7 Seconds (song)

This article is about the song called "7 Seconds". For other uses, see 7 Seconds (disambiguation).

"7 Seconds"
Single by Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry
from the album The Guide (Wommat) (Youssou N'Dour) and Man (Neneh Cherry)
B-side	"Mame Bamba"
Released	7 June 1994
Format	12" vinyl, CD single, CD maxi
Recorded	Power Station, Stockholm, Power Play Studios, New York
Genre	World, trip hop, afrobeat
Length	5:07
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Neneh Cherry, Youssou N'Dour, Cameron McVey, Jonathan Sharp
Producer(s)	Christian Falk, Booga Bear, Jonny Dollar
Certification	Gold: Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland
Youssou N'Dour chronology "Shaking the Tree" (1989) "7 Seconds" (1994) "So Many Men" (2002) Neneh Cherry chronology "Buddy X" (1993) "7 Seconds" (1994) "Love Can Build a Bridge" (1995)

"7 Seconds" is a song composed by Youssou N'Dour, Neneh Cherry, Cameron McVey and Jonathan Sharp, released in 1994 as a single performed by Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry. It reached the top three in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Portugal, Germany, The Netherlands, Australia, Russia and Poland, and climbed to the top position in France, Switzerland, Finland and Italy; "7 Seconds" stayed at No. 1 for 16 consecutive weeks on the French Singles Chart, which was the record for the most weeks at the top at the time. The single also remained at the top position on the Italian Singles Chart for nine consecutive weeks in the autumn of that year. All instruments on the track were produced and arranged by the Swedish music producer Christian Falk, who also played bass on the track.

The song also appeared on N'Dour's album The Guide (Wommat), released shortly after the single. In 1996, it was included on Neneh Cherry's album Man. The song was featured in the 1998 movie Northern Skirts and 2005 Uwe Boll-directed movie Alone in the Dark. "7 Seconds" was also performed at Live 8 by Dido and Youssou N'Dour in 2005, at Hyde Park in London, UK.

Lyrics and music

The song is trilingual: N'Dour sings in Wolof, a West African language, and French (plus singing chorus in English), and Cherry sings in English.

The song

"7 Seconds" tells about first seven seconds in the life of a newborn, arguably unaware of problems in the world.

— Neneh Cherry,

Music video

The black and white music video was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui. It features people of different ethnicities walking by while the two are singing. When they sing the chorus, different kinds of people's faces appear.

Formats and track listings

• CD maxi

1. "7 Seconds" – 4:10
2. "Mame Bamba" by Youssou N'Dour – 4:57
3. "7 Seconds" (R & B to the hip hop drop mix) – 6:24
4. "7 Seconds" (Dub Mix) – 6:07

• CD maxi (7 June 1994)

1. "7 Seconds" – 4:10
2. "Life (Adouna)" by Youssou N'Dour – 4:57
3. "7 Seconds" (R & B to the hip hop drop mix) – 6:24
4. "7 Seconds" – 6:07

• CD maxi (7 June 1994)

1. "7 Seconds" (radio edit) – 4:06
2. "Life (Adouna)" by Youssou N'Dour – 4:02
3. "7 Seconds" (R & B to the hip hop drop mix) – 6:23
4. "7 Seconds" (dub mix) – 6:07

• UK CD single (660508-2)

1. "7 Seconds" (radio edit)
2. "7 Seconds" (LP version)
3. "7 Seconds" (new old mix)
4. "7 Seconds" (dub mix)
5. "7 Seconds" (hip hop mix)

Charts and sales

Peak positions

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	3
Canada (RPM)	15
Denmark (IFPI)	10
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	2
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)	1
France (SNEP)	1
Germany (Media Control Charts)	3
Ireland (IRMA)	3
Italy (FIMI)	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	2
New Zealand (RIANZ)	7
Norway (VG-lista)	4
Spain (AFYVE)	8
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)	3
US Billboard Hot 100	98

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)	Position
Austrian Singles Chart	10
Dutch Top 40	8
French Singles Chart	1
Swiss Singles Chart	2

Certifications

Country	Certification	Date	Sales certified
Austria (IFPI)	Gold	21 December 1994	15,000
France (SNEP)	Gold	28 October 1994	250,000
Germany (IFPI)	Gold	1994	250,000
Switzerland	Gold	2004	25,000

Chart successions

Preceded by "Freude herrscht (ohne Wenn und Aber)" by DJ Igo	Swiss number-one single 17 July 1994 (1994-07-17) – 24 July 1994 (1994-07-24) (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "I Swear" by All-4-One
Preceded by "Wizards of the Sonic" by WestBam	Finnish number-one single 31/1994 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Wizards of the Sonic" by WestBam
Preceded by "The Rhythm Is Magic" by Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo	Italian number-one single 3 September 1994 (1994-09-03) – 29 October 1994 (1994-10-29) (9 weeks)	Succeeded by "Saturday Night" by Whigfield
Preceded by "No Limit" by 2 Unlimited	French SNEP single of the year 1994	Succeeded by "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" by Céline Dion