Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet was introduced to the accordion and piano-driven music of Yann Tiersen by his production assistant.

Greatly impressed, he immediately bought Tiersen's entire catalogue and eventually commissioned him to compose pieces for the film.

[3] The music features parts played with accordion, piano, harpsichord, banjo, bass guitar, vibraphone, and even a bicycle wheel at the end of "La Dispute"[citation needed] (which plays over the opening titles in the motion picture).

The track later received English lyrics, and was released by The Divine Comedy as a b-side to the Regeneration single, "Perfect Lovesong."

Pianist and composer Dmytro Morykit arranged and plays a cover version of "Comptine d'un autre été : L'après-midi".