Oui mais
Alain Souchon Lyrics

The lyrics to Alain Souchon's song "Oui mais" are a poignant reflection on the vast number of people that exist in the world and the feeling of loneliness that can come with not knowing any of them. Souchon muses on the idea of having a friend or companion among the countless faces that he sees in cities and towns, but ultimately acknowledges the difficulty in finding any one person among the "ants" who might fill that role.

The song opens with the line "Sur la Terre tant de visages", which translates to "On Earth there are so many faces". Souchon then poses the question of whether any of these people might be a friend, but quickly follows up with the caveat "Oui mais" (yes but), suggesting that finding such a person is not a simple matter. He goes on to acknowledge that even those who pass by us in the street are "souls", but we will never truly know them.

Throughout the song, Souchon expresses a desire to connect with others and find someone who might be a kindred spirit. He notes that he senses "sentiments" within those who pass by him, and imagines that among them might be "companions" or "soulmates" who would be right for him. However, he ultimately comes back to the ongoing challenge of making meaningful connections with others, ending the song with a repeated refrain of "ho hé ho, oui mais".