Jean-Michel Jarre — Oxygene 4
Album: OxygeneAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 3478
Length: 4:04
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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Very nice set going on.
hana.tisserand wrote:
Paul_H wrote:
Because it's what the future USED TO sound like!
I pretty much just gave you guys a standing ovation in my kitchen.
The answer's so perfect that it sounds like a quote... Whether it is or not, "kudos to you"!
(.... Maybe that isshowing my age, where I used to troll and roll on the web, just maybe.... :-) )
How does this manage to feel both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time? Futuretro?
Paul_H wrote:
Because it's what the future USED TO sound like!
I pretty much just gave you guys a standing ovation in my kitchen.
The answer's so perfect that it sounds like a quote... Whether it is or not, "kudos to you"!
(.... Maybe that isshowing my age, where I used to troll and roll on the web, just maybe.... :-) )
Childhood memories. Great
Lyndont wrote:
Careful what you ask for.
I'd rather hear everything again, than never again.
Hoped I would never hear this again. Oh well.
Careful what you ask for.
I'd rather hear everything again, than never again.
Hoped I would never hear this again. Oh well.
timmus wrote:It blows my mind that the song dates from 1976, just 15 years after music consisted mostly of stuff like Del Shannon, Lawrence Welk, and Brenda Lee. It must have been incredible to witness the changes in the music landscape between 1965 and 1975 and the advent of electronic music.
Apparently Timmus never heard of Classical music or Jazz.
Apparently Timmus never heard of Classical music or Jazz.
JayGee wrote:
Oh man, yeah! I was thinking about the earlier comment by hana.tisserand (How does this manage to feel both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time?), but you are absolutely right about the Dr Who theme. That’s embedded in my head even more deeply than Oxygene. I was disappointed to discover that the original Derbyshire version only survived for 17 years(!). I still heard the original in my head when I last watched Dr Who during the Jodie Whittaker era.
… for many of us our first exposure would have been in 1963 when Delia Derbyshire's original arrangement of Ron Grainger's theme for the Doctor Who BBC TV show exploded into the consciousness of a nation (and subsequently the world)….
Oh man, yeah! I was thinking about the earlier comment by hana.tisserand (How does this manage to feel both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time?), but you are absolutely right about the Dr Who theme. That’s embedded in my head even more deeply than Oxygene. I was disappointed to discover that the original Derbyshire version only survived for 17 years(!). I still heard the original in my head when I last watched Dr Who during the Jodie Whittaker era.
A master piece of the modern age that changed the world of music (and the world itself).
Interesting looking back though the comments and seeing people citing Jean-Michele Barre, Kraftwerk, and Eno as being foundational in electronic music.
While they certainly brought this sort of thing into the music industry mainstream Electronic Music goes back rather further than that, and for many of us our first exposure would have been in 1963 when Delia Derbyshire's original arrangement of Ron Grainger's theme for the Doctor Who BBC TV show exploded into the consciousness of a nation (and subsequently the world) leaving echoes you can still hear in the work of the likes of Orbital, and Aphex Twin today...
But yeah, still great to hear this, and it still sounds great - that'll be a solid 8 from me, and I don't give 9s and 10s out lightly...
While they certainly brought this sort of thing into the music industry mainstream Electronic Music goes back rather further than that, and for many of us our first exposure would have been in 1963 when Delia Derbyshire's original arrangement of Ron Grainger's theme for the Doctor Who BBC TV show exploded into the consciousness of a nation (and subsequently the world) leaving echoes you can still hear in the work of the likes of Orbital, and Aphex Twin today...
But yeah, still great to hear this, and it still sounds great - that'll be a solid 8 from me, and I don't give 9s and 10s out lightly...
This. Forever a 10. Through time and memories.
One of the things that's underappreciated today, when everyone has Pro Tools and dozens of digital synth plugins, is just how hard this was in 1976.
to siqbal: great comment
itsme_bygolly wrote:
He's French. Why would he care about American nonsense?
he probably wouldn't, but that was not the intent of the original post, i'm sure.
it was making a time reference some of us could relate to. but thank you so much for explaining that he's french. i'm sure we'd have never realized.
He's French. Why would he care about American nonsense?
he probably wouldn't, but that was not the intent of the original post, i'm sure.
it was making a time reference some of us could relate to. but thank you so much for explaining that he's french. i'm sure we'd have never realized.The music of my life
One of the foundational tracks (and artists) of electronic music. Kraftwerk gets all the props these days but JMJ was very much part of the mix (and probably had greater commercial success) back in the day. His dad btw was the Oscar-winning film music composer Maurice Jarre (Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago).
While the rest of the world was dancing to disco we listened to this.
tovarisch wrote:
7 for the song. 3 more because the influence of this record on decades of e-music simply can not be understated. the definition of godlike (IMO)
7 for the song... +2 for the memories listening to it when this first came out, -1 because I cannot remember all those memories, time is cruel but it still gets an 8
7 for the song. 3 more because the influence of this record on decades of e-music simply can not be understated. the definition of godlike (IMO)
They don't come much more classic than this - awesome stuff
Most prophetic cover album of all time.
Came here wondering if anyone else thought this was reminiscent of Never-ending Story soundtrack
timmus wrote:
Crazy to think that this came out during my sophomore year of college.
Crazy to think this came out during the same years of the Ford Administration and the Bicentennial.
Crazy to think that this came out during my sophomore year of college.
timmus wrote:
He's French. Why would he care about American nonsense?
Crazy to think this came out during the same years of the Ford Administration and the Bicentennial.
He's French. Why would he care about American nonsense?
Crazy to think this came out during the same years of the Ford Administration and the Bicentennial.
hana.tisserand wrote:
Because it's what the future USED TO sound like!
How does this manage to feel both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time? Futuretro?
Because it's what the future USED TO sound like!
How does this manage to feel both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time? Futuretro?
still rule!
Chongo1959 wrote:
So did my first GF. I guess you both got drilled to Jarre! 🤣😂😜
My dentist back in the early eighties would always have this playing in the background!
So did my first GF. I guess you both got drilled to Jarre! 🤣😂😜
My dentist back in the early eighties would always have this playing in the background!
Jarre does not have an acute accent over the e, so it is pronounced Jarr, not Jarray
His name is still pronounced "Zharr," not "Zharray" Bill.
B&R please play other tunes by JMJ. He does have quite the collection besides Oxygene.
Désolé! Pu capable. Back in the 70's and 80's, I tought this was cool and original. Didn't age well in my opinion. Sorry!
arserocket wrote:
That's the last thing I'd expect to read in a thread about Jean-Michel Jarre and Oxygene, but at least it's an honest memory.
takes me back to a disgusting student rat infested flat .... good days that were simple and fun - the rat bites healed too
That's the last thing I'd expect to read in a thread about Jean-Michel Jarre and Oxygene, but at least it's an honest memory.
takes me back to a disgusting student rat infested flat .... good days that were simple and fun - the rat bites healed too
Typesbad wrote:
It was. And being just a kid in the 60s it was hard to appreciate how unique the situation was. I just accepted the fact that every month there would be a new sound, a new innovation, some never before heard combination of insturments, sounds, and production techniques. And the music of every year would sound like nothing that could have been out the year before.
I'm sure that is why I listen to RP and other venues with obscure artists (check out Magnatune). I'm still always expecting to hear something completely new. The amazing thing is, I still do.
Here at RP we do get a variety, buts its never really very intense or dark. (rocking or otherwise)
It was. And being just a kid in the 60s it was hard to appreciate how unique the situation was. I just accepted the fact that every month there would be a new sound, a new innovation, some never before heard combination of insturments, sounds, and production techniques. And the music of every year would sound like nothing that could have been out the year before.
I'm sure that is why I listen to RP and other venues with obscure artists (check out Magnatune). I'm still always expecting to hear something completely new. The amazing thing is, I still do.
Here at RP we do get a variety, buts its never really very intense or dark. (rocking or otherwise)
His father is Maurice Jarre, film composer writ large. Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, etc. etc. Great family...
Oi dude, it don't matter.
Will & Bec spin the tunes. Be grateful !
Thank you Will & Bec !
Will & Bec spin the tunes. Be grateful !
Thank you Will & Bec !
Mackmoney3000 wrote:
Luckilly, most of us are still analogue, despite Elon's eagerness.
My favorite tidbit about this album (which is incredible as a whole) is that JMJ sequenced and recorded the whole thing on his kitchen table with 100% analog equipment.
Luckilly, most of us are still analogue, despite Elon's eagerness.
neptunejeff wrote:
Apparently those are not strings in Del Shannon's "My Little Runaway"... so it goes further back. There is a good YouTube (probably more than one) on the advent of the Synth... where I learned about Del Shannon!
ALLLLL those 80s tunes I adored... synthesizer. Who knew!? (Not me)
70's artist like Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk and Brian Eno
made groundbreaking contributions to Ambient/Electronic
music.....
made groundbreaking contributions to Ambient/Electronic
music.....
Apparently those are not strings in Del Shannon's "My Little Runaway"... so it goes further back. There is a good YouTube (probably more than one) on the advent of the Synth... where I learned about Del Shannon!
ALLLLL those 80s tunes I adored... synthesizer. Who knew!? (Not me)
That's weird, I could swear this is the third time I've heard this in 2022. Not complaining though, RP can use more Jean-Michael Jarre... but how about some of his other stuff? Much of Oxygene is good, as is Equinoxe and Les Chants Magnetiques. Let's hear something from those.
BillG wrote:
File Mixup. Fixed.
My favorite comments so far, since 2006. Like a small peek behind the curtain.
File Mixup. Fixed.
My favorite comments so far, since 2006. Like a small peek behind the curtain.
Easyrider wrote:
Totally agree, though for one glorious moment I thought you might be talking about me
45 years old and still great!
45 years old and still great!
tovarisch wrote:
Ha! My thought process for a final rating too!
7 for the song... +2 for the memories listening to it when this first came out, -1 because I cannot remember all those memories, time is cruel but it still gets an 8
Ha! My thought process for a final rating too!
It has an almost too happy to be true vibe to it. Light, airy, optimistic.
Clever link, really clever - Bowies Starman straight into JMJ Oxygene. Now trying to 2nd guess Bill for the next one 
love this genius
we used to get high as kites and listen to JMJ in my friend's basement back when I was in HS in the early 80s. So fun.
still freakin cool as hell
This is why I listen to Radioparadise! I was in 10th grade when this album came out but I don’t recall it at all, probably because I was too busy listening to Deep Purple. But I really really love this.
Four years older than me and we share a birthday. Plus, his estranged father wrote the score to Frankenheimer's Grand Prix. Combine those two factoids and it rates an 8 from me.
Younger Brother must have had this album as a kid...
I listened to this on my little turntable on repeat when I was in Jr HS. Holy hell, this brings back a lot of memories through 45 years of haze... Thank you Bill, Rebecca, and RP!
As a kid I saw Rendezvous in Houston in '86. 
It was epic.
It was epic.
ceicilbee wrote:
wow. thought this was Younger Brother for a moment.
Yeah, me too! Sounds a little like "Happy Pills", or "All I Want"? But I think the sound alike is in the reverse order, seeing as Younger Brother could just have been a toddler at the time that this came out. VirginieJ wrote:
So great !!! I am french and so happy to listen this song on a US radio ! Grateful ! 
La France aime et écoute Radio Paradise !!!My favorite music-to-cook-dinner-by in college. Usually accompanied by a generous side of herbs.....
wow. thought this was Younger Brother for a moment.
Jean Michel Jarre in the 70s was immense. Still are (did you saw the New Year show, in France?)!
Was Introduced to this artist by my dentist in the late 1970's. She played it during my visits! I actually enjoyed the visits, especially the laughing gas!
Another good choice, but please pronounce his surname correctly. Still a 7
Jean Michel and Enigma changed my life as a wee lad
Makes Moby look like a fool.
A lovely flashback! Thanks RP! 
justin4kick wrote:
And look, Bill got it fixed! Bill you're the greatest.
For sentimental reasons I want the original in the playlist.
And look, Bill got it fixed! Bill you're the greatest.
Typesbad wrote:
It was. And being just a kid in the 60s it was hard to appreciate how unique the situation was. I just accepted the fact that every month there would be a new sound, a new innovation, some never before heard combination of insturments, sounds, and production techniques. And the music of every year would sound like nothing that could have been out the year before.
I'm sure that is why I listen to RP and other venues with obscure artists (check out Magnatune). I'm still always expecting to hear something completely new. The amazing thing is, I still do.
Heard this song the first time in 1976 and proceeded to rush out and get the LP. Nothing like it through a pair of KOSS headphones at the time. Thanks for the trip back RP!
It was. And being just a kid in the 60s it was hard to appreciate how unique the situation was. I just accepted the fact that every month there would be a new sound, a new innovation, some never before heard combination of insturments, sounds, and production techniques. And the music of every year would sound like nothing that could have been out the year before.
I'm sure that is why I listen to RP and other venues with obscure artists (check out Magnatune). I'm still always expecting to hear something completely new. The amazing thing is, I still do.
Heard this song the first time in 1976 and proceeded to rush out and get the LP. Nothing like it through a pair of KOSS headphones at the time. Thanks for the trip back RP!
as a kid , this blow my mind.
This is good.
Equinoxe, V is his supreme achievement. Pure Sonic Nitrous Oxide
Equinoxe, V is his supreme achievement. Pure Sonic Nitrous Oxide
Thanks for playing this, Bill. Any chance you'd play something from Jarre's "Zoolook"?
WoW. das ist so groß
Musique d' inspiration atmosphérique. Toujours sublime. Icône musical Française.
70's artist like Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk and Brian Eno
made groundbreaking contributions to Ambient/Electronic
music.....
made groundbreaking contributions to Ambient/Electronic
music.....
Flashbacks
So great !!! I am french and so happy to listen this song on a US radio ! Grateful !
I haven't heard this in... forever. I recognized it, but didn't recall exactly from where / when.
This is 20th century music at it's best. Jean Michelle Jarre has continued to make music. His latest collaborations are really good. Give them a listen.
7 for the song... +2 for the memories listening to it when this first came out, -1 because I cannot remember all those memories, time is cruel but it still gets an 8
Don’t consider myself an “electro” music fan however had a chance to see JM in Belgium while on vacation. An amazing show from a pioneer in this genre and i enjoyed it immensely. Became aware of him through enjoying his fathers work.
Time to flatter your audio system. Select FLAC and crank it up a little.
Still works of genius. Great lilt and melodies. Full of hope and "we can do this." I was very moved to listen to them, especially when I first heard them at my friend Michael's apartment near Kenmore Square in Boston in the late 70s. What..is...this?.
My brother and I agreed to buy alternative JMJ albums. This was one of his, however I had a copy on cassette which I loved listening to in my car while crawling along in traffic on the way to work.
Thank you RP for the memories.
Thank you RP for the memories.
OMG! Haven't heard this for decades. RP You Rock!
Great ALBUM! 
Timeless. One of my regrets is not having seen JMJ in concert having had the chance
Forgotten how good this is and must dig out the vinyl for a spin. Another great music mix Bill thank you for keeping me sane in a world of chaos. #escapewithmusic
timeless, ageless, dateless, everlasting, eternal
My Dentist plays this when I have an appointment. This and laughing gas makes my visits endurable. I had the original when it first comes.
thewiseking wrote:
Stranger Cheese. I like.
This one is cheesy.
Please give us Equinoxe Part V. It's a trip.
Please give us Equinoxe Part V. It's a trip.
Stranger Cheese. I like.
Cheese? Must one of those tasty French cheeses then...
Not heard this for too long - Thanks AGAIN B&R x
Not heard this for too long - Thanks AGAIN B&R x
Auditory memories! Must move up to 9!
This one is cheesy.
Please give us Equinoxe Part V. It's a trip.
Please give us Equinoxe Part V. It's a trip.
Great! I just forgot this song and it's nice to hear it again now awakening some memorys...
To me, this sounds great. But the comments have me intrigued.
Would love to hear the original recording.
Would love to hear the original recording.
Okay this is weird. I just played this song an hour ago from my iTunes. What are the odds of RP playing it? Great tune.
DrLex wrote:
File Mixup. Fixed.
This is not the original version, meaning it is not “Oxygène (Part IV)” from the 1976 album. TrackID identifies it as being from a 2004 album. I seem to remember the original version being played here on RP, and I'd like that to be restored. I don't care for the extra blips and noises that were inserted in this version. It is almost like George Lucas adding all kinds of CGI junk to the Star Wars special editions…
File Mixup. Fixed.
Loved this piece. Takes me back to grade 9!
let me guess: Younger Brother next ;-)
DrLex wrote:
I agree! While it was interesting to hear this current "remixed" version once, I much prefer the original.
This is not the original version, meaning it is not “Oxygène (Part IV)” from the 1976 album. TrackID identifies it as being from a 2004 album. I seem to remember the original version being played here on RP, and I'd like that to be restored. I don't care for the extra blips and noises that were inserted in this version. It is almost like George Lucas adding all kinds of CGI junk to the Star Wars special editions…
I agree! While it was interesting to hear this current "remixed" version once, I much prefer the original.
My favorite tidbit about this album (which is incredible as a whole) is that JMJ sequenced and recorded the whole thing on his kitchen table with 100% analog equipment.
Used to smoke a fat one and listen to this and Tubular Bells followed by Pleasure Principle Gary Numan....miss that
Proclivities wrote:
There were musicians making electronic music in the late 1940s and '50s; it just didn't really get much attention until the late '60s. It is pretty incredible how quickly and dramatically music changed in that time period.
Would love to hear some of that immediate post-war electronica.
There were musicians making electronic music in the late 1940s and '50s; it just didn't really get much attention until the late '60s. It is pretty incredible how quickly and dramatically music changed in that time period.
Would love to hear some of that immediate post-war electronica.
For sentimental reasons I want the original in the playlist.
One of my first few pieces of vinyl, a gift if I remember correctly. I couldn't have been more than 10 or 12 at the time. An older friend knew that I liked Pink Floyd and said "Here, this is what you should be listening to". At the time I didn't hear the similarities and didn't REALLY develop an ear for JMJ until Zoolook. Now here we are 40 years later and in light of the previous comment, I totally get the connection!!! I truly think that Younger Brother is a wonderful evolution in music and easily the PF of today. I'd also suggest anything by Air could be played after this track next time.
timmus wrote:
There were musicians making electronic music in the late 1940s and '50s; it just didn't really get much attention until the late '60s, especially after the appearance of the Moog Synthesizer. It is pretty incredible how quickly and dramatically music changed in that time period.
It blows my mind that the song dates from 1976, just 15 years after music consisted mostly of stuff like Del Shannon, Lawrence Welk, and Brenda Lee. It must have been incredible to witness the changes in the music landscape between 1965 and 1975 and the advent of electronic music.
There were musicians making electronic music in the late 1940s and '50s; it just didn't really get much attention until the late '60s, especially after the appearance of the Moog Synthesizer. It is pretty incredible how quickly and dramatically music changed in that time period.
Wow! Jean-Michael Jarre!
His second album was the first thing I listened to after "graduating kiddie records". He definitely had a upwards trend:
Oxygene
Equinox
Magnetic fields
Zoolook (fan-tas-tic album)
Rendez-vous
Revolutions (also outstanding)
Waiting for Cousteau (fantastic 44 minutes long ambiental)
After that he lost steam, IMO.
His second album was the first thing I listened to after "graduating kiddie records". He definitely had a upwards trend:
Oxygene
Equinox
Magnetic fields
Zoolook (fan-tas-tic album)
Rendez-vous
Revolutions (also outstanding)
Waiting for Cousteau (fantastic 44 minutes long ambiental)
After that he lost steam, IMO.
Great! Way ahead in those days.
Younger Brother next?
Younger Brother next?
Jean Michel is rarely played on RP but very welcome. He's ingenious, a titan of techno and tronica. With just a few other names, he was a pioneer of it. Magnetic Fields and Chronologie, among others, are masterpieces. I've never seen him in concert, but he recently played at Radio City. Too bad for me that I missed it.
timmus wrote:
It was. And being just a kid in the 60s it was hard to appreciate how unique the situation was. I just accepted the fact that every month there would be a new sound, a new innovation, some never before heard combination of insturments, sounds, and production techniques. And the music of every year would sound like nothing that could have been out the year before.
I'm sure that is why I listen to RP and other venues with obscure artists (check out Magnatune). I'm still always expecting to hear something completely new. The amazing thing is, I still do.
It blows my mind that the song dates from 1976, just 15 years after music consisted mostly of stuff like Del Shannon, Lawrence Welk, and Brenda Lee. It must have been incredible to witness the changes in the music landscape between 1965 and 1975 and the advent of electronic music.
It was. And being just a kid in the 60s it was hard to appreciate how unique the situation was. I just accepted the fact that every month there would be a new sound, a new innovation, some never before heard combination of insturments, sounds, and production techniques. And the music of every year would sound like nothing that could have been out the year before.
I'm sure that is why I listen to RP and other venues with obscure artists (check out Magnatune). I'm still always expecting to hear something completely new. The amazing thing is, I still do.
He's touring this summer in the U.S.! Stopping in Berkeley May 26th!
mabe thats why these speakers are called Advents, what does Linn stand for?
It blows my mind that the song dates from 1976, just 15 years after music consisted mostly of stuff like Del Shannon, Lawrence Welk, and Brenda Lee. It must have been incredible to witness the changes in the music landscape between 1965 and 1975 and the advent of electronic music.
This is definitely not referencing the correct album. Why this version? At the beginning, I thought I had something else playing on my computer in parallel.
This is not the original version, meaning it is not “Oxygène (Part IV)” from the 1976 album. TrackID identifies it as being from a 2004 album. I seem to remember the original version being played here on RP, and I'd like that to be restored. I don't care for the extra blips and noises that were inserted in this version. It is almost like George Lucas adding all kinds of CGI junk to the Star Wars special editions…
westslope wrote:
And that is a shame as there are so many of his other songs that deserve to be on RP.
This is the only Jean-Michel Jarre song that gets played on RP.
And that is a shame as there are so many of his other songs that deserve to be on RP.
Oxygene sold 12 million copies!
woW!
woW!
Brings back good memories of my Commodore 64.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgxj-TvsujQ
This is the only Jean-Michel Jarre song that gets played on RP.
I can't, don't remember...but this may be the first Jarre I've heard here on R.P. JMJ is brilliant, one of the original techno electronicats. He is genius. An impeccable pedigree. Groundbreaking stuff. I have most of his CDs and never tire of them. I can never pick one I like best.