"Vous êtes fous!" (lit. "You're Crazy!") is the debut single by Belgian hip-hop act Benny B, with DJ Daddy K also credited on the single's cover. Released in May 1990, the song is from Benny B's first album, L'Album. It became a summer hit in France and Belgium (Wallonia), where it was a top three hit.
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Background and writing
No producer thought that Benny B could release a hit, except Olivier Verhaeghe, the director of the studio Vie Privée, which had "the audacity to believe in Benny B...". He convinced them to change their "too aggressive rhythm, "hip hop" as we call in the United States" for a techno sound easier to be aired on radio and in discothèques. At the time, they believed that they would not be able to sell more than 5,000 or 6,000 discs.
The song was written and the music composed by Vito Lucente, Alain Deproost, Amid Gharbaoui and R. Quyssens.
Several words ("Et qui l'accompagne ?", "Mais vous êtes fous !", "Oh oui !") are sampled from an episode of Captain Future, "The Adventures of Captain Future", released as a single in 1981. The introduction uses a guitar riff from the 1972 song, "Son of Shaft", recorded by The Bar-Kays.
"Vous êtes fous!" was the first hip-hop hit in France, succeeded by the following singles of Benny B and those of MC Solaar, particularly "Bouge de là", from 1991. It was also recorded in Spanish-language, under the title "Estáis locos!". This version features as tenth track on L'Album. Several remixes, produced by R. Cue, Vito Lucente and DJ Daddy K, were available on the various formats.
There were also a cover version by Suzy D (Suzy Naguy), a female alter ego of Benny B. This version was released under the title "Mais vous êtes sottes! (zot)" with New Belgian Sound label and has different lyrics; however, it remains much more confidential than Benny B's version.
Chart performance
In France, "Vous êtes fous !" debuted at number 42 on the chart edition of 26 May 1990, gained a few positions every week and reached the top ten in the sixth week, and peaked at number three in its 20th week. It remained for 18 consecutive weeks in the top ten, then dropped slowly, and totalled 29 weeks in top 50. The same year, the single was certified Gold disc by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique for 500,000 units. Similarly, in Belgium, the group received a gold disc, on 22 September 1990, in the basement of the Galeries Louise for having sold more than 50,000 discs. On the European Hot 100 Singles, it entered the chart at number 95 on 23 June 1990, reached a peak of number 17 in its 18th week and dropped off the chart after 24 weeks of presence.