C'est Chic

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title: "C'est Chic" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["chic-(band)-albums", "1978-albums", "atlantic-records-albums", "albums-produced-by-nile-rodgers", "albums-produced-by-bernard-edwards", "albums-recorded-at-power-station", "albums-with-cover-art-by-joel-brodsky"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C'est_Chic" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

FieldValue
nameC'est Chic
typestudio
artistChic
coverC'est Chic cover.jpg
borderyes
released
recorded1978
studioPower Station, New York City
* Disco<ref name"Molanphy 2021"
* R&B<ref nameLA/
length
labelAtlantic
producerNile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards
prev_titleChic
prev_year1977
next_titleRisqué
next_year1979
misc{{Extra album cover
headerCover of Très Chic
typeStudio album
coverTrés Chic.jpg
nameC'est Chic
typestudio
single1Le Freak
single1dateSeptember 21, 1978
single2I Want Your Love
single2dateJanuary 29, 1979
single3Chic Cheer (1984 Mix by Bernard Edwards)
single3dateNovember 1984
::

| name = C'est Chic | type = studio | artist = Chic | cover = C'est Chic cover.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = | recorded = 1978 | studio = Power Station, New York City | genre =

  • Disco
  • R&B | length = | label = Atlantic | producer = Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards | prev_title = Chic | prev_year = 1977 | next_title = Risqué | next_year = 1979 | misc = {{Extra album cover | header = Cover of Très Chic | type = Studio album | cover = Trés Chic.jpg | border = | alt = | caption = | name = C'est Chic | type = studio | single1 = Le Freak | single1date = September 21, 1978 | single2 = I Want Your Love | single2date = January 29, 1979 | single3 = Chic Cheer (1984 Mix by Bernard Edwards) | single3date = November 1984 |filename=Le Freak sample.ogg |title=Le Freak |description=Chic's "Le Freak" from C'est Chic |filetype=Ogg}}

C'est Chic is the second studio album by American band Chic, released on Atlantic Records in 1978.

Release

C'est Chic includes the band's signature hit "Le Freak", which topped the US Hot 100 chart, US R&B, and US Club Play in October 1978, selling six million copies in the US. The album also contains the hit single "I Want Your Love" (number 5 R&B, number 7 Pop, number 4 UK).

C'est Chic was the band's most commercially successful album, reaching number 4 on Billboard's album chart and topping the US R&B chart for eleven weeks. C'est Chic was Billboards 1979 R&B Album of the Year, claiming the number one spot on Billboards Year End Review. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA, selling over a million copies. In the UK it peaked at number 2 and has been certified Gold by the BPI.

The European version was originally called Très Chic, with the cover featuring a woman wrapped around a neon light tube. It was withdrawn and replaced with the C'est Chic version with a less risqué cover. Très Chic had a different track listing.

C'est Chic was released on compact disc by Atlantic Records/Warner in 1991 (catalogue number 7567-81552-2). The album has been digitally remastered and re-issued twice: first in 2011 by Warner Music Japan and then in 2018 at Abbey Road Studios by Atlantic.

Critical reception

| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = | rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide | rev2score = B | rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | rev3score = | rev4 = Pitchfork | rev4score = 8.4/10 | rev5 = Rolling Stone | rev5score = | rev6 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide | rev6score = | rev7 = Spin Alternative Record Guide | rev7score = 9/10 The Globe and Mail deemed C'est Chic "a sleekly elegant variation" of disco. The Los Angeles Times opined that, aside from "Le Freak", the album "consists of pedestrian disco pieces and plodding R&B ballads."

Track listing

All songs written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers; except where indicated.

''C'est Chic''

;Side one

  1. "Chic Cheer" – 4:42
  2. "Le Freak" – 5:27
  3. "Savoir Faire" – 5:01
  4. "Happy Man" – 4:17 ;Side two
  5. "I Want Your Love" – 6:55
  6. "At Last I Am Free" – 7:08
  7. "Sometimes You Win" – 4:26
  8. "(Funny) Bone" – 3:41
  • (LP only hidden track – moog solo)

''Très Chic''

;Side one

  1. "Chic Cheer" – 4:42
  2. "Le Freak" – 5:23
  3. "I Want Your Love" – 6:55
  4. "Happy Man" – 4:17
  5. "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" (Edwards, Kenny Lehman, Rodgers) – 3:35 ;Side two
  6. "Savoir Faire" – 5:01
  7. "At Last I Am Free" – 7:08
  8. "Sometimes You Win" – 4:26
  9. "(Funny) Bone" – 3:41
  10. "Everybody Dance" – 3:22

Personnel

;Musicians

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (1978–1979) | Peak position | |---|---| ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (1979)PositionDutch Albums (Album Top 100)US Billboard 200US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)
48
30
1
::

Certifications and sales

Cover Versions

Robert Wyatt had a top 20 UK Indie Chart hit with a cover of "At Last I Am Free" in 1980.

References

References

  1. Molanphy, Chris. (January 19, 2021). "These Are the Good Times Edition". [[Slate (magazine).
  2. (7 Dec 1978). "Disco group 'Chic' produce own success". Bay State Banner.
  3. "US Singles Charts > Chic".
  4. "UK Charts > Chic". [[Official Charts Company]].
  5. "US Albums Charts > Chic".
  6. "US Certifications > Chic". [[Recording Industry Association of America]].
  7. "UK Certified Awards Search > Chic". [[British Phonographic Industry]].
  8. Birchmeier, Jason. "C'est Chic – Chic". [[AllMusic]].
  9. Christgau, Robert. (1981). "Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies". [[Ticknor and Fields]].
  10. Larkin, Colin. (2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". [[Omnibus Press]].
  11. Beta, Andy. (December 12, 2018). "Chic / Sister Sledge: The Chic Organization 1977–1979".
  12. Walters, Barry. (September 8, 2005). "Chic: C'est Chic".
  13. Sisario, Ben. (2004). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide". [[Simon & Schuster]].
  14. Walters, Barry. (1995). "Spin Alternative Record Guide". [[Vintage Books]].
  15. (20 Dec 1978). "Pop". The Globe and Mail.
  16. (17 Dec 1978). "Pop Music". Los Angeles Times.
  17. "Classic Tracks: Chic 'Le Freak'". Sound On Sound.
  18. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1979".
  19. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1979".
  20. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1979".
  21. (1997). "Indie hits : 1980-1989 : the complete U.K. independent charts (singles & albums)". Cherry Red Books.

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chic-(band)-albums1978-albumsatlantic-records-albumsalbums-produced-by-nile-rodgersalbums-produced-by-bernard-edwardsalbums-recorded-at-power-stationalbums-with-cover-art-by-joel-brodsky