"Là-bas" is a 1987 song recorded as a duet by the French singer Jean-Jacques Goldman and the British-born artist Sirima. It was the second single from Goldman's 1987 double album Entre gris clair et gris foncé. It was a smash hit in France and became a popular song throughout the years.
Background, lyrics and music
In 1987, Goldman had finished composing the song but had not yet found a female voice to record the duet with him. Philippe Delettrez, Goldman's saxophonist, met Sirima who sang in a Parisian metro, and suggested that Goldman meet her. After several takes in studio, Goldman finally decided to record the duet with her. Composed by Jean-Jacques Goldman, the song deals with "the need of escape and the dilemma between a vital renewal and the loss of one's roots". Goldman and Sirima sing the song as a fictional couple from a unidentified country, described as poor and socially rigged. While the man wants to go away to start a more fruitful life in the country of his dreams, the woman, who personifies "stability, rooting and habit", warns him about all kinds of dangers he could encounter and begs him to stay with her and start a family. The song is built as a dialogue that ends with two monologues in which "one is decided, while the other begs". The song was also released under the title "Over there" to win over the anglophone countries. On Radio Canada, it was awarded best francophone song of the year thanks to the votes of listeners. He had already explored a similar theme in the 1975Tai Phong song "Going Away", and would again in his 1997 song "On ira". In an interview, Goldman pointed out that the latter song made direct reference to "Là-bas" by borrowing a line from it : "Ici tout est joué d'avance", meaning "Here everything is set from the beginning", became "Même si tout est joué d'avance", meaning "Even if everything is set from the beginning".
Chart performances
In France, the song charted for 21 weeks on the top 50, from 5 December 1987 to 23 April 1988. It entered at number 17 and reached the top ten three weeks later. It peaked at number two for five non consecutive weeks, but was unable to dislodge Guesch Patti's "Étienne", then Sabrina's "Boys " which topped the chart then. After 12 weeks in the top ten, the single dropped on the chart. It achieved Gold status awarded by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique in 1988. The song sold about 593,000 units and is the 402nd best-selling single of all time in France.
Cover versions
The song was covered by many artists throughout the years, including :fr:Michel Delpech|Michel Delpech in 1996, Murray Head and Lio, Corey Hart and Julie Masse in 1998, Renaud Hantson and Nourith, Michel Leclerc in 2000, Florent Pagny and Natasha St-Pier in 2002, Philippe Heuvelinne and Marc Rouvé in 2003, Humana, Prise 2 Son in 2004, Opium du Peuple, and Grégory Lemarchal and the 500 choristers in 2007. All these versions were recorded on an album or a single. Jean-Jacques Goldman re-recorded the song as a duet with Céline Dion for the Les Enfoirés' 1996 album La Compil'. In 1992, he performed the song with Carole Fredericks and Michael Jones for the live albumSur scène. The song was performed on several French TV programmes, such as Tapis Rouge à Notre-Dame de Paris by Hélène Ségara and Bruno Pelletier, Tubes d'un jour, tubes de toujours by Daniel Lévi and Cécilia Cara. The song was also performed in Dutch-language by Erik Mesie and Nadieh under the title "Ik sta". In 2012, Marie-Mai and Baptiste Giabiconi covered the song on the number one album Génération Goldman. Jean-Jacques Goldman and Michael Jones made an English version of the song called "On my way home" interpreted by Joe Cocker. As often with English translations of French songs in general, and Goldman songs in particular, the lyrics are not a literal translation of the original but remain true to the overall theme.
