Cherchez La Femme Explained

Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon
Cover:	Cherchez_La_Femme_-_Dr._Buzzard's_Original_Savannah_Band.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
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
Producer:	Sandy Linzer
Prev Title:	I'll Play the Fool
Prev Year:	1976
Next Title:	Sour and Sweet
Next Year:	1976

"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.

Track listing

7" Single

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

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1976–1977)	Peak position
Australia	49
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	23
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[2]	18
US Billboard Hot 100	27
US Disco Action Top 30 (Billboard)^[3]	1
US Easy Listening (Billboard)^[4]	22
US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)^[5]	31

Year-end charts

Chart (1977)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)^[6]	75
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[7]	12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[8]	20
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[9]	91

Gloria Estefan version

Cherchez La Femme
Cover:	Gloria_Estefan_Cherchez_La_Femme_Promotional_Single.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Gloria Estefan
Album:	Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
Released:	May 1995 (USA) June 1995 (Europe)
Recorded:	1993–1994
Genre:	Dance-pop
Length:	04:58
Label:	Epic
Producer:	Emilio Estefan Jr. Lawrence Dermer
Prev Title:	It's Too Late
Prev Year:	1995
Next Title:	Abriendo Puertas
Next Year:	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."^[10] 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."^[11]

Official versions

Original Versions

1. Album Version — (4:58)

Pablo Flores & Jose "Pepe" Ojeda Remixes

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

Ronnie Ventura Remixes

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

Remixes

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

Charts

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[12]	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.

See also

• Cherchez la femme (saying)

Notes and References

1. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 81.
2. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . February 5, 1977 . January 18, 2019.
3. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p12777|pure_url=yes}} allmusic (((Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles)))]. Billboard. January 7, 2012.
4. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Joel Whitburn . 2002 . Record Research . 80.
5. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 165.
6. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1977. Ultratop. February 6, 2022.
7. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977. Dutch Top 40. February 6, 2022.
8. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977. dutchcharts.nl. February 6, 2022.
9. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977 . Musicoutfitters.com . 12 October 2016.
10. New Releases: Singles . . June 10, 1995 . 6 . May 18, 2021 .
11. Web site: Phil . Shanklin . 100 Essential CDs – Number 72 –Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me –Gloria Estefan . ReviewsRevues . November 22, 2015 . October 14, 2020.
12. Web site: Part of Estefan's ARIA chart history, received from ARIA in 2022. ARIA. Imgur.com. 3 December 2023. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.