Q.I.

Well Well well…what do we have here, dear friends!? Another “quotient intellectual” or another “scandal”?

Ms Mylene Farmer! 😊 Indeed those 2 realms live happily ever after in her mind, body and soul…Let’s explore it further and deeper, shall we?

QI is a song from Mylène Farmer’s sixth studio album, Avant que l’ombre… (2005). It is the second single from it.

The lyrics of the song QI (just like most of all her songs) were written by Mylène Farmer.

A light, naughty text, sprinkled with a touch of provocation (“Even if I saw asses”).
Each album of Mylène has its song or songs with the topic of “sex”.

Fewer references to other authors. Mylène hides less behind the words of others. She seems to take pleasure in playing with her own words, with the language, not to say, perhaps, also, sometimes, with her language (cqfd?). In QI , Mylène almost makes us “penetrate” into her intimate self.

“The other”, so often evoked through sometimes evils, is here described by the words of a peaceful woman, rid of her doubts and seduced by a culture, a spirit… Isn’t it her Q.I. we are all so attracted to?

The text hints at a famous sculptor Rodin: “That he has the curves of a “Rodin” / I like it! It encourages me to…”. Perhaps it is The Thinker that excites Mylene (for his I.Q of course)

QI ‘s music was composed by Laurent Boutonnat. A classic melody for Laurent Boutonnat but bewitching and heady.

Already in April 2005, we knew that the first single from the album will be Fuck them all which meant to be a power locomotive for the sales but didn’t live up to the expectations.
The first extract from Mylène’s sixth studio album has indeed deeply divided the fans. The song itself is quite good but not considered “tubesque” enough to be the launch single of an opus expected for six years.

Sluggish sales (about 100,000 copies),This in no way hindered the start of the album Avant que l’ombre….
More than 135,000 sales in the first week, three weeks in the first position of the top French albums.

In the first weeks, sales were similar to those of the previous album Innamoramento despite a collapse of the record market since 1999. But the absence of a real first hit and the non-existent promotion on the part of Mylène will lead to a rapid decline of the album in the charts.

A lot of hopes are therefore placed in QI.

The Q.I single had also disappointing career in the charts: it reached 7th place in the Top Singles in France before beginning a gradual and irreversible fall. About 65,000 copies are sold. 🙁
It does not significantly boost sales of the album Avant que l’ombre…

What else left to do? Same trick that works every time to boost the sale and create a commotion! You guessed – of course – create a memorable video!

The only problem Laurent didn’t offer himself for the job. It doesn’t however stop Mylene from quest. She finds just a man for a job. Someone she knows well and goes back to the very dawn of Mylene’s carrier – Benoît Lestang.

In fact he was the creator of the famous Mylene doll for Sans contrefaçon. He was also a makeup specialist who has worked on many films including make-up and special effects for the film Giorgino in 1993.

When Mylène embraces her partner (played by Rafael Amargo) until her hands penetrate under his skin, we find special effects already used by the director Benoît Lestang in his short film also produced in 2005, Protocol 33.

Sadly only a few years after he directed the Q.I he took his own life. We tragically lost such a young and talented man. 🙏

The Q.I was filmed in Budapest over two days in May 2005. It airs on Wednesday, June 29, 2005, and greatly divided fans.
Some criticized its simplicity, the absence of a real script and its somewhat short duration.
Others were charmed by a modern or even futuristic aestheticism unusual for Mylène and note the direct link between the clip and the text of the song (we even see her lover, probable follower of “semantic pleasures” reading to her). And in which group are you?

The song speaks of the fusion of bodies, but also of that of spirits and the minds too. The clip can perfectly symbolize this idea that two beings become one (Mylène’s hands melting for a moment in the back of her partner in the video). Or perhaps allegorically gets “under his skin”.

One mind. A single body even and, the idea that these hands penetrating the body the other can represent this desire that one can sometimes feel, that a person “belongs” to us.
We also note the dominating side of the woman over the man in this clip, the hold that Mylène seems to have over her partner. The feminist verve of QI ‘s text is therefore not far away.

The music video starts by showing Farmer featured on a giant screen laid out on a building in a city in the rain. At the same time, a man in his apartment looks at the screen and touches it through the wet windowpane. Mylene plays a Seductress and a “Femme Fatal” with her slight foot fetish and the classic net stockings…All and all there are some aesthetically pleasing visuals including flamenco dance moves.

Another disappointment: the total lack of promotion for this single.
It must be said that Mylène without the slightest promotion knows an almost insolent success. Thirteen Bercy sold out for January 2006, and when QI hit stores, the album had already sold around 300,000 copies with a platinum disc to boot. Looks pretty triumphal to me! So why to promote?

This absence of Mylène from the media is also the source of one of the craziest rumors of her career.
A few days before the music festival scheduled for June 21, a rumor announces the presence of Mylène in the France 2 program broadcast live from the Palace of Versailles. Mylène should interpret QI. Will Mylène be the announced surprise? (even the show’s official press release sows confusion: “In the splendor of the Palace of Versailles, between 10:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., Daniela will reserve a major surprise for viewers…”)
Nay! We’ll have to make do with a banal fireworks display.

The fans waited all evening in vain for Mylene’s performance which never was announced. Last minute cancellation rumor were taken to its climax. We will probably never know what really happened that day (unless Mylene herself tells us). But one thing for sure – there is no bad publicity even if its fake. It was amusing to note that during this evening, one of the most whispered name was “Mylène”.

How did she manage, although absent, to remain more present than ever in people’s minds?
Very symbolic and representative of the entire era Avant que l’ombre…or perhaps even the entire Mylene’s career.
Promotion for QI was therefore limited to an advertising campaign with spots for the single QI and the album Avant que l’ombre… broadcast on several television channels in July 2005 .
Note for Avant que l’ombre… rises to 12th place in the top French albums in July essentially consecutive to this new advertising campaign.

Mylene’s co-star in the video Q.I is Jesús Rafael García Hernández , better known as Rafael Amargo. Rafael Amargo, very well known in Spain, is a dancer and choreographer specialized in flamenco. “His choreographies reflect a conception that is both traditional and current, sometimes very close to contemporary dance, they never lose the reference point of the essence of flamenco”.

Reviews are full of contradiction from the worst:
“Black melancholy, often tormented, sometimes smiling. All spiced up, as it should be, with raw eroticism (or soft porn, it depends) for the sulphurous touch (we border on the ridiculous and the vulgar with the song QI ) ” ( Le journal du dimanche – 10/04/2005)

to the favorable: “The sulfurous redhead remains faithful to her favorite themes: sex, religion and death, sung on dark ballads with electronic rhythms ( QI , Porno Graphique ).” ( Madame Figaro – 04/29/2005)

Perhaps, too much of Q.I. is also no go…? you decide!

AVANT QUE L’OMBRE… IN BERCY

Mylène performed QI live during the thirteen concerts Avant que l’ombre… at Bercy from January 13 to 29, 2006 .

Stage arrangements: Yvan Cassar. A version quite close to that of the album. A new choreography created and performed by Mylène and her dancers.
QI live is also included to the film of the concert Avant que l’ombre… à Bercy released on December 4, 2006

There is an ancient Chinese discipline called Qi translates literally as “air” and figuratively as “material energy”, “life force”, or “energy flow”. Qi is the central underlying principle in

Chinese traditional medicine and in Chinese martial arts. The practice of cultivating and balancing QI is called QIgong. It is of course the entirely different Q.I but just a curious addition to the topic

At the end of the clip, In the credits, Farmer thanks Benoît di Sabato, her companion (I wonder what for? maybe his Q.I.?)

These are three remixes that Chris Cox has produced: one for radios and two more oriented for clubs (“Sanctuary’s Radio Edit”, “Sanctuary’s Edit Club” and “Sanctuary’s Club Remix”).
” I liked it a lot ( QI ). I just had a problem with the pace, which was quite slow. I really wanted to give it energy for the clubs, but I wasn’t sure I could. achieve it.” ( Chris Cox – “IAO” – 2005 )

The “Sanctuary’s Radio Edit” is particularly effective and successful: many radio stations will favor the broadcast of this remix to the original version of the song (which had not happened since Remember the day and the “Sweet Guitar Mix” in 1999) and it will be found on the CD Single 3 Titles in commerce (you have to go back to Optimistique-moi in 2000 to find a remix offered on the main single support).

Syd (who had remixed Libertine in 2003 and Fuck Them All in 2005 – he was then a member of the group Y-Front) offers the “CQFD R. Club” remix.

The fifth remix (“Rodin’s Extended Club Mix”) was produced by Liquid Twins, which actually brings together two artists from the electro scene, Olivier Huguenard and Parkerlab. Olivier Huguenard is part of Fat Phaze who will remix L’Amour n’est rien… in 2006 then C’est dans l’air in 2009.

To listen all the listed remixes CLICK HERE

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lyrics with translation

Même si j'en ai vu des culs
C'est son Q.I qui m'a plu
Je vis le choc de culture
La belle aventure
Même si je suis dans son lit
C'est son Q.I qui me lie
À lui pour la vie entière
Bien que solitaire
Et moi j'en ai vu des culs
Mais c'est son "Q.I" qui eut
Le dernier mot pour m'avoir
Là, sur le plongeoir
Bien sûr j'en ai vu des cons
Mais son Q.I me rend
Complétement occise de désir
Quitte à en mourir
Sa bouche est sanctuaire
La plus sacrée des prières
S'alanguir est pour moi
Le pire des effrois, c'est froid
Sa bouche est sanctuaire
Le plus sacré des mystères
Il est l'ange pour moi
Je lui dis tout bas
Qu'il a les rondeurs d'un "Rodin"
J'aime! Ça m'incite à
Il sait la douceur de mes reins
Qui oscillent
Il sent la tiédeur de mes mains
J'aime! Ça l'incite à
Longue est la route de nos plaisirs
Sémantiques
Même si j'en ai vu des cas
Son Q.I moi, me rend coi
Devant telle érudition
Langue morte, oh non
Et quand je suis dans son lit
C'est son Q.I qui me lit
La physique des quantas
Quant à moi, je crois que
Sa bouche est sanctuaire
La plus sacrée des prières
S'alanguir est pour moi
Le pire des effrois, c'est froid
Sa bouche est sanctuaire
Le plus sacré des mystères
Il est l'ange pour moi
Je lui dis tout bas
Qu'il a les rondeurs d'un "Rodin"
J'aime! Ça m'incite à
Il sait la douceur de mes reins
Qui oscillent
Il sent la tiédeur de mes mains
J'aime! Ça l'incite à
Longue est la route de nos plaisirs
Sémantiques
Qu'il a les rondeurs d'un "Rodin"
J'aime! Ça m'incite à
Il sait la douceur de mes reins
Qui oscillent
Il sent la tiédeur de mes mains
J'aime! Ça l'incite à
Longue est la route de nos plaisirs
Sémantiques
Ton Q.I
Mon cul est
Ton Q.I
C.Q.F.D.
Ton Q.I
Mon cul est
Ton Q.I
C.Q.F.D
Ton Q.I
Mon cul est
Ton Q.I
C.Q.F.D
Ton Q.I
Mon cul est
Ton Q.I
C.Q.F.D

Even though I've seen some asses
It's his I.Q. that I like
I live the culture shock
The beautiful adventure
Even if I'm in his bed
It's his IQ that binds me
To him for a lifetime
Though lonely
And I've seen some asses
But it's his "I.Q." that had
The last word to have me
There, on the diving board
Of course I saw some asses
But his I.Q. makes me
Completely clogged with desire
To the point of death
His mouth is a sanctuary
The most sacred of prayers
Lying down is for me
The worst fear, it's cold
His mouth is a sanctuary
The most sacred of mysteries
He is the angel for me
I tell him softly
That he has the curves of a "Rodin".
I love him! It makes me want to
He knows the softness of my loins
That sway
He feels the warmth of my hands
I love it! It makes him want to
Long is the road of our pleasures
Semantics
Even if I've seen some cases
His I.Q. makes me wonder
In front of such erudition
Dead language, oh no
And when I am in his bed
It is his I.Q. that reads to me
The physics of the quantum
As for me, I believe that
Her mouth is a sanctuary
The most sacred of prayers
To go to sleep is for me
The worst fear, it is cold
His mouth is a sanctuary
The most sacred of mysteries
He is the angel for me
I tell him softly
That he has the curves of a "Rodin".
I love him! It makes me want to
He knows the softness of my loins
That sway
He feels the warmth of my hands
I love it! It makes him want to
Long is the road of our pleasures
Semantics
That it has the roundness of a "Rodin".
I like it! It makes me want to
He knows the softness of my loins
That sway
He feels the warmth of my hands
I love it! It makes him want to
Long is the road of our pleasures
Semantics
Your I.Q.
My ass is
Your I.Q.
C.Q.F.D.
Your I.Q.
My ass is
Your I.Q.
C.Q.F.D.
Your I.Q.
My ass is
Your I.Q.
C.Q.F.D
Your I.Q.
My ass is
Your I.Q.
C.Q.F.D 

** In French, when concluding a demonstration, they say "CQFD", which stands for "Ce Qu'il Fallait Démontrer" (What was to be demonstrated)*