Les Fleur
1970 song by Minnie Riperton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Les Fleur" (also known as "Les Fleurs")[a] (transl. "The Flowers")[3] is a song by American singer-songwriter Minnie Riperton, released as the opening song of her 1970 debut studio album Come to My Garden.
| "Les Fleur" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Minnie Riperton | |
| from the album Come to My Garden | |
| Released | September 23, 1970 |
| Genre | Soul,[1][2] psychedelia[2] gospel[2] jazz |
| Length | 3:19 |
| Label | GRT |
| Songwriters | |
| Producer | |
Background and recording
"Les Fleurs" was written by Charles Stepney, who also produced the song, and Richard Rudolph, Riperton’s husband.[1][4] Pianist Ramsey Lewis had previously recorded a version of the song as "Les Fleur" on his 1968 album Maiden Voyage.[1]
Music
The song features Riperton singing from the anthropomorphized perspective of a flower.[5][6][2] The lyrics contain themes of renewal and rebirth and have been interpreted to be about Jesus.[2] It contains layered vocals and an orchestral backing from the string section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.[2][7] Willie Aron of Hits described it as a "chamber-soul masterpiece" and a "trippy pastoral [...] that blossoms into an anthemic chorus."[5] Audrey Connelly of Atwood Magazine writes that the "song was written during the summer of love" and is "full of floral imagery and soft psychedelic freedom."[2] Jason King, dean of the USC Thornton School of Music, stated that the song's lyrics about the life cycle of a flower, evoke pastoralism and nostalgia.[7]
Legacy
Country soul singer Yola and alternative pop singer Caroline Polachek have called the song an inspiration for their own music.[6][4] Electronic music group 4hero released a remix to the song for their album Creating Patterns.[8][9] The Guardian ranked the song as Riperton's second best song.[8][10] The song has been used in various films and TV shows, such as Inherent Vice,[1] Us,[3][11] The Idea of You,[7] Back to Black,[7] Atlanta,[12] Gaslit,[5] and Them.[13] ChatGPT featured the song in a January 2026 commercial.[14]
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Physical Singles (Official Charts Company)[15] | 34 |
| UK Vinyl Singles (Official Charts Company)[15] | 34 |
Notes
- The original record label listed the song as "Les Fleur," although reissues and compilations use the title "Les Fleurs."