:45
Charts and sales
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Respire
2003 singles
Mickey 3D songs
Environmental songs
2003 songs
Virgin Records singles
EMI Music France singles