"La Mer" ("The Sea") is a song by the French composer, lyricist, singer and showman

Charles Trenet Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet (; 18 May 1913 – 19 February 2001) was a renowned French singer-songwriter who composed both the music and the lyrics to nearly a thousand songs over a career that lasted more than 60 years. These include ...

. The song was first recorded by the French singer

Roland Gerbeau Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...

in 1945. When Trenet's version was released in 1946, it became an unexpected hit, and has remained a

chanson A (, , french: chanson française, link=no, ; ) is generally any lyric-driven French song, though it most often refers to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music. The genre had origins in the monophonic s ...

classic and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

standard ever since.

Background and history

Trenet said that he had written an initial version of the song's lyrics as a poem at the age of 16, many years before he came up with a tune for it. The tune came to him while he was traveling by train in 1943 between

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

and Perpignan as he was gazing out of the window at the

Étang de Thau The Étang de Thau (; oc, Estanh de Taur) or Bassin de Thau is the largest of a string of lagoons (''étangs'') that stretch along the French coast from the Rhône river to the foothills of the Pyrenees and the border to Spain in the Languedoc-R ...

, a lagoon in the south of France. He jotted it down on a piece of paper and in the afternoon he worked out the details with his pianist

Léo Chauliac Léo Chauliac, real name Léon Chauliac (6 February 1913 – 27 October 1977), was a French jazz pianist, composer and conductor. A jazz pianist in the 1930s, Léo Chauliac was the accompanist of Charles Trenet from 1941 to 1943, a singer for wh ...

. That evening they performed it in front of an audience without much of an impact. The song was not recorded before the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It was first offered to

Suzy Solidor Suzy Solidor (18 December 1900 – 30 March 1983) was a French singer and actress, appearing in films such as '' La Garçonne''. Suzy Solidor was born Suzanne Louise Marie Marion in 1900 in the Pie district of Saint-Servan-sur-Mer in Brittany ...

, who, however, declined it. After that the job fell to

, who recorded it together with

Jo Bouillon Joseph Bouillon (3 May 1908 – 9 July 1984) was a French composer, conductor and violinist. As Joséphine Baker's fourth husband, he enjoyed prominence in the 1950s. Biography Bouillon's father and his brother Gabriel were musicologists, res ...

's orchestra at the end of 1945. The orchestration and chorus were provided by

Albert Lasry Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Alber ...

. Trenet himself recorded his song for the first time in 1946. Over the years the song turned out to be rather popular throughout the world and developed into a chanson classic and jazz standard with a large number of prominent artists recording their own versions. Besides the original in French, the song was also recorded in several other languages with the English version " Beyond the Sea" being particularly popular and becoming the signature song for the American singer

Bobby Darin Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American musician and actor. He performed jazz, Pop music, pop, rock and roll, Folk music, folk, Swing music, swing, and country music. He started his car ...

. In 1966 there were already over 100 different recordings of "La Mer", and it was considered to be France's best-selling song, together with

Édith Piaf Édith Piaf (, , ; born Édith Giovanna Gassion, ; December 19, 1915– October 10, 1963) was a French singer, lyricist and actress. Noted as France's national chanteuse, she was one of the country's most widely known international stars. Pia ...

's " La Vie en rose". By the time of Trenet's death in 2001, there were more than 4,000 different recordings of it, with over 70 million copies sold in total. Despite various translations into other languages, the original French version was popular outside France and with non-French musicians as well. Trenet published his recording in the US in 1947 and

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

recorded "La Mer" on his 1953 album '' Le Bing: Song Hits of Paris''. Charles Trenet's recording of "La Mer" is choreographed in

Matthew Bourne Sir Matthew Christopher Bourne (born 13 January 1960) is an English choreographer whose work includes contemporary dance and dance theatre. Choreographer In 2007, Bourne contemplated a gay version of ''Romeo and Juliet''. Despite the succ ...

's 1989 ballet suite ''Infernal Galop'', "a French dance with English subtitles", in which a

merman Mermen, the male counterparts of the mythical female mermaids, are legendary creatures, which are male human from the waist up and fish-like from the waist down, but may assume normal human shape. Sometimes they are described as hideous and other ...

seduces three matelots. The song was also recorded by

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...

. In 1976

Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...

included the song on his live album ''En el Olympia''. The song was included on

Dalida Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti (; 17 January 1933 – 3 May 1987), professionally known as Dalida, was an Italian-French singer and actress born in Egypt. She sang in eleven languages and sold millions of records internationally. Her best known son ...

's 1999 posthumous album ''Besame Mucho''.

Demis Roussos Artemios "Demis" Ventouris-Roussos ( ; el, Αρτέμιος "Ντέμης" Βεντούρης-Ρούσσος, ; 15 June 1946 – 25 January 2015) was a Greek singer, songwriter and musician. As a band member he is best remembered for his work in ...

included the song on his 1995 studio album ''Immortel''. More recent versions include Kristina & Laura, Miguel Bosé,

Manlio Sgalambro Manlio Sgalambro (; 9 December 1924 – 6 March 2014) was an Italian philosopher and writer, born in Lentini. Biography Philosophical production Sgalambro did not have certificates or degrees as business cards: how he became a writer of ph ...

Lisa del Bo Lisa del Bo (born Reinhilde Goossens on 9 June 1961 in Mopertingen, Belgium) is a Belgian singer who is popular in her own country and also in Germany. Lisa del Bo is a Flemish singer who often sings in the Dutch language but has been known to re ...

Biréli Lagrène Biréli Lagrène (born 4 September 1966) is a French jazz guitarist who came to prominence in the 1980s for his Django Reinhardt–influenced style. He often performs in swing, jazz fusion, and post-bop styles. Biography Lagrène was born in ...

Patricia Kaas Patricia Kaas (; born 5 December 1966) is a French singer. Her music is a mix of pop, cabaret, jazz, and chanson. Since the appearance of her 1988 debut album '' Mademoiselle chante...'', Kaas has sold over 17 million records worldwide. She h ...

, Lola Dutronic,

Mireille Mathieu Mireille Mathieu (; born 22 July 1946) is a French singer. She has recorded over 1200 songs in eleven languages, with more than 122 million records sold worldwide. Biography and career Early years Mireille Mathieu was born on 22 July 1946 in A ...

Chantal Chamberland Chantal () is a feminine given name of France, French origin. The name Chantal can be traced back to the Old Occitan word ''cantal'', meaning "Rock (geology), stone." It came into popular use as a given name in honor of the Catholic Saint, Catholi ...

and others. The Avalon Jazz Band, with lead singer Tatiana Eva-Marie, included a contemporary arrangement of "La Mer" on their 2021 album ''April in Paris''. Instrumental versions were done by Ray Conniff His Orchestra and Chorus, Le Grand Orchestre de Paul Mauriat,

Richard Clayderman Richard Clayderman (; born Philippe Pagès , 28 December 1953 in Paris) is a French pianist who has released numerous albums including the compositions of Paul de Senneville, Olivier Toussaint and Marc Minier, instrumental renditions of popular ...

and

Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...

Other languages

"Beyond the Sea"

The English-language version, "Beyond the Sea", was first recorded by

Harry James and His Orchestra Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

in 1947. Its lyrics, telling the story of two lovers separated by the sea, were written by Jack Lawrence. It has since been recorded by many artists, including Benny Goodman,

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

Mantovani Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (; 15 November 1905 – 29 March 1980) was an Anglo-Italian conductor, composer and light orchestra-styled entertainer with a cascading strings musical signature. The book ''British Hit Singles & Albums'' sta ...

Roger Williams Roger Williams (21 September 1603between 27 January and 15 March 1683) was an English-born New England Puritan minister, theologian, and author who founded Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation ...

and

Gisele MacKenzie Gisèle MacKenzie (born Gisèle Marie Louise Marguerite LaFlèche; January 10, 1927 – September 5, 2003)
Accessed April 2010 ...

"De zee"

In 1970, Belgian singer Lize Marke released a version of the song with added lyrics by Johnny Steggerda and Jack Bess.

"Das Meer"

The first German version was written in 1948 by Hans Fritz Beckmann and

Lale Andersen Lale Andersen (23 March 1905 – 29 August 1972) was a German chanson singer-songwriter and actress born in Lehe (now part of Bremerhaven). She is best known for her interpretation of the song ''Lili Marleen'' in 1939, which by 1941 transcend ...

. The latter recorded it with Michael Jary and his orchestra in the same year. However, Beckmann was unhappy with the first attempt and rewrote it. The new version was first recorded by the German actress and singer

Liselotte Malkowsky Liselotte Malkowsky (9 October 1913 – 16 February 1965) was a German singer, actress, and cabaret artist. Malkowsky appeared in 1950s German films as a cabaret singer, and released a number of records, including a 1949 recording of Charles T ...

in 1949 and became rather popular in German-speaking countries. Later recordings comprise the Austrian Schlager singer

Lolita ''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humber ...

, the Austrian soprano

Eva Lind Eva Lind (born 14 June 1966) is an Austrian soprano singer and TV presenter. Since her international breakthrough in 1985, she specialises in coloratura soprano roles in operas and operettas, besides maintaining an active career in concerts and ...

, the Italian-German singer and entertainer

Caterina Valente Caterina Valente (born 14 January 1931) is a French multilingual singer, guitarist, and dancer of Italian ethnicity. Valente is a polyglot; she speaks six languages, and sings in eleven. While she is best known as a performer in Europe, Valent ...

, and the German entertainer and band leader

Götz Alsmann Götz Alsmann (born 12 July 1957) is a German musician, singer and former television presenter. Biography Born in Münster, Alsmann studied German studies, music and communication studies at the University of Münster from 1977 to 1985. Fro ...

"Волна" ("Volna")

A Russian version named "Волна" ("Wave") was adapted by two Soviet Russian poets and translators, Samuil Bolotin and Tatiana Sikorskaya, in the 1950s for

Leonid Utyosov Leonid Osipovich Utyosov or Utiosov (russian: link=no, Леонид Осипович Утёсов, uk, link=no, Леонід Йосипович Утьосов); real name Lazar (Leyzer) Iosifovich Vaysbeyn or Weissbein ()) (, Odesa – 9 March ...

, a popular Soviet singer. It was included into the album called ''Ах, Одесса моя'' ("Oh, my Odessa").

Usage in popular culture

The French original is featured prominently in a variety of films, including ''

L.A. Story ''L.A. Story'' is a 1991 American satirical romantic comedy film written by and starring Steve Martin and directed by Mick Jackson. The plot follows a weatherman (Martin) trying to find love in Los Angeles. It was released on February 8, 1991, ...

'', in which it is played during the opening montage; ''

French Kiss A French kiss, also known as cataglottism or a tongue kiss, is an amorous kiss in which the participants' tongues extend to touch each other's lips or tongue. A kiss with the tongue stimulates the partner's lips, tongue and mouth, which are sens ...

'' (1995), in which it is sung by lead actor Kevin Kline and ''

Mr. Bean's Holiday ''Mr. Bean's Holiday'' is a 2007 comedy film directed by Steve Bendelack and written by Hamish McColl and Robin Driscoll, from a story penned by Simon McBurney. Based on the British sitcom series ''Mr. Bean'' created by Rowan Atkinson and Richar ...

'', which uses a recording of Trenet himself in its final scene. It also is played in the last episode of '' White Collar''. The song is sung in the French documentary film '' Blood of the Beasts'' (1949). It is performed in the film ''

A Life Less Ordinary ''A Life Less Ordinary'' is a 1997 romantic black comedy film directed by Danny Boyle, written by John Hodge, and starring Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz, Holly Hunter, Delroy Lindo, Ian Holm and Dan Hedaya. The plot follows two angels (Hunte ...

'' (1997) by

Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...

and

Cameron Diaz Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress. With a variety of works in film, she is widely recognised for her work in romantic comedies and animation. Diaz has received various accolades, including nominations for ...

. The Trenet recording is heard over the end credits of an episode of ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

'' titled "

The Squirt and the Whale "The Squirt and the Whale" is the nineteenth episode of the twenty-first season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. The 460th episode of the series overall, it originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on A ...

". On British television, the original version of the song was used as the title music for

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

's coverage of

UEFA Euro 2016 The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2016 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2016) or simply Euro 2016, was the 15th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Europe ...

. The Robbie Williams version plays over the closing credits of '' Finding Nemo'' and is included on the soundtrack. "La Mer" has been used in films such as

Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci (; 16 March 1941 – 26 November 2018) was an Italian film director and screenwriter with a career that spanned 50 years. Considered one of the greatest directors in Italian cinema, Bertolucci's work achieved international ...

's 2003 '' The Dreamers'', the 2010 German film ''

Animals United ''Animals United'' is a 2010 3D German computer-animated adventure comedy film directed and produced by Reinhard Klooss and Holger Tappe. It was released on October 7, 2010, in Germany. The film stars Ralf Schmitz and Thomas Fritsch as a meerkat ...

'', and in the closing scene of ''

''. A

version plays in the final scene of the 2011 spy film ''

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ''Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'' is a 1974 spy novel by British author John le Carré. It follows the endeavours of taciturn, aging spymaster George Smiley to uncover a Soviet mole in the British Secret Intelligence Service. The novel has receive ...

''.Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy soundtrack
La Mer, Julio Iglesias version.

and

Stéphane Grappelli Stéphane Grappelli (; 26 January 1908 – 1 December 1997, born Stefano Grappelli) was a French jazz violinist. He is best known as a founder of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the fi ...

's recording of "La Mer" features in the video games ''

BioShock ''BioShock'' is a 2007 first-person shooter game developed by 2K Boston (later Irrational Games) and 2K Australia, and published by 2K Games. The first game in the ''BioShock'' series, it was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 pla ...

'' (2007) and ''

BioShock Infinite ''BioShock Infinite'' is a first-person shooter video game developed by Irrational Games and published by 2K Games. The third installment in the BioShock (series), ''BioShock'' series, ''Infinite'' was released worldwide for the Microsoft Window ...

'' (2013). Director Ken Levine additionally wanted

's original rendition but could not secure the rights. "La Mer" also features in

Irish Ferries Irish Ferries is an Irish ferry and transport company that operates passenger and freight services on routes between Ireland, Britain and Continental Europe, including Dublin Port–Holyhead; Rosslare Europort to Pembroke as well as Dublin ...

' TV and radio advert in Ireland, as part of their "Sail In Style" campaign to advertise their Dublin–France route.

Notes

External links

Second Hand Songs: ''La Mer'' page

Discogs: ''La Mer'' page
*

Will Friedwald Will Friedwald (born September 16, 1961) is an American author and music critic. He has written for newspapers that include the ''Wall Street Journal'', ''New York Times'', ''Village Voice'', '' Newsday'', '' New York Observer'', and ''New Yor ...

''Ocean Crossing''
at bobbydarin.com

Original lyrics plus crowdsourced translations (not singable) into many languages. Unlike many webpages, this page preserves the French diacritical marks–''été'' not ''ete'', ''bergère'' not ''bergere'', etc.—which are part of the spelling. {{DEFAULTSORT:Mer French songs Songs about oceans and seas 1945 songs Charles Trenet songs Songs written by Charles Trenet Demis Roussos songs Caterina Valente songs Columbia Graphophone Company singles