Cherchez La Femme

"Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon"

Single by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
from the album Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
A-side	"Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon"
B-side	"Sunshower (U.S.)"
Released	1976
Recorded	House of Music, West Orange, New Jersey, 1976
Genre	Disco, pop, big band
Length	5:46 (album version) 3:33 (7" single)
Label	RCA Records
Songwriter(s)	Stony Browder Jr. (Music) August Darnell (Lyrics), John Schonberger, Richard Coburn, Vincent Rose
Producer(s)	Sandy Linzer

"Cherchez La Femme" (French for Seek the woman) is a song that was written and performed by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band with lead vocals by Cory Daye in 1976. The music was written by band-leader and pianist Stony Browder Jr. and John Schonberger, Richard Coburn (né Frank Reginald DeLong; 1886–1952), and Vincent Rose; with lyrics by Browder Jr.'s brother and bassist August Darnell. The song's full title is "Whispering"/"Cherchez La Femme"/"Se Si Bon" [sic]. "Cherchez La Femme" became the group's biggest hit.

The song's opening lyric refers to record executive Tommy Mottola, who was instrumental in giving the act their major label deal. Along with the tracks "Sour and Sweet" and "I'll Play the Fool", "Cherchez La Femme" went to #1 on the disco chart.^[1] "Cherchez La Femme" also charted on the pop, R&B, and Adult Contemporary charts.

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Transcription

Track listing

7" Single

"Whispering" / "Cherchez La Femme" / "Se Si Bon" - 3:33
"Sunshower" - 4:02

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1976–1977)	Peak position
Australia	49
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[2]	2
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	23
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[3]	18
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[4]	3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[5]	2
US Billboard Hot 100^[6]	27
US Disco Action Top 30 (Billboard)^[6]	1
US Easy Listening (Billboard)^[7]	22
US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)^[8]	31

Year-end charts

Chart (1977)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)^[9]	75
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10]	12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[11]	20
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[12]	91

Gloria Estefan version

"Cherchez La Femme"

Single by Gloria Estefan

from the album Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me

Released

May 1995 (USA)
June 1995 (Europe)

Recorded

1993–1994

Genre

Dance-pop

Length

4:58

Label

Epic

Songwriter(s)

Stony Browder Jr.
August Darnell

Producer(s)

Emilio Estefan Jr.
Lawrence Dermer

Gloria Estefan singles chronology

"It's Too Late"
(1995)

"Cherchez La Femme"
(1995)

"Abriendo Puertas"
(1995)

"Cherchez La Femme" was covered by Cuban American singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan on her fourth studio album, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me. It was released as the fifth single from the album in the US, Australia and Benelux.

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "In 1977, romantic couples took the floor every time Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band was played. Now another "femme" is singing the nostalgic swing band song with equal joy."^[13] Phil Shanklin of ReviewsRevues wrote in his review of the Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me album, that it is "a brave move" to cover the song. He added, "Gloria’ s vocal lacks the playful coquettishness of Cory Daye’s but it is great to hear it again amongst her selections of songs."^[14]

Track listings

U.S. Promo 12" Vinyl Single #1 (EAS 7084) [May 1995]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Ballroom Vocal Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	7:29
2.	"Cherchez La Femme" ("Femme Fatale" Club Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	8:24
3.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Doom Dub)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	8:16
4.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Piano Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	6:39

U.S. Promo 12" Vinyl Single #2 (AED 7219) [May 1995]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Cherchez La Femme" (THE GStyle And DJ WT MIX)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	8:16
2.	"Cherchez La Femme" (THE Gary Q MIX)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	7:00
3.	"Cherchez La Femme" (THE Danny C. And Giuseppe D. MIX)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	6:30
4.	"Cherchez La Femme" (THE Marc "DJ Stew" Pirrone DUB)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	6:10
5.	"Cherchez La Femme" (THE Charley Casanova MIX)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	5:38

Europe CD Single (EPC 662039 1) [June 1995]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Album Version)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	4:58
2.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Piano Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	6:39

Europe CD-Maxi Single (EPC 662039 2) [June 1995]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Album Version)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	4:58
2.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Ballroom Vocal Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	7:29
3.	"Cherchez La Femme" ("Femme Fatale" Club Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	8:24
4.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Radio Club Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	4:55
5.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Alternate Radio Club Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	3:54

U.K. CD-Maxi Single (*It's Too Late / Cherchez La Femme*) [Cancelled / Unreleased] {662044 2} (June 12, 1995)
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"It's Too Late" (Radio Mix)	Carole King, Toni Stern	3:19
2.	"It's Too Late" (Piano Mix)	Carole King, Toni Stern	3:58
3.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Radio Club Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	3:54
4.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Album Version)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	4:58

U.K. Promo 12" Vinyl Single (XPR 2178) [June 1995]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Ballroom Vocal Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	7:29
2.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Piano Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	6:39
3.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Doom Dub)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	8:16
4.	"Cherchez La Femme" ("Femme Fatale" Club Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	8:24

Australia CD-Maxi Single (*It's Too Late / Cherchez La Femme*) [662020 2] {June 1995}
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"It's Too Late" (Radio Mix)	Carole King, Toni Stern	3:19
2.	"It's Too Late" (Album Version)	Carole King, Toni Stern	3:57
3.	"It's Too Late" (Piano Mix)	Carole King, Toni Stern	3:58
4.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Doom Dub)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	8:17
5.	"Cherchez La Femme" (Piano Mix)	August Darnell, Stony Browder Jr.	6:41

Official versions

Original Versions

Album Version — (4:58)

Pablo Flores & Jose "Pepe" Ojeda Remixes

Radio Club Mix — (4:55)
Alternative Radio Club Mix — (3:54)
"Femme Fatale" Club Mix — (8:24)

Ronnie Ventura Remixes

Piano Mix — (6:39)
Doom Dub — (8:16)
Ballroom Vocal Mix — (7:29)

Remixes

The GStyle & DJ WT Mix — (8:16)
The Gary Q Mix — (7:00)
The Danny C. & Giuseppe G. Mix — (6:30)
The Marc "DJ Stew" Pirrone Dub — (5:10)
The Charley Casanova Mix — (5:38)

Charts

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[15]	124
US Hot Dance Music/Club Play (Billboard)	19

In popular culture

The original recording of "Cherchez La Femme" was part of the soundtrack to the 1998 film, 54.
Michael Tolliver, one of the main characters of Armistead Maupin’s ‘’Tales of the City,’’ dances to the song when he competes in the jockey shorts dance contest, which he wins.
"Cherchez La Ghost," the 1999 single by rapper Ghostface Killah which remixes "Cherchez La Femme" and charted on the Billboard 100.

References

^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 81.
^ "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – Whispering / Cherchez la femme / Se si bon" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. February 5, 1977. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 25, 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
^ "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – Whispering / Cherchez la femme / Se si bon" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "allmusic ((( Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 80.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 165.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1977". Ultratop. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. June 10, 1995. p. 6. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
^ Shanklin, Phil (November 22, 2015). "100 Essential CDs – Number 72 –Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me –Gloria Estefan". ReviewsRevues. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
^ "Part of Estefan's ARIA chart history, received from ARIA in 2022". ARIA. Retrieved 3 December 2023 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.

v t e Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
Cory Daye Stony Browder Mickey Sevilla Andy Hernandez August Darnell
Studio albums	Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Meets King Penett Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Goes to Washington Calling All Beatniks!
Compilation albums	The Very Best of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band The Disco Kids
Singles	"Cherchez La Femme"

v t e Gloria Estefan singles
1980s	"Dr. Beat" "Prisoner of Love" "I Need a Man" "Conga" "Bad Boy" "Words Get in the Way" "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)" "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" "Betcha Say That" "Can't Stay Away from You" "Anything for You" "1-2-3" "Don't Wanna Lose You" "Get on Your Feet" "Here We Are"
1990s	"Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice)" "Cuts Both Ways" "Renacer" "Coming Out of the Dark" "Seal Our Fate" "Remember Me with Love" "Can't Forget You" "Live for Loving You" "Always Tomorrow" "Megamix" "I See Your Smile" "Hasta Amarte" "Go Away" "Mi Tierra" "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan" "Tradición" "Montuno "¡Sí Señor!..." "Mi Buen Amor" "Ayer" "Turn the Beat Around" "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" "Everlasting Love" "It's Too Late" "Cherchez La Femme" "Abriendo Puertas" "Más Allá" "Tres Deseos" "Dulce Amor" "La Parranda" "Reach" "You'll Be Mine (Party Time)" "I'm Not Giving You Up" "Higher" "Show Me the Way Back to Your Heart" "No Pretendo" "Heaven's What I Feel/Corazón Prohibido" "En El Jardín" "Oye!" "Cuba Libre" "Don't Let This Moment End" "Santo Santo" "Music of My Heart"
2000–2010s	"No Me Dejes de Querer" "Como Me Duele Perderte" "Tres Gotas de Agua Bendita" "Por Un Beso" "You Can't Walk Away from Love" "Out of Nowhere" "Y-Tu-Conga" "Wrapped/Hoy" "I Wish You" "Te Amaré" "Tu Fotografía" "Doctor Pressure" "No Llores" "Me Odio" "Píntame De Colores" "Wepa" "Hotel Nacional" "Cuando Hay Amor"
Other	"What More Can I Give" "Somos El Mundo" "Almost Like Praying"
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This page was last edited on 30 May 2024, at 04:55

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

YouTube Encyclopedic

Transcription

Track listing

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Gloria Estefan version

Critical reception

Track listings

Official versions

Charts

In popular culture

See also

References