POINT DE SUTURE

Point de Suture is the seventh studio album by French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer, and her 14th album overall. Preceded by the lead single “Dégénération“, it was released digitally on 20 August 2008, then on CD five days later. The album is predominantly electronic dance music, and, despite mixed reviews, it achieved commercial success on the French, Swiss, Belgian and Russian album charts. The five singles released from the album were all number ones in France.

Pascal Nègre, president of Universal Music, officially announced on 28 January 2008 in the French newspaper Le Figaro that Farmer would release a new album in 2008. The following days, this information was covered by many media that also said that it would have been entitled Onirisme. At the time, it was announced that it would be composed of 11 tracks, and it would be released for the last quarter of 2008. Several song titles were relayed in the media, such as “Onirisme”, “Faire… et défaire”, “Dans ton antre”, “Ma nature est…”, “Excaliburia”, “Who’s Mylène ?”, “Aux points cardinaux”, “Je m’expose et m’impose”, “Poésie visuelle”, “The Witch of Dreams”, “Voyage au bout de tes sens “, and it would also contain an acoustic version of Farmer’s 1996 hit, “Rêver”.

A rumor went around the Internet saying the first single would be “À propos de nous”. But finally (after long 4 months of rumors), Thierry Suc, one of the producers, announced on 21 May that it would be “Dégénération“. It was scheduled to be released on radio on 19 June. At the time, he also said that the album was not yet finished.

In December 2008, a limited collectible mobile phone edition (W980i) was released (2,000 numbered copies: 1,000 on the Internet + 1,000 at SFR Studios). This edition contained the album “Point de Suture”, two remixes, a video, a making of, ringtones, visuals and themes of the singer. “Si j’avais au moins…” was released as the 3rd single on 16 February. On 27 March, Radio NRJ revealed the fourth single from the album was “C’est dans l’air“.

The lyrics for Point de suture were written by Mylène Farmer. About the title (of the song and the album) Point de suture, Mylène explains:

” For my part, I chose ambiguity.” Point of suture “, here in the singular, evokes as well that there is no possibility of suturing the wounds as the hope of cure. ” (Mylène Farmer – “Stubborn” – 08/20/2008)

For the title Point de suture, Mylène delivers a reference herself in an interview:

“In the libretto of this album, there is a line by Al Pacino who plays Carlito in the film Carlito’s way . Before dying, in voice-over, he says:” All the stitches in the world will not be able to sew me up. “This is also how I feel. ” (Mylène Farmer – “Têtu” – 08/20/2008)

“Sorry boys, all the stitches in the world can’t sew me together again. Lay down… lay down. Gonna stretch me out in Fernandez funeral home on Hun and Ninth street. Always knew I’d make a stop there, but a lot later than a whole gang of people thought… Last of the Moh-Ricans… well maybe not the last. Gail’s gonna be a good mom… New improved Carlito Brigante… Hope she uses the money to get out. No room in this city for big hearts like hers… Sorry baby, I tried the best I could, honest…”

Music, Arrangements, programming, keyboards and production: Laurent Boutonnat. Basses: Bernard Paganotti. Drums: Matthieu Rabaté

I personally think this song is one of the best ballads of the 2000s era by Mylene and Laurent. It is just perfect in its entirety, It creates such an unforgettable emotional response every time I hear it. It is to me in the lines of their best creations along with Ainsi soit je…, L’autre, Dernier sourire and Rever.

The piano and flute are creating the sensual dialogue mimicking two voices (male and female if you perceive it conventionally), the melody is just out of this world beautiful. Mylene delivers one of the best vocals of her carrier in this song, her voice shines as a precious diamond from every angle possible making me choke up with an overwhelming wave of feelings…She herself also falls to the feet of the beauty of the song breaking to tears during her live performance in the tour of 2009…and who can blame her? There is no human who can resist this soul-aching musical enlightenment.

I don’t know how about you but seeing her cry literally breaks my heart. I feel like the feeling is ripping my chest to pieces. I feel like I need the stiches just to cope with the inability to mend her heartache and give her a long heart-to-heart hug…I don’t know what it makes you feel, but I die a little every time I see her eyes filling up with the tears, and her mouth no longer able to breath out the words, the notes, the emotions. I can count on my fingers what else can make me feel like this, like her…my precious ambassador of the Soul.

The video on the background is also so powerful and adds a perfect illustration for the song. Brilliant idea! Brilliantly executed! The images were created by Alain Escalle from real images. He imagined a choreography and filmed two actors (who are not dancers) leaving them a great deal of improvisation. Alain Escalle was inspired by the sadomasochistic imagery found in the love & hate movements of the choreography as well as in the golden corset costumes.

Watch here: https://vimeo.com/13092453

Did you notice how in the end of the song her pose and the one in the video creates a silhouette of a crucifixion? The powerful allegory Mylene uses quite often. It is more than just a metaphor of an unbearable suffering, it is also, in my perception, the spiritual suture (stitch) that helps her on this Earthy journey – the link with the “other” realm, with the divine world of peace, inspiration and unconditional love. The life is fragile spark of consciousness materialized held by the finest thread (stitch) created by the Devine Higher Forces. Mylene is always so aware of it. She, no doubts, believes that her mission is make us aware of it as well..

“Some nice songs like Point de suture, one of the few titles where the elegiac stamp of ‘The Red Angel’ is not drowned under a ton of effects.” (Metro – 08/26/2008)

“Another part of the album is a dreamy and languid ballad on the themes of waiting, from the vague to the soul (Stitch), the absence, the disappearance (If I had at least …), in a light-dark universe. Here too we find the mark of the duo (Mylène and Laurent) in the fundamentals, but with the feeling of collages of ideas already heard in previous compositions.” (Le monde – 08/27/2008)

“With Sextonik, I’m bored, she holds between her vocal cords four tubes which will be on everyone’s lips between now and her stadium tour in autumn 2009.” (Paris Match – 08/28/2008)

“There is of course the ballad which will ignite all the lighters of the Stade de France (Point de suture).” (L’Echo Républicain – 05/09/2008)

“On the ballads side, special mention for Point de suture, an elegant melody which gives its title to the ‘album.” (Here – 09/08/2018)

“The general title Point de suture also that of one of the ten songs of the disc. This is one of those aerial ballads with melancholy-sensual accents of which the incandescent redhead has the secret. ” (Le Télégramme – 11/09/2008)

“The titles Point de suture and If I had at least .. . between lyrical flight and poetic ballad offer what the singer knows how to do best!” (Télé Poche – 08/09/2008)

“Point de suture, it’s a magnificent ballad in the purest Farmer-Boutonnat tradition, which will certainly make a very good single with many remixes. Only here, this title still has a je ne sais quoi of already heard. It sounds like a reminiscence of the Farmer of the late 90s ” (citegay.fr – 08/21/2008)

“Point de suture classic Farmer / Boutonnat dark ballad, with omnipresent keyboards and pianos, interpreted very soberly, bordering on cracking. New nod to the refined gothic pop of 1991, with more treble in the vocals. The last breaths of the song turn out to be neither more nor less incredibly beautiful and dark. One of the great moments of the album: overwhelming.” (Discordance.fr – 08/24/2008)

“The choice of this first single (Degeneration) surprised the fans who will perhaps prefer the ballad melancholy and melodic Point de suture. ” (nouvelleobs.com – 08/28/2008)

TOUR 2009

Stitch was sung on all the dates of the 2009 Tour (indoor concerts then concert in stadiums). Arrangements for the stage: Yvan Cassar

REACTION

MY POETRY INSPIRED BY THE SONG

lyrics with translation

Les jours de peine
Fredonnent un
Je ne sais quoi
La ritournelle
Des indécis, des quoi ?
Par habitude
J'ai pris ce chemin
D'incertitude
Où mes va sont des viens

Jours de sagesse
La voie unie et droite
Mais l'homme doute
Et court
De multiples détours
Vague mon âme
Va, prends ton chemin
L'attente est sourde
Mais la vie me retient

Les nuits sont chaudes
Mon sang chavire et tangue
Bâteau fantôme
Qui brûle
Je suis tempète et vent
Ombre et lumière
Se jouent de l'amour
Mes vagues reviennent
Mes flots sont si lourds

Prends-moi dans tes draps
Donne-moi la main,
Ne viens plus ce soir
Dis, je m'égare

Dis-moi d'où je viens
Ne dis rien, je pars
Rejoue-moi ta mort
Je m'évapore

Des mots sur nos rêves
Déposer mes doutes
Et sur les blessures
Point de sutures

Vole mon amour
Refais-moi l'amor
Confusion des pages
Je suis naufrage

Days of sorrow
Hum a
I do not know what
The ritornello
Undecided, what?
By habit
I took this path
Of uncertainty
Where are my going

Days of wisdom
The united and straight path
But the man doubts
And short
Multiple detours
Wave my soul
Go, take your way
The wait is deaf
But life is holding me back

The nights are hot
My blood capsizes and rocks
Ghost ship
That burns
I am a storm and a wind
Shadow and light
Play with love
My waves are coming back
My waves are so heavy

Take me in your sheets
Give me your hand,
Don't come again tonight
Say, I got lost

Tell me where I come from
Don't say anything, I'm leaving
Replay me your death
I evaporate

Words about our dreams
Put down my doubts
And on the wounds
Stitches

Steal my love
Make me love again
Confusion of pages
I am shipwrecked