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).

Chanter C'est Lancer Des Balles
Alain Souchon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Chanter c'est lancer des balles
Des ballons qu'on tape
Pour que quelqu'un les attrape
Et que ça bebop 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 notre 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

Overall Meaning

The song "Chanter C'est Lancer Des Balles" by Alain Souchon encapsulates the dualistic nature of singing - it can be both playful and light-hearted, as well as heavy and soulful. The opening line, "Chanter c'est lancer des balles" (Singing is like throwing balls), sets the tone for the rest of the song. Souchon likens singing to throwing balloons or balls that someone catches, expressing the idea that singing is about connecting with others.

The next verse, "Casser des verrières et les filles les seins à l'air regardent tomber les bouts de verres" (Breaking windows while girls with their breasts exposed watch the glass fall), suggests a more rebellious and destructive side to singing. This contrasts with the playful nature of throwing balloons and emphasizes the idea that singing can also be intense and even dangerous.

In the final verse, Souchon mentions Jim Morrison's mother, referencing the late lead singer of The Doors. This unusual name drop reinforces the song's message by reminding us that singing can affect people in unexpected ways and have a lasting impact. Overall, "Chanter C'est Lancer Des Balles" is a complex exploration of the range of emotions and experiences that singing can evoke.

Line by Line Meaning

Chanter c'est lancer des balles
Singing is like throwing balls

Des ballons qu'on tape
Balloons that we hit

Pour que quelqu'un les attrape
So someone can catch them

Et que ça bebop a lullap
And that it bebops and lullaps

Des ballons d'hélium
Helium balloons

Pour faire monter les hommes
To make men go up

Au-dessus
Above

De la pluie dans le solarium
Rain in the solarium

Casser des verrières
Breaking glass panes

Et les filles les seins à l'air
And girls with their breasts out

Regardent tomber les bouts de verres
Watching the pieces of glass fall