"Ameno" is a song by French new-age musical project Era (stylized as +eRa+). It was released in June 1996 as a single from their self-titled debut album Era and became a chart success in France, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland and Latin America.

"Ameno"
Single by Era
from the album Era
ReleasedJune 1, 1996
Recorded1996
GenreNew-age, electronic, pop
Length3:56 (Original Version)
3:48 (Remix)
LabelPolygram (France)
Songwriter(s)Eric Lévi, Guy Protheroe
Producer(s)Eric Lévi

Background

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"Ameno" was written by new-age artist Eric Lévi. The lyrics, by Guy Protheroe, are written in pseudo-Latin, i.e. sounding like Latin but are in fact deliberately devoid of any exact meaning.[citation needed] The vocals are performed by Guy Protheroe and Harriet Jay. Eric Lévi played keyboards and programmed it, whereas Philippe Manca played lead guitar, bass and drums. The choir rendition is by The English Chamber Choir.

Music video

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A music video for "Ameno" was shot for the song featuring actors Léonore Confino (sword girl) (version 1), Iréne Bustamante, and Pierre Boisserie (version 2). The music video, set in medieval times, shows three children who go on an excursion to Montségur. The girl sees a monument and when she touches it, she seems to have memories of a past life. In her vision, a girl (perhaps herself) is seen with a group of children and an eagle on her arm. They are apparently homeless and looking for a place to camp; the place that they choose is the same monument from the beginning of the video. Almost simultaneously, a knight goes to the same place and when he arrives, he tries to behead the monument with his sword, but is unsuccessful. The sword falls near the girl who manages to break the monument. Inside, there is a medallion in the shape of a cross. The girl from the beginning of the video reappears and is wearing the same medallion.[1][2]

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[10] Gold 25,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[11] Gold 25,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[12] Platinum 100,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[13] 3× Platinum 150,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

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The song has been interpreted many times and is very popular in covers and parodies. Famous versions include DJ Quicksilver (2000), Roberto Molinaro techno mix version in Italy (2005) and French tenor Vincent Niclo interpretation with the Red Army Choir (2012).

DJ Quicksilver version

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"Ameno"
 
Single by DJ Quicksilver
from the album Clubfiles - The Album
Released5 March 2001
Recorded2000
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Eric Lévi, Guy Protheroe
Producer(s)Tommaso De Donatis
Orhan Terzi
DJ Quicksilver singles chronology
"Bombastic"
(2001)
"Ameno"
(2001)
"New Life"
(2002)

A remix of "Ameno" was made by Turkish-German DJ and music producer DJ Quicksilver. It appeared in the Clubfiles - The Album by DJ Quicksilver and was a hit for him in a number of countries including singles charts in Austria, Belgium (Wallonia French charts), Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. It was produced by Tommaso De Donatis and by Orhan Terzi (actually DJ Quicksilver himself using his real name).

Track lists

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CD maxi (Polydor)
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  1. "Ameno
  2. "Ameno" (club mix) (6:20)
  3. "Ameno" (C.J. Stone remix) (6:22)
  4. "Voyage" (6:10)
CD maxi (ADN Progressive)
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  1. "Ameno" (radio edit) (3:28)
  2. "Ameno" (video mix) (3:00)
  3. "Ameno" (club mix) (7:30)
  4. "Ameno" (De Donatis mix) (8:14)
  5. "Ameno" (C.J. Stone remix) (7:39)
  6. "Ameno" (Analog masters remix) (6:01)

Charts

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Chart (2001) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 6
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 75
Germany (GfK)[17] 18
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 30
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[19] 12
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 20


Vincent Niclo & Les Chœurs de l'Armée Rouge version

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"Ameno"
Single by Vincent Niclo & Les Chœurs de l'Armée Rouge
from the album Opéra rouge
Released2012
Recorded2012
LabelUniversal
Songwriter(s)Eric Lévi, Guy Protheroe
Producer(s)Florent Bidoyen

French tenor Vincent Niclo recorded the song accompanied by the MVD Ensemble (widely known as Red Army Choir or in French as credited in the recording, "Les Chœurs de l'Armée Rouge").

The song appeared on his album Opéra rouge and was released as a single in France reaching #87 in SNEP, the official French Singles Chart.

Charts

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Chart (2012) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[21] 17
France (SNEP)[22] 87

Ameno Amapiano Remix

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"Ameno Amapiano Remix"
Single by NekTunez featuring Goya Menor
Released16 June 2021
GenreAmapiano
Songwriter(s)NekTunez
Producer(s)NekTunez

A cover known as "Ameno Amapiano Remix" was made by Ghanaian music producer, Nektunez who paired Nigerian Singer, Goya Menor.[23] It charted at number 1 on the billboard music chart.[24][25] It was released on 16 June 2021.[26] Goya Menor was inspired to remix the original while listening to the song in a night club.[27] The song was sung and rapped by Menor while Nektunez served as the producer and song writer.[28] "Ameno Amapiano Remix" became popular in late 2021 and was commonly used in night clubs to announce when expensive drinks are purchased.[29][30] It also gained popularity on the social networking site, TikTok and was used in over half a million videos[31] and responsible for the internet slang, "You want to bam ba?".[32][33] It is regarded as the anthem of Detty December.[27] Menor performed the song at the Livespot X Festival by Tiwa Savage.[34][35]

Chart (2021) Peak

Position

France (SNEP)[36] 117
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[24] 1
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Mexican luchador enmascarado Místico has used the song as his entrance music in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA). The use of the song in YouTube videos and Twitch streams has led to its popularisation as an internet meme, with a resurgence in popularity as a TikTok meme in early 2020.[37][38] It also has been utilized by Napoli fans as a tribute song to association football player Victor Osimhen and his contribution to the team's successful results in the 2022–23 Serie A season.

References

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  1. ^ "Ameno". YouTube. Era . Apr 25, 2017.
  2. ^ "Ameno". YouTube. Decca Records. Apr 21, 2010.
  3. ^ "Era – Ameno" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  4. ^ "Era – Ameno" (in French). Les classement single.
  5. ^ "Era – Ameno" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  6. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 300 Vikuna 27.11. - 4.12. 1998)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved July 11, 2018. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  7. ^ "Era – Ameno". Singles Top 100.
  8. ^ "1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  9. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  10. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1997". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  11. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. p. 945. ISBN 8480486392.
  12. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 1998 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  13. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Ameno')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  14. ^ "DJ Quicksilver – Ameno" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  15. ^ "DJ Quicksilver – Ameno" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  16. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 23. 2 June 2001. p. 11. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  17. ^ "DJ Quicksilver – Ameno" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  18. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – DJ Quicksilver" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  19. ^ "DJ Quicksilver – Ameno" Canciones Top 50.
  20. ^ "DJ Quicksilver – Ameno". Swiss Singles Chart.
  21. ^ "Vincent Niclo & Les Chœurs de l'Armée Rouge – Ameno" (in French). Ultratip.
  22. ^ "Vincent Niclo & Les Chœurs de l'Armée Rouge – Ameno" (in French). Les classement single.
  23. ^ "Nektunez: The Ghanaian behind viral song Ameno Amapiano remix 'You want to bam ba'". GhanaWeb. 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
  24. ^ a b "Nigerian songs dominate Billboard's 'world sales' chart". TheCable Lifestyle. 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  25. ^ devops (2013-01-02). "World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  26. ^ "Meet NekTunez, artiste behind viral 'Ameno' amapiano remix". Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  27. ^ a b "Goya Menor and Nektunez: Brains behind 'Ameno' amapiano remix [watch]". The South African. 2021-12-27. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  28. ^ "Meet Goya Menor, artiste behind viral 'Ameno' amapiano remix". 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  29. ^ "See famous social media challenge wey trend in 2021". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  30. ^ Alake, Motolani (2021-06-28). "Dorime: Here is how Era's 'Ameno' became the soundtrack to wild nights in Nigeria's club scene [Pulse Explainer]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  31. ^ "Ok so what is the 'you want to bamba, you want to chill with the big boys' TikTok audio?". UK. 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  32. ^ "Viral slangs, sensations that 'spiced' 2021". Punch Newspapers. 2021-12-25. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  33. ^ "See popular Nigerian slangs wey trend in 2021 & dia meaning". BBC News Pidgin. 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  34. ^ Mix, Pulse (2021-12-18). "Goya Menor performs viral hit 'Ameno' at Tiwa Savage's Livespot X Festival headline show". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  35. ^ "How Tiwa Savage uses her platform to elevate fresh Nigerian talents". Nigerian Entertainment Today. 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  36. ^ "Top Singles (Week 7, 2022)". SNEP. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  37. ^ "Ameno". Know Your Meme. Archived from the original on 2019-12-08. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  38. ^ Weekman, Kelsey (July 15, 2020). "Woman uncovers eerie detail about her parents' wedding: 'It was a ritual'". Yahoo! Style. Retrieved December 13, 2020.