The most striking similarity between the two versions of the song is the long instrumental introduction. It isn’t until around 45 seconds in that vocals begin; and it’s obvious just by listening to the two versions of ‘Mon Amie La Rose’ that both Natacha Atlas and Françoise Hardy connect on a deep emotional level with the song. However, what makes this somewhat-melancholy song so dynamic is the personal touch that each artist provides.
Ms. Hardy’s Western hippie-style version of ‘Mon Amie La Rose’ is quiet and somewhat instrumentally-barren with only a guitar and a few percussion instruments accompanying her voice.
Ms. Atlas’s version begins very similarly to Françoise Hardy’s, quiet and slow; but after about 45 seconds, Arab instrumentals flood in, creating an entirely modernized mood and completely separate culture of the song. She boldly challenges the boundaries of ‘Mon Amie La Rose;’ while remaining true to its powerful spirit, Ms. Atlas breaks through the cultural barrier of the song and embellishes it with a personal touch.
Dissipation of Cultural Divides
Ms. Atlas captures the original influence of 'Mon Amie La Rose' while creating in it a fusion of cultures, mirroring the complexity of her heritage. Ms. Atlas’ sings the majority of the song in French, as in the original version; however, she sings the final stanza in Arabic. Ms. Atlas once explained that singing in Arabic or adding Arabic verses to songs sung mostly in another language allows her to truly connect with her listeners, both Arab and Western.
“I love the profundity of Arabic singing and the formality of it, and the way it seems to touch on the religious. I believe the Muslim call to prayer is the sound of God, that's what ignites me and ignites Westerners who hear it and are moved by it."
-Natacha Atlas, ("Diaspora Finally Available" 1997)
http://comp.uark.edu/~tsweden/IAM.html
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