Arrière-arrière-petits-enfants literally translates to "great-great-grandchildren". It's a compound word that beautifully illustrates the French way of extending family terms.
In the song, the narrator asks, "Que tes arrière-arrière-petits-enfants ne connaissent pas la guerre?" (That your great-great-grandchildren don't know war?). This word is particularly poignant as it evokes a deep sense of hope for future generations, making it both unique and emotionally resonant.
MPL's "Sur Une Échelle" is a really touching and honest song, seemingly a conversation with an aging loved one, perhaps a grandmother. The singer uses a 1-to-10 scale to ask some pretty heavy questions, like "Sur une échelle de 1 à 10, dis-moi comment t'as mal?" [On a scale of 1 to 10, tell me how much pain you're in?] and "Sur une échelle de 1 à 10, dis-moi comment t'as peur?" [On a scale of 1 to 10, tell me how scared you are?]. It feels like a final visit, with lines like "Tout ça ressemble de toute évidence à des adieux" [All of this clearly looks like goodbyes].
There's a bittersweet nostalgia as he remembers childhood, singing a nursery rhyme together: "'Il était une petite bergère qui allait au marché / Trois pas devant, trois pas derrière et trois pas sur le côté'" [There once was a little shepherdess who went to the market / Three steps forward, three steps back and three steps to the side]. He also expresses a regret, saying "T'aurais voulu que je te présente une fille, mais je suis venu seul" [You would have wanted me to introduce you to a girl, but I came alone]. It's a beautiful, poignant reflection on love, memory, and the difficult goodbyes we all face.