Les Fleur
| "Les Fleur" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Minnie Riperton | |
| from the album Come to My Garden | |
| Released | September 23, 1970 |
| Genre | Soul[1][2], psychedelia[2] |
| Length | 3:19 |
| Label | GRT |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | |
"Les Fleur" (also known as "Les Fleurs")[a] (transl. "The Flowers"[3]) is a song by American singer-songwriter Minnie Riperton, released as the opening song of her 1970 debut studio album Come to My Garden.
Background and recording
"Les Fleurs" was written by Charles Stepney, who also produced the song, and Richard Rudolph, Riperton’s husband.[1][4] Pianist Ramsey Lewis had previously recorded a version of the song as " Les Fleur" on his 1968 album Maiden Voyage.[1]
Music
The song features Riperton singing from the anthropomorphized perspective of a flower.[5][6][2] The lyrics contain themes of renewal and rebirth and have been interpreted to be about Jesus.[2] It contains layered vocals and an orchestral backing from the string section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.[2][7] Willie Aron of Hits described it as a "chamber-soul masterpiece" and a "trippy pastoral [...] that blossoms into an anthemic chorus."[5] Audrey Connelly of Atwood Magazine writes that the "song was written during the summer of love" and is "full of floral imagery and soft psychedelic freedom."[2] Jason King, dean of the USC Thornton School of Music, stated that the song's lyrics about the life cycle of a flower, evoke pastoralism and nostalgia.[7]
Legacy
Country soul singer Yola and alternative pop singer Caroline Polachek have called the song an inspiration for their own music.[6][4] Electronic music group 4hero released a remix to the song for their album Creating Patterns.[8][9] The Guardian ranked the song as Riperton's second best song.[8][10] The song has been used in various films and TV shows, such as Inherent Vice,[1] Us,[3][11] The Idea of You,[7] Back to Black,[7] Atlanta,[12] Gaslit,[5] and Them.[13]
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Physical Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] | 34 |
| UK Vinyl Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] | 34 |
Notes
- ^ The original record label listed the song as "Les Fleur," although reissues and compilations use the title "Les Fleurs."
References
- ^ a b c d Sexton, Paul (2019-03-28). "Minnie Riperton's 'Les Fleurs' Blossoms Again In 'Us' Soundtrack". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ a b c d e f Connelly, Audrey (2024-02-15). "The Transcendent "Les Fleurs" Is Minnie Riperton's Hidden Gem". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ a b Sengupta, Deepayan (2021-09-13). "What The Song Playing During The End Of Us Really Means". Looper. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ a b Palmer, Elle (2024-09-22). "The climactic track Caroline Polachek calls an odyssey song". Far Out. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ^ a b c Aron, Willie (2024-01-29). "Black History Month: Minnie Riperton, On a High Note". Hits Daily Double. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ a b Lopez, Julyssa (2021-09-16). "Yola on Minnie Riperton's 'Les Fleurs': 'It's Pure Genius'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ a b c d Lang, Cady (2024-05-17). "The Breakout Song of the Summer Just Might Be This Hidden Gem From 1970". Time. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ^ a b Chick, Stevie (2016-06-29). "Minnie Riperton – 10 of the best". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ "4 Hero: Creating Patterns". Pitchfork. 2002-01-07. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ Chick, Stevie (2024-08-01). "Soul, psychedelia and sensuality: Minnie Riperton's 20 best songs – ranked!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (2022-08-19). "10 times Jordan Peele picked the perfect soundtrack". NME. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ "Atlanta S3 E4: The Big Payback – "Les Fleur"". Passion of the Weiss. 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ^ Contreras, Ayana (2022-08-16). "Charles Stepney built lasting cathedrals inside Black music". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
- ^ a b "Les Fleur". Official Charts Company. 2020-09-10. Retrieved 2024-06-19.