"Je sais pas" (meaning "I don't know" in French) is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion from her thirteenth studio album, D'eux (1995). It was written by Jean-Jacques Goldman and J. Kapler, and produced by Goldman and Erick Benzi. The song was released as the album's second single on 21 August 1995. "Je sais pas" topped the charts in France, Belgium Wallonia and Quebec. It was also certified Gold in France and Belgium.

"Je sais pas"
Single by Celine Dion
from the album D'eux
B-side"La mémoire d'Abraham"
Released21 August 1995 (1995-08-21)
RecordedNovember–December 1994
StudioMéga (Paris)
GenrePop
Length4:33
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Celine Dion singles chronology
"Pour que tu m'aimes encore"
(1995)
"Je sais pas"
(1995)
"Next Plane Out"
(1995)
Music video
"Je sais pas" (main version) on YouTube

Background and release

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Dion recorded D'eux in November and December 1994 in the Méga Studio in Paris, France.[1] Most songs were written by Jean-Jacques Goldman, while the production was handled by Goldman and Erick Benzi.[2] "Je sais pas", written by Goldman and his brother J. Kapler, was chosen as the second single. It was commercially released on 21 August 1995 in Belgium, on 2 October 1995 in France and on 18 December 1995 in the Netherlands.[3] The live version of "Je sais pas" from Live à Paris was also released as a single in the Netherlands on 12 May 1997.[4] The English-language version, "I Don't Know" was included on Falling into You in 1996. Dion often performed "Je sais pas" during her concerts. In 2005, it was included on her greatest hits album, On ne change pas.

Accolades

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At the 1996 Félix Awards in Quebec, "Je sais pas" was nominated for Most Popular Song of the Year and Video of the Year.[5]

Commercial performance

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In France "Je sais pas" topped the chart for seven weeks.[6] On the 1995 year-end charts, it was number six on sales and number 10 on airplay.[7] "Je sais pas" also stayed at number one for four weeks in Quebec[8] and for two weeks in Belgium Wallonia.[9] It was certified Gold in France[10] and Belgium.[11] On the European Hot 100 Singles, "Je sais pas" reached number seven in December 1995.[12] In the Netherlands, the single entered the chart in January 1996 and peaked at number 34.[13] In May 1997, a live version of "Je sais pas" from Live à Paris was released exclusively in the Netherlands, reaching number 78.

Music video

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Two music videos were filmed for "Je sais pas" in 1995: the main non-singing version[14] and alternate performance (singing) version,[15] both directed by Gregg Masuak.[16] The video was nominated for Video of the Year at the 1996 Félix Awards in Quebec.[5] In 2005, both music videos were included on Dion's greatest hits DVD collection, On ne change pas. Dion's official YouTube channel uploaded only the alternate singing version in 2011.[15] The edited versions of the non-singing video were later used as music videos for two English singles: "Next Plane Out"[17] and "Call the Man".[18]

Track listing and formats

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Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Certifications and sales for "Je sais pas"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[11] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[10] Gold 250,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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"Je sais pas" release history
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
Belgium 21 August 1995 CD Original Columbia [3]
France 2 October 1995
Netherlands 18 December 1995 CD
12 May 1997 Live

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Histoire de culte: comment l'album D'eux de Céline Dion est devenu le disque francophone le plus vendu de tous les temps". Elle (in French). 30 March 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  2. ^ "D'eux by Céline Dion". Apple Music. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Celine Dion – Je sais pas". Discogs. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Celine Dion – Je sais pas (Live)". Discogs. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Gala de l'ADISQ - 1996". ADISQ. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Céline Dion – Je sais pas" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  7. ^ "French Industry Thriving Despite Grim Summer" (PDF). Billboard. p. 66. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Compilation des succès par ordre alphabétique d'interprètes" (PDF) (in French). Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Céline Dion – Je sais pas" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  10. ^ a b "French single certifications – Celine Dion – Je sais pas" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1995". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 16 December 1995. p. 12. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  13. ^ a b "Céline Dion – Je sais pas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  14. ^ "Céline Dion - Je sais pas (Clip officiel) (Version 1)". YouTube. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Céline Dion - Je sais pas (Clip officiel)". YouTube. 5 March 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Celine Dion - Je sais pas (Non-Singing Version) (Music Video 1995)". imvdb.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Céline Dion - Next Plane Out (Official Video)". YouTube. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Céline Dion - Call The Man (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Céline Dion – Je sais pas" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  20. ^ "Celine Dion - Je sais pas - Top 40" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  21. ^ "Céline Dion – Je sais pas (Live) / J'attendais" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  22. ^ "Palmarès de la chanson francophone au Québec" (PDF) (in French). BAnQ. p. 108. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2015.
  23. ^ "Québec Info Musique: Céline Dion". Québec Info Musique. Archived from the original on 8 September 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. ^ "Rapports annuels 1995" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  25. ^ "Rapports annuels 1995 - singles francophones" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  26. ^ "Music & Media 1995 in Review: Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 December 1995. p. 14. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  27. ^ "Tops de l'année - Top Singles 1995" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
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