Force Majeure

Album: Escapades (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Gaspard Augé is one half of the French electronic duo Justice. He recorded this cinematic-sounding instrumental for his debut solo album, Escapades.
  • "Force Maure" means irresistible compulsion or superior strength, making this an apt choice for BBC's official theme song throughout the Euro 2020 soccer tournament. Indeed, Augé told BBC News he made the track with a sporting event - such as a boxing fight or a football match - in mind.

    "Just this kind of survivor feel to it, something very epic, like when something is about to happen," he said. "[I wanted] to create some kind of feeling of invincibility, like when you're walking on the street and listening to a track and you feel really pumped up. And I guess it definitely works for the Euros."
  • Filip Nilsson directed the song's music video. Filmed in Turkey, it shows Augé playing "Force Majeure" on a huge drum kit as cymbals are manufactured around him. "We were really attracted by the epic visual appeal of cymbal making: bronze, fire, hammers - something almost mythological and elemental like Vulcan or the Nibelungen," Augeì said. "We chose Bosphorus Cymbals in Turkey because they had this very traditional process that barely changed in centuries. In this video I am just a link in the chain of production and quality control, after all these cymbals have been melted, hand hammered, and lathed into a musical object."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Colbie Caillat

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?