| Ride the Lightning | |
| Cover: | John Kongos Ride the Lightning.jpg |
| Caption: | German single sleeve |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | John Kongos |
| B-Side: | I Won't Ask You Where You've Been |
| Recorded: | 1975 |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Length: | 4:04 |
| Label: | RCA |
| Producer: | John Kongos |
| Prev Title: | Higher Than God's Hat |
| Prev Year: | 1972 |
| Next Title: | I No. 7 (Only Wants To Get To Heaven) |
| Next Year: | 1976 |
"Ride the Lightning" is a song written by South African musician John Kongos and Peter Leroy and originally released by Kongos on 11 April 1975 in the UK and on 11 May 1975 in Germany.[1] [2] While the single never charted, the subsequent French adaption by Pierre Delanoë titled "Qu'est-ce qui fait pleurer les blondes?", performed by French pop singer Sylvie Vartan, would be a hit in France and Belgium the following year.[3] [4] [5]
7" single Cube Records BUG 58 (1975, UK)
A. "Ride the Lightning" (4:04)
B. "I Won't Ask You Where You've Been" (4:30)[6]
| Qu'est-ce qui fait pleurer les blondes? | |
| Cover: | Sylvie Vartan Qu'est-ce qui fait pleurer les blondes?.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Language: | French |
| English Title: | What makes blondes cry? |
| Artist: | Sylvie Vartan |
| Album: | Qu'est-ce qui fait pleurer les blondes? |
| Recorded: | 1975 |
| B-Side: | La Lettre |
| Genre: | Pop, disco |
| Length: | 3:09 |
| Label: | RCA Victor |
| Producer: | Jacques Revaux |
| Prev Title: | Danse-la chante-la |
| Prev Year: | 1975 |
| Next Title: | L'amour c'est comme les bateaux |
| Next Year: | 1976 |
The song was reworked into French (as "Qu'est-ce qui fait pleurer les blondes?", which means "What makes blondes cry?") by lyricist Pierre Delanoë and recorded by French singer Sylvie Vartan. The recording was produced by Jacques Revaux.
Vartan's version was released as a single in February 1976 and was featured on her 1976 album of the same name, being the third and final single from the album.
The song spent two consecutive weeks at no. 1 on the singles sales chart in France (from 19 February to 3 March 1976).[7] In Belgium, Vartan's version was Number 1 for three weeks and charted from 14 February 1976 and 29 May 1976.[8]
7" single (1976)
A. "Qu'est-ce qui fait pleurer les blondes?" (3:09)
B. "La Lettre" (3:17)[9]
| Chart (1976) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| France (SNEP) | 1 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] | 1 |