"Pour Elle"
Single by Richard Cocciante
from the album Empreinte
B-side	"Flagrant désir"
Published	Boventoon, SonyATV Music
Released	1993
Label	TriStar
Composer(s)	Richard Cocciante
Lyricist(s)	Jean-Paul Dreau
Producer(s)	Richard Cocciante
Music video
"Pour Elle" (Per Lei) - Richard Cocciante on YouTube

"Per Lei"
Studio album by Richard Cocciante
Released	1995
Genre	Rock Blues
Label	Grupo Globo/Polydor

"I'd Fly" is a song recorded in 1994 by French-Italian singer Richard Cocciante with Francesca Belenis set to the music of Cocciante's French song "Pour Elle" written by Cocciante and Jean-Paul Dréau released by Richard Cocciante in 1993.^[1][2] Its English lyrics were written by Roxanne Seeman and are unrelated to the original French-language song.^[3][4][5]

I'd Fly was released on Cocciante's album Un Uomo Felice released by Sony Italy, 1994.^[6] The album features duets with Italian singers, most notably the extraordinary voice of Mina,^[7] singing songs covering themes of love.^[8][9]

With the exception of "I'd Fly", all the songs on "Un Uomo Felice" are in Italian.^[10][11] Un Uomo Felice charted Top Ten sales in Europe.^[12] In 1995, songs from Un Uomo Felice including "I'd Fly" charted on Music & Media Charts Airplay, Major Market airplay for the most aired songs for Europe’s leading radio markets.^[13]

Pour Elle

Pour Elle is the original French song by Richard Cocciante written by Cocciante and Dreau. In 1993, Pour Elle appeared on Cocciante's albums Empreinte, Eventi e mutamenti, and Inventos y Experimentos. It is the second track from Empreinte album and was issued as a single and charted in France.

The song was recorded by Cocciante in French as" Pour Elle", Italian as "Per Lei"^[14] and Spanish as "Por Ella" and charted in several territories.^[15][16] Pour Elle entered the French chart on February 10, 1993 and reached number 45.^[17]

The song is the title track of Cocciante’s album “Per Lei” released Brazil.

Paul De Leeuw version

"Voorbij"
Single by Paul de Leeuw
from the album Paracdmol
B-side	"Ik ben zo blij dat ik een vrouw ben"
Released	1994
Length	4:35
Label	Brommerpech BV
Songwriter(s)	Richard Cocciante Jean-Paul Dreau Paul De Leeuw (Dutch lyrics)
Paul de Leeuw singles chronology
"Ik wil niet dat je liegt" (1993) "Voorbij" (1994) "Wacht nog wat-geef wel een teken" (1994)
Music video
"Voorbij" - Paul De Leeuw on YouTube

A Dutch version, Voorbij was released by Paul de Leeuw with lyrics written by de Leeuw. The Dutch lyrics are unrelated to the original French-language lyrics. Voorbij reached No. 2 on the Dutch Top 40 and National Hit parade Top 50 and remained on the Dutch charts for 12 weeks.^[19] Voorbij was often heard at funerals.

Diane Schuur versions

"I'd Fly" was recorded in 1999 by Diane Schuur on Atlantic Records produced by Ahmet Ertegun, Shane Keister, and Yves Beauvais during the recording sessions for "Music Is My Life". It was decided that I'd Fly, an original French song, would not fit into an album of songs from the American Songbook, so it was not included in the album release. When Diane Schuur was making her next album for Concord Records, she played "I'd Fly" for Phil Ramone. With Ahmet Ertegun's approval, Schuur released "I'd Fly" on her "Friends For Schuur" album.

July 15, 2021, Rhino Atlantic digitally released Diane Schuur's recording of "I'd Fly" produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Shane Keister.^[20]

Other versions

In the mid-1990s, Patricia Kaas recorded a version of "I'd Fly" during recording sessions produced by Joel Dorn and his son Adam Dorn for an album that was ultimately not released.^[25][26]

References