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).
On était beau
Alain Souchon Lyrics
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On avait des bottes hautes
On avait du daim sur le dos
On était beau
On avait des bottes hautes
On avait du daim sur le dos
On était si beau
On était si beau
Avec nos manteaux
On avait des idéaux
Des idéaux
On était beau
On avait des bottes hautes
On avait du daim sur le dos
On était si beau
On était si beau
Des boucles sur nos manteaux
Avec nos manteaux
On avait des idéaux
Des idéaux
The lyrics to Alain Souchon's song "On était beau" depict a nostalgic reflection on the past, specifically on the singer's youth, when they were "beautiful." The repetition of the phrase "On était beau" emphasizes the singer's belief that they, along with their peers, were truly attractive in their own way. The mention of "bottes hautes" (high boots) and "daim sur le dos" (suede on the back) suggests a fashionable style that the singer and their group embraced during that time.
The repetition of the line "On était si beau" further emphasizes the singer's longing for and admiration of their past selves. The reference to "boucles sur nos manteaux" (curls on our coats) suggests a certain attention to detail and a pride in their appearance. Additionally, the mention of "des idéaux" (ideals) implies that they not only cared about their appearance but also had aspirations and beliefs that they held dear.
Overall, the lyrics of "On était beau" evoke a sense of nostalgia for a time when the singer and their peers felt confident, stylish, and aligned with their ideals. It reflects on the beauty they possessed, both in terms of physical appearance and inner values. The song subtly reminds listeners to cherish and appreciate the moments and versions of themselves that they may have left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
On était beau
We were beautiful
On avait des bottes hautes
We had high boots
On avait du daim sur le dos
We had suede on our backs
On était si beau
We were so beautiful
Des boucles sur nos manteaux
Curls on our coats
Avec nos manteaux
With our coats
On avait des idéaux
We had ideals
Des idéaux
Ideals
Lyrics © LES EDITIONS ALAIN SOUCHON, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SONY ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING FRANCE
Written by: LAURENT VOULZY, ALAIN SOUCHON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind