"Alane" is a song by Cameroonian musician Wes. It was released in May 1997 via various labels as the debut single from his first album, Welenga (1996). The song became a hit across Europe, topping the charts in Austria, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. It is produced by Michel Sanchez and sung in the Duala language of Cameroon though the Tony Moran remix includes English lyrics ("Alane flows like a fountain, running gently to your heart. Alane dances inside me, like a flame in to your arms"). Its accompanying music video was directed by Philippe Gautier featuring choreography by Mia Frye.
Critical reception Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "African chants meet state-of-the-art dance beats on this sizzling hot dance track, which has already been firmly entrenched atop the French charts for a couple of weeks." Alan Jones from Music Week declared it a "haunting" single and "likely to be the next Afro-European hit to make the grade here. Wes's expressive but slightly weak vocals are bolstered considerably by a pop/dance arrangement that fits like a glove, while some ethnic-sounding support bolsters the chorus." Chris Finan from Record Mirror Dance Update gave "Alane" a top score of five out of five, stating, "With over 2m copies already sold in France, this is certain to cause more than a stir here [in the UK]". A reviewer from Sunday Mirror gave it seven out of ten, adding, "This Euro-stomper with lots of wailing and chanting Afro-vocals is sure to be a huge hit in the nightclubs - and on the Terry Wogan show.""Best singles". Sunday Mirror. 11 January 1998.
Chart performance In France, the song was sponsored by TF1,Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 386 () Fun Radio, RTL and the Malongo Coffees. The single spent ten weeks at number-one and remained in the top 50 for 25 weeks, ten of them at the top (and a further 9 weeks in the Top 10.Lescharts.com (Retrieved 30 December 2017))
The song also reached number-one in Belgium (9 weeks at number-one and a further 8 weeks in the top 10Ultratop (Retrieved 30 December 2017)), Austria (8 weeks at number-one and a further 9 weeks in the top 10Austrian Charts (Retrieved 30 December 2017)) and The Netherlands (8 weeks at number-one and a further 8 weeks in the top 10Dutchcharts.nl (Retrieved 30 December 2017)) as well as reaching the top 10 in Germany (where it spent 18 weeks in the Top 10Musicline.de (Retrieved 30 December 2017)), Hungary, Ireland, Israel and Switzerland (10 weeks in the top 10Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 30 December 2107)) and number 11 in the UK.
Music video The accompanying music video for "Alane" was directed by Philippe Gautier. The choreography was created by American-French singer Mia Frye, who had previously created the choreography for Los del Rio's "Macarena". Frye appears in both videos.
Track listings
12-inch single "Alane" (trouser enthusiasts orgasmic apparition mix) – 10:43 "Alane" (Trouser enthusiasts spectrophiliac dub) – 6:51
CD single "Alane" (radio mix) – 3:40 "Alane" (club remix – short version) – 3:37
12-inch maxi "Alane" (trouser enthusiasts orgasmic apparition mix) – 10:43 "Alane" (trouser enthusiasts spectrophiliac mix) – 6:51 "Alane" (Todd Terry's club remix) – 8:04 "Alane" (Tony Moran's club mix) – 4:40 "Alane" (radio mix) – 3:40
CD maxi - Todd Terry Remixes "Alane" (radio mix) – 3:40 "Alane" (club mix – full version) – 8:06 "Alane" (drop mix – full version) – 8:07 "Alane" (club remix – short version) – 3:38 "Alane" (a capella) – 3:36
CD maxi - Tony Moran Remixes "Alane" (Tony Moran Main Pass Mix) - 4:39 "Alane" (Tony Moran Instrumental Mix) - 4:40 "Alane" (Tony Moran A Capella) - 4:40 "Alane" (Philcat Fishing Widow Mix) - 6:39
Credits Written by Wes Composed, arranged and produced by Michel Sanchez Artwork by Design, Bronx (Paris) Photography (photo remix) by Laurent Edeline Photography (photo) by Yan Leuvrey Trouser enthusiasts orgasmic apparition mix: programmed by Torsten Gascoigne, produced by Trouser Enthusiasts Trouser enthusiasts spectrophiliac mix: remixed and produced by Trouser Enthusiasts Todd Terry's club remix: remixed by Todd Terry Tony Moran's club mix: remixed by Tony Moran
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1997–1998) Peakposition Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 5 Hungary (Mahasz) 8 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 14 Israel (Israeli Singles Chart) 7 Ireland (IRMA)Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 25 September 2008) 9 Scotland (OCC) 15 UK Singles (OCC)UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved 25 September 2008) 11 UK Dance (OCC) 27
Year-end charts Chart (1997)Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 3 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 21 France (SNEP) 3 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 4 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 3 Chart (1998) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 3Europe Border Breakers (Music & Media) 18 Germany (Media Control) 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 65 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 18 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 20
Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999)PositionBelgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)6
Certifications and sales
Robin Schulz and Wes version
German DJ and record producer Robin Schulz released a remake of the song on 19 June 2020 which is included on the album IIII (2021). Schulz had been a fan of the original 1997 song since he was 10 years old and got in touch with Wes via Warner Music. The two musicians met in Paris and then re-recorded the track in a studio in Germany. Its music video was directed by Robert Wunsch and features appearances by Schulz and Wes, along with footage of 30 dancers in 12 countries across the world, including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Kenya, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, Tunisia, Vietnam, and the United States.
Track listings
Charts
Weekly charts + 2020 weekly chart performance for "Alane" Chart (2020) Peakposition France (SNEP) 15 Germany Airplay (BVMI) 1 Slovenia (SloTop50) 6 + 2025 weekly chart performance for "Alane" Chart (2025) Peakposition North Macedonia Airplay (Radiomonitor) 13 + 2026 weekly chart performance for "Alane" Chart (2026) Peakposition North Macedonia Airplay (Radiomonitor) 7
Year-end charts + Year-end chart performance for "Alane" Chart (2020) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 23 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) 66 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) 54 Germany (Official German Charts) 29 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) 94 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 42 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 70 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 39
Certifications
References