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).
Chanter C'Est Lancer Des Balles Live
Alain Souchon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Des ballons qu'on tape
Pour que quelqu'un les attrape
Et que ça be-bop a lullap,
Des ballons d'hélium
Pour faire monter les hommes
Au-dessus
De la pluie dans le solarium.
Chanter, c'est lancer des balles,
Casser des verrières
Et les filles, les seins à l'air,
Regardent tomber les bouts de verres,
Pour qu'elles trouvent note-gage
De musique et de langage
Joli, à défaut du visage.
Chanter, c'est lancer des balles
Derrière une vitre
Pour pas qu'une petite nous quitte
Ou pour que la vie passe plus vite.
Seul contre un mur,
Sur une scène contre nature,
Ou en se cachant la figure.
Râper, morose, pour changer les choses
Et même, en désespoir de cause,
Des blagues au téléphone
Pour faire rire les personnes
Et la mère de Jim Morrison.
The lyrics of Alain Souchon's song "Chanter C'est Lancer Des Balles" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the act of singing, as a way to create something (in this case music) and then toss it out to be caught or interpreted by others. The language and imagery used in the song suggests that the act of singing is like throwing balloons or balls into the air, with the hope that someone will catch them and enjoy the music. The metaphor of the balloons extends throughout the song, with the lyrics comparing singing to launching helium balloons into the sky to lift people up and escape from everyday life.
The lyrics "casser des verrières" (breaking glass) and "regardent tomber les bouts de verres" (watching the glass fragments fall) could be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of the breaking of barriers, and the liberation of emotions, that singing can bring. The song suggests that singing has the potential to free us from the restraints of society, as represented by the glass barriers that are shattered. The reference to girls watching the glass fall with their breasts exposed could be interpreted as a continuation of the metaphor, with the breaking of barriers allowing for a sense of liberation and freedom.
Throughout the lyrics, the singer suggests that singing can be a way to cope with difficult emotions and situations. The lyrics "seul contre un mur" (alone against a wall) and "en se cachant la figure" (hiding one's face) suggest that singing can be a solitary act, with the singer using music as a way to confront their feelings of isolation and despair. Similarly, the lyrics "gratter, morose, pour changer les choses" (playing gloomily to make a change) suggest that singing can be used to express and deal with negative emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Chanter, c'est lancer des balles,
Singing is like throwing balls that need to be caught, tapping balloons to create a be-bop a lullap effect, and releasing helium balloons that lift people above the rain in the solarium.
Des ballons qu'on tape
These are balls that are tapped or hit.
Pour que quelqu'un les attrape
That someone might catch.
Et que ça be-bop a lullap,
And it results in a be-bop a lullap effect.
Des ballons d'hélium
These are helium-filled balloons.
Pour faire monter les hommes
Those balloons lift people up.
Au-dessus
Up above.
De la pluie dans le solarium.
From the rain in the solarium.
Casser des verrières
Breaking windows.
Et les filles, les seins à l'air,
And girls with their breasts exposed.
Regardent tomber les bouts de verres,
Watching the pieces of glass fall.
Pour qu'elles trouvent note-gage
So that they can find a note gauge.
De musique et de langage
Of music and language.
Joli, à défaut du visage.
Beautiful, in lieu of their appearance.
Derrière une vitre
Behind a glass.
Pour pas qu'une petite nous quitte
To keep someone from leaving us.
Ou pour que la vie passe plus vite.
Or to make time pass by faster.
Seul contre un mur,
Being alone against a wall.
Sur une scène contre nature,
On stage against nature.
Ou en se cachant la figure.
Or by hiding your face.
Râper, morose, pour changer les choses
Rapping, being sullen, to change things.
Et même, en désespoir de cause,
And even, in despair.
Des blagues au téléphone
Telling jokes on the phone
Pour faire rire les personnes
To make people laugh.
Et la mère de Jim Morrison.
And Jim Morrison's mother.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAIN SOUCHON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind