Là-Bas (Over There)

"Là-bas" is a song written and sung by a very well-known French artist Jean-Jacques Goldman. In this song he sings of how torn he is in his life, how he struggles to stay in a land that he knows well, but a land that he knows will never bring him happiness. This is actually a duet and the female singer is a British-born artist named Sirima. She sings the part of Goldman's wife or significant other, who does not want him to leave her. It is a very touching song, and I encourage you all to watch the movie on Youtube.

So why did this have such a large impact on me personally? Perhaps it is because I recently came back from France, perhaps it is because the first person that I loved enough to say that I loved them was in France, perhaps it is the fact that I currently do not know what I am to do with my life. I don't know why I can relate to this song, I love the United States, and though I could live in France, I don't see myself moving there anytime soon to follow my dreams. In the song, Sirima warns that "là-bas" (over there) there will be storms, and tempests, and things that will be hard to face. Later Goldman agrees with her, yet counters, "je te perdrai si j'irai là-bas...je me perds si je reste là" (I will lose you if I go over there, I am losing myself if I stay here).

Life is not what I thought it would be, and my plans are not working out as I had, well, planned. I am a stronger person because of this trial, one who has learned that I need to as the Tahitians would say, "haatane" (man up), grit my teeth, pray harder and move onward. Perhaps I will need to abandon what I know, to get to where I don't know, but perhaps in all of this, this is what I am supposed to do. Perhaps life doesn't work out for a good reason. I am just looking for that reason.


Jean Jacques Goldman - Là-Bas
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