Partenaire Particulier was a French synthpop band that was quite popular in… Read Full Bio ↴Partenaire Particulier was a French synthpop band that was quite popular in France during the second half of the 1980s.

The band was founded in the mid-80's by songwriters Eric Fettweis and Pierre Béraud-Sudreau. Although they wrote all of the band's material together, both felt that a band "had to have 3 members" so a third member, Dominique Delaby, was added to the line-up. However, he left the band quickly after the release of their first 7" to pursue a career in advertising. He was briefly replaced by another "third guy", Laurent Letrillard, for the release of their second 7", but things didn't work out with him either, so the band decided to finally stick to their initial two-person lineup.

The band's career began when their first 7", aptly called "Partenaire Particulier", became one of the big hits of the year 1985 in France, going platinum and reaching position 3 in the charts. The track defined the style of the band: upbeat pop, with prominent use of synthesizers and drum machines.

A second single entitled "Je N'Oublierai Jamais" was released in 1986, following the lineup change. It was less suscessful than "Partenaire Particulier" but still did well in the charts and reinforced the band's fame.
Later that year, they released their first LP, "Jeux Interdits", which comprised the two hit singles and added 6 more songs, the highlight of the album being certainly the New Order-esque closer "Seul Ce Soir".
To promote this first album, the band chose to release its opening track, "Elle Est Partie", as a 7". As catchy as the previous singles, the song was illustrated by a clip shot in black and white. Incidentally, it was also the last of the band's single to chart in France.

Indeed, their fourth single, "Tiphaine", didn't chart. Still, in 1988, Partenaire Particulier released their second studio album, "Le Chant Des Vautours", but, like its two singles ("L'Armée" and a reworked version of "L'Amour A Trois"), it flopped completely and that lack of success meant the end of Partenaire Particulier.

In the early 90s, Eric Fettweis and Pierre Béraud-Sudreau released a bunch of dance tracks under alternative aliases. In 2003, a project of reunion spawned several new tracks but nothing was officially released.

In 2007, Partenaire Particulier resurfaced thanks to a tour organised by a French radio to "revive" French artists from the 1980s. The band appeared on TV again to perform old songs. Following this reappearance, the band announced that they were going to release a 3-cd set containing their first two albums, as well as an extra CD of rarities and/or new content. The release date has yet to be announced.

Two "best-of" compilations of the band were released, respectively in 1993 and 1999. The CD versions of their albums are hard to find and are sold at a very expensive price on used goods sites.

Despite their disappearance and meteoric success, Partenaire Particulier has remained popular thanks to the renewed success of their first single, which has been featured countless times on various 80s/new wave/synthpop compilations.

Insomnie
Partenaire Particulier Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Méfiez-vous de l'indolence
Moi, en état de somnolence
Car, méfiez-vous de l'insistance
Moi, ça m'a mis sous dépendance car

Je ne dors pas
Non je ne dors pas
Et je ne sais pas

Je ne sais pas pourquoi

Je ne dors pas
Je ne m'en sors pas
Et je ne sais pas ce qui ne va pas
Je n'en sors pas
Je ne m'endors pas
Et dîtes-moi comment vivre avec ça ?

Laboratoires de souffrance
Moi, ils m'on mis sous influence
Car, les fantômes de mes nuits blanches voient
Et profitent de ma démence car

Je ne dors pas
Non je ne dors pas
Et je ne sais pas
Je ne sais pas pourquoi

Je ne dors pas
Je ne m'en sors pas
Et je ne sais pas ce qui ne va pas
Je n'en sors pas
Je ne m'endors pas
Et dîtes-moi comment vivre avec ça ?

Si je souffre, moi je demande
A Morphée juste un geste tendre car

Je ne dors pas
Je ne m'en sors pas
Et je ne sais pas ce qui ne va pas
Je n'en sors pas
Je ne m'endors pas
Et dîtes-moi comment vivre avec ça ?

Je ne dors pas
Je ne m'en sors pas
Et je ne sais pas ce qui ne va pas
Je n'en sors pas

Je ne m'endors pas
Et dîtes-moi comment vivre avec ça ?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Partenaire Particulier's song "Insomnie" depict the singer's struggle with insomnia, emphasizing the negative impact it has on their life. In the first verse, the cautionary tone suggests that one should beware of being careless or indifferent, as the singer, in a state of sleepiness, has fallen into a dependence on their insomnia. Their inability to sleep has become a regular occurrence and they cannot understand why they are unable to find rest.

The chorus reflects the frustration and desperation felt by the singer. They express their inability to sleep, feeling trapped in their insomnia with no knowledge of the underlying cause. The repetition of the phrase "Je ne m'en sors pas" ("I can't get out of it") reveals the sense of helplessness and the constant struggle they face. The lyrics also invite listeners to contemplate how to live with this affliction, seeking some kind of solution or understanding.

The second verse further explores the impact of insomnia on the singer's life. They mention being influenced by suffering laboratories, suggesting they have sought treatment or medication but have still succumbed to the ghosts of their sleepless nights. Here, insomnia is depicted as a form of madness that takes advantage of the singer's vulnerability, exacerbating their state of mind.

In the final verse, the singer plea to Morphée, the Greek god of sleep, for a gentle gesture that may alleviate their suffering. They convey a longing for relief and emphasize their ongoing struggle to find peace and rest. The repetition of the chorus reinforces their plea for guidance on how to live with this chronic insomnia, as if they are desperately seeking a solution to escape their perpetual sleeplessness.

Overall, the lyrics of "Insomnie" delve into the emotional and physical toll that insomnia takes on an individual. The song portrays the singer as a helpless victim, trapped in a state of wakefulness without understanding the cause or finding any respite.

Line by Line Meaning

Méfiez-vous de l'indolence
Beware of laziness

Moi, en état de somnolence
Me, in a state of drowsiness

Car, méfiez-vous de l'insistance
Because, beware of insistence

Moi, ça m'a mis sous dépendance car
For me, it has put me under dependence because

Je ne dors pas
I can't sleep

Non je ne dors pas
No, I can't sleep

Et je ne sais pas
And I don't know

Je ne sais pas pourquoi
I don't know why

Je ne m'en sors pas
I can't get out of it

Et je ne sais pas ce qui ne va pas
And I don't know what's wrong

Je n'en sors pas
I can't get out