La Mer (song)

For other uses, see La mer.

"La Mer" is a song written by French composer, lyricist, singer and showman Charles Trenet (1913 – 2001).

Trenet wrote the lyrics of "La Mer" on a train in 1943 while travelling along the French Mediterranean coast, returning from Paris to Narbonne. He supposedly wrote the song in ten minutes, on toilet paper supplied by SNCF (National Corporation of French Railways). He was assisted with the tune by Leo Chauliac. It was originally published by Raoul Breton.

It was not until 1946 that Trenet recorded the song. When it was released in 1946, it became an unexpected hit, and has remained a chanson classic ever since.

English lyrics, unrelated to the French lyrics, were later written by Jack Lawrence and entitled "Beyond the Sea". This became a hit for Bobby Darin in 1959. The song has been recorded by more than 400 other artists in many languages.

Appearances in other media

IMDb lists twenty-five instances where either "La Mer" or "Beyond the Sea" have been used in various media, including:

Film

• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy sung by Julio Iglesias (2011)
• Ein starkes Team: Das grosse Fressen (2009)
• Hello My Love (2009)
• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le Papillon) (2007)
• Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)
• Saturday Night Live (2007)
• Man Of The Year (2006)
• Angel-A (2005)
• Beyond the Sea sung by Kevin Spacey (2004)
• The Dreamers (2003)
• Finding Nemo sung by Robbie Williams (2003)
• Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
• Bains-douches (2001)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• A Life Less Ordinary (1997)
• French Kiss sung by Kevin Kline (1995)
• Funny Bones (1995)
• Apollo 13 (1995)
• Bitter Moon (1992)
• L.A. Story (1991) (opening credits)
• Father of the Bride (1991)
• I Love You AB (1991)
• Goodfellas (1990)
• Édith et Marcel (1983)
• A Safe Place (1971)
• Le sang des bêtes (1949)
• Every Girl Should Be Married (1948)

Television

• Derrick: Episode 7 "Madeira" (1975)
• The X-Files: Season 1: Episode 13 "Beyond the Sea" (1994)
• From the Earth to the Moon: Episode 1 "Can we do This?" (1998)
• Lost: Season 1: Episode 12 "Whatever the Case May Be" (2004)
• The Simpsons: Season 21: Episode 19 "The Squirt and the Whale" (2010)

Other media

• The song was featured in a film that was shot by Fabien Baron during the photo sessions for Madonna's Sex book.
• In the video game Suikoden IV, the opening animated sequence uses an arrangement of the song performed by Yasuhiro Kobayashi ("Coba").
• In the videogame BioShock and its sequel BioShock 2, the song is used throughout the game on jukeboxes and loud hailers. The song can only be heard in the special edition of BioShock 2.
• The song is used as the theme music for the South Australian Tourism Commission's Cellar Door television ad.
• The song is used anachronistically in episode of "Foyle's War" titled "The French Drop".
• The song was featured on a Scott Hicks commercial for South Australia's wine industry called "200 Cellar Doors".