Ici et Là is Alain Souchon’s witty city-scape, a musical stroll that keeps hopping over Paris’s périphérique ring road like a game of lyrical hopscotch. With every leap he toggles between two universes: “Ici” where preppy kids in Ralph Lauren cruise beside the Seine, quote Bob Marley, and prepare for elite schools, and “Là” where hooded teens wander malfunctioning mall escalators dreaming of shiny German limousines. The carefree reggae shout-out “I shot the sheriff” adds a splash of global pop culture, hinting that even the coolest anthem cannot hide the social rift.
Souchon’s refrain reminds us that the same sun shines on both sides, yet life feels “pas du tout pareil”. In just forty meters of asphalt lies a world of contrast: masterpieces by Fantin-Latour and Degas up in the museum, while two lads hang out at the tower’s foot looking for fun. The song is a playful but poignant snapshot of inequality, urging listeners to notice the invisible wall that separates privilege from struggle—and maybe to keep jumping the curb until Ici and Là feel a little closer.