Alain Souchon (born May 27, 1944, Casablanca, Morocco) is a French pop sing… Read Full Bio ↴Alain Souchon (born May 27, 1944, Casablanca, Morocco) is a French pop singer, songwriter and actor. He has released 15 albums and has played roles in seven films.

Souchon signed his first contract in 1971, but had no success until he began to collaborate with composer/arranger Laurent Voulzy ; they would write together, but each released albums under his own name. Souchon's first hit was "J'ai 10 ans" (1974), from the album of the same name. Souchon's biggest hit was probably "Foule Sentimentale" from 1995's C'est Deja ca. His recent album is from 2005, called La Vie Theodore which features his song "Et si en plus, y'a personne" [What if, even more, there is no one], a song condemning religious intolerance.

He wrote the theme for François Truffaut's 1979 film Love on the Run (L'amour en fuite).

8 M2
Alain Souchon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pour un petit gangster sur les nerfs
Elle a foutu sa vie en l’air
Elle ira à la banque avec lui
Bang bang bang bang bang et puis

8m2 d’alentours
Sur la pointe des pieds, on voit la cour
En levant la tête, on voit l’azur

L’azur

Cow-boy cabossé à la noix
Cow-boy F.L.N.C , E.T.A
Elle voulait être dans le gang aussi
Bang bang bang bang bang et puis

8m2 d’alentours
Sur la pointe des pieds, on voit la cour
En levant la tête, on voit l’azur
L’azur

Tant de jours, de jours de peine ombre
C’est toujours, toujours par amour qu’elles tombent
Va voler la lune en hélico
Elle lui volait la lune illico
Au revolver dans l’ordre établi
Bang bang bang bang bang et puis

8m2 d’alentours
Sur la pointe des pieds, on voit la cour
En levant la tête, on voit l’azur
L’azur

C’est son amour, c’est son homme
Ce Che Guevara en chewing-gum
Etre à la hauteur, être comme lui
Jamais, jamais peur et puis

8m2 d’alentours
Sur la pointe des pieds, on voit la cour
En levant la tête, on voit l’azur
L’azur

Tant de jours, de jours de peine ombre
C’est toujours, toujours par amour qu’elles tombent

Overall Meaning

The song "8 M2" by Alain Souchon tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a small-time gangster and ends up ruining her life for him. The first verse introduces the woman as the one who destroyed her life for a small-time gangster on edge. The second verse references a cowboy who was part of the gangs FLNC and ETA. The third verse mentions the woman's desire to be part of the gang, to feel that adrenaline rush that comes with being a gang member. This desire leads her to commit crimes, going to the bank with her partner and using a gun to rob it.

The chorus mentions "8m2 d’alentours," which refers to an apartment in Paris measuring eight square meters or roughly 86 square feet. Despite the small size, the apartment is on a high floor, and the woman can see the courtyard and the sky from her window. The verses then go back and forth between telling the story and referencing the theme of love and the sacrifices it can make us do. The final verse mentions the woman's admiration for her partner, who she sees as her very own version of Che Guevara.

Overall, the song tells a tragic story of a woman who falls in love with a criminal and becomes a criminal herself, leading to the destruction of her life. However, it also touches on the theme of love and how it can make us do things we never thought we were capable of doing.

Line by Line Meaning

Pour un petit gangster sur les nerfs
A small-time criminal on edge

Elle a foutu sa vie en l’air
She ruined her life

Elle ira à la banque avec lui
She'll go to the bank with him

Bang bang bang bang bang et puis
Bang bang bang bang bang and then

8m2 d’alentours
8 square meters around

Sur la pointe des pieds, on voit la cour
On tiptoe, you can see the courtyard

En levant la tête, on voit l’azur
Raising your head, you can see the sky

L’azur
The sky

Cow-boy cabossé à la noix
A banged-up cowboy with nuts

Cow-boy F.L.N.C , E.T.A
Cowboy FLNC, ETA

Elle voulait être dans le gang aussi
She wanted to be in the gang too