C'est la vie (Khaled song)

"C'est la vie" is a song by Algerian raï singer Khaled. It was produced by Moroccan-Swedish producer RedOne and released on Universal Music Division AZ becoming a summer hit for Khaled in France in 2012.

"C'est la vie"
Single by Khaled
from the album C'est la vie
Released	2 July 2012
Genre	Raï dance , House music
Length	3:50
Label	Universal Music Division AZ
Songwriter(s)	Khaled, RedOne, Alex Papaconstantinou, Bilal Hajji, Björn Djupström[1]
Producer(s)	RedOne
Khaled singles chronology
"Même pas fatigué !!!" (2009) "C'est la vie" (2012) "Hiya Hiya" (2012)
Music video
"C'est la vie" on YouTube

Content

The song is bilingual, with the main verses in Algerian Darja Arabic and the chorus in French. The chorus repeats the phrase (translation in parenthesis and italics).

On va s'aimer (We shall love each other)
On va danser (We shall dance)
Oui c'est la vie (Yes, this is life)
Lala, lalala..

Charts

The song is considered to be a comeback for Khaled in France after a three-year absence in the charts. Released in July 2012, the song entered the official French Singles Chart at number 30 and later peaked at number 4. In addition to its success in France, it became very popular throughout Belgium and Slovakia, where it reached the top 10. In 2013, the single was certified platinum by the Belgian Entertainment Association.[2] The song also charted in the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland and received radio airplay in Canada. "C’est La Vie" sold over one million copies in the European market, 1.8 million copies in the Middle East and North Africa, and over 4 million copies worldwide.[3][4] The album reached number 5 on SNEP, the official French Albums Chart.[5]

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (2012) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[7] 5 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[8] 1 France (SNEP)[9] 4 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 92 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[11] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 34 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 33

Year-end charts Chart (2012) Position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 52 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[15] 52 France (SNEP)[16] 49 Chart (2013) Position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[17] 64

Cover versions

Marc Anthony version

"Vivir Mi Vida"
Single by Marc Anthony
from the album 3.0
Released	15 April 2013
Recorded	2013
Genre	Salsa
Length	4:11
Label	Sony Music Latin
Songwriter(s)	Khaled, RedOne, Alex Papaconstantinou, Bilal Hajji, Björn Djupström
Producer(s)	Sergio George
Marc Anthony singles chronology
"¿Por Qué Les Mientes?" (2012) "Vivir Mi Vida" (2013) "Cambio de Piel" (2013)
Music video
"Vivir Mi Vida" on YouTube

In 2013, American singer Marc Anthony covered the Khaled song as a salsa tune titled "Vivir Mi Vida" ("Live My Life") for his studio album 3.0.[18] This version was produced by Sergio George and recorded at The Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, Florida.[19] Anthony performed it live at the 2013 Latin Billboard Music Awards.[20] The music video, directed by Carlos Perez of Elastic People, was released on September 10, 2013. "Vivir Mi Vida" won a Latin Grammy Award in 2013 for Record of the Year and holds the record for the second-longest run inside the top-five in the Billboard Latin Songs, with 51 weeks.[21] A "Pop" version was also produced using the instrumental of the original Khaled version and is included on the album.[22]

In 2017, Anthony's former wife Jennifer Lopez covered the song in her "Spotify Session" as a tribute to his late mother and her former mother-in-law. As of October 2020, the music video for Anthony's version of the song has received over 943 million views on YouTube.[23]

Track listing

Digital download[24]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Vivir Mi Vida"	Khaled, RedOne, Alex Papaconstantinou, Bilal Hajji, Björn Djupström	Sergio George	4:11

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (2013) Peak position Colombia (National-Report)[25] 1 Mexico (Billboard Mexican Airplay)[26] 16 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[27] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[28] 92 US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[29] 1 US Latin Airplay (Billboard)[30] 1 US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard)[31] 1 US Tropical Airplay (Billboard)[32] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2013) Position Spain (PROMUSICAE)[33] 11 US Tropical Songs (Billboard)[34] 1 Chart (2014) Position Spain (PROMUSICAE)[35] 17 All-time charts Chart (1994–2018) Position US Tropical Songs (Billboard)[36] 13

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[37]	Platinum	50,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)[38]	2× Platinum+Gold	150,000^*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[39]	2× Platinum	80,000
United States (RIAA)[40]	16× Platinum (Latin)	960,000
Streaming
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41]	Platinum	8,000,000
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Hashem Melech

"Hashem Melech"
Single by Gad Elbaz and Beni Elbaz
Released	January 2013
Music video
"Hachem Melech" by Gad and Beni Elbaz (in Hebrew and French on YouTube

Israeli singer Gad Elbaz created a new version of the song calling it "Hashem Melech" (in Hebrew ה' מלך) as a sort of contemporary Jewish worship song based on and adapted from "C'est la vie".[42]

The Israeli version released in January 2013 as a duet between Gad Elbaz and his singer father Beni Elbaz contains Hebrew and French lyrics, though the Hebrew lyrics are not related to Khaled's all-French original lyrics and more geared to religious content.[43] The chorus repeats the phrases (translation in parenthesis and italics)

Hashem Melech (The Lord is King)
Hashem Malach (The Lord was King)
Hashem Yimloch (The Lord will be King)
Le'olam Va'ed (Forever and ever)

Elbaz also released an all-Hebrew version of the song.[44] "Hashem Melech" was a minor hit in Israel and in Orthodox Jewish circles worldwide.

The Hebrew lyrics in the refrain are the same as those of a famous song also titled "Hashem Melech" by the well-known Jewish singer Yosef Karduner.

In September 2015, Elbaz released another limited version featuring additional vocals by the young Israeli child singer Yosef Chaim.[45][46]

Hashem Melech 2.0

"Hashem Melech 2.0"
Single by Gad Elbaz featuring Nissim
Released	2016
Producer(s)	Daniel Finkelman
Music video
"Hashem Melech 2.0" by Gad Elbaz feat. Nissim (in Hebrew and English on YouTube

In 2016, Elbaz teamed with Hasidic rapper Nissim (full name Nissim Baruch Black, born Damian Jamohl Black and a convert from Islam to Christianity and eventually to Judaism) to create a rap-infused version of the song now titled "Hashem Melech 2.0" to distinguish it from the original Elbaz version. The rap by Nissim is primarily English language, and is said to dominate the song, wrapping around and throughout the elements of the original "1.0" song.[47]

Still a bilingual song, "Hashem Melech" now featured Hebrew and English lyrics instead. Elbaz' original French lyrics were dropped in favor of English in the new version, but his Hebrew lyrics were retained for the new version. Nissim's rap segments were all in English. The popularity of the second version far exceeded that of the first.

Daniel Finkelman created a sophisticated, exuberant, multiracial dance video of the new version, set against the New York City skyline and streetscape. The New-York themed music video features Elbaz and Nissim dancing and delivering their religious message dancing joyously through the New York city streets and on skyscraper rooftops, amidst a changing New York skyline, encouraging listeners to believe in a better tomorrow.

Ali B version

"Voy a Bailar"
Single by Ali B featuring Boef, Rolf Sanchez and RedOne
Released	28 July 2017
Recorded	2017
Length	2:38
Label	Warner
Producer(s)	RedOne, Jordan Wayne
Ali B singles chronology
"Money voor mij" (2017) "Voy a Bailar" (2017) "Obesitas" (2017)
Boef singles chronology
"Come Again" (2017) "Voy a Bailar" (2017) "Antwoord" (2018)
Rolf Sanchez singles chronology
"Paso a Paso" (2017) "Voy a Bailar" (2017) "Te Va a Doler" (2017)
RedOne singles chronology
"Don't You Need Somebody" (2017) "Voy a Bailar" (2017) "Boom Boom" (2017)
Music video
"Voy a bailar" on YouTube

In 2017, the Dutch rapper Ali B released the single "Voy a Bailar", largely an adaptation of the Khaled song but with adaptations from the Latin "Vivir Mi Vida" cover from Marc Anthony. Ali B added rap lyrics in Dutch. The release featured additional vocals by Boef, Rolf Sanchez and RedOne.

Chart performance

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[48]	13

In popular culture

The song became popular in Indonesia, a majority-Muslim country. A political campaign there in early 2017 developed a theme song called "Kobarkan Semangat Jakarta".[49] Based on "C'est la vie" and "Hashem Malach", it created controversy as no attribution was given to either work. This sent the Khaled French version and surprisingly the Elbaz Hebrew version "Hashem Melech" to trend on Indonesian Twitter.[50]

See also

• List of number-one songs of 2013 (Colombia)
• List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Songs of 2013
• List of Billboard number-one Latin songs of 2014

References

1. Swedish Charts.com Khaled - "C'est la vie" song page
2. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2013". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
3. Steve Sullivan (17 May 2017). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 693. ISBN 978-1-4422-5449-7.
4. Andrew Hammond (22 May 2017). Pop Culture in North Africa and the Middle East: Entertainment and Society around the World. ABC-CLIO. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-4408-3384-7.
5. emiratesvoice. "Cheb Khaled tops best French song list". emiratesvoice.
6. "Ultratop.be – Khaled – C'est la vie" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
7. "Ultratop.be – Khaled – C'est la vie" (in French). Ultratop 50.
8. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201329 into search.
9. "Lescharts.com – Khaled – C'est la vie" (in French). Les classement single.
10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Khaled – C'est la vie" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
11. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201312 into search.
12. "Swedishcharts.com – Khaled – C'est la vie". Singles Top 100.
13. "Swisscharts.com – Khaled – C'est la vie". Swiss Singles Chart.
14. "Jaaroverzichten 2012". Ultratop. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
15. "Rapports Annuels 2012". Ultratop. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
16. "Top de l'année Top Singles 2012" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
17. "Jaaroverzichten 2013". Ultratop. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
18. "Marc Anthony to Launch First Single". Indiatimes. The Times of India Group. 2013-04-23.
19. "Univision estrena en exclusiva 'Vivir Mi Vida', el nuevo tema de Marc Anthony". Univision (in Spanish). Univision Communication. 2013-04-26. Archived from the original on 2013-04-30. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
20. "Marc Anthony presentará el sencillo "Vivir mi vida"". El Informador (in Spanish). 2013-04-21. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
21. "El día en imágenes" (in Spanish). Yahoo!.
22. Marc Anthony - Topic (2014-11-06), Vivir Mi Vida (Versión Pop), retrieved 2018-09-25
23. Marc Anthony (September 10, 2013). Marc Anthony - Vivir Mi Vida (Official Video) (YouTube) (in Spanish). Video on YouTube. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
24. "Vivir Mi Vida- Single by Marc Anthony". iTunes US. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
25. "National Report - Top Nacional" (in Spanish). National Report. 2013-08-18. Archived from the original on 2013-08-20.
26. "Marc Anthony - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
27. "Spanishcharts.com – Marc Anthony – Vivir Mi Vida" Canciones Top 50.
28. "Marc Anthony Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
29. "Marc Anthony Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard.
30. "Marc Anthony Chart History (Latin Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
31. "Marc Anthony Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard.
32. "Marc Anthony Chart History (Tropical Airplay)". Billboard.
33. "Top 50 Canciones Anual 2013". Promuiscae.es. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
34. "Tropical Airplay Songs Year-End Charts (2013)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
35. "Top 50 Songs Annual 2014". elportaldemusica.es. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
36. Navas-Cantor, Judy (4 October 2018). "The 20 Top Tropical Songs of All Time: Don Omar, Romeo Santos, Daddy Yankee & More". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
37. "Italian single certifications – Marc Anthony – Vivir Mi Vida" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 3 September 2018. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Vivir Mi Vida" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
38. "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Marc Anthony in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Vivir Mi Vida in the box under TÍTULO
39. "Spanish single certifications – Marc Anthony – Vivir Mi Vida". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
40. "American single certifications – Marc Anthony – Vivir Mi Vida". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click Type, then select Latin, then click SEARCH. 
41. "Top 100 Streaming - Semana 26: Del 23.06.2014 Al 29.06.2014" (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
42. "Musical Cultural Diffusion And Halacha - Yeshiva World News". Yeshiva World News. 2017-04-06. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
43. Gad Elbaz & Beni Elbaz - "Hashem Melech" - in Hebrew and French
44. Gad Elbaz & Beni Elbaz - "Hashem Melech" - in Hebrew only
45. Dixie Yid: Awesome "Hashem Melech" Song - From Uman this Year - Gad Elbaz Video
46. Gad Elbaz & Yosef Chaim - "Hashem Melech" - in Hebrew and French
47. "The Rap on Jewish Rap: Israeli Singer Gad Elbaz Has Teamed up With Rapper Nissim Black". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
48. "Dutchcharts.nl – Ali B feat. Boef, Rolf Sanchez & RedOne – Voy A Bailar" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
50. Netralnews.Com. "Netralnews.com - Heboh, Diduga Lagu Kampanye Anies-Sandi Jiplak Lagu Yahudi" [Heboh, Suspected Campaign Songs Anies-Sandi Jiplak Lagu Juda]. netralnews.com (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2017-11-21. Retrieved 2017-11-21.