Marche à l'ombre is the fourth studio album by French singer-songwriter Renaud, released in 1980 by Polydor Records. It is the first of Renaud's album that officially has a title, his three first albums being unnamed.
Marche à l'ombre contains three of Renaud's most popular songs:: "Marche à l'ombre" contains observations and aspersions cast on various characters who walk into the narrator's favorite bar as he relaxes with a pinball-obsessed friend. "Les Aventures de Gérard Lambert" is the tale of a fictional comic hero, a mobylette rider whose evening is ruined by a mechanical problem and a wise-cracking passerby. "Dans mon HLM" is a floor-by-floor description of the public housing block that Renaud lived in, from the nightwatchman on the ground floor to his girlfriend on the eighth floor.
"It Is Not Because You Are" also gained attention as a spoof attempt to sing in English. A mock ballad, it is a tortured variety of Franglais, with almost every line containing both English and French words.
"La Teigne" is the story of a youth who has grown up "on the state" ("Il était de l'assistance") who can't make friends and who commits suicide before his 20th birthday. "Baston" (French for "punch-up") tells the story of a person who aims to die young.
Track listing
All songs were written by Renaud Séchan except where noted.
Side one
"Marche à l'ombre" – 3:16
"Les aventures de Gérard Lambert" (Renaud Séchan, Alain Ranval) – 3:46
"Dans mon H.L.M." – 6:00
"La teigne" – 2:43
"Où c'est qu'j'ai mis mon flingue?" – 3:03
Side two
"It Is Not Because You Are" – 3:20
"Baston!" (Renaud Séchan, Michel Roy) – 5:30
"Mimi l'ennui" – 3:56
"L'auto-stoppeuse" – 3:07
"Pourquoi d'abord?" – 3:21
Tracks 1 and 3 were included on the compilation The Meilleur of Renaud (75–85). Tracks 1, 3 and 6 were also included on the CD Ma Compil. Tracks 1, 3, 5 and 6 were covered for the tribute album La Bande à Renaud.
Personnel
Renaud Séchan – vocals
Alain Ranval – guitar, background vocals
Pierre "Pierrot" Chérèze – guitar
Patrice Meyer – guitar
Laurent De Gaspéris – guitar, background vocals
Alain Marquez – guitar
Gérard Prévost – bass
Amaury Blanchard – drums
Steve Sheshan – percussion
Jean-Philippe Goude – keyboards, piano, harpsichord
Laurent Gérôme – pedal steel guitar
Guy Khalifa – flute, piano, background vocals
Richard Raux – saxophone
Alain Guillard – saxophone
Yvon Guillard – trumpet
David Rose – violin
Monique Rollin – lute
Daniel Neuranter – bassoon
Lou "Léon" Gamme – alto flute
Phillippe Vauville – background vocals
Klaus Blasquiz – background vocals
Shitty Télaouine – background vocals
Stella Vander – background vocals
Liza "Deluxe" Bois – background vocals
Yves Poucel – background vocals (English) Hubert Varron - string conductor