"Le Dormeur" (transl. French for "The Sleeper") is a 1991 electronic song recorded by Belgian act Pleasure Game. Written and composed by Bruno Van Garsse, Benoît Marissal, Jacky Meurisse and Michel de San Antonio, it was released in the summer of 1991 as the band's debut single from the album Le Dormeur on which it was the second track. It became a hit in France and the Francophone part of Belgium where it became a top ten hit.

"Le Dormeur"
Single by Pleasure Game
from the album Le Dormeur
B-side"Remix"
Released1991
Recorded1991
GenreElectronic, techno, hardcore
Length3:44 (album version)
LabelMusic Man, Touch of Gold
Songwriter(s)Bruno Van Garsse, Benoît Marissal, Jacky Meurisse, Michel de San Antonio
Producer(s)Bruno Van Garsse
Pleasure Game singles chronology
"Le Dormeur"
(1991)
"Le Seigneur des ténèbres"
(1991)

Lyrics and music

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The sentence repeated throughout the song "le dormeur doit se réveiller" is a sample from David Lynch's 1984 American epic science fiction film Dune. According to Elia Habib, an expert of French charts, "Le Dormeur" displays a "soaring atmosphere to the sound of saturated synthesizers and a cavernous voice cousin to that of Darth Vader", which allowed the song to have a great success in discothèques.[1] Music & Media presented the song as beginning "with the sound of morning church bells, a dark voice announcing the awakening of the sleeper, followed by heavy bleeping dance sounds".[2]

Chart performance

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In France, "Le Dormeur" debuted at number 47 on the chart edition of 6 July 1991, climbed regularly and entered the top ten in its 12th week; it reached its highest position, number nine, the next week, then began to drop and remained for 19 weeks in the top 50.[3] As of February 1992, 138,000 units of the song were sold in France.[2] In Belgium (Wallonia), it charted for 15 weeks in the top ten, with a peak at number five on 7 September 1991.[4] On the European Hot 100 Singles chart, it debuted at number 100 on 20 July 1991, reached a peak of number 36 in the 13rd week,[5] and fell off the top 100 after 18 weeks of presence.

Track listings

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Charts

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Chart (1991) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23] 23
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[4] 5
Europe (European Hot 100)[5] 36
France (SNEP)[3] 9

Release history

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Country Date Format Label
France 1991 CD single[6] Touch of Gold
7" single[10]
12" maxi[7][8]
Cassette[11]
Belgium CD single[14] Music Man
CD maxi[15]
7" single[18]
12" maxi[16][17]
Spain 12" maxi[19] Max Music
Promotional 7" single[20]
Mexico 12" maxi[21] Musart
Promotional 7" single[22]
France 2002 CD maxi - Remixes[12] Scorpio Music
12" maxi - Remixes[13]

References

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  1. ^ Habib, Elia (2002). Muz hit.tubes (in French). Alinéa Bis. p. 218. ISBN 2-9518832-0-X.
  2. ^ a b "Spotlight" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 6. 8 February 1992. p. 13. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 16 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  3. ^ a b "Pleasure Game – Le Dormeur" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Top 10 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 36. 7 September 1991. p. 23. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 9 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 41. 12 October 1991. p. 33. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  6. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, CD maxi France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  7. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  8. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi Remixes France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  9. ^ "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi Remixes Promo France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  10. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 7" single France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  11. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, Cassette France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  12. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, CD maxi 2002 remixes France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  13. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi 2002 remixes France (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  14. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, CD single Belgium (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  15. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, CD maxi Belgium (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  16. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi Belgium (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  17. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi Remixes Belgium (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  18. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 7" single Belgium (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  19. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi Spain (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  20. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 7" single promo Spain (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  21. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 12" maxi Mexico (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  22. ^ a b "Le Dormeur" at Discogs, 7" single promo Mexico (Pleasure Game – "Le Dormeur") (accessdate: 15 September 2021).
  23. ^ "Pleasure Game – Le Dormeur" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 September 2021.