Ici et là – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Alain Souchon
• Album: Âme fifty-fifties

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the nuances of French life and social commentary through Alain Souchon's "Ici et là." This song offers a poetic glimpse into the disparities that exist within society, using evocative lyrics and a gentle melody to encourage reflection and understanding, making it a great piece for appreciating the subtleties of the French language and culture.

[English]

Here the little Ralph Lauren in Austin

Walk along the Seine and wave to us

There the hoods sway in the shopping gallery

Dreaming of big German limousines

Even if it's the same sun

It's not at all, not at all the same

Here and there, here and there

Here and there

You jump the ring road, come on

I shot the sheriff, Bob Marley

Here and there

Here khâgne hypokhâgne climbs to Normal Sup'

There the escalator is broken, we’re going around in the ZUP

Fantin-Latour and Degas, come on go to the museum

At the bottom of the tower there are two guys, come on go have fun

Even if it's the same sun

It's not at all, not at all the same

Here and there, here and there

Here and there

You jump the ring road, come on

I shot the sheriff, Bob Marley

Here and there, here and there

Here and there

The way we look at this chance

These 40 meters of asphalt that separate us

You jump the ring road, hop come on

I shot the sheriff

Here and there, here and there

...

Here and there

You jump the ring road, come on

I shot the sheriff, Bob Marley

Here and there

Here and there

Here and there, here and there

Here and there

...

[French]

Ici les petites Ralph Lauren en Austin

Longent la Seine et nous font des signes

Là les capuches se dandinent en galerie marchande

Rêvant de grosses limousines allemandes

Même si c'est le même soleil

C'est pas du tout, du tout pareil

Ici et là, ici et là

Ici et là

Tu sautes le périph', allez

I shot the sheriff, Bob Marley

Ici et là

Ici khâgne hypokhâgne grimpe à Normal Sup'

Là l'escalator est en panne, on tourne dans la ZUP

Fantin-Latour et Degas, allez va au musée

En bas d'la tour y'a deux gars, allez va t'amuser

Même si c'est le même soleil

C'est pas du tout, du tout pareil

Ici et là, ici et là

Ici et là

Tu sautes le périph', allez

I shot the sheriff, Bob Marley

Ici et là, ici et là

Ici et là

Le regard que nous portons sur ce hasard

Ces 40 mètres de goudron qui nous séparent

Tu sautes le périph', hop allez

I shot the sheriff

Ici et là, ici et là

Ici et là

Tu sautes le périph', allez

I shot the sheriff, Bob Marley

Ici et là

Ici et là

Ici et là, ici et là

Ici et là

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
signes /siɲ/ A2	noun - signs, signals
limousines /lɪˈmuːzɪn/ B2	noun - luxury car, limousine
panne /pan/ B2	noun - breakdown, failure
tour /tuːr/ A2	noun - tour, trip
hasard /azaʁ/ B2	noun - chance, randomness
goudron /gu.dʁɔ̃/ C1	noun - tar, asphalt
mètres /mɛtʁ/ A2	noun - meters, units of length
tourné /tuʁne/ B2	verb - turned, rotated
garçons /ɡaʁsɔ̃/ A2	noun - boys
musée /mɥze/ A2	noun - museum
tour /tuːʁ/ A2	noun - tower

Key Grammar Structures

• Même si c'est le même soleil

  ➔ Conditional clause using 'si'

  ➔ 'si' indicates a condition that affects the reality or possibility of the action

• Tu sautes le périph'

  ➔ Present tense of the verb 'sauter'

  ➔ 'Tu' is the second person singular pronoun, and 'sautes' is the present tense form of 'sauter'

• Là l'escalator est en panne

  ➔ Present tense of 'etre' in the indicative mood

  ➔ 'est' is the third person singular present tense of 'être', meaning 'is'

• Rêvant de grosses limousines allemandes

  ➔ Present participle used as a gerund to describe an ongoing action

  ➔ The participle 'Rêvant' indicates the act of dreaming ongoing in the present

• Même si c'est le même soleil

  ➔ Expression of concession using 'même si'

  ➔ 'même si' introduces a concessive clause, meaning 'even if'

• Le regard que nous portons sur ce hasard

  ➔ Relative clause using 'que' to specify the noun 'regard'

  ➔ 'que' introduces a relative clause providing more information about 'regard'

• Tu sautes le périph', allez

  ➔ Imperative mood used in 'allez' to give a command or encouragement

  ➔ 'allez' is the imperative form of 'aller', meaning 'go' or 'come on'

• I shot the sheriff, Bob Marley

  ➔ Simple past tense used in the phrase

  ➔ 'shot' is the simple past tense of 'shoot', indicating a completed action