"Ça Ne Tient Pas Debout" is the 9th and final studio album by Michel Berger, released in May 1990.
This album, which sold 182,000 copies, marked Berger’s return as a singer after a four-year absence (in 1986, his friends Daniel Balavoine and Coluche died tragically, five months apart), during which he devoted himself to writing songs for his wife France Gall.
Released in 1990, 'Ca Ne Tient Pas Debout' (50:07) has 9 often lengthy tracks, with 4 passing the 6 minute mark.
It's modern sound is characterized by synthesizers, synthetic drums, and female backing vocals, sometimes augmented with a saxophone or acoustic guitar.
The 'clean' production has an Autumnal feel.
There are good vocal performances from Michel Berger, which are slower, more measured, and mature, than on earlier recordings.
'Le Paradis Blanc' may be the album's best known song outside the UK, which begins with the sound of whales.
France Gall's recording of the song live at Bercy 1993 will have added to the songs popularity, along with her 1996 covers of 'Prive D'Amour' & 'A Quoi il Sert' from this album. The latter 2 songs here do 'go on a bit', with long running times (5:27 & 6:22).
My favourite titles are not the usual suspects; I would choose 'Les Enfants Chantent Toujours', which features the voices of children, and 'L'un Sans L'Autre', which has an acoustic guitar solo, and backing vocals.
The songs mostly have a serene, soothing sound, apart from the commercial opening song (the title track) with it's heavy synths & drums, and the uptempo 'Danser Sur La Glace'.
I don't recall who 'Man Ray' is, but 'Chanson Pour Man Ray' is a slow-paced, atmospheric song.
The 9 tracks have a consistent feel, on this, the final Michel Berger solo album (not counting the 1992 collaboration with France Gall; 'Double Jeu')
Tracklist
1. Ça ne tient pas debout - 6:30
2. À quoi il sert - 6:22
3. Les enfants chantent toujours - 4:07
4. Privé d'amour - 5:27
5. Le Paradis blanc - 6:36
6. Danser sur la glace - 6:05
7. L'Un sans l'autre - 5:41
8. Chanson pour Man Ray - 3:18
9. L'Orange bleue - 5:50
The songs were written and composed by Michel Berger.
Musicians
1. Ça Ne Tient Pas Debout
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Jimmy Bralower
Guitar - Eddie Martinez
Guitar - Ira Siegel
Keyboards - Jeff Bova
Background Vocals - Marina Albert
Background Vocals - Olivier Constantin
Vocals - Michel Berger
2. À Quoi Il Sert
Bass -Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Jimmy Bralower
Guitar - Eddie Martinez
Guitar - Ira Siegel
Keyboards - Jeff Bova
Background Vocals - Jean-Pierre Janiaud
Background Vocals - Michel Berger
Background Vocals - France Gall
Vocals - Michel Berger
3. Les Enfants Chantent Toujours
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Jimmy Bralower
Guitar - Ira Siegel
Keyboards - Jeff Bova
Vocals - Michel Berger
4. Privé D’amour
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Claude Salmieri
Guitar - Michael Thompson
Keyboards - Robbie Buchanan
Keyboards - Serge Perathoner
Background Vocals - Michel Berger
Background Vocals - Tess
Vocals - Michel Berger
5. Le Paradis Blanc
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Jimmy Bralower
Keyboards - Jeff Bova
EWI - Michael Brecker
Vocals - Michel Berger
6. Danser Sur La Glace
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Jimmy Bralower
Guitar - Ira Siegel
Keyboards - Jeff Bova
Sax - Michael Brecker
Background Vocals - Tess
Background Vocals - Jean-Pierre Janiaud
Background Vocals - Michel Berger
Vocals - Michel Berger
7. L’un Sans L’autre
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Jimmy Bralower
Guitar - Ira Siegel
Keyboards - Jeff Bova
Vocals - Michel Berger
8. Chanson Pour Man Ray
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Jimmy Bralower
Keyboards - Jeff Bova
Vocals - Michel Berger
9. L’orange Bleue
Bass - Jannick Top
Drums (programming) - Claude Salmieri
Guitar - Christian Leroux
Keyboards - Serge Perathoner
Vocals - Michel Berger
Other Musicians
Choir – Petits Écoliers Chantants De Bondy (Tracks 1, 3)
Liner Notes
Producer – Michel Berger
Engineer (Assistant) – Ben Fowler
Musical Director – Jannick Top
Mixed By – Jean-Pierre Janiaud
Mixed By (Assistant) – Frédéric Rall, Roy Hendrickson
Recorded By – Roy Hendrickson, Alex Haas, Peter Iversen, Jean-Pierre Janiaud
Photography – Youri Lenquette
Mastered At Translab
Recorded At Studio Gang, Paris
Recorded At Power Station, New York
Recorded At Puk Recording Studios, Denmark
Phonographic Copyright C.M.B.M.
Copyright C.M.B.M.






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